Category: News

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.

The Whiskeys Selected:

• Redemption Rye
• Basil Hayden Dark Rye
• Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye
• Sazerac Rye
• WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye
• Wild Turkey 101 Rye
• Michter’s US-1 Rye
• High West Double Rye!

The Ranking:

8) High West Double Rye!

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29.99

The Whiskey:

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.

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.

7) Wild Turkey 101 Rye

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $25.99

The Whiskey:

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.

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.

6) Redemption Rye

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $28

The Whiskey:

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.

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

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.

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.

4) Basil Hayden Dark Rye

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $39.99

The Whiskey:

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.

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.

3) WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye

ABV: 48.28%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

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.

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.

2) Sagamore Spirit Signature Rye

ABV: 41.5%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

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.

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.

1) Michter’s US-1 Rye

ABV: 42.4%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

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.

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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“You do not owe the college a penny. If you have a balance, you had a balance. You no longer have a balance,” he can be heard saying in a video as students clapped and cheered. Their unbridled joy was palpable.

Congratulations 2022 Graduates, YOU ARE DEBT FREE!
Go Forth Inspired, glorious deeds to do. 🥹🙌🏾#wileygrad22 #wileycollege #hbcu #hbcugrad #hbcupride #goforthinspired pic.twitter.com/a0zHUDTFc4

— Wiley College (@WileyCollege) May 7, 2022

The students of Wiley weren’t the only ones thrilled by the news. People flooded Twitter with loving, congratulatory comments.

“This is what we need more of. Congratulations Class of 2022…go change the world!” wrote one user.

A statement released by the college explained that although the school has worked to reduce its tuition costs, COVID-19 exacerbated many students’ ability to pay their remaining balances. This made the special announcement an even more welcome surprise.

Student debt can be crippling. And often it doesn’t only affect the student, but the student’s family members who try to offer support. Sometimes that sacrifice can prove to be detrimental as interest rates leave one owing dramatically more than what was originally borrowed. The class of Wiley experienced an anomaly. Sadly, the norm is much more stressful.

But still, many who can help, do. In 2019, for instance, billionaire Robert Smith donated $34 million to the graduating class of Atlanta’s Morehouse College. And In 2020, philanthropist Mackenzie Scott provided $20 million to Morehouse too.

The identity of this mystery donor may never be revealed…though some have speculated it to be Nicki Minaj, who has paid off other students’ debt in the past. Regardless, their contribution means that the students of Wiley can step into their futures free of financial burden. And that is priceless.

While every person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is different, there are some common communication traits that everyone should understand. Many with ASD process language literally and have a hard time understanding body language, social cues, exaggeration and cultural cues.

This can lead to misunderstandings that result in people with ASD appearing to be rude when it wasn’t their intent. If more neurotypical people (those without ASD) better understood these communication differences, it’d be much easier for everyone to get along.

A perfect example of this problem and how to fix it was shared by Yuri, a transmasc person who goes by he/they, who posts on TikTok about having ADHD and ASD. In a post that has more than 2.3 million views, Yuri claims he was “booked for a disciplinary meeting for being a bad communicator.”

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Obviously, his manager needs to learn a little more about working with people with ASD.

To help his co-workers better understand his unique communication style, Yuri posted a note on his office door so there wouldn’t be any more misunderstandings.

I’m autistic.

I prefer direct, literal and detailed communication

If I am:

Not making eye contact

Not greeting you back

Not understanding your social cues, etc.

There is no malicious intent. It is the autism.

Thank you for understanding.

@aegoaegyo

I made an autism sign at work bc i got booked for disciplinary meeting for being a bad communicator.

The post inspired some great responses from people who totally understand what Yuri is going through.

“This should be the norm tbh!! very proud of you for stating your boundaries and needs clearly,” Alastar wrote. “I wish everyone had signs telling me how to communicate tbh,” Bro added.

“How is it that we prefer direct, literal, and detailed communication, but somehow WE’RE the ones with a communication issue???” Reading cosmere! wrote.

In a follow-up video, Yuri addressed some of the commenters who didn’t know if he was diagnosed by a doctor.

