For over 30 years, the street artist, activist, and filmmaker known as Banksy has done the unthinkable: They’ve managed to remain anonymous. That hasn’t been easy. Banksy is famous — famous enough that their work has been destroyed by famous celebrities, other artists, and even themself. People have been trying to suss out their identity by hook or by crook. Some even claimed famous people, including members of Gorillaz and Massive Attack, of secretly being Banksy. To that list add a Welsh politician who’s so frustrated at the accusation that he quit in a huff.
The Telegraph spoke with William Gannon, a late-50s man from South Wales recently elected to town council. He’s also spent the last four decades as a community artist, making sculptures as well as graffiti in the town of Pembroke Dock. As such, he’s been accused of being Banksy himself, and the rumor has so upended his life that resigned from his newly elected position, calling it “untenable.” He claims that the claim was spread by a rival for the position he won and then left.
“There’s no truth in it whatsoever, I am not Banksy,” Gannon told The Telegraph. He admitted he’s been in “the same places as Banksy at much the same times doing much the same stuff as a community artist.” (Though a Banksy piece has never cropped up in Pembroke Dock. But Gannon claims it’s just a coincidence and Banksy is not some guy elected to a council position in a small town. “It’s so ridiculous that it’s laugh-out-loud funny, but there’s also a sinister element to it. The joke is on me.”
In his resignation latter, Gannon said he resigned “to protect the reputation of the town, Pembroke Dock did not need another controversial councillor dragging the reputation of the town through the mud.”
But Gannon’s resignation isn’t his final word on the subject. As Artnet points out, he’s started a campaign, in which people who aren’t arguably the world’s most famous street artist can order a pin from Gannon’s website that states, simply, “I am not Banksy.”
“If everyone who is NOT Banksy wears an I Am NOT Banksy badge and Banksy is the only person who is NOT wearing I Am NOT Banksy badge (because they ARE Banksy),” Gannon’s site reads, “then everyone will know that Banksy IS Banksy (because they are NOT wearing an I Am NOT Banksy badge) and, most importantly, Banksy will finally have found out who they are for him/her/them self(ves).”
Alas, Gannon is only handing out 999 of the pins total, which makes it easier for Banksy to hold onto his anonymity. But the campaign is itself more of an artistic expression, he says, meant to question the idea that an artist can claim ownership of something they’ve created. “If I’m Banksy,” he told The Telegraph, “then everybody is.”
Some people are born with a knack or natural talent for certain things, from sports to music to math to art. At some point, it becomes hard to differentiate between people who are highly trained and people who are naturally gifted, but occasionally a person’s innate abilities are abundantly clear.
Such is the case with Trent, a 24-year-old artist who has gathered a huge following with his on-request animal mash-up drawings. Trent has over a million followers on TikTok. He also has level 3 autism, which impacts his ability to communicate and necessitates help and support with day-to-day functioning. Trent’s parents are his caregivers, and they use TikTok to help Trent share his art, champion his work and answer people’s questions about autism.
Autistic people sometimes have unique talents, which can manifest as special abilities in memory, math, music, spatial awareness and more. Trent’s parents say he started drawing at as soon as he could hold a pencil. He used to draw on everything—walls, furniture, toys, as well as paper—and his favorite thing to draw is animals. His parents nurtured and encouraged this love of drawing, and when you see how effortlessly he draws people’s animal mash-up requests, you can see why.
In a recent video, Trent drew a “disco zebra with an afro,” a “boxing gorilla” (which he interpreted a bit differently) and a “tiger butterfly.” Watch:
Check out Trent’s art and merch in his store! #autistic #artist #fyp #trenttok
No pencil sketches. No erasing. No re-doing. Trent is able to draw what he sees in his mind’s eye, using a permanent marker to make a line drawing of it in seconds. It’s mesmerizing to watch.
People have asked if Trent ever makes a mistake and starts over. His dad says no.
“We have never seen him, in 24 years, crumple up a piece of paper and throw it away and start over,” he says.
Very seldomly, he’ll draw a line and then shift his idea, never going back to incorporate that line. But otherwise, he just draws.
