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I’m a huge Tennessee whiskey fan. While there aren’t nearly as many Tennessee whiskeys as there are, say, Kentucky bourbons, there’s still some amazing work being done in the Volunteer State. Plus, a lot of Tennessee whiskeys are simply released as “straight bourbons,” so some do get lost in the mix. Either way, there are enough great new Tennessee whiskeys coming out that I decided it was time to blind taste some.

Okay, at this point you’re probably wondering what makes a “Tennessee whiskey” Tennessee whiskey. Here goes: All Tennessee whiskey is bourbon (unless it’s called Tennessee rye whiskey). The style is a sub-category of bourbon by definition and by law. Tennessee whiskey has to be made with at least 51% corn in the mash bill, aged in new oak, and has specific proof points along the way for distilling, aging, and bottling. All of that makes it a type of bourbon, because those are the exact same rules for bourbon.

This is so unequivocally true that a lot of distillers/blenders/brands just release their Tennessee whiskey as “Tennessee bourbon” or just “straight bourbon whiskey.” In fact, if Jack Daniel’s wanted to release a “Jack Daniel’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey” tomorrow, they could take any barrel of Old No. 7 and do so.

Tennessee whiskey is, by law a “straight bourbon that was made in Tennessee.” According to the feds and international trade, that’s it, that’s the definition/law. The state of Tennessee also added that to be called a “Tennessee whiskey,” the juice has to go through charcoal filtration — or the famed Lincoln County Process, which sees hot juice off the stills slow-dripped through several feet of sugar maple charcoal.

But even that has exceptions in the state, making the definition pretty much moot outside of Tennessee. Moreover, most bourbon is filtered in one way or another anyway but usually after aging, unless it specifically says otherwise. Go look at your bottle of Evan Williams a little more closely and you’ll see mention of “charcoal filtration.” So, this is actually less of a variable than most think. That’s not to say nothing is happening during filtration either before or after aging, it is. We’re just not here to dive into that aspect right now.

What is a big variable is the mash bill. A lot of Tennessee whiskey is far more corn-forward than the juice from up north in Kentucky. Where Kentucky bourbons very generally have a mash bill with 70 to 74% corn, Tennessee bourbon whiskeys generally will have a corn component closer to 80 to 84%. Both still use wheat, rye, barley, and other grains at will to make up the rest of the mash. This is — in part — is what gives the Tennessee sauce a bit more sweetness. Then, of course, there’s the use of different yeasts, unique water sources, and varying climates for aging that make it a different beast too. It’s still bourbon though. In the end, folks, how this juice is labeled really depends on the whim of the brand.

So the next time you hear someone say, “Tennessee whiskey isn’t bourbon!” You can politely reply, “All Tennessee whiskey is a straight bourbon that’s charcoal filtered before aging, with exceptions like Prichard’s Tennessee Whiskey, which isn’t.”

All of that means that a lot of the whiskeys in this blind taste test are labeled as either “Tennessee Whiskey,” “Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey,” or simply “Straight Bourbon Whiskey.” The throughline is that they’re all from Tennessee or were blended with juice from Tennessee to make a blended straight bourbon whiskey. Phew. Glad that’s out of the way, aren’t you?

Our lineup today is:

• Heaven’s Door Aged 10 Years Decades Series No. 1 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Barrell Craft Spirit Bourbon Aged 15 Years A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey (TN, KY, IN)
• Pursuit United 2022 Release Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskeys (TN, KY, NY)
• The Clover Single Barrel Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• George Dickel Bourbon Whisky Aged 8 Years
• Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey
• Nelson Bros. Whiskey Reserve Bourbon A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
• Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled In Bond Vintage Series Spring 2018 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

• We Blind Tasted A Whole Bunch Of $30-60 Bourbons To See If Any Could Beat Weller
• We Blind Tasted Classic Bourbons And Were Shocked By The Winner
• The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked
• We Tasted Bourbon Whiskeys ‘Double-Blind’ And Tried To Guess Each Bottle
• All The Double Gold-Winning Straight Bourbons From This Year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

This opens strong on the nose with a mix of overripe pear, wintry spice, rich toffee, soft vanilla, and woody maple syrup. The palate is luxurious and leans into buttery toffee and soft vanilla cream with layers of warming spices that lean toward a black Necco Wafer, moist marzipan, and old porch wicker. That earthy note leads towards some soft powdered dark chocolate with an almost sour edge before worn garden leather gloves with a speck of sweet potting soil mixes with a stewed pear tobacco finish.

