Last week, in another awesome display of promotion and marketing, Lil Nas X announced that he would appear on Maury to sort out some relationship drama. As promised, that episode arrived on Wednesday and it’s filled with equal amounts of comedy and drama. The entire story began with Lil Nas’ “That’s What I Want” video, which he released along with his official debut album Montero. In it, he and his love interest, who is played by Yai Ariza (the singer’s real-life ex-boyfriend), quickly fall for each other, but Lil Nas later finds out that Ariza is hiding a wife and child.
That brings us to the Maury episode. “Montero and Yai are football teammates who quickly became lovers. Montero was shocked to discover soon after that Yai was married with a child,” the video’s description reads. “Now, Montero is here to tell Yai’s wife, Ashley, about their secret love affair. Maury will get the answers they need. Will Montero get exactly what he wants?”
Lil Nas previously spoke about his relationship with Ariza during a past interview on SiriusXM. “We were dating, and we are still on very good terms,” he said. “You know, we may date again I’m sure. I love him, he is amazing.”
You can watch the full episode in the video above.
Giving the gift of beer can be really cool. Or it can feel kind of lame. Wrapping up a random six-pack isn’t necessarily that thoughtful — unless it’s a beer from far away that you know the giftee has been looking for. Then, yes, do that. Still, you should always be looking to go a little deeper for a gift for the beer-lover in your life, and with the proliferation of all things beer, it’s never been easier to get a beer-related gift.
When we say “beer-related gift,” we’re talking about everything from beer books to growlers to swag to, yes, actual beer. To that end, we put together a list of ten beer-centric gifts we think make for great gifts as 2021 winds down. Mostly, these are pretty straightforward beer-related gifts with a random, throwback entry in there and a really crazy expensive one (at the end) that you might only buy for a parent or spouse or yourself.
It’s also important to note that a couple of these ideas are based on you looking into local breweries or even beer bars to find something that suits the giftee from your own town/region. For instance, I get a beer subscription service from a local beer bar that puts packs together of Franconian beers only. So when I call out a beer subscription service, think local first. Let’s dive in!
Beer and Veg: Combining Great Craft Beer with Vegetarian and Vegan Food by Mark Dredge
Mark Dredge is one of the most interesting voices working in beer today (he literally wrote the book on lager). His latest cookbook looks at the world of beer through the lens of pairing it with vegetarian and vegan meals. It’s a great follow-up to his previous cookbook, Cooking with Beer, which would also make a great gift.
Bottom Line:
Beer is often associated with big, hefty meat dishes, often with a Germanic or Slavic bent. This book doesn’t throw that away, it just looks beyond the sausage, ham hock, and fried chicken towards the veg, legumes, beans, and greens that also pair amazingly well with a cold glass of stout, pale ale, saison, or lager.
Different styles of beer call for different glasses — sometimes vastly different. While we’re not going to get into the dozens of glasses you could have for beer tasting, we are going to call out this set of four glasses that’ll help someone get started. The German glass set includes one craft IPA glass, one craft stout glass, one craft American wheat beer glass, and one barrel-aged beer glass.
Bottom Line:
The glasses are crystal from RIEDEL, so they’re not dishwasher safe. That does mean, however, that they’re non-reactive and will not carry any old flavors in the glass over from previous pours (as long as they’re washed properly).
Let’s have a little fun. This is stupid, childish, and will probably break after one or two uses. But who cares? It’s fun and should bring a smile to your giftee’s face when they open it and especially when they use it. It’s the perfect gift exchange or white elephant gift — no one is ever gonna buy this, but they won’t protest if you buy it for them!
Bottom Line:
Admit it, you’ve always kind of wanted one of these, haven’t you? And look, a joke gift is fine in the right circumstance. At least with a joke gift like this, someone can actually use it to drink beer… albeit, in the most ridiculous way possible.
YETI has the cooler, tumbler, and colster game on lock. Their beer colsters actually keep your can of beer cold for a seriously long time. You can leave a beer next to the campfire and come back to it an hour later and it’ll still be straight-out-of-the-cooler cold. If there’s a better way to keep beer cold (once it’s out of the fridge/cooler), we don’t know it.
Bottom Line:
YETI has the name recognition that’s known for keeping things seriously cold for a very long time. That makes this a no-brainer for anyone looking to keep their beer cold while they slowly sip.
Growlers are always a good idea, especially if you’re heading out to camp or even throwing a backyard party and want some serious local brew. The uKeg is the way to go, thanks to pressurization and little CO2 or nitro cartridges that take the beer from a regular pour from a big bottle to a legit pour that mimics a taproom tap.
Bottom Line:
This really delivers your beer pouring ability to the next level, especially if you want to be mobile. The insulated body keeps beer cold for hours while the pressurized seal means that the beer will stay fresh for up to 14 days. Those are wins all around.
This is one of the “look local” entries that we mentioned above. Here’s the play, figure out which brewery your giftee really digs, and get them some swag from there. A shirt of their favorite beer is always a good and inexpensive place to start. Beyond that, most brewery merch sections will have special releases of beers, hoodies, beanies, socks, tap handles, glasses, and so much more. You might even find vinyl, neon signs, or barstools.
Bottom Line:
While this is a little more work than just clicking on a “buy here” link, it’s worth it. It shows you’ve paid attention and taken the time to do a little research. Again, think local and go from there.
