Maite Rodriguez was only 10 years old when she was senselessly murdered during the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that made national headlines last month. The Robb Elementary School student was passionate about nature. So much so that every day she wore the same pair of green Converse shoes with a tiny heart etched in ink on the toe of the right shoe.
Those now iconic shoes were the only reliable piece of evidence in identifying her body after Rodriguez was gunned down by the AR-15 style rifle that killed her and 18 of her fellow classmates.
Actor Matthew McConaughey used that horrifying and unforgettable image during an appearance at the White House, where he advocated for gun safety measures in light of the shooting that has rocked his home town of Uvalde and the nation at large. McConaughey’s remarks immediately went viral across social media, with a short, 40-second clip amassing more than 7 million views in less than 24 hours.
“How can we make the loss of these lives matter?” McConaughey asked. “You could feel the pain, the denial, the disillusion, anger, blame, sadness, loss of lives, dreams halted,” he added, when describing his visit to Uvalde after the shooting.
“I believe that responsible, law-abiding Americans have a Second Amendment right, enshrined by our founders, to bear arms,” he wrote in the op-ed. “I also believe we have a cultural obligation to take steps toward slowing down the senseless killing of our children. The debate about gun control has delivered nothing but status quo. It’s time we talk about gun responsibility.”
But it is this 40-second clip that has spread like wildfire across social media in which a tearful McConaughey asks his wife Camila Alves to hold up the pair of Converse worn by Rodriguez.
“Maite wore green Converse with a heart hand-drawn on the right toe,” McConaughey says in the clip, voice cracking with grief, “because they represented her love of nature. Camila’s got these shoes, can you show these shoes, please?”
Alves, herself visibly shaken with grief, holds up the shoes with her head held down.
“Wore these every day. Green Converse with a heart on the right toe. Because it was the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her at the shooting,” McConaughey says.
The actor angrily slammed his fist on the White House podium, audibly moaning and muttering, “How about that,” as the clip ends.
McConaughey and Alves spent the day on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers from both parties. The actor and activist has used his stardom to advocate for middle-ground commonsense solutions to the nation’s problems, including gun safety. In both his op-ed and in comments at the White House, McConaughey acknowledged the unique reality of America’s Second Amendment and relationship with firearms. Rather than shaming the concept of gun ownership, McConaughey stressed the need for workable solutions and for political leaders to put principle ahead of fundraising and reelection concerns, saying, “We can’t truly be leaders if we are only living for reelection.”
“We need to invest in mental health care. We need safer schools,” McConaughey added. “We need to restrain sensationalized media coverage. We need to restore our family values. We need to restore our American values. And we need responsible gun ownership.”
With the potential for modest but meaningful gun safety legislation making progress in Congress, it’s all the more important to have voices like McConaughey’s as part of the conversation, to both remind us of the urgency of the moment and that there is a way forward with consensus on bipartisan solutions to a problem that should be a priority for every parent and every voter in the nation.
While some NBA Draft classes arrive with a consensus No. 1 player, the 2022 group instead has a consensus top four. Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren, Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr., and Duke forward Paolo Banchero could conceivably slot into any order at the top of the class, and each brings a different skillset to the table that could be appetizing for NBA organizations.
As such, the 2022 NBA Draft could bring a bit of chaos in the opening minutes, even with weeks for teams like the Orlando Magic, with the No. 1 overall pick, to get their ducks in a row. In this space, we’ll take a glance at the cases for and against each player when it comes to the top overall selection, broadly acknowledging that beauty is in the eye of the beholder on these prospects to a very significant extent.
Paolo Banchero
The case for
Banchero already possesses an NBA body and he uses it effectively. At 6’10, he is one of the best passers in the entire draft, with hundreds and hundreds of reps as a shot creator for himself and others. He is exceptionally fast from end-to-end for a player with his measurements, and Banchero has polish as a scorer, even against the highest levels of college competition as the focal point of every opposing defense. He is comfortable as a pull-up shooter already, and Banchero has the ceiling of a legitimate No. 1 scorer in the NBA if everything breaks in his direction.
