If Liam Neeson’s latest Taken adventure is any indication, the public’s appetite for vengeful mayhem and vigilantism may have dimmed somewhat of late. Which is… probably a good thing? Certainly a good thing for the world, if not for art, assuming Taken movies qualify as art.
Admittedly, I use the term “Taken movie” somewhat loosely. Neeson’s latest vehicle, opening in select theaters and as a VOD rental this weekend, isn’t technically a Taken sequel, nor does it come from any of the original creative team from Taken. But we all know what “Taken movie” implies at this point, right? Almost every Liam Neeson vehicle made since 2008 has been a spiritual sequel to Taken if not a literal one, starring Neeson as a pissed off old guy with a gun and a particular set of skills, unleashed to avenge his daughter/wife/nice vegetable patch (“Killing you isn’t going to bring my goddamned eggplant back.”). Point being, we know what we’re getting with this particular genre, and The Marksman, starring Neeson as a Texas rancher protecting a young boy from drug cartels, is a perfectly adequate exercise in providing it. If it lacks some of the panache and grindhouse appeal of previous installments, it also avoids the xenophobia and general mean-spiritedness.
So what sets this one apart?
When the bad foreign guys in Taken mess with Neeson’s family, they awaken his worst impulses — his rage, his willingness to torture and kill — and before long he’s merc-ing Eurotrash henchmen left and right and stabbing old ladies in the arm to extract information. This is all delivered on the assumption (a correct one) that it’s fun to watch Liam Neeson kill young men and stab old ladies.
When the bad guys come to town in The Marksman, by contrast, a Mexican drug cartel chasing a young mother and her boy across Neeson’s character’s land, it’s notable that what they stir up in Neeson’s character isn’t vengeance and murder and revenge (okay, a little murder) — it’s his compassion, his willingness to stick his neck out for others, and to some extent, his reason to go on living. Neeson still plays a crotchety, mean old son of a bitch (would we have it any other way?) but rather than being a happy retiree who finds reason to be a cold-hearted killer again, he’s an embittered retiree who finds someone worth killing for.
It’s probably relevant to note here that Marksman director Robert Lorenz is known for being a second unit director on a handful of Clint Eastwood movies (as well as directing Trouble with the Curve) so maybe it’s just logical that The Marksman would be more like Grand Torino than Taken. Usually, latter-day Taken knockoffs are directed by European music video (or commercial) directors, and there’s probably enough material there for a thesis examining Americans-as-Europeans-see-us vs. Americans-as-we-like-to-see-ourselves through the lens of who directed which Liam Neeson action film. That is — borderline psychotic, dangerous to piss off, stabbing random bystanders, killing lots of people; vs. fundamentally decent, compassionate, turns to violence as a last resort, kills lots of people, but only to protect the weak. We never forget to couch our violence in good intentions.
I’ll leave that for someone else to flesh out, but in any case, in The Marksman, Neeson plays Jim, a widowed Marine veteran with a Silver Star from ‘Nam who’s six months behind on the payments for his tiny cattle ranch on the Mexican border and whose only friends since his wife died of cancer are a delightful border collie named Jackson and an unrealistically attractive Border Patrol agent played by Katheryn Winnick. But one day, a young mother (Teresa Ruiz) and her son, Miguel (Jacob Perez) stumble across Jim’s land, with enforcers from a cartel, led by Mauricio (Juan Pablo Raba) in hot pursuit.
Mauricio tries to pull the whole “we’re not so different, you and I,” with Jim — he’s a soldier for the cartel, Jim was a soldier in Vietnam — but ol’ Jim isn’t buying it. Nonetheless, Mauricio will note Jim’s Marine status in every subsequent interaction, referring to Jim as “Madine Coors” in his delightful accent. “Ju mess with the wrong cabrón thees time, Madine Coors!”
The cartel chases Jim and Miguel across the country, and that’s pretty much the movie. Jim and Miguel don’t quite have the sporadic chemistry that Eastwood and Bee Vang had in Gran Torino (I say sporadic because it came and went, presumably on account of Eastwood’s notorious refusal to shoot extra takes) but it’s… pleasant enough. Jim is… mostly a pretty stand-up guy. He won’t let the Border Patrol deport Miguel, no matter how hot an agent they send after him.