A Beer Drop membership is a monthly service that’ll send the giftee ten beers from five craft breweries. Each month, Beer Drop receives about 400 beers from 50 microbreweries around the country and put packs together, meaning that there’s always pretty solid variation month by month. While $40 a month might seem steep, that only comes to $4 per beer. Not too bad, all things considered.
Bottom Line:
This is another recommendation that we’d urge you to go local with. Call up some really good beer bars and shops and see if they’re doing this already. If you don’t have time for that level of research, that “buy here” link is right below this sentence.
A bottle basket is a gift for a beer drinker in the know. These baskets are essential for decanting and pouring large-format Belgian beer bottles — think 3 Fonteinen Gueuze or Choufee. When you’re in Belgium this is how these bottles are served, usually tableside. That makes this gift something truly unique, especially if your giftee has a penchant for all things Belgian beer.
Bottom Line:
This is authentic and very specific for Belgian brews but very much a next-level gift. If you know someone who’s into Belgian beer, they’ll be hyped.
Yes, these are flip-flops with a beer opener in the sole. Hear me out, I bought a pair of these without realizing there was a beer opener in the sole. But it ended up being extremely useful since I lived near a beach at the time and was there all the time and needed a bottle opener.
It just … works.
Bottom Line:
It’s always nice being reminded of the beach and summer in the middle of winter. That aside, these are super useful (and decently made) flip-flops that will come in handy far more often than you can anticipate. Great for camping at a surf break.
This is the “go big or go home” gift. A full-on kegerator is a big swing and really meant to be part of a bigger home bar or maybe just something that sits next to a Traeger in a backyard. This kegerator comes with three taps, can hold three small kegs or up to one full-size keg, and has an easily detachable CO2 tank built-in. Plus, it’s already a fridge so it can be used as that when it’s doesn’t have a keg in there.
Bottom Line:
Tapped beer at home is a great gift for any beer lover. This is the real deal and does not come cheap. We also can’t imagine getting someone this gift and not getting them a dope keg of something to get that party started. But if you make that investment, you have a friend for life.
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the market. This week we’ve got only a few notable offerings — get used to it, at this point the sneaker year is essentially over. Sure, there are still a handful of end-of-the-year drops and holiday specials to look forward to but for the most part, it’s safe to start saving your money for all the sneaker drops that are sure to come in 2022.
That isn’t to say this week is without its bangers. We have new releases from Kerwin Frost, a very classy NOAH and Adidas collaboration, as well as a few notable Nike releases, namely the Bordeaux colored Jordan 1. Let’s dive into this week’s best sneaker drops, even though it’s a little thin you might still find your Christmas wish-list sneakers.
Adidas Kerwin Frost Forum Low Benchmate
Adidas
Multi-hyphenate personality Kerwin Frost already has one successful Adidas collaboration under his belt, the radical Superstuffed Superstar, and now he’s returned with two new drops, a high top, and low cut Forum. The high-top version is a little extreme for my tastes (fake teeth and eyeballs on a sneaker? Get out of here with that Kerwin), but I absolutely love the cartoony Benchmate, which combines Frost’s playful personality with one of Adidas’ best silhouettes.
It’s slightly reminiscent of College Drop Out era Kanye with its cartoon cast of characters and colorful palette. The sneaker got an initial drop at this year’s ComplexCon and by the second day a good portion of the audience was already rocking them, so this is a late-year hit and would make a great present for the Frost head in your family.
The Adidas Kerwin Frost Forum Low Benchmate are out now for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the Adidas Confirmed.
Adidas
Nike ACG Air Mowabb Limestone/Olive Grey
Nike
Most of Nike’s greatest silhouettes have come from the mind of Tinker Hatfield — the Air Max 1, the Air Jordan 3, the Air Max 90, the Jordan 4 and 5, all designed by Hatfield, but many people forget some of his weirder designs. The Air Huarache has made a recent comeback, and now Nike is digging deep into the Hatfield vaults in an effort to try and make the ACG Air Mowabb a thing again.
Dropping this week in a light-colored Limestone and moodier Olive Grey colorway, the Air Mowabb is back! Featuring an inner bottle with a premium upper, the modern Mowabb has been updated with a stretchier collar and a softer foam midsole, two design changes that I think will help the hiking and trail sneaker find its audience.
The Nike ACG Air Mowabb in Limestone and Olive Grey are set to drop on November 18th. Pick up a pair exclusively via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Adidas x NOAH Lab Race
Adidas
This week Adidas is once again linking up with New York streetwear brand NOAH for a set of retro-inspired sneakers. The Lab Race features a heavily-paneled silhouette made from Adidas’ new Primegreen material, which is made of 50% recycled content with no virgin polyester used in the construction of the sneaker.
The upper is composed of a mix of mesh and faux suede and drops in your choice of an earthy dark blue, brown, and cloud white colorway, or halo ivory yellow and green.
The Adidas NOAH Lab Race is set to drop on November 18th for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Adidas Confirmed app.
Adidas
Adidas x NOAH Vintage Runner
Adidas
It looks like Adidas and NOAH can’t stop collaborating and with the hit rate they’re operating, we’re not complaining. Taking a cue from ‘80s sneaker style, the Vintage Runner combines ‘80s track style sneakers with a modern mesh and suede upper and Adidas’ Primegreen material.
It’s a little bit of vintage sneaker style mixed with modern touches. This is hands down the week’s best release in our opinion. The Vintage Runner drops in a brown, blue and red colorway, or a green, gold, and white makeup.