@aegoaegyo

#autistic

“The funniest thing about the comment section of my autism sign video is the people who are asking me, ‘Are you self-diagnosed? Are you formally diagnosed?’” he said in the video. “Do you think neurotypical people would make a sign like that? Do you think that would happen? Do you think a neurotypical person would do that?”

Autism is a misunderstood disorder so it was a brave move by Yuri to come out about being on the spectrum and share how he prefers to communicate. It’s also a reminder for all of us that we all have the right to show others how we wish to communicate.

This story is also a great lesson for anyone who works with people who have ASD to learn more about their unique communication styles so we can all understand one another. It could be the difference between a hostile work environment and one where everyone can thrive and feel safe.

Mase’s set at Lovers & Friends Festival this past Saturday (May 14) should have been a special moment for both him and the Las Vegas attendees. Sadly, the sound system had other plans as he had technical difficulties throughout his performance, culminating in the sound being completely cut off for around ten minutes after he tried to perform the 1997 classic record “Mo Money Mo Problems” also featuring The Notorious B.I.G and Diddy. Mase seems to believe it was no accident, blaming the latter for coordinating the blunder.

The New York rapper told the crowd “I see what’s going on. I’m used to being hated on. I’m used to what’s going on. Somebody, somewhere paid a few dollars to stop my show. But that can’t stop somebody like me. I don’t get ran away too easy. I just wasn’t ready for that, so I’m gonna take my time.” He continued with “Thank you Puff, you know he paid for that right? I got you n****. I heard you loud and clear.”

Mase has been very public with his disdain for Diddy over the years, citing discrepancies with the amount of money he’s been paid for publishing and going as far as to say the Bad Boy founder has been capitalizing on the death of Biggie for selfish monetary gain. Diddy hasn’t commented on the matter yet as he was busy with the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.

As Stranger Things 4 gets ready to turn Netflix Upside Down later this month (that pun was unavoidable, sorry), the cast assembled in Brooklyn on Saturday night for the world premiere. The big news here is that they talked about this season’s new big bad, Vecna. Maybe “biggest bad” is the better phrase. After battling it out with the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer over the past three seasons, the Hawkins crew will now go face-to-face with the top-level ruler of the Upside Down as the show barrels towards its final season.

According to Stranger Things executive producer and director, Shawn Levy, “Vecna makes a Demogorgon look cuddly,” and he represents a threat unlike anything the show has grappled with before:

“Vecna is a psychological horror that I don’t think we’ve really seen,” [David] Harbour told Variety. “The Upside Down has been this wild west world where there are creatures running around, there’s violence, but we’ve never seen something as calculatedly psychologically evil as this. That’s exciting because he is a true big bad that we’ve needed in the series.”

The show also reconnected to its ’80s horror root by making Vecna a mostly practical effect as opposed to the show’s heavy, but necessary reliance on CGI for its previous creatures. Although, that made for some trippy moments on set, according to series newcomer Joseph Quinn.

“It was weird to see him on camera and he’s so terrifying, and then you see him off-camera with an iced latte,” Quinn said. “It’s quite a funny image.”

Interestingly, the actor playing Vecna has not been revealed, which has sparked numerous fan theories about his true identity. (It’s Alf. We’re calling it now.) It will be interesting to see exactly which of Vecna’s secrets will be revealed during the new season, but Stranger Things fans won’t have to wait long to find out. The first batch of episodes drops on May 27 with the back half arriving on July 1. It’s gonna be a creepy summer.

(Via Variety)

Last week, ’90s alternative rock enthusiasts rejoiced when The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction announced the co-headlining Spirits On Fire Tour for later this year. The Pumpkins are currently in the midst of their own brief Rock Invasions Tour and were peddling welcome nostalgia when they performed the classic “Today” live on The Late Late Show With James Corden this past Thursday. This morning, the band flew to New York City in between their Tucson and Oklahoma City shows for an appearance on The Howard Stern Show and were joined by none other than Jane’s Addiction singer (and Lollapalooza festival founder) Perry Farrell.