Check out the recent drawings he’s been doing of groups of animals with different facial expressions:
Real time #trentsview #artist #artistsoftiktok #asd #autism #fyp #foryoupage
And his drawings can get really interesting and creative as well. For instance, here it looks like he made the animals wear their noses and snouts as hats:
Trent has been impressing people with his cartoon animal drawings for many years. This video of him drawing chalk animals on the family trampoline went viral in 2017:
Trent now has a coloring book, a children’s book (written by his parents and illustrated by Trent), and greeting cards for sale. The Drawings by Trent website also sells t-shirts and explains the purpose of the online store:
“At Drawings by Trent we want to encourage families to help their children achieve their full potential, educate communities on the important role individuals of all skill and ability levels play, and inspire everyone to discover and use their own talents. Part of accomplishing those objectives involves helping Trent become a productive member of society while doing something he loves (that’s what we all want, right?). When you purchase a piece of Trent’s art you are not only supporting him, you’re giving families hope.”
It’s great when anyone gets to do what they love and get recognized for it. Check out the Drawings by Trent TikTok channel for more.
It’s graduation season and high school seniors are enduring their last few days of classes before the last summer of their childhood. The summer after high school ends is special, with graduation parties and friends getting ready to take off around the country to pursue their next path. Though many are off to university to make their, or their parents’, dream come true, not every high school grad wants to go off to a four-year college. And schools don’t always do a good job in informing high schoolers of their choices outside of college and the military.
The conversation around college seems to start earlier than it used to. My own children started being asked about college plans around sixth grade, and the pressure has only mounted with every passing year. When my eighth grader announced in a school meeting that he already had a college and degree path chosen, the teachers were outwardly excited and praised him for knowing what he wanted to do. It’s an awful lot of pressure to put on 12-14-year-olds.
College is expensive and financially unattainable for many families. The looming expense of a college education can lead to parents putting pressure on their children to perform exceptionally to procure highly competitive scholarships.
Pressure to perform at elite levels academically and in sports in an effort to reduce the cost of attending college can result in students feeling overwhelmed. My own child struggled under the weight of expectations he felt from teachers, until one day he came to me and quietly said, “I don’t think I want to go to college.” I simply replied “OK” before explaining that college doesn’t have to be everyone’s path and we could explore options outside of a four-year institution. The audible exhale from his lungs told me everything I needed to know at that moment.
Kids absorb many things that go unsaid. I never told him that it was expected that he go to college, but I also didn’t talk about other options, so in essence the message I was sending was that college is the only next step. My son became more and more consumed by the expectation to get near-perfect grades and excel at band and other things to secure a scholarship to schools he didn’t even want to attend. His story isn’t unique. Teens across America are suffocating under the pressure to perform for the grand prize of scholarships and a fancy piece of paper, all while trades are struggling to fill positions.
People that do essential work in our homes and on our vehicles cannot fill positions because not enough students are exiting trade schools. Mechanics, welders, plumbers, electricians, every skilled trade you can think of is in a shortage because schools and parents don’t give trades the same attention as they do four-year college degree options. The median age of a skilled tradesperson is 43 and at the current rate many will retire in a little more than a decade’s time leaving more vacancies. Sure we want our children to succeed in life but a bachelor’s degree doesn’t automatically equal success. Skilled trades oftentimes pay more money than entry-level positions that require a four-year degree, so why aren’t we encouraging our children to explore these interests?
It seems as if America has gotten caught up in an endless loop of pushing and expecting college from students, only for students to graduate with exorbitant amounts of debt. Then the cycle repeats for the next generation. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Ultimately my son decided to change his track in high school from four-year college track to trade school track. This only affects the classes he will take for graduation. Instead of taking three years of a foreign language and four years of advanced math, he will get to skip the unnecessary classes and go straight into automotives. After graduating, he will have one year of credits toward the two-year automotive certification.
Attending the local community college will be a fraction of the price of a four-year college, and only require one additional year before he can go into the workforce. No debt would be acquired and he would be doing what he enjoys. This isn’t to say he can’t change his mind and decide later to attend a four-year university; we would support any path he chose. It’s just a reminder to listen to our words. Pay attention to the things we aren’t saying. Make our children aware of every option, not just the traditional track.
Attending a trade school is a valid option, not merely an alternative to college. Trade schools are higher education and shouldn’t be reserved for students adults think “aren’t cut out for college,” because the truth of the matter is, many trade school certificate holders are just as intelligent or more so than degree holders. We need to let go of preconceived notions about the trades and start focusing on what our children are good at and encourage the pursuit of that at whatever level they choose.
