Self-proclaimed “Minister of Culture” Matthew McConaughey wants YOU to know that you should NOT think of things as unbelievable, okay? You better believe them, because they happened!
In a seemingly unprompted speech, America’s favorite Texan tweeted out a video of himself giving the world a pep talk about the word “unbelievable” which he hopes to “wipe from the dictionary.” He also added the hashtag “#soulcash.” Sure!
Perhaps the actor has seen enough people talking about all of the unbelievably horrible stuff going on in the world and wanted to set the record straight…but in a way that nobody really asked for. We don’t know who he is talking to, or why he’s saying it. But he is. Here is what he says:
Unbelievable. It’s my least favorite word, I think we should wipe it out of the dictionary. Why? What’s so unbelievable about tragedy, about triumph, about people [ha!] that raise us up or let us down. It happens every single day we shouldn’t think that the most beautiful sunset or the greatest play or the greatest love of our life or the greatest moment of euphoria is unbelievable. Believe it! It’s happening right in front of you. In you! We shouldn’t feel like the greatest tragedy of death or earthquakes or national disasters or loss is unbelievable. It’s part of life too! Believe it. We see it every day. Unbelievable? I don’t buy it. Awesome, horrible, incredible. I believe those. That’s a good way to explain things. But unbelievable? Nah. It just happened. Believe it.
Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron recently tested positive for COVID-19, the timing of which wasn’t great (not that it ever is) since the band is currently on tour. For the first show he missed, an Oakland Arena concert on May 12, he was replaced by a combination of Richard Stuverud and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. That same duo filled in at the next day’s show at the same venue. That time, though, they were also joined by Kai Neukermans, an 18-year-old high school drummer who got to perform “Mind Your Manners” with the band.
Now, in a new SFGate feature, Neukermans describes the wild experience. It’s worth noting Neukermans isn’t some random high school kid, but an accomplished drummer: He’s in a band called The Alive and they’ve performed at some major festivals, like Lollapalooza Chile and Shaky Knees.
As for how Neukermans came to join Pearl Jam on stage, the story goes that after he heard Cameron had COVID, he reached out to Vedder’s 17-year-old daughter Olivia, who he knew from performing at Vedder’s Ohana Music Festival last year. She told him that Klinghoffer was filling in, but the next day, she said the band was taking submissions from drummers, telling him to film himself playing one of their songs.
He was in school when he got the text, so he bolted, headed to a studio, recorded himself playing “Mind Your Manners,” and not long after that, Pearl Jam’s manager called him and gave him the good news.
When it came time to take the stage for his big moment, Vedder introduced him by saying, “He hasn’t graduated high school yet. This is the year, right? Everybody, this is Kai. Kai, this is everybody!” Then, in front of about 20,000 people, Neukermans got behind the drum kit and didn’t miss a (literal) beat.
Neukermans told SFGate, “It was surreal, the amount of people that were there. The arena lit up and everyone was screaming.”
Watch Neukermans’ performance above and read the full SFGate feature here.
At the time they came out, the initial Star Wars prequels were not very well-loved by hardcore fans. Sure, the teens loved it, but the love sort of stopped there. Now that it’s been two decades, it’s time to admit the movies are good. Even Anakin himself, Hayden Christensen believes it!
In a new interview with StarWars.com, the actor admits that the films needed some time to age, and he believes they aged gracefully. He’s right and he should say it! “It’s like those films had a gestation period, where they needed a little time to ferment in the public psyche,” Christensen said. “The reception that the films have now, it’s very heartwarming.”
Christensen recently admitted that he had to go back and watch the whole series to prepare for his role in Obi-Wan. He was impressed with just how great they were. Again, he is correct.
“Watching them again as a whole, I was really struck with the quality and depth of the storytelling and George’s vision for all of it. It’s so nuanced, complex, and layered,” he added. “Really remarkable.” Christensen went on to talk about his great relationship with Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan in the prequels and the upcoming series.
“We were very close and remain close. We just hadn’t seen each other in a little while. But we got together before we started filming, just to catch up, and it was so nice to reconnect with him. I love the man so much.” Once again, he’s always right! McGregor also recently admitted his love for the films, “I like them, you know? I like them. Episode 3 is a really good movie.”