Add that to the physical stature and basketball IQ to be an impact defender and you have a potential star. That appeals to Orlando at No. 1 overall, especially with the Magic lacking that sort of individual force on the current roster.
The case against
Banchero has the size of a small-ball center, but his defense is a work in progress. He will need to solidify many things on that end of the floor and, in the increasingly position-less NBA, it is possible he is a negative defender. Banchero was also only a 33.8 percent three-point shooter at the college level, and to reach his highest ceiling, he will need to be an above-average perimeter shooter. He isn’t a hyper-twitchy athlete either, and Banchero’s projection could be more as a No. 2 or No. 3 guy on offense, rather than as an undisputed No. 1 option. While that wouldn’t be the worst outcome for the Magic, Banchero’s shooting could be an issue alongside the rest of Orlando’s core.
Chet Holmgren
The case for
Holmgren’s overall and advanced numbers at the college level were mind-boggling. He was an utterly dominant rim protector at the college level, preventing opponents from even attempting shots in the paint and rejecting them when they tried. Holmgren is also agile and intelligent as a positional defender, with the ability to function on the perimeter and command a defense. On the other end, he is already a willing passer with the skills to face up from the perimeter, knock down three-pointers, and also put pressure on the rim. His rebounding numbers are also elite, even when playing with another traditional big for almost every minute of his college career. Ultimately, Holmgren is the evolutionary version of the uber-length and defense prospects Orlando tends to enjoy, and he brings an offensive skillset that none of the organization’s previous investments can match.
The case against
If you consume any level of NBA Draft coverage, it is safe to assume that you have heard about Holmgren’s frame. He is projected to weigh less than 200 pounds as a seven-footer, and there are concerns about his ability to stay healthy and handle the physical pounding of stronger, thicker NBA players. That creates some skepticism that he could be a full-time center and, at the 4, his offensive skill package projects to be more ordinary. Holmgren may also have a lower offensive ceiling than his top prospect counterparts, and he is also a bit older than a typical one-and-done prospect. Orlando is already heavily invested in frontcourt options like Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac, with the recent pick of Mo Bamba and a lengthy history of relative misfires looming over this selection. Would they have the stomach to go for yet another big man?
Jaden Ivey
The case for
Ivey is perhaps the best athlete in the entire class and, if viewed through the lens of a lead guard, he brings tremendous size and physicality to the table. In a league that is increasing pushing to the perimeter, Ivey can attack the rim at any point and he is an improved shooter with more room to grow. Defensively, he has the tools needed to become a highly disruptive and productive player, and his athleticism and length project the potential for switchability. For Orlando, Ivey would bring a higher potential offensive ceiling than any player on the roster and, provided his jumper continues to progress, he could fit nicely alongside Jalen Suggs. Ultimately, effective shot creation is at the top of any list of important traits, and Ivey has the ceiling of a legitimate perimeter star.
The case against
While Ivey’s athleticism is undeniable, his size becomes more ordinary if he is not capable of handling lead/point guard duties on a full-time basis. In addition, Ivey does not have the longest track record of success as a shooter, with merely average free throw shooting, a largely barren mid-range game, and a very shaky freshman season from long distance. He also does not have the cleanest shooting form with a set shot, and Ivey is not a transcendent passer when compared to lead creation prospects.
On defense, his potential is real, but it is also theoretical, at least on the ball. He does have intriguing off-ball tape on defense, but there are questions as to whether Ivey can translate his tools into actual production on the defensive side. When it comes to the Magic, the fit might not be the cleanest either, as Orlando does have perimeter shooting questions and the pairing with Suggs is far less snug if Ivey’s mid-range offerings and passing do not improve.
Jabari Smith Jr.