The Marksman also does a surprisingly good job humanizing its bad guys and not demonizing the entire country of Mexico, which is a difficult balancing act to perform in a movie created to fulfill the promise of an old white guy killing people. If you want to see the openly xenophobic version of The Marksman, there’s always Rambo: Last Blood.
Of course, The Marksman isn’t quite as sickenly entertaining as Rambo: Last Blood either. Though it does do a decent job of being reasonably enjoyable without being actively evil, if that’s what you’re after. Think of The Marksman as a zesty, low-cal Last Blood with 85% of the flavor and none of the guilt.
‘The Marksman’ hits select theaters and VOD January 15. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. You can access his archive of reviews here.
After being recognized by GLAAD as one of only four showrunners who were responsible for 20 percent of all LGBTQ representation on television, Shonda Rhimes couldn’t help but notice that she was only the straight creator on the list, and it did not sit well with her. In an outspoken tweet following the GLAAD announcement, Rhimes called out straight creatives in Hollywood for not doing their job when it comes to LGBTQ diversity, and racial diversity while she’s at it.
“You know what bugs me? I’m the only straight person on this list. That is not okay,” Rhimes tweeted. “It’s like the same problem with ANY kind of diversity. White people don’t do their job when it comes to representing people of color. Straight people don’t do their job when it comes to representing queer people. WHY?”
Straight people don’t do their job when it comes to representing queer people. WHY? (and PS: I’m not suggesting I’m special — most of this work was done by @KristaVernoff!)
Rhimes’ tweet also included a link to GLAAD’s annual “Where We Are On TV” report where she was named along with Ryan Murphy, Lena Waithe, and Greg Berlanti for being the top creators in LGBTQ representation, which, unfortunately, declined in 2020. While citing the pandemic and “and a transition into a new political era for this country,” GLAAD emphasized the importance of LGBTQ-inclusive shows like Schitt’s Creek, Batwoman, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power as evidence that audiences will show up in large, dedicated numbers for more diverse content.
“It must be a priority to introduce nuanced and diverse LGBTQ characters in 2021 and beyond, ensuring that this year’s decreases do not become reverse progress as the industry continues to evolve and adjust to this unique era’s challenges,” GLAAD president Megan Townsend said in a statement.
Lil Nas X has been teasing his debut album for a while now, but today, he has narrowed down when it’s coming out.
A frustrated fan tweeted at the rapper, “There’s only so many times we can listen to 7 and holiday @LilNasX we kinda need the album. No pressure or anything but drop the album or I’m manifesting a ant to crawl up your pp hole.” Nas couldn’t leave that kind of tweet hanging, so he responded with an approximate release window for the album, replying, “lmaooo more singles coming. album drop middle of the year.”
lmaooo more singles coming. album drop middle of the year.
While there’s no exact release date yet, he at least seems to have a running order in mind, as he shared a part of the album’s tracklist back in September, revealed that some of the songs set to appear on the release include “Call Me By Your Name, “One Of Me,” “Don’t Want It,” and “Titanic.” He also revealed that before the pandemic, he had hoped to work with Miley Cyrus, but that hasn’t ended up happening yet. He told Andy Cohen, “I had plans to work on this one song with Miley earlier last year, and then the pandemic happened. So we didn’t get to like meet up or anything, but, you know, maybe it’ll happen now.”
The Washington Capitals are fresh off a win against Buffalo Sabres to start the 2021 NHL season, and now we know what head coach Peter Laviolette was watching while the Caps were on in the offseason. The Caps head coach saw his squad start the year with a 6-4 win in Buffalo, and in his postgame speech introduced a new element to team awards inspired by Cobra Kai.
The web series — which debuted on YouTube but was picked up by Netflix and saw a third season premiere on New Year’s Day — apparently has a big fan in Laviolette, who introduced two headbands representing the titular dojo and its rival Miyagi Do.
