It seems like, lately, when you log into Netflix (using your own unique password and definitely not the login info that you stole from your sister’s ex-boyfriend) the alleged number one movie is something weird. It makes a little bit of sense: movies are added and removed pretty regularly, so every once in a while, the Twilight franchise just ends up dominating the top 10. It’s virtually inevitable, and nobody really questions it when Netflix says it, so it has to be accurate, right?
The latest movie to top the Netflix Top 10 is a nearly decade-old comedy called This Is Where I Leave You, from one of Netflix’s main players, Shawn Levy, who is currently working on season five of Stranger Things.
Levy, who directed the film, took to Twitter to thank Netflix fans for getting the movie back in front of the eyes of an audience: “Took a minute, but I’ll take it! Thanks everyone who’s watching and sending such kind words about our long lost little movie,” the director tweeted, along with a screenshot of the movie clearly beating out Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds’ 2013 action/comedy RIPD, which you also might remember. They did release a sequel last year, though.
This Is Where I Leave You features an ensemble cast with all of your favorite comedians including Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda (!), and notorious jokester Adam Driver. The movie, which hit theaters in 2014, follows a group of grown siblings who return to their childhood home after the death of their father. It sounds heavy but keep in mind that Ben Schwartz — who is also in this movie, along with Timothy Olyphant and Kathryn Hahn and Rose Byrne and Corey Stoll and we’ll just stop here but geez — plays a Rabbi named Boner, so that’s what you’re in for here!
You Season 4’s second half will arrive in a few short days on Netflix, and for that reason, I’m circling back to a Penn Badgley interview that’s a few weeks old. Those Netflix split seasons make a lot of things timely, and I’m finding it very interesting that Badgley, who’s been even more vocal than usual lately about his current show’s trappings, is reflecting upon a show that would have provided him a bounty of food for thought in interviews. He’s been upfront about how You might be a little too seductive when it comes to Stalker Joe’s appeal to the audience, although Badgley points a bigger finger at Netflix’s Dahmer for feeding the public’s fascination with real-life serial killers.
Long before these shows emerged, however, the former Gossip Girl actor had a real shot at playing a different type of immoral character. That would be Jesse Pinkman (portrayed by Aaron Paul) of Breaking Bad fame. These days, it’s difficult to imagine anyone besides Paul being as unforgettable in the role, but via Buzzfeed and People, Badgley says that he almost snagged that puppy. We almost heard Badgley delivering the “b*tch” line? Yes, that’s true:
“One I got close on was Breaking Bad. It was between me and Aaron Paul, we tested. And actually, that was the best television script I’d read at that point. That was the one that got away.”
He’s not wrong about the script, obviously. Paul’s portrayal was an iconic one that scooped up awards, and he went on to reprise the role in a sequel film and, of course, a recent Super Bowl commercial. And Badgley went on to star in a role with appeal that does disturb him sometimes. It would have been curious to see if Badgley would have felt the same way about Pinkman and delivered interviews as such, but I guess we’ll never know.
As I’m sure you know by now, Halle Bailey is due to appear as the titular character in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid — which means that not only will her likeness be appearing in trailers and on billboards but on toy aisle shelves as well.
The singer choked up as she revealed the strikingly accurate Ariel doll in a video on her social media pages, gushing that “she even has my mole!” A voice can be heard from off-camera saying “I want one,” and fans are convinced that it’s none other than Halle’s mentor Beyoncé, as evidenced by a comment from her cousin Angie Beyince saying “I’m with [bee emoji] I want 1!”
omg the little girl in me is pinching herself right now ..i have my own Little Mermaid Ariel doll !!! I can’t believe how much she captures my version of this iconic character brb gonna go cry now … pic.twitter.com/NKn0H0mssT
Bailey’s casting, although progressive on its face, wasn’t without some controversy. Upon seeing the first teaser revealing Halle as the aquatic protagonist, some viewers took to social media to decry the casting decision. However, Halle took the criticism in stride, thanks to encouraging words from her grandparents and the realization that the casting was symbolic of progress for little Black girls who get to see themselves as princesses.
The same principle probably applies to the doll as well. While there’ve been plenty of Black dolls throughout the years, few have been officially licensed by Disney based on their most lucrative intellectual properties.