Farrell grabbed the mic to perform what is perhaps the most recognizable song in the Jane’s Addiction catalog, “Jane Says,” and he was backed by entire Smashing Pumpkins lineup. Billy Corgan played acoustic guitar, and original Pumpkins members in James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain were on the electric guitar and drums, respectively. A very tastefully played steel drum by Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins fully rekindled the flame of the 1988 classic.

“This is kind of exciting because this band behind you is kind of a conglomeration of The Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction,” Stern noted when introducing them. Corgan and Farrell joked with Stern, offering names like “Jane’s Pumpkins” and “Jane’s A Pumpkin Now” for this short-lived supergroup. “Jane’s A Pumpkin Now wasn’t sexy enough,” Farrell said with a laugh.

The pair even sat down to chat with Stern and told a hilarious story about when Farrell wrestled with Smashing Pumpkins tour manager Doug Goodman, who came onto the camera to explain his side of the story.

Watch Perry Farrell and The Smashing Pumpkins perform “Jane Says” above” and hear Farrell, Corgan and Goodman argue about what really happened in that famed wrestling match below.

You can’t beat a good rum, especially as the weather starts to heat up. White rums are a wonderful addition to fruity and funky cocktails with umbrellas. A solid dark rum over some rocks is the perfect beachside pour when you just want to watch the waves crash and bask in the sunset. So with May underway, let us help you decide which rums to reach for.

Below, I’m calling out the nine rums that not only won double gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition but were sent to the finals where they might be named a “best in class” bottle for 2022. I was actually on a few of these panels and judged some of these rums this year, so I’ll be filling in tasting notes on the ones I’ve already tasted (with one filled in from the distillery because I haven’t tasted it yet).

Let’s cut this preamble short and find you a new rum to try in your next pina colada or daiquiri!

Also Read: The Top Five UPROXX Rum Posts From The Past Six Months:

• The Best Dark Rums Under $50, Ranked
• The Most Undervalued Bottles Of Rum, According To Bartenders
• The Best White Rums, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• Bartenders Name The Absolute Best Rums To Mix With In Winter
• Spring Is The Perfect Time To Make A Caipirinha — Here’s Our Recipe

Best White Rum Finalist — Cotton & Reed White Rum

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

The Rum:

This is a complex rum from a small distillery in Washinton, DC. The juice is fermented with both raw cane syrup and blackstrap molasses from certified sustainable sources. That’s combined with rhum agricole and Chenin Blanc yeast strains for fermentation. The wash is then double distilled in a bespoke column/pot still before proofing and charcoal filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Bananas burst forth on the nose with a touch of pineapple and mango salad tossed with lime juice and a distant echo of soft vanilla. The palate stays pretty close to the nose while adding in dry sweetgrass and fermented sugar cane juice with a little more of that vanilla sneaking in on the backend.

Bottom Line:

This is a very good mixing rum. Try it on your next rummy cocktail; that’s what it’s made for. You could drink it on the rocks with plenty of fizzy soda water and lime too.

Best Dark/Gold Rum Finalist — Rum Co. Of Fiji BATI Dark Rum

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

The Rum:

This Fijian sipper is a sugar cane dark rum made with hand-cut cane from the islands. The spirit spends at least two years (up to five) resting in heavily charred oak before the juice is filtered through coconut shell charcoal and proofed all the way down to 75 proof.

Tasting Notes:

This opens with dried fruits — prunes, raisins, dates — rolled in wet brown sugar and then packed into an old and musty charred oak barrel. The palate really leans into the bitterness of the char while countering that with dark, almost burnt molasses next to that medley of dark and dried fruit. A minor note of vanilla husk and maybe a little clove come in late, creating a burnt minced meat pie vibe by the end.

Bottom Line:

This is bold for sure. I prefer it over some rocks to calm down that wood char. It’s also a pretty decent cocktail base for a rum old fashioned.

Best Dark/Gold Rum Finalist — Ron Colón Salvadoreño Dark Aged Rum

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $41

The Rum:

Ron Colón is renowned for innovative blends. This expression is a mix of six-year-old Salvadorian rums (made with sugar cane juice and aged in ex-bourbon barrels) with unaged and aged Jamaican rums. The blended juice goes into the bottle at pretty much cask strength and as-is.