There is no more determined person in the world than a toddler, and no one will ever change my mind. When a toddler sets their mind to something, you better stay out of their way. It’s cute, even when it scares you. That kind of sheer determination can be inspiring, especially when it comes from a cute-as-a-button little one. Two-year-old Evie Brush definitely fits the bill.
In a short video posted by her mom Madison “Maddie” Brush on Instagram, we can see little Evie prepping to put on her prosthetic leg all by herself for the first time. “Miss independent,” her mom captioned the post. As Evie slides the first piece over her leg with ease, she is beaming with pride. You can tell this is something she has been really excited to do and she pulls it off without a hitch!
The post has more than 5,000 comments on Instagram and it’s clear that her mom’s followers are just as excited as she is about her accomplishment.
“Precious Evie 💝 You are a great mom, Madison!” one person wrote.
“She’s so proud of herself!! Love it,” wrote another.
“She is just absolutely adorable! Her sweet smile is so infectious! What a brave, strong little girl!”
“A warrior! Sunshine! May you be blessed and happy always!”
The post was recently shared by Good News Movement, which brought in some new and equally wonderful comments.
“my husband lost his limb 2 yrs ago in a accident. I sent him this and he said “wow, now that’s some motivation for me!” Thank u for sharing ur story. She’s so brave!”
Evie was born with a limb difference, and Madison has the hashtag #limbdifferenceawareness in her bio on Instagram. According to PEOPLE, Evie was diagnosed with a congenital abnormality called oligodactyly before birth. While in utero, it was discovered that Evie would be missing a finger and some of her other limbs were affected as well. When she was born, she was missing a thumb and a toe, one of her legs was missing a calf bone (fibula) and she had a bowed shin bone (tibia), hence the need for the prosthetic. The reason seems to be fibular aplasia, tibial campomelia and oligosyndactyly (FATCO) syndrome.
Looking through the rest of Madison’s Instagram, you can see that Evie doesn’t let her limb differences slow her down. The little girl is seen playing in the snow with her brother, on a family vacation to Disney World, baking cookies and just being a really typical 2-year-old.
Last year, mom Madison shared another insight into life with a young child with a limb difference. One night Evie wanted her toenails painted, and that’s exactly what she got!
“I put this on my stories, but I also felt it needed to be shared on my main feed!” Madison began the caption. “This is our life! It’s normal, but not normal. I found myself asking if it was even ok to paint the toes of her prosthetic. So weird that I felt I needed to ask…. But I guess it’s somewhat normal. How do you navigate, how do you make her feel normal, but also not invalidated. Anyway… I digress. WE PAINTED THE TOES! That is all.”
[This post contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4]
In Garden State, Natalie Portman tells Zach Braff that “New Slang” by the Shins will “change your life.” In season four of Stranger Things, that song is “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush, except instead of only changing your life, it will also save your life.
The most meme-d moment in the new season of Stranger Things occurs in episode four, “Dear Billy,” when Max (played by Sadie Sink) is rescued from Vecna’s clutches in the Upside Down by her friends. She’s saved because music has the power to reach parts of the brain that words can’t, we learn, so they play her favorite (and now everyone’s favorite) song, “Running Up That Hill,” to free her. But what song would it be for Sink?
While Kate Bush’s inspirational track will always anchor Max, Sink recently expanded her own musical horizons by appearing as a young Taylor Swift avatar (aka “Her”) in the pop star’s “All Too Well” short film. The music video collaboration is clearly a win for Sink, as she reveals Swift’s “august” is the song that would save her from Vecna’s thrall. “That song honestly can revive me from anything,” Sink admits (even though Swift’s “The 1” was actually at the top of her Spotify Wrapped last year).
Sink would have picked something from 1989, but Stranger Things is still three years away. But “Style” will change Max’s life, I swear.
The summer may very well belong to Saucy Santana if his new single lives up to the high expectations fans have set for it. Santana, who only started rapping professionally in 2019 after working as a makeup artist for City Girls, has already seen his star rise tremendously as a result of TikTok-favorite singles like “Walk,” “Material Girl,” and “Shisha,” but his next single, “Booty,” has the potential to be his biggest yet for three reasons.