The Adidas x NOAH Vintage Runner is set to drop on November 18th for a retail price of $140. Pick up a pair via the Adidas Confirmed App.
Adidas
Lazy Oaf x Dr. Martens Collection
Katie Silvester/Lazy Oaf
Dr. Martens, continuing their year-long trend of linking up with the most unexpected collaborators, is dropping a three-sneaker collection in partnership with the playful London-based Lazy Oaf. Lazy Oaf takes on the Sinclair, Bex lace-up, and Bethan Buckled Mary Jane for this collection adding the brand’s happy/sad graphic motif as well as printed laces, bows, and other playful touches to Dr. Marten’s iconic silhouettes.
All three shoes in the collection come with customizable aspects in order to offer the wearer a chance to infuse their personality into each design.
The Dr. Martens Lazy Oaf collection is set to drop on November 18th. Retail prices for the Bex, Bethan, and Sinclair are $140, $160, and $210 respectively. Pick up a pair online at Lazy Oaf or Dr. Martens.
Katie Silvester/Lazy OafKatie Silvester/Lazy Oaf
Patta x Air Max 1 Rush Maroon
Nike
Our favorite Amsterdam sneaker boutique Patta has joined forces once again with Nike for a new wavy redesign of the Air Max 1 in an eye-catching Rush Maroon colorway. Featuring an upper of leather and nylon, the Rush Maroon features a metallic silver base with Pure Platinum overlays and a Rush Maroon mudguard.
Stateside this may just look like another dope collaboration between Nike and Patta, but it has a deeper meaning in Amsterdam. The city’s signature sneaker, according to Patta, is the Air Max 1, so they went the extra mile in commemorating this release. Each pair drops in a collector’s box with a commemorative silver plated charm bracelet.
Special packaging aside, we’re simply hyped because of how dope this color combination looks.
The Patta x Air Max 1 Rush Maroon is set to drop on November 19th for a retail price of $193. Pick up a pair at Patta or on aftermarket sites like GOAT.
NikeNike
Air Jordan 1 Bordeaux
GOAT
Looking for a dope holiday gift? Who in your life wouldn’t be thrilled to score a pair of these Bordeaux Air Jordan 1s this holiday season? This sneaker is a straight-up work of art. The Bordeaux features the always distinct AJ-1 silhouette with wine-colored leather overlays over a white leather upper with a metallic swoosh and wing logo at the collar.
Rounding out the design is a padded nylon tongue with a woven tag and a two-tone AJ1 capsule for extra cushioning and support under the heel.
The Jordan 1 Bordeaux is set to drop on November 20th for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or at aftermarket sites like GOAT or Flight Club.
On Wednesday, over 10 months after the incident that made him famous, Jacob Chansley, aka Jake Angeli, aka the QAnon Shaman was finally sentenced for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. Chansley had requested that the time he’d already served since being rounded up by the feds be at least partially counted as his sentence (while quoting Forrest Gump). Instead, he received 41 months, or three years and five months, in prison. Chansley’s lawyer, Albert Watkins, was disappointed with the ruling. But he wasn’t, and has never been, entirely sympathetic with what his client did.
Back in May, Watkins — who has tried to argue that Donald Trump “groomed” his followers to become rabid conspiracy theorists who believed in voter fraud nonsense — did not mince words about Watkins and others who tried to overturn the 2020 election.
“A lot of these defendants — and I’m going to use this colloquial term, perhaps disrespectfully — but they’re all f*cking short-bus people,” Watkins told Talking Points Memo. “These are people with brain damage, they’re fucking ret*rded, they’re on the goddamn spectrum.” Still, he mainted that they weren’t “bad people.”
Jump about half a year later, and Chansley is headed for the slammer. During the sentencing, Watkins tried to argue, as per NBC News, that his client was neither a planner nor an organizer, though he agreed with the judge that he “made himself the image of the riot.”
Outside of the court, though, Watkins was a bit more forthright and colorful. Asked about his opinion on Jan. 6, he told reporters that he’d like to have a beer with Trump, admitting that Trump does not drink, though he’d “have a beer.” And then he’d give him a piece of his mind. “I’d tell him, ‘You know what, you got a few f*ckin’ things to do, including clearing this fuckin’ mess up, and taking care of a lot of the jackasses that you f*cked up because of January 6th.”
The attorney for Jacob Chansley, a.k.a. the ‘QAnon Shaman,’ says Trump needs to take care of the ‘jackasses that [he] f*cked up because of January 6’ pic.twitter.com/zMtfC3e974
Watkins did admit that there were some things “that I agree with him on,” though he didn’t specify what. He also claimed that his opinion “doesn’t mean s*it.”
Overpriced bourbons exist, there’s no denying that. But overpriced bourbons aren’t necessarily over-crowding your local liquor store shelves, either. You can still easily find great bottles of bourbon between $20 and $60 without much effort at any store. Most “overpriced” bottles either have massive MSRPs (sometimes in the thousands) or a secondary market price tag that can feel absurd.
Before we go on, let’s make something clear. Just because something has a huge MSRP or secondary markup doesn’t mean we think it’s a bad product. It’s more that it’s a shame to see it cost so much money. There are a lot of stellar bourbons out there that the average bourbon drinker is never going to get to drink since they’re priced out from the jump. And many spendy bourbons are coming from sources that other, cheaper bourbons also come from. Sometimes those sources put out very similar products under different labels. That’s where the average bourbon consumer can really win.