When Nick Cannon promises “some big news,” there are a couple of possibilities. After all, he’s got so many projects in play at any given moment, it could be a new show, album, hosting gig, or movie role. But when he tweeted that he has an announcement today, fans only had one kind of announcement in mind, considering his recent activities.
Those recent activities, of course, involve the slew of headlines about new inclusions to his ever-growing brood. Cannon joked during the holidays that he spent them traveling all night to visit each of his 11 children and their six mothers (he’s one of few celebrities with a separate table on his Wikipedia page to help fans keep track). So fans had plenty of baby-related jokes in response to the actor-host-rapper’s tweet to “EXPECT some big news tomorrow.”
This isn’t the first time fans — and peers — have shared their thoughts about Nick Cannon’s apparent efforts to field a full football team’s worth of children. Most recently, fellow television host Andy Cohen suggested Cannon should get a vasectomy, while fans instantly thought of him when news broke that the world population had hit 8 billion people. However, he does have one supporter: Akon, who is “1,000 percent” behind Cannon fathering so many children — understandable, considering he’s got nine of us own.
If you grew up in the ’90s then you were part of the last generation of kids who lived without being constantly connected to the internet. You lived during that last gasp of the analog era where most of your entertainment came on tape and if you wanted a new pair of Guess jeans or LA Gear shoes, you had to drive to the mall.
Also, if you wore parachute pant, aka “Hammer Pants,” people actually thought you were cool.
Families mattered on Friday nights.
People listened to rock ‘n’ roll because it was important.
Hip-hop was at its peak.
People spent time talking to each other instead of staring at their phones.
It was a time of hope and optimism.
Some folks over at Reddit have been sharing funny memes that explain exactly what life was like in the ’90s. From the terrible pastel-colored designs that were everywhere to the charming, but antiquated, technology kids today will never understand.
In a long overdue display of arachnid-based political justice, the January 6 rioter known as Spider-Nazi has finally been captured by the FBI. The alleged culprit, Brandon Kelly Dillard of Las Vegas, had avoided capture ever since he was spotted scaling the walls of the Capitol building in service to Donald Trump. That is no longer the case as the Feds have now ensnared Dillard in a web of charges that have a high probability of sticking.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the FBI, Dillard is accused of “knowingly entering and remaining in a building without lawful authority, disorderly conduct of government business, and uttering ‘loud, threatening, or abusive’ language at the Capitol building with the intent to disturb a session of Congress.”
The Feds also appreciate everyone tagging pictures of Dillard with #SpiderNazi. That really helped a lot. Via The Daily Beast:
Footage obtained by the FBI shows Dillard, geared up in a Supreme knit cap to match his sweatshirt and a mask, climbing the Capitol walls. He entered through a broken window outside a Senate conference room and can be seen on video slithering in and out of the building.
Dillard traveled from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas to northern Virginia on Jan. 5, 2021, and departed for home Jan. 8, according to the FBI.
The Daily Beast notes that Dillard’s mom owns a wig shop in Vegas, which you’d think would be the perfect front for spider-based insurrection. Frankly, we’re surprised that didn’t work.
In 2019, the Atlantic reported that the 10 most frequent first words for English-speaking babies are mommy, daddy, ball, bye, hi, no, dog, baby, woof woof, and banana (the influence of minions on culture cannot be overstated).
But what will it be? And with syntax the same as Yoda, do we know? We know not, but “it’s a good question,” producer Dave Filoni told Entertainment Tonight after being asked when Baby Yoda will say more than his cute coos. “I mean, I would suppose fairly young. We don’t know that he’s not talking in his own way, and, obviously, he can communicate with Ahsoka where she can at least divine from him some type of communication.”
In The Book of Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker noted to Grogu how he knew a member of the species, leaving audiences to wonder if, when Grogu does eventually start to talk, he’ll follow the speech patterns of Yoda or of Din Djarin. “What makes you think that’s a species thing? That’s interesting,” the producer expressed. “Maybe. I think you’re influenced by who you’re around, it’s a good question.”
Filoni added, “What would his first word be? We’ll see, I don’t know.”