Reason number one: Santana teased the single on TikTok and Twitter just hours ago, and he’s already trending, with fans calling “Booty” the song of the summer despite only having 15 seconds to go on. That’s influence, people.
Reason number two: Booty samples one of the biggest hits in one of the most storied discographies in the recording industry. It’s not subtle either; the sample of Beyonce’s breakthrough solo single “Crazy In Love” blares out of an unseen speaker in Santana’s teaser as he twerks and pops to the particularly sticky hook.
Reason number three: There’s a mystery guest, and Santana is at that stage in his career where it could be someone huge. His hiding the name makes it all the more likely since it implies it’s someone he hasn’t worked with already, who you might not expect him to work with, but who will totally make sense when you find out who it is. There’s also that collaboration that Lil Nas X teased a few months ago…
For now, we’ll have to stick with guessing but if Santana’s dropping teasers, the answer can’t be too far around the corner. Check out the snippet above and the reactions below, and get ready for a Santana summer.
Beyoncé clearing crazy in love for Santana is too iconic. That’s literally the song of the century https://t.co/UCHHJFPPki
If Bey hopped on this track, Santana would sky rocket and honestly it’s what he deserves. I’d be throwing this flat back like crazy! https://t.co/FifyAHI2Vn
The Zombie is one of the most iconic tropical cocktails to come out of the first Tiki era. This drink is all about the ABVs, spices, and tropical vibes. It’s also on fire, which isn’t that important if you’re making these at home and during the day, but adds a nice touch once the sun goes down.
The rum drink is also an ass-kicker that will get you very twisted very fast. Invented in Hollywood at the famed Don The Beachcomber by Donn Beach himself in the 1930s, Old Donn would only allow you two per night. Otherwise, you’ll turn into “the walking dead,” according to old Mr. Beach. Consider yourself warned.
For this recipe, I’m sticking pretty much to the original Don The Beachcomber recipe from the 1930s. Hey, if it ain’t broke, right? That said, this might taste pretty different from the modern takes on the Zombie, which tend to add a lot more sugar and citrus juice to the mix. That’s basically done these days to calm down all that rum and allow you to drink more — read: spend more money at the bar. This version is far more spicy and botanical with a true rum punch to the face like it’s supposed to be. Let’s get shaking!
Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of the Last Six Months
For this recipe, I grabbed the first Jamaican and Puerto Rican rum from my shelf. That ended up being Appleton Estate 12 and Bacardi Cuatro, both of which are great for mixing. For the overproof rum, you tend to want to use a demerara rum from Venezuela, but any overproof will do.
The rest is pretty easily found at any good liquor store. The exception is Don’s Mix which you might have to make on your own, recipe below.
*** Don’s Mix is 2 parts fresh grapefruit juice and 1 part cinnamon syrup. Stir the two together to create the mix and then store in the fridge in a small bottle for no more than two weeks.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Hurricane glass
Cocktail shaker
Cocktail strainer
Paring knife
Hand juicer
Jigger
Barspoon
Straw
Match
Zach Johnston
Method:
Fill the hurricane glass with fresh ice.
Add the rums, lime juice, falernum syrup, Don’s mix, grenadine, Pernod, and Angostura Bitters to the cocktail shaker. Add a handful of ice, affix the lid, and vigorously shake for about 20 seconds.
Strain the cocktail into the waiting hurricane glass. Take one of the smashed lime halves from juicing earlier and pour a small amount of the overproof rum over the flesh side of the lime, sort of filling it up. Place the lime on the top of the cocktail, skin side down. Use a match to light the lime and serve immediately.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
This is bold with a capital “B”! The rum shines through with a hint of funk next to sticky molasses with vanilla, spices, and sugar cane all coming through. The body of the drink is mellow and smooth but filled with a lot of woody botanicals and spices. It feels almost like the cocktail itself was barrel-aged. There are bitter notes like chinotto and allspice berries next to woody florals. It’s really a great mix of depth and flavor.
It’s also strong AF.
And while lighting this during the day in a bright kitchen was unnecessary, I did it anyway to demonstrate that it’s easy and safe. Just make sure to blow out the blue flame within a minute or less.