The ten bottles below are grouped into “overpriced bottles” and “affordable alternative” bottles. We generally kept everything in the family when calling out bottles that cost obscene amounts of money and the bourbons we think you should buy instead. We also tried to match the source, ABV, or even the age (where possible) of the juice so that you’re getting something very similar for a different price.
This brand’s releases are notorious for being very limited and very pricey. This limited release from last year was a 2,000 bottle offer from the Stoli-owned brand. Dixon Dedman, their former Master Blender, reportedly spent years perfecting this blend from mostly 12-year-old sourced barrels with some 17-year-olds in the mix. Since the source of these barrels is “secret,” not much else is known about the whiskey.
Tasting Note:
The nose on this one runs pretty deep with an apple crumble vibe with plenty of rich and sharp cinnamon next to hefty caramel, a slight hint of banana bread with walnuts, and a hint of fresh but very faint white rose. The palate un-bakes the apple and brings in a tartness that’s covered up by a salted caramel while orange oils drip through a pile of white cotton candy with specks of dark and bitter chocolate creating a counterpoint and mid-palate shift. The finish embraces the mellow sweetness of a Graham cracker while the orange bitterness marries that chocolate on a final slow fade towards a dry and apple-laced tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Yeah. This is a great pour. It’s also one of Dedman’s last Kentucky Owl releases, which adds a patina to the bottle. But if you’re not a collector, what are you doing with this bottle?
The Barton 1792 Distillery is renowned (by insiders) as the source for a lot of great bourbons that have big price tags. This release is their own brand and blend that highlights the power of that juice. The whiskey is a “high-rye” mash bill (though suspected to only between 15 and 25 percent) that spends 12 long years mellowing at the Barton rickhouses before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Note:
The nose is fruity and full of caramel. As you nose further, that fruit breaks off into caramel apples straight from the fairground and an almost savory pumpkin or squash that’s been baked with some winter spices, walnuts, and butter. Interestingly, the sweetness dissipates on the palate as the apple gets woody and tart and the spice really amps up towards sharp cinnamon, white pepper, and maybe a touch of clove. A dry cedar vibe arrives late as a leathery pouch full of dry apple tobacco leaves you almost chewing the backend of this whiskey.
Bottom Line:
This is not the same thing. No one is saying that. But it’s also not a million miles away either. Where the Kentucky Owl is far sweeter, this is drier. Still, the ABVs are close, the age is close, and it’s possible the stills weren’t too far away from each other.
Plus, you can buy a case of this and still be $400 shy of the MSRP of the Owl.
This very premium release from Woodford is all about style and looks. The juice in the bottle is a standard Woodford bourbon (72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, and ten percent malted barley with no age statement) that’s finished in XO Cognac casks for three years.
The real star of the show is the handmade crystal decanter that reportedly takes five whole days to make in Baccarat, France.
Tasting Note:
This opens with a bushel of spicy stewed dark stonefruits in holiday spices — think plums, figs, dates, and cherry — with a hint of shavings from a 100 percent dark chocolate bar, a touch of old leather jacket from the last century, and old cellar beams from a brie cave somewhere deep below the ground. The stewed berries really amp up and grow bright on the taste as dried figs and leather balance the sweetness and the old wood drives the mid-palate back towards syrupy cherry. The end lets a dusting of white pepper sneak in before the leather, wood, and dark berries fade away.
Bottom Line:
You’re 100 percent paying for a fancy crystal decanter here. Read on to see why.
This was the eleventh release in Woodford’s famed Master’s Collection. The whiskey in the bottle is a standard Woodford bourbon (72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, and ten percent malted barley with no age statement) that was finished in brandy casks for two years. Those barrels were then vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Spice stewed berries and stonefruit lead the way on the nose with dark cherries and plums at the core of the smell and maybe a hint of tart berry sneaking in as plenty of woody spice mingles with dark cacao and old oak staves. The palate really leans into the berries and spice as the silky texture almost dries out towards a raisin with leathery skin, a touch of cobweb, and hints of old wood. The finish dries out considerably with a hint of pepper as the cherry layers into a very dry tobacco leaf as the sip disappears from your senses.
Bottom Line:
Same ABV, one year less in a brandy barrel (Cognac is just a regional brandy, folks), and no Bacarrat decanter — over $2,000 saved. I’ve had these side-by-side and they’re close. Very close. Unless you’re a collector of Bacarrat crystal, do yourself a favor and track this release down instead, especially if these tasting notes entice you.
Every year, Old Forester releases their most anticipated whiskey, Birthday Bourbon. This year’s release was a 12-year-old blend created from 119 barrels of the good stuff.
Tasting Note:
Berries really drive this nose with raspberries in cream next to blackberry compote, Luxardo cherries, and a touch of cranberry bread with walnuts, plenty of spice, and a moist, buttery, vanilla-laden cake vibe. The palate holds onto the syrupy cherry notes but veers more towards vanilla cream with woody spices, buttery toffee, marzipan, and a touch of green pepper pretty far in the background. The mid-palate has an old cigar box feel to it that dries everything out from the cherry to the vanilla, creating a sort of thin pecan cookie vibe with dry spice, tobacco, and berries in the mix.
Bottom Line:
The berries really drove the taste this year. It wasn’t bad by any stretch but it wasn’t amazing either. That makes the thousands you’ll likely have to pay for this bottle a little harder to swallow this year.
AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-In-Bond
This whiskey from Old Forester celebrates the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice in the bottle is standard Old Forester bourbon (72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, and ten percent malted barley with no age statement). The bourbon was blended from the best bottles in their bonded warehouse, proofed down to 100 proof with that soft Kentucky limestone water, and bottled.
Tasting Note:
Bright fruit draws you in with a light berry edge next to stone fruits and orchard fruits with mild touches of cinnamon-spiced caramel candy, a touch of cedar, and mild notes of wet florals. The palate turns the berries into a spiced pie filling as vanilla and caramel battle it out in a sweet vs. spice tug of war on your tongue. The finish arrives fairly quickly with dark berry pie filling, spice, and caramel leading towards a final note of dry wicker reeds.
Bottom Line:
This feels very “Old Forester” with those dark berry notes next to spice and wood. It’s a really solid bourbon all around and one that you can buy pretty damn easily.
Bib & Tucker’s barrel picks are always worth chasing down. The juice is a Tennessee bourbon (some say that means it must be Dickel) that’s aged for 12 long years in very lightly charred oak. The whiskey then goes into the bottle after being proofed down (ever so slightly) to 99 proof.
Tasting Note:
Expect a fairly classic bourbon nose of creamy vanilla, salted caramel apples, and a hint of soft cedar. The palate touches on dark orange oils next to bright red cherry with a vanilla pudding base and a subtle dose of dark spice leading towards salted and almost chalky dark chocolate. The end is quite quick and leaves you with more dark chocolate, orange, and a drop more of salted caramel.
Bottom Line:
While this isn’t overpriced in the sense that the bourbon hype machine has taken it into the stratosphere, it feels mis-priced. This is a 12-year-old sourced Tennessee whiskey that’s put together at Bib & Tucker. We fully appreciate the power of a good blender. But this just feels more like a great $50 to $80 whiskey and not a $150 one. This leads us to…
AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE: George Dickel Bottled in Bond, Fall 2008
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 the fall of 2008. 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:
Similar proof. Similar age. Frankly, a better build in the bottle. One-third the price. If you’re looking for a Tennessee whiskey, need we say more?
This is an interesting wheated bourbon. The “Lot B” moniker on the label denotes that these barrels hit their mark at 12 years and weren’t going to hit the right taste marks for the 15, 20, and 23-year-old expressions. So instead of aging further, their cut with that soft Kentucky limestone water to bring them down to a manageable 90.4 proof and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s an orchard fruit sweetness on the nose not unlike a spiced apple pie filling, laden with brown sugar, light leather, a touch of cedar, and hints at corn. The palate builds on that by adding in walnuts, dried fruits, and a drizzle of salted caramel by way of vanilla pudding with a nice, almost eggnog edge. The end is medium-length with a hint of oak next to the sharp spices, more orchard fruit, and sweet vanilla that ties into a light and fresh tobacco in a cedar box.
Bottom Line:
Never forget the low MSRPs on bottles of Pappy. It’s absurd these have reached these heights. It’s great for the brand, sure. But it’s a shame so few people actually get to try this truly excellent wheated bourbon anymore. Just ten to 15 years ago, it really wasn’t a big deal to open one of these and enjoy it. Now, that’s a very distant memory. That’s a shame.
AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE: Weller Special Reserve Bourbon
This is Weller’s entry-level expression. The whiskey is hewn from Buffalo Trace’s lauded wheated mash bill. The barrels are hand-picked for their flavor notes. Then the juice is bottled at a very approachable 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nice sense of a slightly salted caramel over a soft-yet-tart apple with a hint of kettle corn lurking on the backend. The taste starts with soft floral honey that peaks with a rich butterscotch candy still in its wrapper before falling away towards a cedar box full of vanilla tobacco leaves. The end of this one is silky with that floral honey circling back around and leaving you with a sweet sensation.
Bottom Line:
Weller was billed as the “poor man’s Pappy,” and that is barely still true. Every other Weller expression is inflated massively beyond its MSRP these days. Somehow, Special Reserve remains the one bottle you can still (sort of) get without overpaying too much. Look, we’re not saying this is the same thing. But it’s not that far away either (same stills, mash bill, warehouses, etc.). And at least you can find this bottle.
A library is a place where everyone is welcome. It’s a safe haven where strangers can peacefully come together, challenge their perspectives and leave having learned something new.
Twenty-one years ago, nonviolence activist and journalist Ronni Abergel decided to expand on this idea when he first created the Human Library. The nonprofit organization was designed to challenge prejudice and stereotypes by encouraging a more empathetic type of literacy.
Skip to Chapter 2021, and the Human Library is now is more than just a concept. It’s a movement for change.
“I had a theory that it could work because the library is one of the few places in our community where everyone is welcome, whether you’re rich or poor, homeless or living in a castle, professor or illiterate,” Abergel told CNN in a recent interview. “It’s truly the most inclusive institution in our time.”
The concept was simple: there would still be readers and books. Only at this library, the “books” would be often stigmatized or socially unconventional people. And the “readers” would come in with specific questions, ready to listen intently to the story each “book” holds.
Sticking to library language, they even have “books of the month.” The last winner was a Holocaust survivor who now spends her time traveling between the Netherlands and California.
The book titles are decidedly generic. “Transgender,” “Disabled” or “Homeless.” Normally this type of labeling is problematic, identifying one small aspect of a person’s experience as their defining characteristic. But this is exactly what helps start a meaningful conversation and bring awareness to certain automatic judgments we all have.