This is a pretty amazing sip of whiskey.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Soft grains — think wet oats — and fresh buttered and salted popcorn pop on the nose with a chalky multivitamin, fresh-picked pears, soft toffee candy, and a drop of cherry juice. The palate leads with a cherry Necco Wafer before veering into tart red berries, dry and powdered winter spices, dry sweetgrass, and a touch of wet brown sugar. The end is lush and hits on a soft Earl Grey tea vibe before hitting a moment of black dirt and cherry tobacco by way of an old cedar box.

This is another winner. It’s just straight up delicious.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

The nose draws you in with a mix of old leather and a back porch on a sunny day with layers of apple and pear skins, plenty of dark spice, white sugar frosting, dry grass, and a hint of sour cherry. The palate has a light ABV warmth (a Kentucky hug if you will) that fades toward a mix of chocolate-covered cherries and orange spice next to mulled wine and vanilla cookies. The end leans into porch wicker with that cherry darkening toward more spice and dark chocolate on the finish.

I’m three pours in and all three have been killers. I might be f*cked ranking these.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

This opens with bright red fruit countered by old leather with a hint of caramel sauce and yellow Necco Wafer lurking deep in the nose. The taste opens with a soft oatmeal cookie before cherry chalk leads to cherry candy with a touch of almond and vanilla wafer accented with toasted kindling. The finish leans into the soft vanilla and caramel with cherry dominating.

Okay, this is good but not nearly as good as the last three. I might be out of the weeds.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

This nose is classic, with rich vanilla next to dry spicy tobacco leaves next to apple hand pies with sugar icing made with plenty of dark spices and butter. The palate has a bran vibe that hints at a white Necco Wafer with a ripe white peach fresh off the tree with a hint of ginger bite to it. The end circles back around to a vanilla wafer with nutmeg, orange zest, and a twinge of dark chocolate sauce leading to a dry and slightly molded wicker chair sitting in the sun.

This is a pretty big step up from the last pour but I’m not so sure it’s as stellar as the first bunch.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

The nose draws you in with Cherry Jolly Ranchers next to sweet cedar bark braided with old strands of leather and orange-laced tobacco leaves while a hint of vanilla wafer and general “health food store” vibes underneath it all. The palate feels like warm apple pie on a sunny day with the best vanilla ice cream on top as layers of eggnog nutmeg and creaminess move toward a Cream of Wheat vibe and some apple wood chips for a smoker and a hint of almond shells on the finish.

This is different but as good as the last one, I think. It doesn’t have that velvetiness of the first three pours, but it’s damn good.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

This is, again, classic on the nose with orange zest mingling with vanilla pods, winter spices, cherry syrup, and leathery pouched full of apple pie. The palate has a grainy vibe that leads to dark chocolate and Cherry Coke with warming spices (allspice and clove) next to banana bread with plenty of walnuts. The end has a touch of black pepper next to green tea and honey with a final note of vanilla wafer and wet tobacco.

This is some good stuff. It’s a little lusher but still feels mid-ground for this tasting.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Now this is a nose! There are distinct notes of rich toffee, old leather boots, dark chocolate-covered tart berries, malted vanilla milkshakes, a tiny hint of orange oils, and a twinge of wet masa. The palate mixes those tart red fruits with cherry candies, Southern biscuits dripping with honey, browned butter, and vanilla wafers. The end leans into the drier aspects with a spiced bark vibe next to dry cherry tobacco and woody spices and maybe some hickory chips.

This is up there. It’s delicious, unique, and fresh.

Part 2: The Ranking

8. The Clover Single Barrel Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 4

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $46

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a celebration of golf legend Bobby Jones. The juice in this bottle is a sourced (from an undisclosed distillery) single barrel of whiskey that’s bottled with a touch of proofing water.

Bottom Line:

This is a good whiskey overall. It was just up against some crazy competition today and fell to the bottom of the list. That said, I would recommend giving this a shot both for its taste and price.

7. Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey — Taste 6

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $35

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made from Jack’s classic mash of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye before it’s twice distilled and run through Jack’s long Lincoln County sugar maple charcoal filtration process. The spirit then goes into the barrel for at least four years — per bonded law — before it’s batched, cut down with a little water, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This is another bottle I’d recommend at least trying. It’s really good but sits a little lower on this list for being very middle-of-the-road, which is kind of the point of this whiskey. It’s really made for everyone to enjoy.

6. George Dickel Bourbon Whisky Aged 8 Years — Taste 5

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $38

The Whiskey:

The whisky in the bottle is the same Dickel Tennessee whiskey but pulled from barrels that leaned more into classic bourbon flavor notes instead of Dickel’s iconic Tennessee whisky notes. The barrels are a minimum of eight years old before they’re vatted. The juice is then cut down to a manageable 90-proof and bottled.