The case for
Smith’s combination of size and shooting is tremendous. At 6’10, he shot 42 percent from three-point range on 7.7 attempts per 40 minutes, and his volume could’ve been higher if not for a lack of guard help at Auburn. He can already create his own shot in the mid-range, and his length makes that shot virtually unguardable, even against NBA competition. Smith is a very smart defender with great size to play both forward spots, and he has the tools to be quite good on that end of the floor. He’s also a willing passer who can make teammates better and fit into any scheme on either end. If he hits, Orlando would be adding a dynamic shooter and a snug forward partner for Franz Wagner that could wreak havoc for years.
The case against
Perhaps the biggest knock against Smith is that he lacks elite athleticism. He is a good athlete, which provides a high floor, but some of his high-end defensive outcomes and shot creation upside could be limited against better competition. At present, Smith is also a pedestrian ball-handler, at least when compared to NBA perimeter creators. That shouldn’t change his ability to shoot over the competition, but if he’s the No. 1 pick, it could be a while before he is getting to the rim with effectiveness and regularity. It is possible to envision Smith simply becoming a very good No. 3 option, rather than a transcendent star, and the Magic are certainly in the market for that star given their lottery luck this season.
Everyone knows government hearings are a non-stop thrill ride. A laugh fest. A damn good time. But when you pair waggy fingered politicians, evasive witnesses, and the circus of the obstinate that will be trying to claw back the narrative by shouting about gas prices and border drug seizures (aren’t seizures a good thing?), well, the Jan 6 hearings (and everything surrounding them) have the potential to be special. And by special, I mean brain vibratingly frustrating. Can Stephen Colbert make it all better? Can’t hurt!
On last night’s episode of The Late Show, Colbert announced that his show will go live (in its usual 11:35PM timeslot) following the Thursday kickoff of the primetime Jan 6 hearings, no doubt amplifying the most jaw-dropping moments for an audience that never let go of the thought that treason is the pits.
In showing up live, Colbert is leaning into tradition following past live shows around Presidential debates and elections, which underlines the importance of these hearings, which he compared (in the above clip) to the Watergate hearings, the moon landing, and (jokingly) “the time Walter Cronkite was swallowed by a python.” It also indicates that we’ll be getting something closer to reality and news from a late-night chat show than we will from Fox News. As has been widely reported, the official news channel of my dentist’s office is choosing to refrain from showing the hearings in favor of broadcasting its usual cacophony of Karen screams and dog whistles as a part of a distance and distractathon. Again, tradition!
Right now, Simu Liu (Shang-Chi) is listed as Colbert’s guest, but you have to imagine a few friends will stop by to help Colbert try to make sense of the day’s reveals and mine laughs from the slow choke out of political norms by apathy and bad actors. Should be fun.
‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ airs weeknight at 11:35PM ET on CBS.
Following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the state of New York went to work passing sweeping gun laws that completely caught The Daily Show host, Trevor Noah, by surprise. After expecting nothing to happen this time around, or sensible gun measures to be “narrow defeated at the last minute” like always, Noah couldn’t believe that New York actually stepped up and did something to curb gun violence. After playing a news clip of the sweeping gun laws that elicited cheers and applause from the audience, The Daily Show host couldn’t contain his disbelief.
“Wow. This is so weird. A mass shooting happened, and then politicians did something. I didn’t even know that that was possible,” Noah said on Tuesday night’s episode. “It’s like I showed up to McDonald’s, and the McFlurry machine is working. I don’t even know how to react to this. Do I clap? Am I supposed to tip? What’s a good tip for passing gun laws, ten percent? I’m sure it’s ten percent.”
A mass shooting happened and then politicians… did something? Is that even possible?? pic.twitter.com/15FL2R8Ewx
After joking that the situation felt like when you’re getting ready to argue with a partner, but they apologize before you can even say anything, Noah added a few suggestions of his own to New York’s new gun laws:
“It’s raising the minimum age on semi-automatic rifles, which seems like common sense to me,” Noah said. “Although, in my opinion, instead of 21, I feel like it should be 21 and four days. Yeah, ’cause I don’t want someone buying a gun on the same night they’re slamming ten shots of Jäger. Just spread it out, you know?”
The Daily Show host also tried to use the new law on banning body armor to get rid of a different type of armor, but mostly for the sake of his eyes.