Maybe Adam Driver will be able to convince us that the sequels were good 20 years from now.
St. Bernardus/La Senne/Val-Dieu/Chimay/istock/Uproxx
While craft brewers have taken the mantle admirably and certainly shown their own prowess over the past few decades, few US breweries have anywhere near the history of their European counterparts. This is especially true when it comes to Belgian beer. While Allagash might make a Belgian-style wheat beer with its iconic Allagash White, it still can’t beat the real thing.
A lack of popularity amidst the US boom means there are a ton of classic Belgian beers that are underrated, under-appreciated, and undervalued by today’s casual drinkers. Luckily, our favorite craft beer experts are here to help. We asked them to tell us their picks for the most underrated Belgian beers. They gave us a slew of great answers and more than a few to add to our list.
A lot of folks still go crazy for Westy 12 and for good reason: it’s incredible. However, I’d put St. Bernardus Abt. 12 up there any day of the week. This quad pours beautifully into the glass with a generous head that bottle-conditioned beers are known for. Flavors of burnt candy sugar, raisin, and plum lead to a delightfully dry finish that leaves you ready for another sip.
Bonus points are that it is much easier to find and much more affordable.
Is there such a thing as an underrated Belgian anymore? If I have to pick one, I’d go with Taras Boulba. I’m a huge fan of crisp, bitter beers and this one just hits it out of the park for me. It’s a light-bodied ale with a strong bitterness that I really enjoy.
I would say Duvel. I think it’s underrated even though it’s so widely available. And the aesthetic hasn’t changed since I started drinking it. But it’s a cool brewing process, a difficult-to-nail style, and it epitomizes the category. Candied citrus and phenolic spices, big fermentation character.
An amazing yeast-driven beer that gives you lots to think about and enjoy every time.
The most underrated Belgian beer will forever and always be Orval. Within a specific sect of the brewing community, this statement is not true, because many of our peers hold Orval in very high regard. On the other hand, I think for most beer drinkers, Orval is still criminally underrated. A kiss of brettanomyces, a vastly different experience depending on age, storage conditions, etc., and a clean and clear showcase of yeast and hops makes Orval a fun and ever-changing ride that you can enjoy in perpetuity.
I feel like Orval can appeal to the casual drinker looking for a somewhat “classic old-world character” and can also appease the nitpicker looking to dive deeper into nuanced flavor complexities. Orval always comes across as underrated, in my opinion, because there is no flashy trade/secondary market for it, and it does not carry any bold “new world” flavor edges (high acid, fruit, candy, cookies, lactose, etc.). Just another gem that is hidden to some within the vastness of the oft-overlooked world of good simple beer.
Westvleteren 6
Westvleteren
Douglas Constantiner, founder and CEO of Societe Brewing in San Diego
ABV: 6.2% Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Trappist Westvleteren 6 (Green cap) is my pick. Often Westie 12 is the shining star of this monastery’s brewery, and the blonde gets overlooked. The flavors this beer achieves with a low ABV makes it enjoyable yet it’s complex enough to remain interesting.
Dupont Foret Organic Saison is extremely underrated. It’s another beer overshadowed by a bigger name relative, this version of Saison Dupont is a bit stronger and utilizes a different yeast strain to give it a unique character that will surprise long time Dupont fans.
In this case, I’ll say that underrated means “often seen and often overlooked.” Hoegaarden is prolific and easy to get, and the perfect Belgian Wit. Cloudy wheat ale with the right mix of spice and citrus.
Very crisp, supremely drinkable.
Boon Oude Geuze
Boon
Marshall Hendrickson, co-founder and head of operations at Veza Sur Brewing in Miami
Boon Geuze: This is a classic lambic-style beer that is full of those bizarre farmhouse flavors, but somehow finishes tart and refreshing. It’s an incredibly dynamic beer with so much going on, and a great intro into farmhouse ales. Surprisingly underrated.