Bottom Line:

We’re still very squarely in the middle of the road here, but it’s a nice place to be. This is a quality workhorse bourbon that works on the rocks as well as it does in a cocktail.

5. Nelson Bros. Whiskey Reserve Bourbon, A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys — Taste 7

ABV: 46.65%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This new release from Nelson’s Green Brier is a big evolution for the brand. The high-rye bourbons are aged for four years before they’re masterfully blended into this expression. It’s then bottled without any fussing or meddling.

Bottom Line:

Okay, this is the last “middle of the road” whiskey on the list. This is a quality pour on the rocks but really shines as a killer cocktail base. It’s very distinctly a “classic” bourbon — and that’s a good thing — but that’s where the flavor profile ends.

4. Barrell Craft Spirit Bourbon Aged 15 Years, A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey (TN, KY, IN) — Taste 2

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $270

The Whiskey:

Barrell Craft Spirits is another craft blendery that’s sourcing some of the best barrels in the game and expertly marrying those barrels. This expression blends 15-year-old bourbon from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennesse into a final product that reaches new heights for blended bourbon.

Bottom Line:

This is just on another level. It’s distinct and very Tennessee-forward thanks to that grain and chalky wafer vibe. Still, this is so much more than that, with real depth that takes you on a journey.

3. Pursuit United 2022 Release Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskeys (TN, KY, NY) — Taste 3

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

The team at Pursuit United re-vamped their bourbon for the first 2022 release. They’ve picked barrels via Bardstown Bourbon Company from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana that skewed a little more rye heavy this year and blended those into this high-proof release.

Bottom Line:

This felt like a real evolution of the brand with deeper notes and bolder flavors. This is high-quality juice with a great balance and fun profile. I can also see making a mean Manhattan with this as the weather turns a bit cooler.

2. Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled In Bond Vintage Series Spring 2018 Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 8

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This particular whiskey was made back in spring 2018 and released in June 2022. The whiskey is a blend of four mash bills that all feature specialty malts ranging from honey malts to oak-smoked barley to naked oats to chocolate roasted barley to caramel malts and many more. The throughline is yellow corn, bonded warehouse aging, and proofing down to 50% ABV.

Bottom Line:

This is just stellar whiskey. It’s lush and supple with a deep yet distinct flavor profile that’s as delightful as it’s satisfying. This is a winner. Still, there was one more pour that just edged it out today.

1. Heaven’s Door Aged 10 Years Decades Series No. 1 Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 1

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $95

The Whiskey:

This is the first in the new series from Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee whiskeys. The juice is a 10-year-old straight bourbon that was made in Tennessee but wasn’t charcoal filtered before or after aging. The sourced barrels were blended and just proofed down before bottling without any other fussing.

Bottom Line:

This was delicious, nuanced, and kind of exciting. It’s that good. This is a contender for the best bourbons of the year for sure.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

This was a hard ranking. All of these whiskeys had their charms and there was something I liked about each one. Though eight through five were definitely more everyday or table bourbons, I’d still be more than happy to keep a bottle around.

Four through one really were the standouts. Each one offered something unique and beautiful. You won’t be disappointed tracking any of them down. That said, the new Heaven’s Door was just the best overall and unbeatable today in both flavor and nuance while feeling like something completely new and fresh. It’s a great pour is what I’m getting at. But you better pre-order it now. It’s not going to last on the shelf.

Just months after dropping her third studio album, Motordrome, Danish pop star MØ has released Dødsdrøm, a companion EP containing B-sides she’s written over the course of several years. In tandem with the EP, MØ has premiered the video for “Spaceman.”

In the video, MØ breaks free from the confinement and arrives on what appears to be a new planet. She is accepted by the planet’s inhabitants and is deemed their new leader as she leads them in dance.

MØ revealed the news of the EP via social media this week, revealing that although the songs on the EP were written at various points in her life, they all felt connected to the Motordrome era specifically.

“‘Dødsdrom’ means ‘Motordrome’ in Danish,” she said. “This collection of songs was written throughout the span of my career, but it also completes the Motordrome universe.”

When speaking about the Motordrome era in an interview with NME last year, MØ said, “I hope I’ll be really good at listening to myself and take the time to listen to what I need, and make the music and do the things that feel most true to me,”

Check out “Spaceman” above.

Dødsdrom is out now via Sony Music UK. Stream it here.

Megan Thee Stallion is many things. Talented, charismatic, fun-loving, and confident. One thing she is not is shy about her sex appeal and enjoyment of coitus. Amidst the excitement of her new album Traumazine dropping, listeners cannot help but question who or what inspired her behavior on “Red Wine.”