“I was off for a whole year, so I watched every show out there. Every series out there,” Laviolette said on Thursday night. “The best series by far was Cobra Kai. So I thought about it and got this bandana right here for the most offensive player of the game.”
Laviolette then awards it to T.J. Oshie, tying the black headband on him while the players react. But he’s not done yet.
“Then there’s Miyagi’s camp. That’s strike, first hard,” he said, pointing to Oshie’s headband. “Miyagi’s all about defense.”
The two winners then squared up for some fake karate, with Oshie setting up for a crane kick he never delivered. But the team seemed enthused by the new awards, which should make for some fun if the Caps keep winning.
The show’s Twitter account clearly appreciated the love as well.
We’ll see if a third dojo gets some recognition from the Caps at some point this season. Though perhaps that would best be saved for an outdoor game, if possible.
Basketball fans may not have gotten to hear “Timber” throughout the 2020 NBA playoffs, but racing fans were treated on Friday morning to their own delicious Pitbull joint as the rapper and entrepreneur announced his investment in NASCAR’s Trackhouse Racing team online, with his song “I Believe That We Will Win” coursing underneath the announcement video.
I’ve been a fan of the @NASCAR story since the movie ‘Days of Thunder’, now I’m an official co-owner of the @TeamTrackhouse racing team. Thank you Justin Marks, Ty Norris & Daniel Suarez for the great opportunity. This is a great way to celebrate my 40th bday, so Get Ready! Dale! pic.twitter.com/vDA199TE0h
Trackhouse is in its infancy as a NASCAR team and is set to debut the No. 99 car and driver Daniel Suarez in the 2021 Daytona 500, which is scheduled next month on Valentine’s Day. Suarez is a trail-blazer among Mexican-born stock car drivers, which makes the Miami-born Pitbull, an activist in the Latinx community, a logical match for Trackhouse.
This is all a heck of a way to get on the map as a newly formed NASCAR team, and follows in the path of more diverse NASCAR teams springing up over the past year. After Bubba Wallace rose to prominence in 2020, Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin announced the formation of their own team, while Trackhouse adds a Latinx-owned team with a native Mexican driver to the mix for 2021 as well.
This isn’t a chore, by any means. Some of the best bottles out there are currently coming from the independent whiskey brands. Today, we’re highlighting 14 of our favorites in the bourbon world. Check them all out below if you’re willing to take a break from your go-to bottle of Old Forester 100, Old Grand-Dad, or Four Roses Small Batch.
Denver’s Laws Whiskey House is made from four different grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and, of course, corn. It’s aged for three years in new, 53-gallon, charred, American oak casks. The distillers believe that the high elevation helps with the whiskey’s maturation and overall flavor.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be met with hints of candied orange peels, charred oak, sweet vanilla, and just a hint of peppery spice. The palate is filled with dried orange peels, creamy caramel, spicy cinnamon, and sweet cream. The finish is long, warming, and ends with a final flourish of cracked black pepper.
Bottom Line:
This is a highly complex bourbon that should appeal to even the most ardent Kentucky bourbon fans and should be enjoyed slowly in a rocks glass, with a single ice cube.
Released in April 2019, this was the third whiskey ever released by Wilderness Trail. It’s a small-batch bourbon made from between 10 to 12 barrels and is made with corn, barley, and rye (instead of wheat). The result is a more complex, spicier bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose are hints of caramel apples, molasses, and cooking spices. The sip is filled with flavors of charred oak, spicy cinnamon, sweet vanilla, and a lingering nutty sweetness. The finish is long, dry, and ends with a final hint of subtle white pepper spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a reasonably new bourbon, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t stand up against some of its bottled in bond rivals.
This award-winning whiskey prides itself on being a true Texas classic. It’s bold, uncut, unfiltered, and very high in alcohol. Specifically chosen barrels are set aside and take on extra maturation to make this highly-coveted turbo-charged bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be treated to hints of nutty sweetness, espresso, rich vanilla, and clover honey. The first sip yields dried fruits, rich brown sugar, spicy cinnamon, toasted marshmallows, and butterscotch. The finish is long, very warming, and ends with an extra hit of milk chocolate and vanilla sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is a big, bold bourbon. It should be enjoyed with a solitary ice cube and be allowed to open up while it’s sipped slowly, in order to allow you to enjoy all of the various flavors.