“New York is also gonna be banning body armor, and that makes sense, right? In fact, this is the first state in the country to do it, which is a great idea,” Noah said. “In fact, they should also ban Under Armour while they’re at it. It’s not about the shootings. I’m just tired of seeing people’s nipples on the train. I get it. You work out.”
When members of Congress tweets about movies, things rarely go well. A good go-to example of this would be Ted Cruz, who was chased into his Cancun-loving hole while trying to be cute about Fight Club, and now, it’s rootin’ tootin’ Lauren Boebert’s turn at the cringeworthy mic. The topic of choice here would be Boebert’s love of guns, and she vociferously defends her right to an AR-15 and sure was triggered when SNL dared to take aim at her Second Amendment obsession.
As expected, Bobert was disgusted after Ulvade native Matthew McConaughey dared to appear during a White House press briefing. He paid painstaking and heartwrenching tribute to the 19 slain children of the recent Texas school shooting. His emphasis, as well, was to discuss gun reform in terms of gun responsibility, rather than gun control, and his speech was widely praised (even by Fox News hosts) for its relatable and bi-partisan approach. Yet Boebert was not impressed and fired off a snarky tweet.
“The White House is so devoid of credible surrogates they’ve had to drag Matthew McConaughey off the set of yet another Magic Mike sequel to drone on about gun control,” the Rifle Republican tweeted. “Not alright, not alright, not alright!”
The White House is so devoid of credible surrogates they’ve had to drag Matthew McConaughey off the set of yet another Magic Mike sequel to drone on about gun control.
So, she tossed some Dazed and Confused into a slam on the Magic Mike franchise. Not cool! Also, one wonders if she’s actually seen these movies. There are only two so far (although a third is on the way, and there’s an HBO Max reality competition show), and McConaughey’s only in the first movie (as Dallas) and has demonstrated no interest in picking back up with Channing Tatum and the scantily clad dude gang. Yet Boebert had to slam the whole franchise on the way to trashing the White House for hosting this speech, which Boebert also may not have watched.
Comeuppance came quickly, given that the GED-wielding Boebert seemed offended that McConaughey (again, an Ulvade native whose mother taught in the school system) was deemed qualified to speak at the White House. “Alright, alright , alright, dumbass” kicks off the unimpressed responses to the stubbornly divisive Boebert.
Imagine thinking failing your GED 3 times and having a husband who exposes himself to children makes you more “credible” than Oscar award winner Matthew McConaughey.
Alright, alright , alright, dumbass.
— Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) June 7, 2022
McConaughey is a Uvalde native and a gun owner and felt this massacre deeply. His mother was a teacher. Common sense laws and gun safety are very personal to him. He spoke with empathy and passion… two emotions that have never crossed your threshold.
Posse cuts tend to come few and far between these days, but when they do, they’re always refreshing. Something about a simple drum pattern, vocal sample, and unbridled spitting just does the beloved Hip-Hop genre justice. Today, Black Thought and Danger Mouse unleashed their latest single “Because” featuring Joey Badass, Russ, and Dylan Cartlidge. Each rapper takes turns doing what they do best, seemingly unphased by the fact they are part of the single that is shorter than a typical song. Who could complain about more bars?
Danger Mouse and Black Thought released their lead single “No Gold Teeth” back in May, kicking off the Cheat Codes rollout which is set to also feature Raekwon, Conway The Machine, A$AP Rocky, Run The Jewels, and more.
Listen to “Because” above.
Cheat Codes is out 08/12 via BMG. Pre-order it here.
If there’s one thing Britney Spears loves, it’s sharing videos of herself dancing on Instagram. Her latest one arrived last night, set to Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber’s hit 2019 single “I Don’t Care.” In the post’s caption, Spears took the opportunity to praise Bieber and reminisce about the first time she met him.
Spears wrote, “@justinbieber I remember when you visited me in my dressing room on tour and your beautiful little mamma walked in and said ‘do you know where a tanning bed is?’ You were 15 and you were adorable! Thank you for your music … you’re a little devil now [smiling devil emojis] I know because I have boys … but you’re a timeless genius and I will always dance to your music !!!”