Like many songs from the 27-year-old, “Red Wine” vividly discusses body parts and how she wants to use them. The moans throughout the chorus add a whole other layer of sexiness to the record produced by Bankroll Got it, Shawn “Source” Jarrett, Whethan, and Dwilly. Following along with Meg’s energy, listeners are either feeling sexy themselves, desirous of sex or marveling at the blatant vulgarity the Houston Hottie expresses.

“Red Wine” is one of the 18 tracks off of Megan Thee Stallion’s new album Traumazine. The album, led by the singles “Plan B,” “Sweetest Pie” featuring Dua Lipa, and “Pressurelicious” featuring Future also includes guest appearances from Latto, Lucky Daye, Rico Nasty, Jhene Aiko, and more. Traumazine comes a little under two years after her debut album Good News, though she has kept listeners well fed in the interim, especially with the 2021 project Something For Thee Hotties.

Listen to “Red Wine” above.

Traumazine is out now via 1501 Certified and 300 Entertainment. Listen to it here.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

It appears the wait for Ari Lennox‘s much-anticipated sophomore album is almost over. Tonight, she has dropped a new single called “Hoodie.”

On the sultry new track, Lennox’s vocals reach new highs, as she asks to wear her man’s hoodie.

“Tangled up on your waist / Dreaming of how you taste / Underneath that North Face,” she sings over a seductive drum beat.

In the accompanying video, Lennox is seen enjoying a party with friends, grinding up on a man in a literal hoodie factory, and arriving at a grocery story, where she receives an unpleasant surprise.

This is the first we’ve heard from Lennox in a while, as she’s recently decided to stop doing interviews. She hasn’t posted much on social media, however, yesterday, she announced that she has completed her album.

Earlier this year, she shared a picture of herself by a whiteboard, with what appeared to be a list of 80 tracks she was considering for the album.

We now know the album is titled Age/Sex/Location, as she revealed tonight on her social media handles upon “Hoodie’s” release. The album is set to drop early next month.

Check out “Hoodie” above.

Age/Sex/Location arrives 9/9 via Interscope and Dreamville. Pre-save it here.

The Game is a man of many words. Over the years the rapper has become known for embellished stories, controversial statements, and lengthy albums. On his new album Drillmatic Heart Vs. Mind, the West Coast rapper stays true to his reputation with a 10-minute diss track aimed at Eminem titled “The Black Slim Shady” just a day after trolling the rapper by commenting on his daughter’s bikini pictures.

Right from the beginning, Game takes aim at his primary target by mimicking the “Lose Yourself” artist’s rap voice. Throughout the track, he includes different skits, one of which has what sounds like an Uber driver telling the 1992 artist that he is not a fan of Eminem’s new music. The disses don’t stop at Marshall Mathers either, as the “Hate It Or Love It” rapper also has words for 50 Cent and Dr. Dre. Aside from the vitriol, he expresses his attraction toward Saweetie and Lizzo in this loaded track.

“The Black Slim Shady” is one of 30 tracks on The Game’s new album Drillmatic Heart Vs. Mind, which was delayed multiple times this summer. Finally here, the album also features Kanye West, Roddy Ricch, the late Nipsey Hussle, French Montana, 2 Chainz, and more. This marks The Game’s first LP since 2019’s Born 2 Rap.

Listen to “The Black Slim Shady” above.

Drillmatic Heart Vs. Mind is out now via 100 Entertainment. Listen to it here.

There’s nothing like a summertime record that fuses that sun’s rays with a classic sample. Tyga, Jhene Aiko and the late Pop Smoke link up for “Sunshine,” which samples Lil’ Flip and Lea’s record of the same name. Aiko handles the hook while Tyga and Pop bring the affectionate raps in their own special way. They do the sample justice with their modern take on a classic record.

“Sunshine” follows a slew of Tyga singles in 2022, namely “Freaky Deaky” with Doja Cat, “Lifetime,” “Sheikh Talk,” and “Run” alongside YG, 21 Savage, and BIA. Tyga also released “Ay Caramba” this year and caught flack from the Mexican-American community for what they deemed racist depictions of their culture. The “Rack City” rapper has since apologized and clarified he did mean any harm.

This is the first time these three have collaborated as a trio, though Tyga and Pop Smoke previously worked on “West Coast Sh*t” from Pop Smoke’s 2020 album Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon. The Brooklyn drill rapper followed up the previous year with Faith, meanwhile, Aiko has been on a hiatus of sorts since her Grammy-nominated 2020 album Chilombo. In the interim, she uploaded her classic mixtape Sailing Soul(s) to DSPs in March of 2021.