In a move you don’t see everyday, comedian Patton Oswalt took his entire profession to task for essentially paving the way for the rise of Donald Trump and the alt-right by making “ironic” racist jokes. All too often these days, comics circle the wagons and wail about cancel culture (looking at you, Joe Rogan), but not Oswalt. While stopping by The Al Franken Podcast, he lamented his generation’s over-use of irony, which he feels handed the alt-right a “blueprint” to mask their actions.
“We thought we were beyond racism. There was a lot of ironic racism amongst a lot of alt-comedy, a lot of Gen X, because we thought, ‘Well, we’re beyond it. We can make fun of that,’” Oswalt said before explaining how that attitude provided cover for Trump and his ilk. Via Mediaite:
“We didn’t realize we were actually mapping out a blueprint for a lot of the alt-right people and a lot of the edgelords and a lot of the shit posters to use for them to go ‘I’m just being ironic,’” he continued. “You’re trying to grandfather your shit in and we are partially responsible for doing that.”
Franken wasn’t entirely on-board with that argument and said that comedians should be more like George Carlin and his generation of comics who push boundaries, but Oswalt wasn’t having that characterization.
“But they were pushing for more openness,” Oswalt argued. “The people that are doing the edgelord stuff now are pushing for, ‘Can we go back to the way,’ think[ing], ‘Can I go back to being able to say these horrible things?’ It’s like, no, we gotta keep moving forward.”
There are a lot of shows these days that have a dystopian premise or are some sort of big franchise spinoff, which, to be fair, can be off-putting to some viewers. Luckily, FX’s latest seriesThe Bear is centered around one thing we can all agree on: food!
The comedy- drama series stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmy, a young chef who returns home to Chicago after a death in his family causes him to run the family sandwich shop. The series will also star Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Edwin Lee Gibson, and real-life chef Matty Matheson. The trailer features some truly mouth-watering moments sandwiched between some heartfelt moments. Literally! Ha.
The Bear comes from the mind of frequent Bo Burnham collaborator Christopher Storer, who wrote and directed the series. He will produce alongside Joanna Calo, Hiro Murai, and Nate Matteson. Here is the description:
A hot kitchen, family, Chicago, and the occasional searing burn. FX’s new comedy series The Bear is about food, family, the insanity of the grind, the beauty of Sense of Urgency and the steep slippery downsides. As the young chef Carmy fights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.
All episodes of The Bear are available to stream starting June 23rd on Hulu, which recently dropped the “FX on Hulu” title. Check out the food-filled trailer above.
To that end, SFWSC just announced their bourbon finalists for 2022. What does that even mean? These are the bottles of bourbon that not only received a “double gold” medal — meaning every judge at the table unanimously and anonymously agreed that the bottle was a gold medal — but the judges also thought that the pour had a chance at winning “best in class.” That means a long-ish list of bourbon bottles went to another round of double-blind tastings where those bottles were whittled down to the finalist, listed below. From this list, SFWSC judges will decide which bourbon whiskey is the bourbon of the year, or the “best in class” bourbon (announced in June).
The eleven finalist bourbons below are all pretty stellar whiskeys. I was lucky enough to be on several bourbon judging panels this year at the SFWSC, so I’ll be providing my tasting notes where I can and adding in notes from the distiller, blender, or judges when I haven’t tried an expression.
This whiskey from Penelope really helps solidify the brand as a powerhouse in blending. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of three bourbon mash bills (one is 21 percent rye, another 90 percent corn, and a 45 percent wheated bourbon — all from MGP), which create a four-grain (corn, wheat, rye, and barley) bourbon. All of this is to say that this is a masterful blend of four to five-year-old barrels into something bigger than the individual parts.
Tasting Notes:
You get a sense of dry cornmeal on the nose next to apple crumble, plenty of wintry spice, a hint of mulled wine, wet brown sugar, and a thin layer of wet-yet-sweet cedar. A hint of brandy-soaked cherries arrives on the palate with a dusting of dark chocolate powder next to more apple pie filling, spice, and buttery crust alongside a sweet, toffee-heavy mid-palate. The end arrives with a dry wicker vibe, cherry tobacco chewiness, and a hint of that dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This really is the “good stuff.” All that orchard fruit, chocolate, and spice combine to make a very fine sipper.