Keanu Reeves is many things, including a good bass player, a skilled martial artist, a Virgo, and sometimes, on occasion, he is also an actor. You know him from The Matrix and John Wick and other vehicular-related action films, but you don’t know him from any movie musicals, because he hasn’t done any… yet.
In preparation for the biggest cinematic event of the year (behind Barbie), Reeves did a big Reddit AMA over the weekend, and even though he didn’t do it in character as John Wick, he did it as himself, The Internet’s Favorite Guy, and that’s even better. Sure, his picture looked like he was being held hostage, but we all know that he has enough combative skills to get out of it if he really wanted to, and he sure didn’t.
Reddit
The actor revealed various tidbits about his life (he had a pet guinea pig named Carrot who he called a “cutie-pie”) while also discussing some of his favorite movie memories (he loved playing opposite Patrick Swayze in Point Break) and a bunch of other stuff (he would like to be a bird, if possible).
But the main takeaway here, besides the fact that Reeves is a fan of Alvvays, is that he really wants to be in a musical, despite his lack of singing abilities, even though that never stopped Russell Crowe, even when it should have.
“I would love to be in a musical,” Reeves posted, “But I can’t sing so I’m not sure anybody else would want me in a musical.. but I sure would try. I mean I could sing, but not really well. I can always dream.” It’s so funny because Keanu Reeves singing is actually a dream I have all the time.
It’s true that Reeves has never been in a musical, even though Bill and Ted could count if you really wanted to make it work. So let’s investigate: what type of musical guy would he be? The long-lost father? Or the sneaky villain with an affinity for vibrato? Or would he be likely to join a musical biopic a la Rocketman or Elvis? Could he be the next a capella sensation to revitalize the Pitch Perfect franchise? Hopefully not.
But he does want to follow in Hugh Jackman’s footsteps by either singing or playing Wolverine, which is another dream of his. Maybe he can combine the two into a singing assassin type. Why not! Anything goes these days. It seems like it’s time for Reeves to take some time away from murdering various assassins in order to get some proper singing lessons. We already know he can dance just fine.
North West has emerged as a major Ice Spice fan, as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s 9-year-old daughter made a pretty great drawing of the rapper and even linked up with Ice Spice herself and made some TikTok videos. Now, though, North’s newest batch of TikTok posts is stirring up some conversations.
In a series of posts shared today (March 6), North dons a curly orange wig and an Ice Spice-like outfit as she and friends dance and mouth along to Ice Spice TikTok sounds. Here’s one of those videos, which is set to Ice Spice and PinkPantheress’ “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2”:
This clip and the others have spawned multiple varieties of discourse. Some Twitter users took exception to 9-year-old North listening to a song with sexual lyrics like, “Sayin’ he home, but I know where he at, like / Bet he blowin’ her back / Thinkin’ ’bout me ’cause he know that it’s fat.” In response to that, others pointed out that kids have been hearing suggestive popular tunes for decades now.
Did she just quote Ice Spice saying “blowing her back”…Kanye gon lose his shit smh pic.twitter.com/pUprsjcvgc
I can’t lie north west is like every other kid! Let’s not act we didn’t tie up our tops and whine against the wall copying Christina, Britney, Pussycat dolls, Jlo and Beyoncé etc
I cannot judge north west for loving ice spice when I was 3 years old rapping along to Hail Mary and my parents bought me Usher’s my way album in elementary school
— The Neighborhood Publicist (@nhoodpublicist) March 6, 2023
Some people resurfaced an older video of Kanye talking about TikTok (with some re-sharers inaccurately billing it as Kanye’s response specifically to North’s Ice Spice fascination). In the video, Kanye vents his frustrations about North’s TikTok activity and how he doesn’t want her to be “used” by the platform.
— World Latin Honey (@WorldLatinHoney) March 6, 2023
Some people stood in solidarity with Kanye, like one user who wrote, “Kanye was right and y’all just ignorant. no way you see a actual child dressing up like a Sexualized rapper who makes music about sexualized things cute and funny. It’s disgusting.”