Check out “Sunshine” above.

Though the club often reveals many attendees’ primal nature in the pursuit of a night of passion, there are often those experiences where two people lock eyes and not a word needs to be said. Ali Gatie and Kehlani display this reality vividly in their video for “The Look.”

Gatie opens the track sitting down on a couch while a woman caresses his shoulders. She ultimately gets up and he soon follows before Kehlani enters the venue. As they reveal their contracted pupils, suddenly every person dancing in the club gains similar eye colors as well, conveying the often animalistic nature of clubgoers in the night.

Kehlani makes their way over to the bar, gets a drink in hand, and encourages whoever is interested in them to “shoot their shot” before the video closes with Gatie and Kehlani locking eyes. Though Kehlani’s pupils are still small, Gatie’s are fully dilated behind his black shades as he has spotted who he wants.

“The Look” arrives as part of Ali Gatie’s new album Who Hurt You? led by the singles “Can’t Give Up,” “Perfect,” and “Crying In The Rain.” Besides Kehlani, the only other feature is Max. This 17-track LP comes almost a year and a half after his 2021 project The Idea Of Her.

Check out “The Look” video above.

Who Hurt You? is out now via LISN. Listen to it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ahead of their upcoming album, Asphalt Meadows, Death Cab For Cutie has shared a transcendent new song. On “Foxglove In The Clearcut,” lead vocalist Ben Gibbard delivers poignant, haunting spoken-word poetry over a meditative track, that opens with a dreamy harp. As the song progresses, drums and guitars kick in, creating a sense of pure emotion.

The song tells the story of a man questioning his existence at various points in his life.

“’Foxglove’ is by far the most personal song on the record,” said Gibbard in a statement. “While I was writing it, I thought I was merely the narrator. But the longer I sat with it, I realized I was both the protagonist AND the narrator.”

In a recent interview with Audacy, Gibbard revealed that the band opted for a “Round Robin” style of songwriting and collaborating for the album.

“We would choose an order… pick a piece of music, and then each member would have 24 hours to add their own ideas,” he said. “No one would hear it, and the rule was once you had the music in front of you, you had complete creative control over it. You could do whatever you wanted to it. If it was like a samba and you wanted to make it into a hardcore song, you could do it. The person who initiated this sort of chain letter on Monday would only hear what the song sounded like on Friday because we weren’t giving progress reports. No one was allowed to listen to it until Friday.”

Check out “Foxglove In The Clearcut” above.

Asphalt Meadows is out 9/16 via Atlantic Records. Pre-save it here.

Death Cab For Cutie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

At long last, Nicki Minaj is back with new music. Over the past month, she has teased her Rick James-sampling track, “Super Freaky Girl,” and now, the song is finally here.

The song is far from SFW, but features Minaj reiterating her status as a rap icon, as well as a symbol of sexual liberation.

“I can lick it, I can ride it while you slippin’ and slidin’/ I can do all them little tricks and keep the d*ck up inside it / You can smack it, you can grip it, you can go down and kiss it / And every time he leave me alone he always tell me he miss it,” she raps over a track sampling “Super Freak,” by James. And these are probably the tamest lyrics of the song.

August is gearing up to be a big month for Minaj. In addition to new music, this month will also see Minaj receiving the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, August 28.

“Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry,” said Bruce Gillmer, chief content officer of music at Paramount+ and president of music, music talent, programming and events at Paramount, in a statement. “She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically ‘Nicki’.”

Check out “Super Freaky Girl” above.

For decades, Harry Caray served as a legendary voice in the baseball world, calling games for multiple teams and finishing his historic career with a 16-year tenure showcasing the Chicago Cubs. Caray’s one-of-a-kind style is memorable for any who came into contact with his stylings, and his son (Skip) and grandson (Chip) also became mainstays calling Atlanta Braves games to fans across the Southeast and the country. On Thursday, the folks behind MLB’s Field of Dreams game decided to highlight Caray’s work to a modern audience but, rather than playing previous film of Caray putting together a famous rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch, another idea came to the forefront.

In short, the FOX broadcast captured a hologram of Caray, who passed away in 1998, leading the song.

Reactions could generously be described as mixed to this particular idea. For obvious reasons, the execution wasn’t exactly seamless, and it was a bit odd and rigid in an overall sense. There were some people who enjoyed it (and the in-person crowd seemed to be into it), while plenty of others had jokes and general objections to the entire concept.

All told, the Field of Dreams game certainly will receive some extra attention for this decision, and perhaps that was part of the calculus. Still, it is interesting to consider what the motivation might’ve been behind the development of this technology and whether it was necessary.