This is the first-ever American whiskey to be aged using the Solera maturation method. This involves a pyramid of barrels in which lower-level whiskey is removed and more whiskey is added to the top layer. The result is a highly complex, nuanced liquid that is unlike any other bourbon on the market.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of dried cherries, sweet vanilla, and rich sherry. On the palate, you’ll find flavors of raisins, caramelized sugar, clover honey, toasted oak, and more Oloroso sherry. The finish is medium in length, subtle in heat, and ends with a nice, charred oak finish.
Bottom Line:
This complex, delicate bourbon was painstakingly crafted and should be given the respect it deserves. Sip it slowly and enjoy all the various flavors.
When drinkers think of peat, they usually think about Scotch. Islay whiskies are known for their peated single malts. Kings County Peated Bourbon is for fans of those expressions as well as lovers of American whiskey. It was made using peat-smoked malted barley. The result is a sweet, smoky bourbon that unites drinkers on both sides of the pond.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of salted caramel, sweet vanilla, and a nice kiss of peat smoke. The palate is filled with brown sugar, creamy chocolate, rich vanilla, and more smoke. The finish is long, lingering, and ends with a final hint of woodsmoke.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to bourbon, there is no better expression for fans of smoky, peaty Scotch whisky. This should be enjoyed like a well-made Scotch, sipped from a Glencairn glass.
One of Leopold Bros. newest expressions, its unfiltered Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon, is a high corn whiskey that also has a mash bill that contains malted barley and rye. It’s pot distilled and matured for five years in new, charred American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
The aromas that greet your nose are filled with sweet cereal notes as well as caramel apples and sweet vanilla. The palate is loaded up with sticky toffee pudding, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a subtle hint of peppery spice. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a final kick of pepper.
Bottom Line:
This high barley bourbon is perfect for fans of unpeated Scotch whisky. In fact, it might be one of the best gateway bourbons for Highland Scotch fans.
This high corn bourbon is made at Cedar Ridge, a farm-to-glass distillery in Iowa. This 100-proof whiskey is matured for four years in bonded warehouses. It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s bringing attention to a state not normally associated with whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Released to celebrate the distillery’s 10th anniversary, this bottled in bond bourbon has a nose of charred oak, sweet vanilla bean, and rich almonds. The palate is full of creamy caramel, nutty sweetness, spicy cinnamon, and toasted marshmallows. The finish is long, full of pleasing heat, and ends with a final hint of sweet, spicy cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
If you’re an Old Grand-Dad BIB drinker or lover of one of the other well-known brands, this is the perfect change of pace. It’s so good, you might never go back.
Over the past few years, Texas has changed from the wild west of whiskey to the new frontier. Balcones has led the way with offerings like its Texas Pot Still Bourbon. It’s made from blue corn, wheat, rye, and barley, before aging for two years in charred, American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of butter cookies, charred oak, caramel apples, and cinnamon. The palate is bursting with rich almonds, sweet honey, brown sugar, and leather. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a final hint of rich caramel.
Bottom Line:
If you’re taking a break from the larger brands, you can’t do much better than Balcones. We suggest trying all of this Texas brand’s lineup.
The most unique thing about Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon is that all four grains (non-GMO corn, winter cereal rye, winter wheat, and two-row barley) are farmed and sourced from the on-site farm. This truly farm-to-bottle bourbon is born on the 2,000-acre farm in Nevada. It’s bold, aged for five years and non-chill filtered.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is filled with hints of candied orange peels, creamy vanilla, and brown butter. The palate is well-rounded with buttery vanilla cookies, sweet corn, cracked black pepper, and dried cherries. The finish is medium in length, warming, and ends with a final peppery flourish.
Bottom Line:
To truly celebrate this Nevada-born whiskey, it should be paired with a nice game of cards or a socially distant game of solitaire.