Spears previously told a more in-depth version of this story, although some details are inconsistent between the two tellings. In a BBC Radio 1 interview from 2016, Spears said, “I met him. It’s weird. Probably three years ago on Femme Fatale. He walks into my hotel room and he was like a kid! Literally, he looked like he was 13 years old, but he was 16. And I was like ‘Who is this kid in my hotel? Like, what is going on?’ And his mom is like, ‘Is there a tanning bed located in here?!’ […] And I’m like, ‘Who are these people?’ And my assistant was like, ‘This is Justin Bieber and his mother.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God! I cannot believe this.’ He’s very unassuming. He’s a very nice, kind boy. He’s obviously way older now. He was extremely kind.”
Bieber previously showed love for Spears when wife Hailey Bieber re-created Spears’ iconic “…Baby One More Time” video look for Halloween last year. Bieber shared a photo of the costume and wrote, “Baby you killed this. @britneyspears we love you.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Value in bourbon is a fickle beast. Not that long ago, it’d be easy to say “get this $20 bottle and you’re set!” Those days are pretty much gone. The best value-per-dollar bottles of bourbon whiskey reach much further than the simple “cheap but solid.” In 2022, a 10-year-old bottle of bourbon could cost anywhere from $50 to $500 (or more). That makes “value-per-dollar” a big question without a clear answer. Or maybe more succinctly, a lot of questions with a lot of answers.
As Obi-Wan Kenobi says, “From a certain point of view…a lot of things can be true…”
To try and answer what is the best value-per-dollar bourbon whiskey on the shelf today, I’m blind tasting a group from my personal stores. I’m not looking for a “this or that” comparison. My palate is way too advanced to not know the difference between cheap and expensive bottles. These are bottles I can tell you without hesitation are great values right now. No question. Each one falls in the prime $20 to $60 range.
But which one actually tastes the best when tasted blind? That is what I want to find out.
Our lineup today is:
Knob Creek 12
George Dickel Bottled-In-Bond
Nelson Brothers Reserve Bourbon
Jack Daniel’s Bonded
Eagle Rare 10
Jim Beam Black
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
The nose has notes of dark cherries in creamy dark chocolate with a hint of sourdough cinnamon rolls and soft menthol. The palate is all about the dark berry crumble with plenty of dark spice, brown sugar, and butter next to a fleeting hint of dry chili flake, salted caramel, and more of that dark chocolate. The mid-palate stays creamy and sweet until green wicker comes into play with more of those dark cherries in chocolate and a final hint of maple-soaked pecans on the very end.
This is a pretty good place to start, and clearly Knob Creek. While I didn’t pour these, this is an excellent control whiskey for this experiment as this is one of the best value-per-dollar 12-year bourbons on the market. Let’s see if it can be beaten!
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is fairly mild with dashes of woody maple syrup next to pecans, Hostess Apple Pies, old boot leather, and a hint of cherry protein powder. The palate has a rich and lush vanilla pudding vibe that leads to a marrying of that pecan and apple pie before dry cherry arrives with hints of dark cacao powder and black licorice Necco Wafers create a counterbalance. The finish gets creamy with a line of browned butter and baked vanilla pudding drizzled with brandied cherry sauce and dusted with that dark cacao powder before a final hint of dry yet soft and sweet cedar comes in on the very end.
Well, that certainly works. This has to be the Dickel BiB, it’s too good to not be.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is a departure with soft notes of vanilla wafers with nougat next to hints of Christmas cake with candied fruits and citrus next to a spicy yet tart apple pie filling. The palate has a hint of almost smoky grilled pineapple next to a dark chocolate sauce with a flake of salt that leads to a mix of zucchini bread with pecans and an echo of Key lime pie. The finish has a hint of white pepper that leads to a soft green tea and menthol tobacco end.