Kanye was right and y’all just ignorant no way you see a actual child dressing up like a Sexualized rapper who makes music about sexualized things cute and funny. It’s disgusting https://t.co/OARmES9zV3
March is here. That means it’s time to talk about some great Irish whisky. While I love the tipple from the Emerald Isle year-round, there’s no getting around the fact that interest in whiskey from Ireland peaks this month. And with so many new Irish whiskey brands hitting the market — covering everything from fun Irish blends to cask strength heavy hitters — sitting alongside old-school classics, it’s high time to taste and rank some.
For this blind tasting, I’m going down and dirty. I’m tasting 20 Irish whiskeys from my shelf and ranking them on taste alone. That’s it. No gimmicks or long lists of parameters. This is just a good old-fashioned blind tasting and ranking. Our lineup features the following bottles today:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of grain-forward Irish whiskey on the nose with honey-dipped Graham Crackers next to light sweetgrass, mellow nuttiness, and a hint of summer flowers.
Palate: The palate leans into butterscotch with a hint of orange oils, buttery croissant, and creamy toffee with a light whisper of that malty honey from the nose.
Finish: The end has a marzipan lushness with a very light sense of dried cherries dipped in milk chocolate with a flutter of spiced malts.
Initial Thoughts:
This was fine. It was very much “Irish Whiskey” from top to bottom with a nice nuttiness and spicy choco malts. It felt a little more like a cocktail base than a fine sipper.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This does feel classic with notes of lemon citrus candy, soft malts, and mild spice on the nose with a faint touch of honey and almond.
Palate: The sip leans into that spice with a soft powderiness while layers of lush vanilla, dry nuts, and a hint of woodiness drive the palate.
Finish: The end is short and sweet with a minerality to it that’s more river rock than tap water.
Initial Thoughts:
Well, hello Jameson! That lemon candy vibe is unforgettable. Still, this is clearly a mixing whiskey from top to bottom.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this is all about the apple candy with a hint of pear in there alongside mild notes of cinnamon and maybe a little honey.
Palate: The palate is light and touches on chocolate chips and winter spice before going big with the apple candy again.
Finish: The end washes out a tad with the proofing water, leaving hints of dark spices, raisins, and more apple/pear candy.
Initial Thoughts:
This was pretty good all things considered. It had a nice balance and some real depth. Still, it was just “nice” and not much more.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Applewood leads to apple candies made with plenty of honey next to a hint of dried flowers, dry firewood, and a whisper of dry straw.
Palate: The palate amps up the apple to a spiced apple fritter with plenty of cinnamon, clove, and ginger next to a layer of creamy vanilla and more of that dry straw.
Finish: The end is full of honey and spice and fades out pretty fast.
Initial Thoughts:
This was pretty good. It’s not great and feels like a solid cocktail base.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hardcore notes of wet grains open this with a hint of milk chocolate and a clove/allspice on the nose.
Palate: The taste leans into those sweet porridge grains toward dried fruits and green peppercorns.
Finish: The mid-palate sweetens with butterscotch next to spicy stewed apples that feel like sticky apple sauce before fading out pretty fast.
Initial Thoughts:
This was a grain bomb. There was some nuance there but it was buried deep under all that wet and sweet porridge.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is super lush with hints of kiwi skins next to the woody core of a pineapple, soft vanilla oils, stewed apples, and a little bit of holiday spice mix.
Palate: The palate is creamy yet light with a sharp sense of cloves and allspice next to a tropical fruit salad with a touch of black pepper, more of that super soft vanilla, a smear of Nutella, and a twinge of sour sherry-soaked oak.
Finish: The end simmers all that tropical fruit down with the spices to create a sweet, tart, spicy, vanilla-laden jammy feel with a line of spiced malts lurking underneath it all.
Initial Thoughts:
This is on another level. It’s delicious, deep, and delightful. This blows every previous sip out of the water and is the sip to beat.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with dry pencil shavings leading towards dry pine boxes, potpourri, and a hint of grapefruit pith.
Palate: The taste is driven by cinnamon bark and clove berries, with a pink eraser vibe next to soft vanilla beans.
Finish: That vanilla moves the mid-palate towards a finish full of ripe figs, light spice, and sweet potting soil.
Initial Thoughts:
This was odd but made a weird sort of sense by the end. I’m just not sure if I like all that oddity or am just trying to like it because it’s different.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of old black potting soil on the nose with a rush of freshly bailed hay, bushels of red apples, orange marmalade, and a whisper of fresh rain on slate roofs.