A.D. Laws out in Colorado is renowned for its award-winning four-grain bourbons. The juice is made from 60 percent corn, 20 percent heirloom wheat, ten percent heirloom rye, and ten percent heirloom malted barley. That hot juice is then aged for over six years before it’s batched and cut down to 100 proof per bonded whiskey laws.
Tasting Notes:
This feels more crafty on the nose with a balance between bitter black tea that’s been cut with a summer-y and floral honey as touches of cinnamon, pancake batter, and orange pop in the background. The orange and spice thickens and leans into an orange pound cake with a buttery and spicy streusel crumble as that black tea bitterness circles back to cut through all that butter, spice, and orange. The end leans into the spice with more of a cinnamon candy vibe that leads towards a final dusting of dark cocoa.
Bottom Line:
This is a complex and rewarding sipper. I also think you can build an amazing cocktail on its foundation of orange and spice with that nice black tea bitterness providing a good counterpoint to any sweetness.
This brand from Luxco is still sourced juice though they did start distilling their own in 2018. This bottle is a seven-year-old blend of barrels with a bourbon mash bill of 78 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and ten percent rye, which just so happens to be Heaven Hill’s bourbon mash bill. These barrels are blended down and left as-is at cask strength for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This is a pretty classic bourbon from nose to finish with a strong sense of rich caramel, pancakes with plenty of vanilla, sweet oak, wet brown sugar, and a whiff of cherry tobacco. The palate leans into the woody brown spices as a dark cherry vibe sweetens the mid-palate. The end circles back to that sweet oak and spicy cherry tobacco on a short finish.
Bottom Line:
I wouldn’t be surprised if something like this took home best in class. It’s just so classic with some serious depth. It’s not overly heavy or funky, just easy and deep.
This sourced whiskey is a bit of an outlier. The mash bill (from MGP of Indiana) is 51 percent corn, 45 percent wheat, and four percent malted barley. That makes this a supercharged wheated bourbon (most wheated bourbons are closer to ten to 20 percent wheat). The juice then ages for only three years before it’s bottled as-is by the blenders at Doc Whiskey.
“Vanilla on the nose with a noticeable nasal burn. Semi-sweet on the palate with notes of creamy vanilla and dried fruit which continues through the lingering finish.”
Bottom Line:
Notably, I wasn’t on a single barrel bourbon panel this year, so I haven’t tasted this one yet. That said, “creamy vanilla” and “dried fruit” always work for me so I’m intrigued.
Nashville Barrel Co. is doing some of the best work in the bottling game, full stop. They’re sourcing incredible barrels (a lot from MGP) and bottling them as-is without any cutting, filtering, or fussing — they let the whiskey speak for itself and it’s kind of magical. This expression tends to be five to eight-year-old barrels that will vary slightly in the flavor profile while always leaning into bold and distinct flavors.
Tasting Notes:
Depending on which bottle you come across, expect a nose full of cotton candy, buttered popcorn, vanilla beans, freshly baked cherry pie with a lard crust, and plenty of caramel sauce, mild leather, hints of oak, and a dollop of orange oil. The palate will lean into the spice with plenty of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice with maybe a hint of anise and sweetgrass before a mid-palate of Almond Joy and salted caramel candies take over. That sweet mid-point will give way to a finish with nutty dark chocolate clusters with hints of dried fruits, old leather, sweet oak, and plenty of wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
I can attest that these always rule. They do vary pretty widely depending on who is picking that barrel, but the team at Nashville Barrel Company doesn’t stock bad barrels, period.
This Texas bourbon is made at Firestone & Robertson Distilling Company with an undisclosed mash bill. What we do know is that this whiskey spends two years maturing under the hot Texas sun before it’s transferred into Cognac casks for a final 17-month rest.
Tasting Notes:
Apricots and floral honey mingle on the nose as a hint of raw oats, soft leather, and plum pudding round things out. The palate leans into the spices from the wintry plum pudding with plenty of lush vanilla and salted caramel sweetness on the mid-palate. The finish ramps up the dark brown spices with a Red Hot vibe as the floral honey returns with a hint of grape seeds and skins on the dry backend.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice change of pace that still feels somewhat familiar. That said, this is one of those bottles that sit on my shelf that I forget is there. It’s nice over a rock or two though.