Val-Dieu Grand Cru
Val-Dieu
Jesse Mix, regional manager of beer and soft drinks at Sprecher Brewing Company in Glendale, Wisconsin
ABV: 10.5% Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Val-Dieu Grand Cru is a beautiful Belgian Quad. Dark roasted malts with hints of raisin, prune, caramel and toffee give this beer a very deep and complex flavor. It should be more well-known, but I’m kind of glad it isn’t.
Chimay Cinq Cents. Westmalle Tripel gets all the attention, and fairly so, but it ends up overshadowing the Chimay version. I’ve been guilty of passing up Cinq Cents in the past, but every time I go back to it, it reminds me that it’s every bit as good as the Westmalle version. They’re different tripels, the Chimay is softer, with more light, smooth fruit than the more pepper forward version from Westmalle.
Saison D’Epeautre from Brasserie de Blaugies is one of my favorite saisons and is just a perfect example of the style: dry, effervescent, hoppy, and with a balanced spicy/fruity profile. It flies a little under the radar in the US and can be hard to find but is always worth it when you do. Their house yeast strain is very popular with American brewers these days so you can taste a lot of the DNA of modern saison in this beer and see what the style should be when properly done.
I’ve got a deep cut here, Hop Verdomme from Brouwerij Kerkom. This beer has a real taste of place to it and straddles the line between IPA and saison in terms of the flavor profile. I don’t think there’s been enough attention on this brewery that is making awesome beers in the countryside of Belgium.
Few people enjoyed watching the downfall of Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night more than Patrick Beverley, who gleefully tweeted through it and then arrived to ESPN’s Seaport Studios on Monday morning bright and early to dance on their graves.
Beverley did the full morning car wash on ESPN, joining Get Up! and First Take for multiple segments to bury Paul, in particular, for his poor showing in Game 7 and really the final five games of the series. The Timberwolves instigator called Paul a “cone” on defense and said he can’t guard anybody, to the dismay of Stephen A. Smith, and then said the Suns should’ve benched Paul instead of Ayton, which JJ Redick partially agreed with. He would then go on First Take and say no one was afraid of the Suns by noting he was talking to Paul George about that last night during the game.
All of this was a lot and while it was highly entertaining, it seemed very personal and Damian Lillard posed the question that was on the minds of many.
He seemed to mostly take issue with Beverley acting like he spoke for the entire NBA and pulling poor Paul George into the mix by airing out their private conversation.
Bra on TV acting like his word law. Speaking on private convos and praying on mfs downfall. This weird behavior smh … I ain’t got a horse in the race https://t.co/F6Cln8BBst
There were some who pointed out that Paul buried the Clippers in the conference finals a year ago, putting 41 points on Beverley and the L.A. defense in Game 6, which very well may have contributed to the Clippers moving on from Patrick this offseason. This still feels deeper than “he cooked us” because Beverley was quick to note Doncic did the same and that was why he was picking the Mavs to win Game 7 when he was on ESPN over the weekend. While Beverley is free to speak his mind — and ESPN clearly enjoyed his presence as it had everyone buzzing — Dame seems to think he should maybe speak only from his perspective and not claim to speak for the league when he’s going to back the bus over a future Hall of Famer.
Lillard also couldn’t help but take his own crack at Beverley when someone said his “stats weren’t bad.”
Dubious SNL host Elon Musk may have reacted with pure-fire emoji to Snoop Dogg’s (joking) plan to buy Twitter, but the Tesla CEO’s got a whole other vibe for the Twitter CEO. And Parag Agrawal may very well now regret taking over the gig in November 2021 after Jack Dorsey’s departure from his previous position. It sure seems like Musk is pulling off a troll job on Twitter, weeks after beginning a deal to buy the joint for $44 billion and then putting everything on hold for reasons that don’t sound believable to many people. It’s confusing! That’s especially the case since Elon went in so big on his “free speech absolutism” and made so many far-right users (and ex-users) happy, and that’s only contributed to the overall chaos. of the situation.