Tasting Notes:

That bourbon really shines on the nose with rich notes of vanilla beans, caramel candies, winter spices, and old wood staves next to a hint of banana peels. The palate carries on in the same direction as notes of black pepper and rich and dark molasses lead back to the vanilla and a hint of raisin and prune by the end.

Bottom Line:

This is a super soft sipper that needs a rock to really bloom in the glass. Once it calms down and opens up, you’re in for a nice treat.

Best Overproof Rum Finalist — Rum-Bar White Overproof Rum

ABV: 63%

Average Price: $29

The Rum:

This Scottish rum is a blend of three unaged rums produced on copper pot stills. The juice/blend leans into Jamaican traditions of over-proofed mixing rum.

Tasting Notes:

Although this feels hot on the nose, there are notes of Jamaican funk, or HOGO, black bananas, old mango skins, and green grass with this slight echo of rock candy. The palate is largely those notes layered under a lot of alcohol warmth until the finish, which has a touch of that funk and banana.

Bottom Line:

This is for making tropical cocktails. Use it for that.

Best Extra-Aged Rum Finalist — Zacapa XO Solera Gran Reserva Especial Rum

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $100

The Rum:

This expression is a blend of Guatemalan rums that spent six to 25 years resting in the Solera warehouse in former sherry casks at high elevations. The rum is then finished in French cognac casks to add that little extra refinement to the final taste.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a familiar draw of vanilla and spice that’s accentuated by worn leather, salted butter, rich pipe tobacco, and a foundation of soft cedar. Those notes hold strong as a sticky and buttery toffee arrives with plenty of dried fruits, more spice, chewy vanilla tobacco, and a hint of cacao. The finish is long, svelte, mildly sweet, and full of that cedar until the very end.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a killer sipper, this is it. It lives up to the hype and price. Moreover, this is a great bridge rum between the world of bourbon and dark rum.

Best Extra-Aged Rum Finalist — BACARDÍ 16 Year Gran Reserva Especial Rum

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $115

The Rum:

This is a rare edition of Bacardi. The blend is made from hand-selected barrels from the Puerto Rican warehouses only (Bacardi makes their rum all over the world). The barrels of new white American oak are a minimum of 16 years old when selected, blended with local water, and bottled in a large, one-liter bottle for the duty-free travel market.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a hint of that Bacardi sweetness on the nose but you have to dig around for it. Mostly, you’re getting rich vanilla pods, wintry spices with mulled wine vibe, buttery toffee encrusted with almonds, and a good dose of old and charred wood with a bit of cobweb. The palate leans into the “bourbon-ness” of everything with the vanilla and spices taking centerstage as meaty mincemeat pies with a buttery crust and a brown sugar dusting mingle with a silky butterscotch and vanilla pudding on the velvet finish.

Bottom Line:

This is, again, a great sipper. Though, this doesn’t need a rock to cool it down. A drop or two of water in a neat pour will help it bloom. Pick one up the next time you’re at duty-free, you won’t be disappointed.

Best Flavored Rum Finalist — Kōloa Kaua’i Coffee Rum

ABV: 34%

Average Price: $34

The Rum:

This Hawaiian sugar cane rum is blended and proofed down and filtered with water from the springs of Mount Waiʻaleʻale. The rum is then mixed with coffee from Kauaʻi Coffee Company to amp up the “cacao” aspects of the flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

The nose meanders through mocha lattes and dark chocolate sauces with a bitter edge but is mostly sweet on the nose. That sweetness drives the palate toward more mocha frappuccinos with hints of vanilla cream, rock candy sticks, some Nutella, a hint of peach, and echos of winter spices. The end leans into the coffee with an espresso bite as the dark chocolate gets creamy and lightly spiced on the end.

Bottom Line:

This would be great in either a white Russian or espresso martini. I can’t really see any other application. Well, maybe poured over some vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Best Flavored Rum Finalist — Distillerie Mariana Morbleu Rum

ABV: 40.3%

Average Price: $28

The Rum:

This Quebecois rum is all about the spices. The rum is juiced up with cardamom, star anise, rosemary, cinnamon, and vanilla before getting batched, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

“On the palate, it reveals fresh, grassy notes reminiscent of mint, supported by a silky and smooth texture. The finish is dominated by molasses, vanilla, and cinnamon.”