With only 30 minutes allotted, conversations get very personal very fast. Conservative Christians discuss faith with Muslims. Black activists meet with Trump supporters. Anti-vaxxers talk with pro-vaxxers. Through intimate, honest and heartfelt conversation, both readers and books gain closeness, understanding that at the end of the day, beyond conflicting societal structures and different walks of life, they are each looking at a human being sitting across from them.
Katy Jon Went, one of the Human Library’s coordinators in the United Kingdom, offers insight on how the Human Library helps us evolve past our own human nature:
“At the end of the day, the rest of the world sees us as something else before it sees us as humans. So even if we see ourselves as human, the world sees us first as trans, black or disabled. But if the world sees me first as those things, it is probably also how I see others. It is about recognizing the other aspects of being human: we are imperfect, we make mistakes, we do make judgements and we have unconscious biases.”
In challenging perspectives through peaceful discourse, we are able to connect beyond our previous limitations. That is what makes the Human Library so powerful. And the effects are more than psychosomatic. A recent study in April indicated that the reading sessions provided a positive impact on both reader and book in a lasting way, as participants were able to vividly recall their experience months after the initial session.
We don’t need a study to know that when we are emotionally affected by something—or someone—it sticks with us. When we are moved, we are changed.
Since its inception, the Human Library has done nothing but expand. There are now several locations that have popped up across the United States. When COVID-19 hit, reading sessions were available worldwide via Zoom. Corporations such as Microsoft have incorporated the Human Library into their diversity training. A new app is currently being developed where readers can search a desired book topic on their smartphone.
Interested in becoming a book? The Human Library is always looking to add to its collection. You can find out more about getting “published” at the organization’s website.
In a time where hate and prejudice continue to divide us, perhaps radical change comes through the simple act of just listening.
Cherie Garcia managed to score some major mom points from her response to her child’s creative—yet slightly flawed—coming out letter.
Using colorful cut-out letters, Garcia’s son Crow made a short letter coming out as transgender, which looked something like a ransom note. The message was meant to be: Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of your very own son.
Garcia was nonchalant about the announcement, but she did notice something unsettling that every mom would notice. And she was quick to point it out.
Aware that something was getting ready to transpire (mother’s intuition, after all) Garcia told Crow’s dad—her ex-husband—on the phone that Crow was “either working on homework or holding someone ransom” after walking by his room. She was relieved to find out that neither was the case.
Garcia’s tweet read: “My teenager handed me this envelope and asked that I wait to open it until after he went to his dad’s house. After opening it, I called to let him know that the *only* thing that’s wrong with this is the ‘r’ he accidentally left out of congratulations.” She concluded the tweet with a supportive trans and rainbow flag emoji. Thanks, mom.
My teenager handed me this envelope and asked that I wait to open it until after he went to his dad’s house. After opening it, I called to let him know that the *only* thing that’s wrong with this is the “r” he accidentally left out of congratulations . 😊🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/0DXmvcgGjk
Garcia and Crow make a game out of pointing out spelling errors on signs, so she felt especially compelled to call him out on that missing “r.”
The follow-up tweet is really the kicker here. “There is nothing my kids could do to lose my support and unconditional love. My prayer for each of them is that they live life as their authentic selves, without compromise. My teen is figuring things out and I support him 100%, because God created both of my babies perfectly.”
There is nothing my kids could do to lose my support and unconditional love. My prayer for each of them is that they live life as their authentic selves, without compromise. My teen is figuring things out and I support him 100%, because God created both of my babies perfectly. ❤️
Garcia’s welcoming embrace for her son, along with the bonus spelling lesson, soon went viral on Twitter. Comments came flooding in from other parents wanting to commiserate with the coming-out letters they had received.
“I love the drama of it,” wrote one mom. “My own non binary kiddo nailed a note to their door in the middle of the night and declared that if we must refer to them to refer to them as our spawn. I commented on the atrocious handwriting.”
Garcia’s reply? “I’ll call you Voltron if you want, but please spell it correctly.”
I love the drama of it. My own non binary kiddo nailed a note to their door in the middle of the night and declared that if we must refer to them to refer to them as our spawn 😂. I commented on the atrocious handwriting.
Another person shared their own creative process while coming out, saying “I couldn’t decide when I came out so I gave my parents 3 different cards. This was one” followed by a (really well done) image of Pinocchio saying “I’m a real boy.”
I couldn’t decide when I came out so I gave my parents 3 different cards. This was one. pic.twitter.com/piv6dCig7z
Every kid just wants to be seen as perfect in their mom’s eyes. Spelling is important (as Garcia jokingly stated on Twitter) but to a teenager going through a major identity transition, compassion and acceptance are crucial. Growing up and figuring yourself out is no easy process. But knowing mom is always gonna love you, no matter what, at least makes it seem a little less impossible.
Thanks Cherie Garcia for the spelling lesson and gesture of love all-in-one. And to Crow, congatulations.
You know how you were raised in a household where things were done a certain way, and then at some point, you went to other people’s houses and saw that other people’s families lived completely differently and it sort of blew your mind? Different rules, different standards, different consequences, different habits—all of which were considered normal to them? Some of those differences may have made you thank the heavens for your parents, or they may have made you realize your own family had some issues you didn’t recognize.
The same thing happens when you are born and raised in a specific culture. Your sense of what’s normal is molded by it—so much so that you may never even think to question whether certain things are actually rather bizarre.
That’s why it’s nice to have some outside perspective sometimes.