Yup, one wonders if Elon’s realized that, even with the backing of fellow billionaires around the globe, he can’t realistically afford to buy Twitter. That’s a cynical take, but it’s hard to believe that Elon’s suddenly surprised that spam bots proliferate through the platform. He’s now acting as though he’s not taking things seriously at all while seemingly attempting to p*ss off Agrawal. Speaking of which, Agrawal fired off a detailed and carefully composed thread about spam, which begins with the below tweet.
Let’s talk about spam. And let’s do so with the benefit of data, facts, and context…
Throughout that thread, Agrawal describes how it’s an ongoing and demanding process to stay on top of spam, and that involves shutting down “half a million” such accounts every day, and so on, by requiring safeguards including phone verification.
We suspend over half a million spam accounts every day, usually before any of you even see them on Twitter. We also lock millions of accounts each week that we suspect may be spam – if they can’t pass human verification challenges (captchas, phone verification, etc).
Again, it’s a long thread, and instead of letting Agrawal make his case, Elon decided to poop on everything. No really, he volleyed a poop emoji at the Twitter CEO.
Yep, Agrawal attempted (in his thread) to lay out the case that Twitter takes spam very seriously and how internal data shows that less than 5% of accounts have circumvented the process. Elon keeps arguing, very publicly, about this.
So how do advertisers know what they’re getting for their money? This is fundamental to the financial health of Twitter.
One wonders if he’s simply having (non-)buyer’s remorse and wants to walk away without the $1 billion breakup fee. That actually wouldn’t be too surprising after Elon’s (now-)former partner, Grimes, revealed that the richest man on earth wouldn’t buy a new mattress when she found herself sleeping atop a hole.
The first thing that pops into mind watching the video for “Breathe” from IDK‘s newly released, Kaytranad-produced album Simple is E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. Just as the title character’s telekinetic abilities make for the breathtaking visual of a band of bicycles soaring across the sky in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic, IDK sends a fleet of cyclists skyward in his own music video.
Shot in Paris, the video makes a point of showing the sense of freedom one can find even in the midst of doing something as mundane as delivering food. The cyclists in the video also find liberation in their sense of camaraderie with one another as they team up to cruise through one of the city’s tunnels, one of them presumably blasting the laid-back track via speakers attached to their saddle.
The song itself is a marked departure from some of IDK’s older, more aggressive material — and even the cooler grooves offered by his EDM pioneer collaborator. Rather than rapping, IDK sings the airy vocals, offering the reassuring advice to just breathe through it all. While other songs from the album, like “Taco” and “Dog Food,” blended his harder-edged sensibilities with the groovier production of Kaytranada, this song sees IDK truly branching out and showing his full range.
Watch IDK and Kaytranada’s “Breathe” video above.
Simple is out now on Clue with Warner Records. Get it here.
IDK is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
A few weeks back, renowned sneaker designer and customizer Dominic Ciambrone celebrated the opening of his new SRGN studio in LA with a big party that coincided with the artist’s 36th birthday. Much of the Uproxx team was in attendance and, to be frank, the new studio exceeds all expectations on what a sneaker customizer’s workshop should look like. The new SRGN studios is less a workshop for all things sneaker customization and more akin to a modern-day version of Andy Warhol’s Factory — a haven for artists of all stripes to come together to realize their creative projects (some of which include, of course, designing sneakers), play basketball, sip high-end whisky, and tackle whatever else Ciambrone and co decide they want to take on next.
That aforementioned whisky bar, in keeping with Ciambrone’s appreciation for all things luxury, comes fully stocked with Glenmorangie, part of a multifaceted year-long partnership between Ciambrone and the brand that will consist of limited-edition drops, studio concerts, design workshops, and more in the SRGN space.
Last week, we chopped it up with The Shoe Surgeon over Zoom, where he filled us in on how he got into the sneaker customization scene, where he wants to take his art and brand next, and the artists who inspire him to take things to the next level.
Dominic Ciambrone
What can you tell us about the new LA studio? How does it differ from what you’ve done in the past?