This blender up in Washington is all about finding the prime barrels and creating something new by tinkering, blending, and finishing them in unique ways. In this case, that entailed getting barrels from the Kiona Wintery. The blend of low-rye bourbons are reloaded in Old Block Cabernet Sauvignon casks from Kiona for a final rest before blending and bottling as-is.
“Dark stone fruits, tart cherries, soft licorice, cabernet wine, and toasted vanilla. Dark Chocolate covered brandied cherries (Mon Cheri), baking spice, apple pie filling, and toasted almonds. Full-bodied bourbon with deep flavors of mon cheri cherries, marzipan and crème brûlée.”
Bottom Line:
The team at Doc Swinson’s continually hit it out of the part with these special finishes. That said, this is one of the rarer ones and will be harder to track down. Good luck out there!
This expression of Weller rests in the warehouse for 12 long years. A fair amount of juice is lost to the angels during that stretch. In the end, the whiskey is vatted from the barrels that survived and then proofed down to a soft 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a deep, creamy sweet corn note on the nose that gives way to old wool sweaters and vanilla pancakes rolled around soft marzipan. The palate has a warm biscuit vibe with hints of buttery toffee syrup and old cutting boards that still smell of dark spices and dried fruit. The end takes its time and touches back on the cakey vanilla, buttery syrups, soft marzipan, and old, fruit-stained wood as it gently fades away.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lot of backlash to Weller always being so hyped. But … this expression in particular delivers on every bit of that hype. Weller 12 might be the best of the standard Wellers out there these days. Plus, this is the exact same bourbon as Pappy 12, mashbill-wise.
CRAFT DISTILLER
Frey Ranch Single Barrel #589
Frey Ranch
ABV: 66.06%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Whiskey:
These releases are private barrel picks that usually got to retailers, bars, and private whiskey clubs (who sometimes sell them online). In this case, this is a Distiller’s Reserve pick that you’d only get at the distillery and was picked by the team at Frey Ranch. The actual whiskey in that barrel is Frey Ranch’s five-year-old whiskey that’s barrel as-is with no cutting, filtering, or fussing. Basically, this is Frey Ranch at its purest.
“The nose has notes of dried fruit and cinnamon. It is dry on the palate with pronounced herbal notes and dried fruit, with a long, slightly peppery finish.”
Bottom Line:
Frey Ranch is one of those craft distillers that have yet to miss. This is bound to be a great dram … if you can track one down.
This new age statement released from Jack Daniel’s feels like a throwback to a bygone era in Tennessee Whiskey. The whiskey is aged for at least ten years. During that time, the barrels spend time in the “Buzzard’s Roost” at the top of the rickhouse. Once they hit the right flavor profile, those barrels are moved to the bottom floors of other warehouses to slow the aging down. Finally, the whiskey is vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rich matrix of cherry syrup, apple cores, sticky toffee, vanilla ice cream, and a thin line of wet and sweet wood. The palate opens up towards the dark fruit but dries it out and married it to a sticky and spicy tobacco leaf while toasted cedar soaked in salted caramel vibes with dry corn husks that are just singed. The finish really takes its time as the cherry attaches to an old cinnamon stick and the tobacco takes on a sticky chewiness with a mild savory fruit edge.
Bottom Line:
It’s no surprise that one of the industry’s favorite whiskeys of last year is winning all the awards this year. Expanding on that, I would not be surprised — at all — if this took home best in class. It’s just freakin’ good. That said, I wasn’t on the finalists’ panels as a judge this year. So, who knows?
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.
Tasting Note:
The nose on this one is mildly sweet with almost earthy maple syrup next to pecans from a pie with a touch of dried apple and old leather. The taste runs deep with vanilla leading the way next to a touch of apple and pecan crumble. The mid-palate takes a turn away from all of that and dives into a candied cherry that’s dusted with dark chocolate and a ground-up fruit Neco Wafer or Flintstone’s multivitamin (that’s also cherry-flavored) before the finish gets this browned butter vibe with a touch of soft, sweet oak.
Bottom Line:
This would be my third bet in my trifecta for “best in class.” I was on the original panel that blindly awarded this double gold and everyone at that table was blown away. The fact that it made it through the next round and into the finals is not a surprise whatsoever.
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