A Reddit user asked “What is the most bizarre thing Americans do that feels unbelievable by British standards?” and the answers are eye-opening.
Pledging allegiance to the flag
The first response was “Having kids pledge allegiance to the flag in school. Seems culty.”
Most adult Americans were trained as young children to place our hands over our hearts, face the flag and recite the pledge every morning at school. Every single morning. Swearing our allegiance to our country and its flag, out loud, in unison.
“I went to an American school while I lived in Italy; I was one of the only English kids there. The pledge of allegiance was indeed every morning, and it felt as culty as you think. They called my parents when I wasn’t joining in ffs,” wrote one commenter.
“Never mind seeming culty, it just flat out is,” wrote another.
And another: “As an expat, I can confirm that having to pledge allegiance to the American flag was definitely one of the weirdest things that contributed to the culture shock.”
Let’s be real. If we saw children from any country deemed unsavory to American sensibilities (let’s say Russia, China, North Korea, for example) being required to stand in unison and recite a pledge of allegiance to their country’s flag every single morning, we’d consider it brainwashing.
There’s a reason that first comment got more than 5,500 upvotes.
The way we do healthcare
The comment “Going bankrupt because you needed your broken leg realigned. Being homeless as a result of needing to pay for cancer treatment” garnered 2,000 likes because the U.S. approach to healthcare is genuinely bizarre.
Everything Americans accept about healthcare is asinine: the for-profit health insurance industry, the fact that health insurance is tied to employment (but not all employment, because that would make too much sense, apparently), the fact that we pay way more for healthcare than other wealthy nations and yet have worse health outcomes, the fact that virtually no one understands how their health insurance works because it’s so complicated, the fact that medical bankruptcy is a thing, etc.
And on top of that, the fact that there is a baffling number of Americans who actually defend this system when all evidence points to the superiority of universal healthcare is absolutely mind-blowing.
How we don’t do guaranteed paid parental leave
“No paid maternity/paternity leave and new mothers having to go back to work within two weeks of giving birth. Insane,” wrote one commenter.
After Americans tried to say this wasn’t true because their company offers paid leave, the commenter clarified that the U.S. doesn’t require paid leave. It’s up to the discretion of companies, which is, indeed, insane.
“I’ve always thought this was barbaric but since having my baby it horrifies me even more,” someone wrote in response. “My baby is 12 months old next weekend and I’m still on leave. My mat leave is just finishing and I’m about to start annual leave which will see me through until January. I’ve been on around half pay for the year which has been tough financially but I wouldn’t give up this time for anything.
“At 2 weeks I could still hardly sit (episiotomy), my boobs were painfully full and leaking all the time, I was barely managing to get dressed, my baby was wanting to be held at all times day and night… I was hardly functioning.
“We don’t separate kittens and puppies from their mothers that early, how can it possibly be okay to separate babies from their mothers.”
School shootings and the active shooter drills that go along with them
Well, yeah. Not exactly a point of pride.
It’s not that other countries never ever have school shootings, but the U.S. is in a league of our own here.
“My cousins in America do school shooting practises every term,” wrote one commenter. “It’s awful that that’s a thing they need. Scary.”
“You can buy bulletproof school bags,” wrote another. “It’s nuts.”
To be fair, most Americans would agree that school shootings and active shooter drills are bizarre. We just can’t agree on what to do about it.
Our lack of electric kettles, apparently
One commenter wrote:
“On a less serious note, boiling water in a pan (or microwaving it!) for a cup of tea or coffee. I’ve seen it when watching regular people do videos, not just on tv or whatever. Where are all the kettles??(There are a lot about guns and stuff, so I thought I’d do one that’s less sad.)”
Others chimed in:
“I’m a Brit living in the US and my electric kettle is viewed by some of my American friends as a revelation. I buy them as gifts.”
“Both times I’ve been to America, I would go down to reception at the hotel and ask for a kettle. The receptionist would look at me dumbly and ask what a kettle was. And this wasn’t once or twice. This was multiple times.”
Some people explained some reasons for kettles being rare-but-not-unheard-of, ranging from the voltage being different in the U.S. to the fact that microwaving water is quick and easy. But there’s also this:
“British/American living in the US… No one I know really drinks tea with enough regularity to warrant a kettle, specially living in tiny apartments with limited kitchen space. Coffee makers are a lot more common because coffee is more popular than tea that I’ve seen.”
This is the truth. (And I do know a lot of people with electric kettles, but it apparently varies from region to region.)
We don’t walk when we can drive
Several commenters pointed to Americans’ resistance to walking anywhere that’s farther than a block or two, as well as our lack of sidewalks and walkways to even make it possible:
“No pavements/sidewalks in some places. I went to Dallas for work some years ago, and was dismayed to find that I couldn’t just ‘go for a walk’ from the hotel.”
“Yes! Nobody there walks ANYWHERE. I have a friend who is from Iowa but lived in London for a few years. When she went back she said she really misses walking. I asked what she meant, she said if she just went on a random walk she’d definitely get people stopping for her thinking she’s not okay, not okay in the head or just homeless.”
“I was reading a book the other day that described a woman walking two miles to then get a bus home as a ‘hike’. I mean, that’s just walking? Sure it was alongside a road not on a pavement but it’s still just walking!”
“Yep, that’s really weird. I went to an IT conference in Orlando back in the late 1990’s. The hotel was only about a kilometre from the conference centre, so obvs we walked as the weather was nice. Not only was it tricky due to the lack of any footpath, people thought we were mad. Also you can’t just cross the road where you want to.”