The studio is a place for creators and I wanted to create a space to curate an experience for artists, and athletes, and create a unique vibe. I grew up watching [Rob Dyrdek’s] Fantasy Factory and I grew up playing soccer and I grew up going to clubs and bars. I grew up in the restaurant business, hospitality. So shoes just got me here and I wanted to curate a space to tie everything together, from sports, fashion, creating, making, and teaching.
So it’s creating a physical location of the brand.
How did you first link up with Glenmorangie whisky? How did the two brands reflect or resonate with one another?
I think we both hold the bar for luxury and class and elegance. I remember a long time ago flying a friend in from Minnesota, and him asking, “what’s your favorite alcohol? What’s your favorite food? What do you like to eat?” Because I’m very big in hospitality. I grew up just taking care of people with my family. He said “scotch whisky” and it happened to be Glenmorangie. So it started there, and that was years ago. I remember being at a bar and also seeing the logo, the signet, and the detail of how amazing it looked.
It’s just a classy beverage that ties into our brand where I started as a kid just throwing paint on shoes, and it progressed, and now I make the most luxury, highest-end products in the world. To tie in a brand like Glenmorangie of hospitality and creating a luxury bar is the perfect fit.
Would you ever give some thought to maybe customizing a bottle or designing a bottle?
We’re working on that. That’s the thing. So many people see the shoes and they think I’m a shoe guy. They think I’m a sneakerhead. And it’s like, I’m more than that. It’s not me. I have a whole team and we’re just a group of creators and makers and we can make anything. So a bottle has always been on my list of things to design and develop and even make. I’ve actually made some custom bottles, handmade some in the studio.
glenmorangie x tss
So you definitely see yourself as a designer above a sneaker customizer?
Yeah. I mean, there’s no label to call me other than I’m a human that likes to make or create things, and I have a vision. Some people would call me a sneaker customizer. You can call me a designer. But I wouldn’t stop at that. I’m an entrepreneur. I’m a designer. I’m a maker. I’m a craftsman. I mean, I’m a man of many things, and at the end of the day, I’m just a creative artist that can execute things, and execute visions.
I have a taste level that I like things my way, and anything I look, at I’m like, “How can I change that?” It ties back into my life of constantly wanting to evolve and work on myself.
How did you first get into customizing sneakers?
I think at a very young age, I was always making and creating stuff from screen printing to painting, to building forts in the backyard, Legos at a very young age, just creating and building, not following the directions. And then middle school, sharpening my shoes and then got into fashion. Freshman year of high school, my cousin let me wear original ’85 Jordan 1s, which I didn’t really know what they were at the time. I wore those to school and it attracted people like, “Yo, those are sick.” So at that time, not knowing it like I do today, but to see that I created… It helped me create a voice without actually having to speak.
And after that, I would start getting shoes early and wearing those out, and people would flip. So I knew that if I had some cool shoes, it would attract people, and it was just a way to communicate, and it was a way to connect with people. And then that went away once everyone had the same shoes, and that’s when I airbrushed a pair in high school.
When I went to school, it was the same thing. It was like, “Yo, where’d you get those?” And it was like, “Oh, I made them,” and then it clicked that I can make it. The paint fell off right away. So it went from just creating to like, “Oh, shit. I need to make this thing last forever.”
I wanted to ask you, on a philosophical level, what is a custom sneaker to you? Do you see it as an expression of individuality, a mirror that reflects the wearer’s personality, or is it just purely about cool design?
To each person, it’s different. So I was on this journey of creating this perfect pair of shoes, which I found as a never-ending journey. So recently I came back to the point of just having fun with it again, just grabbing a pair of shoes and just having fun, not being so hard on myself that it needs to be this perfect way. I mean, what is a custom pair of shoes? Art is subjective to who’s looking at it and I can tell you how I see it, but if someone else creates art or a custom pair of shoes, I can say, “I don’t like it. It’s not for me, but good job that you’re doing something for yourself or for others.” I think that’s the way I look at it.
It’s just a canvas and I think it’s an expression of who you are or what you want to create.
You’ve designed for lots of people from Odell Beckham to Drake to LeBron. Is there anybody that’s on your bucket list who you haven’t designed a sneaker for that you would like to, that you already have ideas for, maybe?