Interesting, not sure what this is but it’s pretty okay.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Yellow sheet cake with vanilla frosting leads the way on the nose with dry cherry candy, new leather jackets, sweet fir bark, and a hint of orange tobacco. The palate is full of still-warm apple fritters with plenty of winter spice and a sugar glaze that hits a moment of nutmeg-rich creamy eggnog. The mid-palate veers away from all of that with a sweet white grits vibe with brown sugar and butter that’s topped with stewed cinnamon apples and a raisin or two. The finish mellows toward a Cherry Hostess Pie stored in a cedar box with a leaf or two of sticky pipe tobacco.
This is pretty damn good. I’m guessing this is Jack. I’m also guessing this going to be hard AF to place in a ranking.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee round out the nose. Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce. The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar.
The is simple but f*cking delicious.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
A soft sense of vanilla, caramel, and corn mingle with apple and cherry trees and a hint of “wood.” Hello, Jim Beam. The palate follows the nose but dials in the vanilla to a creamy pudding while the corn takes on an earthy masa vibe, the cherry gets a little tart, and the wood takes on an old stave feel. The finish is a lot more vanilla and cherry with a hint of sourdough pancake batter and tart apple pie filling with an echo of toasted oak rounding things out.
This is very Jim Beam. It’s also really basic. The nose is kind of generic but leads to a solid(ish) palate.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s that word again “generic” on the nose with notes of leather, apple, caramel, and vanilla. Again, this kicks up on the palate with an orange candy sweetness that leans into floral honey, vanilla cream, and a touch of old oak. The finish is soft and inviting with the orange taking a back seat to a stewed apple candy with dark spices, a hint of almond, and sweet caramel.
Evan Williams, is that you?
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This opens like a dessert table during the holidays with crème brûlée next to a big sticky toffee pudding with orange zest sprinkled over the top next to a bushel of fresh mint. The palate hits an early note of pine resin as the orange kicks up towards a bold wintry spice, soft vanilla cream, and a hint of honeyed cherry tobacco. The end keeps the winter spices front and center as a lush pound cake feeling leads to soft notes of cherry-spiced tobacco leaves folded into an old cedar box with a whisper of old vanilla pods lurking in the background.
This is Rare Breed and I’m flummoxed. I’d have wagered this would have been number one instantly but I kind of don’t know where to put it. It’s classic and soft and delicious. But is it the best on this list? I don’t know.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This has a strong nose with salted caramel ice cream scoops sitting on sourdough sugar doughnuts chased with a good cherry cream soda and a hint of singed marshmallow. The palate is super creamy with a hint of ripe peach and vanilla leading to sharp winter spices and freshly cracked black pepper. The finish leans into cinnamon and clove (maybe some anise too) with a good dollop of maple syrup tobacco wrapped around old cedar planks with a bit of char on them.
That singed marshmallow gives this away as Michter’s right away. This was good but I’m not sure it stands up to that Knob Creek or Dickel right now.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Dark berries and yeasty doughnuts? Four Roses. Anyway, the nose rounds out by filling those doughnuts with a dark berry compote and hitting them with plenty of powdered sugar before layering in notes of black soil and green leaves. The taste is soft and lush with a blackberry pie vibe next to wintry spices with a touch of heat, mincemeat pies, and almond shells. The finish is very creamy with a vanilla pudding feel next to wet cedar, more blackberry pie, and a good dose of eggnog to smooth everything out.
I don’t know where this goes, but I’ll have to figure it out.
This expression replaced the old Black Label 8 Year. The juice in this bottle is aged longer than your average four-year-old Beam, but there is no age statement on exactly how long. The best way to think of it is that it’s aged for as long as it needs to be, according to the distilling team.
Bottom Line:
Look, this is fine. It was also very clearly the cheapest of the batch. That said, this rules on the rocks or in a highball, and it’s $20. That’s the ultimate in value even if it doesn’t stand up to some of the killers on this list.
This is Heaven Hill’s hand-selected single barrel Evan Williams expression. The juice is from a single barrel, labeled with its distillation year, proofed just above 43 proof, and bottled as is.