Palate: That orange turns into an orange upside-down cake with a cinnamon/clove caramel drizzle next to old prunes, oatmeal cut with raisins and brown sugar, salted butter, and a twinge of old cedar planks with singed edges and a faint echo of sage.
Finish: That sage leads to a green pepperiness and a hint more of savory green herbs with plenty of honey and dried fruits next to a final note of soft spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This is strange in all the right ways. The maltiness is deep and enriching while the overall vibe really does feel like you’re on a journey. It’s not amazing though. It’s more … fascinating.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of almost sweet cedar next to marzipan and old leather with a hint of sour cherry and tart apple skins rounding out the nose.
Palate: The palate starts with a foundational layer of vanilla sauce and builds layers of woody cinnamon, soft nutmeg, and sharp cloves toward dried figs and prunes with a brandy-soaked oak vibe and some stewed cherries.
Finish: The end is nice and buttery toffee with another note of vanilla before the woody spices lead to apple tobacco stuffed in an old cedar box on the slow finish.
Initial Thoughts:
Okay, this is amazing. This is a deep and moving whiskey that I immediately want to actually drink and not just taste. It also has some serious bourbon vibes with that mix of dark cherry, vanilla, and woody spice.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Irish oatcakes with vanilla wafers, orange rinds, and light peppery spice lead the way on the nose.
Palate: Orchard fruits confirm the Irishness of it all on the palate as butterscotch and vanilla pudding mingle with white pepper and a fleeting sense of old oak.
Finish: The orchard fruits peek on the finish with a chocolate oatmeal cookie vibe.
Initial Thoughts:
This was back to the “fine” column of this tasting. Nothing wrong at all here. It’s just average.
Taste 11
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet fruits and spice lead the way on the nose with slightly dry green sweetgrass, soft worn boot leather, and gently spiced malts with winter barks and berries next to a depth that just keeps going.
Palate: The palate perks up with slices of fresh ginger next to Tellicherry peppercorns, Nutella, and an apple candy mid-palate that leans into an earthiness that’s like a back porch on a sunny day.
Finish: That apple sweetness drives the finish towards drier sweetgrass and old porch wicker with a touch of moss growing between the canes, soft dark cherry, and a sense of sticky toffee pudding with a flake of salt and a pinch of orange peel.
Initial Thoughts:
Phenomenal.
Taste 12
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Burnt orange and peach skins mingle with a hint of salted dried mango next to red berry tea leaves, plum jam cut with clove, and a mild sense of brandy butter and scones.
Palate: Nutella comes through on the palate with a sense of rum-raisin, old sherry-soaked oak staves, and creamy vanilla cake.
Finish: The end leans into the brandy butter and scones with a sense of sharp orange marmalade and fresh breakfast tea cut with cream and honey.
Initial Thoughts:
This is also really f*cking good whiskey. It’s not quite as engaging as the last sip, but I’m really splitting hairs saying that.
Taste 13
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is very mild with a light sense of leather and dark and spicy red fruit with a thin caramel sweetness.
Palate: Vanilla pudding and sweet oak mix with a minor note of orchard fruit and maltiness.
Finish: There’s a hint of orange zest on the end that’s accented by a thin sweetness and spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This is fine=. It’s clearly a mixing whiskey.
Taste 14
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hefty grains lead the way on the nose with a dry woodiness and a hint of old candle wax, white pepper, and maybe some vanilla cream.
Palate: The palate amps up that vanilla with a grainy vibe as winter spices make an appearance and lead to a whisper of floral honey.
Finish: The end fades pretty quickly, leaving you with sweet vanilla cream and woody spice, and a hint of dry straw.
Initial Thoughts:
This too was just “fine.” There was a decent balance between the crafty graininess and the rest of the profile that helped this stand out a bit.
Taste 15
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sliced pears hidden in vanilla pudding opens the nose, with a slight woodiness that turns into a neutral vodka.
Palate: There’s a slight nutty vibe on the palate, with hints of apple fritters, banana, and oak.
Finish: The finish touches on oats and raisins but ends more like a listless vodka than anything else.