I’m looking out the window. I’m looking at my business partner. And the way we met was he brought a pair of shoes to me, the original Air Mags, and we never finished them. We ended up making a bunch of other shoes and then we became business partners. So there’s the first pair of shoes. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. I made shoes for Pharrell Williams, who was a dream. He was the guy that I really looked up to, and I want to make a song with him. So to make shoes for someone, I mean, it would be… Who owns Louis Vuitton? It would be an owner of something that’s created something so big that can also just see my craft and my passion into a product or whatever it may be.
It’s not about a celebrity. I remember first making shoes for will.i.am and Justin Bieber. At that time I was just like, “Cool, whatever. I mean, it’s cool, but it’s not who I am.” I just like creating. And if people respect my art now, then that’s what I enjoy most about it.
You mentioned music and you mentioned that you like to create. Is there a medium you haven’t dipped your toes in yet that you really want to, or that you really have your eyes set on, a creative endeavor?
I’m sure there is that I can’t think of right now, but I think it’s taking these things and taking them all further. So we built out of the space. We designed the space. So I want to be designing hotels. I want to be designing a house. I want to be designing restaurants. I’m going to be. It’s just taking it further. So I’ve been in the space of music. Now I want to actually make an album. Now I’m going to continue to push things further.
Glenmorangie x TSS
How involved were you with the architecture and stuff, or at least the interior design of the new studio? Pretty heavily?
Heavily. Yeah. There’s a lot of things going on over here and there’s a lot of things moving quickly. At the end, there are some things that I’m actually physically doing less and more so as the creative direction. I’m helping empower the team to make decisions that are on brand and also making sure that we’re continuing to push things forward and get things done.
I’m really excited about creating this bar with Glenmorangie and really elevating the feel and look because I come from a middle-class family. We weren’t poor. We weren’t rich. And we were huge in hospitality, and we took care of a lot of people, feeding them. We had a restaurant growing up, so we would feed people for free. We would cover that. And I like nice things. My youngest brother is a very high-end chef. I continue to like more classy things. So when I go to a bar, I want it to feel a certain way.
It’s about the aesthetic and the vibe more so than the product. That’s where I’m at with my brand. It’s not just about the shoe. That’s what we’re doing with this bar too.
What’s your favorite sneaker to work from a design standpoint? What silhouette captures your imagination and feels like a canvas you can iterate on forever?
I mean, I really haven’t made it yet. It’s the next one that I’m working on. It’s the original design that I’m working on. But if you were to answer your question directly, it’d be the OG Jordan 1 just because that was the first really cool pair of shoes that I wore that got me into it. And with Michael Jordan and Nike, that was just the most amazing collaboration. They needed each other to help each other, and it was just an amazing thing to see.
So that silhouette’s going to be forever, I think, in my heart.
I would say that’s the sneaker that created sneaker culture the way that it is today, at least.
100%.
Just to close out, I wanted to ask, who are some of your favorite sneaker designers right now? And actually, let’s pull that out because just as you mentioned, you’re influenced by so many things, and I know you name-checked Pharrell. What creators really inspire you and how do they inspire you?
To see Drake’s persistence and creativity and how he’s put a team, and empowered a team together is really amazing to see. I mean, Kanye West is a genius and he pushed through so much to create his vision to life. Of course, Pharrell Williams from… I remember being 16 or something and my older brother showing me one of the first albums of N.E.R.D and he was just like, “Yo, what is this? It’s a cool sound.”
He had a swag to him, a fashion sense. And he turned music and fashion and skate together and created this thing, which was really dope to see. I don’t really follow too many actual sneaker designers. I just enjoy watching creatives that can harness their energy and turn it into something impactful for not only themselves. It’s for other people to enjoy.
Much has been said about Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox’s relationship given some of the unusual ways they choose to conduct themselves within it. Now, it appears the pair are taking things to a new (and conventional) level, as Kelly suggested their dynamic has changed.
While performing “Twin Flame” at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards last night, Kelly introduced the track by saying, “I wrote this song for my wife.” He later added, “And this is for our unborn child.”