Sorry, Brits. Our land is big and our gas is cheap compared to yours. And also, you know we’re notorious for our unhealthy habits.
Sales tax tacked on at the end of a purchase
“Taxes put on at check out,” wrote one commenter.
Wait, what? This isn’t normal?
Apparently not.
“The taxes infuriate me,” wrote one commenter. “I was in Canada last week and they do the same thing. I kept thinking I was being overcharged until I remembered that advertised prices don’t include taxes, and that you’re expected to tip for pretty much everything.”
“I only found out about the tax thing recently and it f*cking blew my mind,” wrote another. “How tf do you know how much cash you’ll need? Americans must be really good at mental arithmetic if they have to add tax every time they add something to their basket.”
Spoiler: We’re not all that good at mental arithmetic. We just know we need about 10% more money than what a thing actually costs.
Agreed, though. It’s weird and annoying.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, by any means. Other “bizarre” American habits include circumcision (just the messenger—please don’t send me hate mail), televangelism, prescription drug commercials and spray cheese.
Definitely some food for thought as we consider what’s “normal” and what’s not. Different or even “bizarre” isn’t necessarily bad, but we could certainly do some national soul-searching with some of the things on this list.
(And hey, British friends—the way you say “aluminum” is weird. So there.)
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives did the right thing, albeit by a narrow margin: They voted to censure Arizona representative Paul Gosar over posting a disturbing anime video of him killing colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden. As is the style of the time, it was a narrow win; the vote was almost entirely along party lines, with only two Republicans voting yes. But there was a lot of time for pre-vote discussion — which is to say far right bloviating from the usual suspects.
There was Matt Gaetz, of course, who admitted on the floor of a historic building that anime “is not not really my thing,” and argued that if they punish Gosar, they may be on a slippery slope to “indicting the Wile E. Coyote [sic].” But enough about the guy who’s lawyered the eff up over a federally investigated into his ties to a sex trafficking ring. What did Lauren Boebert, the one who doesn’t understand how government works, have to say on the matter?
Boebert labels Ilhan Omar a member of “the Jihad squad” and smears her with unfounded conspiracy theories pic.twitter.com/lhOIPJRlgG
As with much Republican rhetoric these days, Boebert relied on false equivalences, trying to distract from a damning issue by diverting attention to matters that aren’t remotely the same. That meant trying to demonize a number of her Democratic colleagues, and airing a host of wacky conspiracy theories.
“Democrat policies are so pathetic and have done so poorly, that the left has nothing else to do but troll the internet looking for ways to get offended and then try to target members and strip them of their committees,” Boebert railed. “This is a dumb waste of the House’s time, but since the Speaker has designated the floor to discuss members’ inappropriate actions, shall we?”
She did not name names, but it was clear who she was subtweeting. “The jihad squad member from Minnesota has paid her husband – and not her brother-husband – the other one, over a million dollars in campaign funds. This member is allowed on the Foreign Affairs Committee while praising terrorists,” she said, alluding to nonsense claims dropped on Reddit about Ilhan Omar.
She cryptically alluded to Maxine Waters as a “Democrat chairwoman” who “incited further violence in the streets outside of a courthouse.” (This is true-ish: The California representative told protesters in Minneapolis to “get more confrontational” if Derek Chauvin was not found guilty of the murder of George Floyd. A vote to censure her failed and Chauvin was found guilty.)
Then there was the “cherry on top”: Eric Salwell, aka “my colleague and three-month presidential candidate from California who is on the Intelligence Committee slept with Fang Fang, a Chinese spy. Let me say that again, a member of Congress who received classified briefings was sleeping with the enemy! This is unacceptable!” But it’s also almost certainly BS.
True, we’re over half a decade into the Trump era — and it’s been over a decade since the peak of the Tea Party movement — so we should be used to seeing tinfoil hat rants from elected far right officials in the highest seats of government. But Boebert’s sputtering speech still stuck out.
It’s a question only Porsche could help answer. The brand is celebrating 90 years at the forefront of originality and innovation — a journey that started when its founder, Ferry Porsche, realized his singular vision would only become real if he worked to make it so. That’s exactly the kind of vision and self-determination we want to celebrate with The Next 9, a new series presented by Porsche that spotlights a collection of musicians, artists, visual storytellers, fashion entrepreneurs, chefs, and entertainers who are making an indelible mark in their chosen fields. These trailblazers are channeling the ambitious, intrepid energy that Porsche defines by building atop the foundation of their own dreams and carving out their own legacies in real-time.
Housed within a bespoke digital experience, these insightful micro-profiles will pair with original portrait photography to showcase a bit of the personality and origin stories of these talented vanguards while also focusing on how they define success for themselves and what inspires them to keep striving.
For artist and multimedia designer Sunni Colon, who blends his love of music with architectural design to create immersive soundscapes, an aspirational life means building art installations and crafting unique sounds while cementing a legacy for himself that inspires others. For filmmaker and photographer Lauren Dunn, who has partnered with cutting edge popstars and global icons to create art that subverts expectations, aspiration simply means not taking no for an answer or accepting anyone’s limits for her as she works to create work that moves people.
These creative trailblazers (who you can meet in the above trailer) and the others included within The Next 9 embody the fearless drive, imagination, and caliber synonymous with Porsche. They also embody our focus on remarkable talents who power culture. We’re so pleased to share their stories with you. Please do follow along here [will link to hub].
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