Initial Thoughts:
This tastes more like vodka than whiskey. You can guess where this will end up on the ranking…
Taste 16
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of sharp orange marmalade on buttermilk biscuits with a sense of mocha lattes, wet brown sugar, red grapes, figs, and marshmallows fresh from the bag.
Palate: The taste leans into lemon zest and white pepper before drying out toward grapefruit pith, dark cacao powder, salted black licorice, and a hint of dry white toast.
Finish: There’s a sense of cinnamon bark and clove berries with that black licorice on the finish that leads back to the dark orange and a sweet sense of stewed peaches.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very fascinating and deep. I feel like I could find more and more if I went back to the nose and taste again and again. This is fun, but not a “wow” pour of whiskey.
Taste 17
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That oated sweet grainy nose of a good Irish whiskey mingles with dark chocolate cut with creamy vanilla sits next to a rich buttery toffee with a note of orange on the nose.
Palate: The palate amps up that vanilla with a dusting of Christmas spices and fatty nuts that lead to a minced meat pie feel with a dark orange/chocolate underbelly.
Finish: The end has a hint of tannic oak with a creamy vanilla lushness that’s spiked with dark wintry woody spices.
Initial Thoughts:
This is deep and tasty. It’s not mind-blowing but it’s really good. That feels like enough.
Taste 18
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Minor notes of black pepper and soft lemon oils mixed with vanilla and a hint of banana bread on the nose.
Palate: The palate leans into a light brioche with thin orange marmalade, almonds, and vanilla next to a hint of oak.
Finish: The end is light and quick with a sense of dried honey wafers next to a final touch of that black pepper from the nose.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty thin overall.
Taste 19
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a malty nose with a ginger and honey cookie vibe with a ton of raisin, apple, pear, and maybe even a hint of orange.
Palate: The palate has a svelte buttercream feel that leads to a malted milkshake, a hint of cinnamon, and plenty of dates and figs.
Finish: The end amps up the spice towards a woody feel with apple skins and pear cores leading to a hint of rum-raisin and honey.
Initial Thoughts:
This was classic, straightforward, and distinct. Every note hit true and clear. This is a pretty nice whiskey that’s not overdone.
Taste 20
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with bright fruit — orange, lime, and lemon zest next to peach skins and juicy apricots — next to light notes of brown spices, raisins, and lightly sweetened oak staves with a hint of must.
Palate: The palate leans into the stone fruit with a stewed vibe next to dried red chili flakes, cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of orange chocolate with whispers of lemon-lime soda.
Finish: The end leans into the dark spices on the finish with a plummy vibe, a hint more of that soft oak, and a final dash of peppercorn.
This whiskey is a blend of Irish whiskeys sourced from distilleries all around Ireland. The whiskeys in the mix are mostly aged in ex-bourbon casks with a few barrels of sherry cask aged whiskey thrown in there too.
The new Slainte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend starts off with classic barrels of grain whiskey aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Those barrels are batched and then the whiskey is re-barreled into new ex-bourbon casks for a final maturation before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
I’d also pass on this too. It’s too thin-bodied and has nothing really to draw your attention.
18. The Busker Irish Whiskey Single Pot Still — Taste 5
This barley-based whiskey is aged in a combo of ex-bourbon and sherry casks for an undisclosed amount of time. Those whiskeys are then blended and proofed down with local water.
Bottom Line:
This is a crafty grain bomb. You really have to search to get past that. I’d pass.
This new Irish whiskey is billed as having a “Modern taste profile.” The whiskey in the bottle is a standard sourced triple-distilled Irish whiskey blend that’s a minimum of four years old and rested in French oak barrels.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty thin too — I know, that’s a trend here in these lower-ranked drams… Alas, I’d pass.
16. Teeling Whiskey Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey — Taste 14
Teeling is known for sourcing a lot of its whiskey. This is made entirely in-house at their Dublin facility in the Liberties. The whiskey is a classic triple distilled single pot still Irish whiskey made with 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley. The whiskey is then aged in ex-bourbon, new oak, and ex-sherry barrels before blending and proofing.
Bottom Line:
This is interesting in that it balances the grainy crafty sweet porridge vibe with a well-aged whiskey with real nuance and flavor notes. That all said, I’d probably use this for making citrus-forward cocktails.