So, it appears MGK and Fox are married with a child on the way. That may not really be the case, though, as Kelly has referred to Fox as his “wife” before, like during a March appearance on Ellen. Furthermore, perhaps when Kelly said “unborn child,” he was referring to an eventual kid he and Fox may have. Whatever the case, neither Kelly nor Fox have taken to social media to offer any clarification on that front.
What we do know for sure is that the two are engaged, as evidence by Fox’s thorny, intentionally painful engagement ring. James Corden recently asked Kelly when he thinks the wedding is going to be and he responded, “Um… when they can build me, like, a red river with, like, gothic… the location is hard. Trying to find a spot that’s matching my artistic…”
If you’re new to whiskey, you might be wary of rye and that’s a shame. Sure, the thought of drinking corn-based bourbon known for its mellow, easy-drinking flavor profile is appealing. But if you’re holding off on trying rye because you’re afraid you won’t enjoy the spicier, cracked black pepper-centric flavor notes, you’re doing your palate a disservice.
That being said, if you are ready to dip your toe into the rye whiskey world, you’re probably going to need a little help. You might not want to walk into your local liquor store or scroll through online retailers and randomly select a bottle. Like with any new (to you) whiskey style, you might not be happy with the results once you crack open the bottle.
Lucky for you, I know a thing or two about rye whiskey. And since I’m all about broadening your whiskey horizons, I decided to blindly taste and rank eight of my favorite gateway rye whiskeys below. Each was selected because of a combination of high-quality (no bottom shelf swill here), balanced-yet-peppery flavor profiles, and reasonable price. Keep scrolling to see how everything turned out.
You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that this whiskey’s name, Double Rye, comes from the fact that it’s a blend of two different rye whiskeys. Each was aged for a minimum of two years and up to seven years. They are a younger, sourced whiskey and an older whiskey, distilled by High West. The result is a spicy, bold, well-balanced sipper.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
Bland, muted aromas of wood, slight vanilla, and cracked black pepper are barely present on the nose. The palate isn’t as bland with some honey, slightly herbal flavors, caramel corn, and more rye spice. Overall, it’s pretty light and tastes really young.
Bottom Line:
High West Double Rye! Isn’t a bad bottle of whiskey. It’s just very young and that’s present in the nose and palate. It’s a bit more subdued than some of its longer-aged counterparts.
If you’re a bourbon drinker, you probably already have a bottle of versatile, flavorful Wild Turkey 101. Well, if you love that sweet, surprisingly mellow whiskey, you’ll love its rye cousin. Aged for a minimum of four years in new, charred American oak barrels and made with a mash bill of only 51% rye, this 101-proof whiskey is known for its slightly smoky, slightly sweet, peppery flavor.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
This whiskey starts with aromas of sweet toffee, vanilla cream, honey, and charred wood. There’s not much pepper in the aroma. The palate is surprisingly, almost alarmingly spicy with cinnamon, wood char, and cracked black pepper dominating the nose. It’s clear this is a higher proof whiskey and that’s not such a great characteristic.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey 101 rye is a better mixer than it is a sipper. The bold proof and spice that comes with it might be a little bold for some palates. It’s not even a very rye-centric whiskey, it’s the higher proof that has the burn.
Taking a sip of Redemption’s flagship rye is like taking a step back to whiskey before Prohibition. Even with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, this is a bold, spicy, award-winning whiskey is aged for at least two years in charred oak barrels and is surprisingly well-balanced and multi-dimensional. Albeit, quite young.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
The nose is surprisingly spicy with a wallop of cinnamon and pepper paired with citrus zest and some vanilla beans. On the palate, you’ll find some citrus peel, sticky toffee, caramel, and not as much cracked black pepper as I’d prefer.
The flavors aren’t bad, it’s just too watery and muted.
Bottom Line:
While there’s definitely a bold, peppery rye presence in Redemption Rye. It just tastes very young. And that’s because it is. It’s a bit more muted than it would be if it had spent a little longer in the barrel.