Bottom Line:
Again, this was perfectly good. The only reason it’s lower on this list is that it felt a little generic and “cheaper,” which it is. That said, this is a single barrel for under $30. You really cannot complain about that these days (though Heaven Hill has pulled this from shelves, so it won’t be that cheap much longer).
7. Nelson Brothers Whiskey Reserve Bourbon — Taste 3
This new release from Nelson’s Green Brier is a big evolution for the brand. This high-rye bourbon is aged for four years before it’s masterfully blended into his expression. It’s then bottled without any fussing or meddling.
Bottom Line:
This was perfectly fine but didn’t wow me when tasted next to these bottles. I would go back to this but maybe more for cocktails than neat pours.
This whiskey is from Jack’s bonded warehouse. The mash of 80 percent corn, 12 percent barley, and eight percent rye is twice distilled before it’s run through Jack’s very long Lincoln County process of sugar maple charcoal filtration. The spirit then goes into the barrel for at least four years — per bonded law — before it’s batched, cut down with that Jack Daniel’s limestone cave water, and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
It’s crazy that this ended up in sixth place. I nearly made this a three-way tie with the next two but that seemed a little too much. Anyway, this is a really, really solid whiskey for this price point and could easily cost twice as much and no one would have blinked an eye.
This is the mountaintop of what Wild Turkey can achieve. This is a blend of the best barrels that are married and bottled untouched. That means no filtering and no cutting with water. This is a classic bourbon with nowhere to hide.
Bottom Line:
Honestly, I didn’t know where to put this, so it’s going to be tied in the middle. I know, that’s a bit cheap. But it does really hit a lot of the same notes as the Michter’s it’s tied with so it makes a certain sort of sense.
5 (tie). Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon — Taste 9
Michter’s really means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.
Bottom Line:
If I had a choice between this and Rare Breed, I’d just buy both.
This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This juice is made from their very low rye mash bill. The whiskey is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.
Bottom Line:
This is another 10-year-old bourbon that costs around $50. That’s value, especially for a Buffalo Trace release. It’s also just really good. It’s so good that if you don’t like then you just might not like bourbon.
This expression uses six of Four Rose’s 10 whiskeys in their small-batching process. The idea is to blend both high and low-rye bourbons with yeast strains that highlight “delicate fruit,” “slight spice,” and “herbal notes.” The whiskeys tend to spend at least six years in the barrel before blending and proofing with just a touch of Kentucky’s soft limestone water.
Bottom Line:
This always surprises me. This used to be a bottle that sat on my shelf. Now, I can’t keep it on there. It’s just really tasty and unique. It’s a clear winner though a little less deeply hewn than the next two.
This is the classic Beam whiskey. The juice is left alone in the Beam warehouses in Clermont, Kentucky, for 12 long years. The barrels are chosen according to a specific taste and mingled to create this aged expression with a drop or two of that soft Kentucky limestone water.
Bottom Line:
This was the bottle to beat and it was, but just barely. This is classic through and through. No notes. If you don’t like the tasting notes on the Dickel, get this. It’s as simple as that.
1. George Dickel Bottled-In-Bond Spring 2007 — Taste 2
Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This year’s release is a whiskey that was warehoused in spring 2007. 13 years later, this juice was bottled at 100 proof (as per the law) and sent out to the wide world where it received much adoration.
Bottom Line:
This was that little bit more nuanced and deep. And… really freaking good. I don’t know what’s going on but Nicole Austin has pulled off a minor miracle in how balanced and enticing these releases are.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
This was a tough ranking. I wanted to be as blind as I could in this tasting. But that’s just too hard with whiskeys this distinct and iconic. That said, I fully stand by the top two choices. Knob Creek 12 is a classic bottle that could easily cost twice as much, hell maybe three times as much. And that Dickel Bottled-in-Bond is a modern classic. There’s a reason it wins award after award.
But the true beauty of that bottle is that it’s still around $40. That’s the ultimate in value-per-dollar if you ask me.