15. Method And Madness Single Grain Irish Whiskey Matured in Bourbon Barrels Finished in Virgin Spanish Oak Casks — Taste 7
This is Midleton’s craft whiskey venture — they built a stand-alone craft distillery in the middle of the campus for this whiskey. The single-grain spirit is matured in unused Spanish oak and old bourbon casks. That’s then small-batched and proofed with that soft County Cork water and bottled in a throwback art-deco bottle.
Bottom Line:
This is a true oddball. That’s not a slight. This whiskey is built to be an oddball and there’s real depth. You just really have to be in the mood for something different to enjoy this one.
14. McConnell’s Irish Whisky Aged 5 Years — Taste 10
This Irish whiskey is batched from sweet bourbon barrels. The blend is a mix of malt and grain Irish whiskeys that spent at least five years resting in old bourbon casks before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty standard mixing whiskey. It’ll work nicely with Coke or ginger ale.
The whiskey is a blend of single pot still (made from malted and unmalted barley) and grain whiskeys. Those whiskeys age in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks until they hit that classic sweet spot that makes Jameson Jameson. Those barrels are then blended, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This really is a mixing whiskey for highballs (it’s literally built for that). Add some ginger ale and a twist of lime and you’ll be set.
This brand-new whiskey from Irish whiskey legend John Teeling is a classic blend that leans into the oak. The whiskey is built from triple-distilled Irish whiskey that’s mellowed in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry Oloroso, and new American oak casks. Those casks were then blended, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey is a step up from the mixers above. I’d use this for whiskey-forward cocktails. There’s enough in the flavor profile to really build a nice drink with this. That said, there are better cocktail base whiskeys on this list.
11. The Irishman Single Malt Irish Whiskey — Taste 3
This whiskey is made from Irish barley that’s mashed and then triple distilled. The hot juice is then filled in ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks for a long maturation (no age is given). Those barrels and then blended and the whiskey is proofed down for bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and deep whiskey that I could see sipping over some rocks or folding into a solid cocktail. If you’re looking for something that’s purely classic and versatile, this is worth trying.
This new release from Bushmills celebrates the sixth and final season of Peaky Blinders. The whiskey in the bottle is a classic Irish whiskey blend of ex-bourbon casks (aged three to five years) bottled without chill-filtration, hence its higher proof.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the better cocktail whiskeys on this list. It works with any application from bitter to sweet to citrus. It’s not terrible over a few rocks either. And if you’re a fan of Peaky Blinders, then this is an obvious buy.
This new release from whiskey-nerd-beloved Waterford out in Ireland is named after pioneering plant breeder Dr. Herbert Hunter. The initial grow for the barley for this whiskey was started with a 50-gram bag of Hunter barley. Over several seasons, they produced enough barley to fill 50 barrels of whiskey with the help of two other almost extinct heritage barley varieties, Goldthorpe and Old Irish. Finally, the whiskey in the bottles ended up being a blend of 45% first-fill ex-bourbon, 19% new American oak, 21% French oak, and 15% Vin Doux Naturel barrels (a Southern French sweet wine).
Bottom Line:
This is the whisky you buy when you want to expand your palate and learn. There’s a bit of a “Am I sitting in a classroom?” vibe to the wildness and newness of this one, but it’s worth it to expand your knowledge of Irish whiskey.
This new release from The Arcadian Series is comprised of alt-barley (old-school barley strains) that were harvested back in 2016. The barley was grown by organic farmers specifically for this mash bill. The whiskey was then triple distilled and aged by Waterford to highlight the malted barley in the recipe.
Bottom Line:
I blindly ranked these and these two ended up basically tied. The same goes for this Waterford as the one above. This is a learning whiskey where you enrich your palate while also trying something completely new and fresh from the region. If you’re not down for that journey, then find something a little more straightforward on this list.
This masterfully crafted whiskey leans more towards the single pot still whiskeys than grain whiskey. Those whiskeys are aged in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon for anywhere from eight to 16 years. Then, the whiskey is finished in an extra-charred ex-bourbon barrel, bringing about the “Black Barrel” moniker, before blending and proofing.