5) Sazerac Rye
Buffalo Trace
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
If you’re a fan of whiskey-based cocktails, you’ve heard the word “Sazerac”. The rye-based drink and this rye from Buffalo Trace get their names from the Sazerac Coffee House that was located on Royal Street in New Orleans in the 1800s. This brand comes in this value bottle with an undisclosed age statement as well as an 18-year-old version.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
A nose of dried cherries, raisins, cinnamon, orange peels, and cracked black pepper greeted my nose before my first sip. The palate has notes of candied cherries, orange zest, butterscotch candy, and a healthy dose of peppery rye. But, like many of the other bottles on this list, it’s lacking in flavor punch.
Bottom Line:
For a bargain bottle, Sazerac is a surprisingly well-balanced (though muted) rye whiskey. There is a decent cracked black pepper backbone, lightly fruity, oaky flavors are also there. I just wish they were more prevalent.
If you’re a fan of Jim Beam’s small-batch expressions, you know all about Basil Hayden (having recently rebranded from Basil Hayden’s). This unique whiskey is a blend of Kentucky rye, Canadian rye, and just a hint of California port. The result is a slightly fruity, spicy, bold whiskey.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
Dried cherries, berries, toffee, vanilla, and white pepper can be found on the nose. The palate contains notes of dried fruits, stone fruits, woody oak, and peppery rye — giving this a very complex, multi-dimensional flavor profile. The finish is a warming mix of fruit and spice.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a very fruit-forward whiskey that has subtle cracked black pepper, Basil Hayden Dark Rye is a great choice for you. It’s a decent gateway into rye without really having the spice that some expressions have. If you’re looking for something spicy? You won’t find it here.
While to be called a rye whiskey, it must only have a mash bill of at least 51%, this bold sipper carries a mash bill of 100% rye. Aged for a minimum of six years, this complex whiskey is known for its mix of sweetness and spice that makes it both great for sipping neat and mixing into cocktails.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
The nose is a blend of citrus and spice. I found notes of candied orange peels, wintry spices, cinnamon, slight vanilla, and peppery rye. The palate is a rye fan’s dream with a ton of peppery rye upfront. This is followed by caramel candy, oak, and slight notes of candied citrus. The last sip is a combination of fruit, vanilla, and rye spice.
Bottom Line:
WhistlePig Piggyback is a great gateway into rye whiskey because, even though this is a bold, spicy whiskey, there are enough complimentary mellow, sweet flavors to make it a well-balanced, reasonably-priced sipper.
If you’re going to dip your proverbial toe into the rye whiskey world, why not opt for one that makes a traditional Maryland-style rye whiskey. This award-winning whiskey is a blend of straight rye whiskeys that are matured between four and six years in highly charred American oak casks. The result is a high-rye whiskey known for its spicy, sweet, easy-drinking flavor profile.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
Cinnamon, butterscotch, brown sugar, raisins, and peppercorns are prevalent on the nose. One sip and I found notes of toasted vanilla beans, caramel corn, cinnamon, orange peel, almond cookies, and dill-like rye spice. The finish is a mix of caramel candy sweetness and peppery rye spice.
Bottom Line:
You’d have a hard time finding a more well-balanced, complex rye whiskey for the price than Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye. It ticks all of the rye whiskey boxes while still being a great gateway into the style.
Michter’s is a big name in the bourbon world. But, just because of the brand’s prowess with corn-based whiskey, you shouldn’t sleep on its complex US-1 Rye. Made with select, sheared American rye, this single barrel whiskey is aged in new, charred American oak barrels. The result is a sweet, nutty, spicy sipper.
Christopher Osburn
Blind Tasting Notes:
Right away, I noticed a nose of bold, cracked black pepper, dried cherries, raisins, brown sugar, and oak. Sipping it revealed toffee, vanilla beans, cinnamon sugar, caramel corn, candied orange peel, and light, spicy rye. The finish is a pleasing, warming combination of sweetness and spice.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to well-balanced, sweet, spicy rye whiskey, Michter’s US-1 is hard to beat. The best part? It’s not even as expensive as it should be (don’t tell the folks at Michter’s that!).
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… I ain’t got a horse in the race 