Bottom Line:

This is from a tiny distillery up in Quebec and may never make it down to the States. So if you’re up there, maybe give it a shot. I don’t know, I’m not a spiced rum fan.

Best Rhum Agricole Finalist — Clément Rhum Blanc Agricole

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

The Rum:

Clement’s Rhum Blanc Agricole is one of the most unique expressions of the style. The sugar cane juice is fermented and distilled only once. The hot juice then rests in stainless steel vats for nine months. Finally, the mellowed spirit is cut with volcanic spring water to bring the ABV down to 40 percent.

Tasting Notes:

Blossoming fruit trees — apple, plum, and lemon — greets you on the nose with a very floral vibe. There’s a soft minerality at play which makes the texture very inviting while hints of fresh mint, wet sweetgrass, and a whisper of black pepper make appearances on the palate. The sweetness comes in late as a vanilla sheet cake gives way to a slight alcohol burn on the end.

Bottom Line:

This is, again, for mixing. If you’re mixing up some tropical cocktails, this is a must-have on your home bar cart.

Moneybagg Yo and Kodak Black maintain a consistent presence in music, and their latest reminder of such comes in the new “Rocky Road” song and video. The visual, directed by Young Chang, shows the two rappers standing atop beaten up homes spitting about all they’ve seen in their lives. There are cutscenes of fights, gambling, and a child’s hair being done to fully capture what often occurs in the neighborhoods they frequent. Despite their success, they cannot forget their come up and what they still experience to this day.

“Rocky Road” comes on the heels of Kodak Black’s February release of Back For Everything. Moneybagg Yo is still riding the wave of his 2021 album A Gangsta’s Pain, which debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with successful singles “Wockesha” and “Hard For The Next” featuring Future.

This isn’t the first collaboration between Moneybagg Yo and Kodak Black, as they both appeared on Yung Bleu’s “Angels Never Cry” as well as “Lower Level” from Moneybagg’s 2018 album Reset. Kodak recently appeared on Kendrick Lamar’s album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers with both a feature and some sparse interludes, a major look for the young artist whose career has been nothing short of controversial.

Check out the “Rocky Road” video above.

Kodak Black is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

When Fall Guys first came out in the middle of 2020 it was a revelation for a ton of people sitting at home without much else to do. The gameshow-like premise was very simplistic but extremely addictive, and the wonky controls created enough chaos for some really fun moments with friends.

While Fall Guys might not be as big as it was when it first released, there are still plenty of people playing it. It receives pretty frequent updates, has had multiple seasons, and even supports crossplay across both PC and PlayStation 5. Soon, Fall Guys players will be able to also play against Xbox and Switch owners because it was announced on Monday that it would finally be coming to those platforms. Not only that, but it’s also going to become a free-to-play game!

By going free-to-play, and finally reaching the Switch and Xbox, Fall Guys has an interesting opportunity for a second rise. It’s still the same game it always was, but those of us that haven’t played it in 2020 are going to jump in to find tons of new content to play with and gear to unlock. Speaking of gear, if you were one of the people who bought Fall Guys then you will receive a legacy pack with special cosmetics for your own jellybean man.

For longtime Fall Guys owners, there has never been a better time to jump back in and for newcomers, this is the perfect opportunity to play one of the wackiest games of 2020.

Dan Trachtenberg’s upcoming Predator prequel is a few months out, but the internet has been blessed with a short (but still terrifying) teaser trailer for the film.

Prey will take place 300 years ago as the Predator seemingly arrives on earth and stalks Naru and her camp with his beautiful face. The two will have to battle it out, but it’s clear that one of them definitely survives to star in several more movies, right? Here is the official synopsis:

Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, Prey is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.

Prey stars Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, and Julian Black Antelope. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) written by Patrick Aison (Jack Ryan), and produced by John Davis. The movie hits Hulu on August 5th. Check out the teaser trailer above.