Bottom Line:
Speaking of “straightforward,” this whiskey is that with a serious depth that sings on the senses. This is also the best cocktail base on the list. If you’re looking to make Irish whiskey cocktails all month, this is the one whiskey to have on hand.
The latest batch from J.J. Corey leans into the oldest barrels in their inventory. The juice is made from a 60/40 malt and grain whiskey split. The barrels range in age from seven to well over 25 years old — they’re all sourced. Those barrels are masterfully blended and then released in small, limited-edition batches of only a few thousand bottles.
Bottom Line:
This is where we get into the serious whiskeys. This is a nice sipper with great nuances. It doesn’t quite have the same wow factor or depth as the next five entries but that’s really splitting hairs at this point.
5. Clonakilty Irish Whiskey Cask Finish Series Port Cask Finish — Taste 20
This fan-favorite whiskey just released its latest batch. The whiskey in this one is a nine-year-old Irish grain whiskey blended with a classic Irish single malt. The whiskey was then proofed down slightly and re-loaded into Port casks from the famed Douro Valley. Those barrels were stored next to the Atlantic Ocean in Ireland until they were just right.
Bottom Line:
This has a slight cellar funk to it that I love. I can see that being offputting to some palates though. That said, this is a fun whiskey that balances its port finish very well with a really deep overall profile. If you’re looking for something a little different but still damn good, this is the play.
4. Writers’ Tears Red Head Irish Whiskey — Taste 12
This is classic Irish single malt that’s triple distilled before a long aging process. The hot juice rests in Spanish Oloroso sherry butts until it’s just right. Those barrels are batched and proofed before bottling otherwise as-is.
Bottom Line:
This was delicious. It was a sliver lighter than the next three when it came to the complexity of the flavor profile. But I wouldn’t turn this pour down at all. It’s really good whiskey that delivers.
3. Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Kentucky Oak Edition — Taste 9
This is classic Redbreast tripled distiller single pot still whiskey (made with a mash of malted and unmalted barley). The juice settles for several years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before it’s vatted and then re-filled into brand new air-dried American oak barrels from the Taylor Farm in Kentucky. After four months, the whiskey is blended and barely proofed before bottling as-is.
Bottom Line:
This felt like the perfect bridge between bourbon and Irish whiskey. It’s really tasty and so well-balanced. It also just keeps going and meandering through delicious flavor notes. So if you want to get your bourbon fiend friends hooked on Irish whiskey, this is the bottle to pour for them. This also makes an extraordinary Manhattan.
2. Gold Spot Single Pot Stull Irish Whiskey 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Aged 9 Years — Taste 6
The latest release from Mitchell & Son’s beloved “Spot” line of whiskeys is a nine-year-old blend of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The whiskey is finished in Port casks and Bordeaux wine casks for the final blend/maturation.
Bottom Line:
This might as well be a tie for first place. This is a brilliant pour of whiskey with zero faults.
1. Clonakilty Irish Whiskey Single Batch Double Oak Finish — Taste 11
This award-winning Irish blend is all about the aging and seaside vibes. The blend is built with whiskeys aged in ex-bourbon casks which are finished in new American oak casks. That’s then blended with the same ex-bourbon cask aged whiskey finished in red wine casks from Bordeaux, which have been shaved and remade especially for this bottling.
Bottom Line:
No notes. Get this one. It’s delicious, deep, and just wonderful.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
There was a huge difference in the quality of whiskeys between the top and bottom of this ranking. If you want, you can straight-up skip the bottom five altogether. The middle is all fine for mixing, depending on what you’re looking for. But I’d even say skip that and just get the Jameson Black Barrel if you want a solid cocktail base.
Then there are the top six. All of those whiskeys are worth seeking out and giving a try, especially the top three. Go back and check the tasting notes. Find which one piques your interest. Then hit that price link to try it yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
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the little girl in me is pinching herself right now ..i have my own Little Mermaid Ariel doll !!! I can’t believe how much she captures my version of this iconic character 
brb gonna go cry now … 
(@jayzswife) 
Messy Imarisha
#FuckCancer 
(@queenimarisha) 
(@itsKARY_) 
(@taintedkitkat) 
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