A great whiskey and Coke is a fantastic highball. A mediocre whiskey and Coke is just a sugar bomb with some booze thrown in. As with any cocktail, the better your base ingredients, the better your end result. I get it, that sounds kind of dumb at first, especially if you’re burying something in Coca-Cola. But bear with me, if you use a big, bold, and bombastic whisk(e)y, you’ll elevate even the humble whiskey and Coke to new heights.
Enter the Smoky Cokey — a combination of Classic Coca-Cola and Lagavulin 16. This is the best whisk(e)y and Coke there is.
Before you laugh, let me explain. The Smoky Cokey was devised by Diageo’s (Lagavulin’s parent company) global brand ambassadors as an evolution of the simple highball. Their train of thought was “Hey, people have been putting whisky in Coke since Coke started. So why not make it, you know, good?” They hit solid gold.
By adding Lagavulin 16 to a pretty sweet and spicy Coca-Cola, you’re adding a layer of bitter smoke, soft umami, and fruitiness that blends beautifully with the cola to create something more than the individual parts. Look at it this way, both Lagavulin 16 and Coke have very big flavor profiles so you need something that can stand up to each one. And it just so happens that these two ingredients are a perfect dyad.
There’s a lot of variation you can play with here once you get a taste for the original Smoky Cokey. I’ve used Ardbeg 10, Talisker 10, and even Lagavulin 8, but none of them quite hit the same perfect balance as Lagavulin 16.
As for the cola, “coke” is in the name so go with that. That said, I’ve made these with Jarritos Mexican Cola and Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola too. The Jarritos is a little too sweet and the Fever-Tree a little vanilla-forward for me, but they totally work too.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Highball glass
Stirrer
Paring Knife
Jigger
Method:
Fill the highball glass with ice.
Add the whisky and top with Coke.
Cut a lemon wheel into quarters and place one on the ice. Serve.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
This is a perfect highball. The rich and savory smoke adds this beautiful counterpoint to the sweet and spicy Coke. It flows. It takes you on a journey. It’s delicious. There’s a layer of soft malts that come through under the cola as well with a hint of anise and soft wood.
If you’re still not convinced, I can assure you this isn’t a one-off or an anomaly. These are enjoyed at the Lagavulin Distillery on Islay by the people who make the whisky. If that’s not enough to get you interested, try this: The combination is becoming so popular that some bars have them on tap in Scotland and Ireland. The fact is, no matter how much of an abomination it sounds like to mix a nearly $100 bottle of finely made peated Islay scotch with Coca-Cola, it might just be the best way to drink it.
Samuel L. Jackson technically isn’t the most prolific swearer in movie history (to which he calls “bullsh*t”), but no one can drop a “motherf*cker” like he can. So it’s surprising that the most common line the actor hears from fans in public doesn’t involve a curse.
The Hollywood Reporter recently gathered together Jackson, Oscar Isaac, Tom Hiddleston, Michael Keaton, Brian Cox, and Quincy Isaiah, and asked them, “When a fan comes up to you on the street, what do they typically recognize you from, and what do they usually say?” Cox answered with his Succession catchphrase “f*ck off,” while Jackson said, “These days, ‘What’s in your wallet?’” Not “hold onto your butts” or “does he look like a bitch?” or something about motherf*cking snakes on motherf*cking planes, but his Capital One commercial slogan. We, as a society, can do better.
THR: And how do you respond?
JACKSON “My wife’s hand.”
KEATON What does that mean?
JACKSON My wife’s hand is in my wallet.
Jackson admitted that people do ask him to call them motherf*cker “all the time. Or they’ll ask me to put it on their answering machine. They’ll literally say, ‘Would you do my answering machine?’ ‘This motherf*cker’s not home right now. And the motherf*cker will call you back.’” Cox suggested that he charge them for the request, but Jackson, king among men that he is, said, “I don’t want to gouge the public. I charge them enough to come to my movies.” What’s in your wallet? All the cash that you’ve saved by Samuel L. Jackson not charging $50 to call your mother-in-law a “motherf*cker.”
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