This award-winning whiskey hails from Colorado, not a place commonly associated with bourbon (but no slacker in the whiskey world). This 86-proof blended bourbon has a mash bill of 56% corn, 38% rye, and 6% unmalted barley. While there’s no proof that it changes the flavor at all, the brand touts the water they use as being from “pure snowmelt” from the Rocky Mountains.
A pretty idea, at the very least.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be treated to espresso, charred oak, and brown sugar. The first sip is filled with creamy vanilla, peppery rye, sticky toffee, and sweet corn. The finish is long, spicy, and ends with a final hit of toasted oak.
Bottom Line:
There’s no better bourbon to enjoy after a long day spent outside skiing or, at the very least, shoveling the snow in your driveway.
While FEW could have simply made a classic bourbon and called it a day. The Illinois-based distillery wanted to create something truly unique. That’s why forgoing traditional methods, it added a special, Saison yeast into the recipe.
This is a true game-changer.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, charred oak, and sweet vanilla beans. The palate is a symphony of buttery caramel, sweet cream, spicy cinnamon, and more oak. The finish is long, medium in heat, and ends with more caramelized sugar.
Bottom Line:
Since it was made using beer yeast, we suggest pairing this extraordinary whiskey with a pint of peppery, yeasty Saison beer.
Berkshire Mountain Distillers of Massachusetts is the first legal distillery in the area since prohibition. Its Berkshire Bourbon is made from locally sourced corn and aged in new, charred American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
A proper nosing will reveal hints of sweet corn, charred sugar, rich almonds, and just a touch of cinnamon. On the palate, drinkers are treated to the flavors of caramel apples, candied orange peels, butter cookies, and rich caramel. The finish is lingering, warm, and ends with a final kiss of spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a special whiskey. It’s just as well suited for slow sipping as it is mixing into your favorite whiskey-based cocktails.
This small-batch, single barrel bourbon is made from a unique mash bill of 51% corn and 49% millet. It’s aged in new, heavily charred American oak barrels sourced from nearby Minnesota.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find subtle charred oak, creamy vanilla, and spicy cinnamon. The first sip yields hints of treacle, more toasted oak, rich caramel, and a nice kick of peppery spice. The finish is medium in length, warming, and ends with a final crescendo of sweet cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
Find a nice easy chair or recliner, pour yourself a glass, and forget about all the strangeness that’s already seeped into 2021.
This award-winning whiskey brand took our top spot in 2020 for “best bourbons.” That’s overall — including the big brands.
The company prides itself on being a small-batch bourbon. All of the corn, rye, and malted barley are grown at Omlin Family Farm in nearby Quincy, Washington. The whiskey is distilled and barreled at the Woodinville Distillery before being shipped over the Cascade Mountains to be matured in the brand’s barrel houses where the extreme weather conditions impact the whiskey’s flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of caramelized sugar, cinnamon, and toasted oak. The palate is filled with hints of creamy vanilla, buttery caramel, bitter, dark chocolate, and cooking spices. The finish is long, warming, and ends with a final hint of caramel.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the most reasonably priced bourbons on the list. Let’s not let the folks at Woodinville know that they could charge way more for this whiskey just yet.
This isn’t a chore, by any means. Some of the best bottles out there are currently coming from the independent whiskey brands. Today, we’re highlighting 14 of our favorites in the bourbon world. Check them all out below if you’re willing to take a break from your go-to bottle of Old Forester 100, Old Grand-Dad, or Four Roses Small Batch.
Denver’s Laws Whiskey House is made from four different grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and, of course, corn. It’s aged for three years in new, 53-gallon, charred, American oak casks. The distillers believe that the high elevation helps with the whiskey’s maturation and overall flavor.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be met with hints of candied orange peels, charred oak, sweet vanilla, and just a hint of peppery spice. The palate is filled with dried orange peels, creamy caramel, spicy cinnamon, and sweet cream. The finish is long, warming, and ends with a final flourish of cracked black pepper.
Bottom Line:
This is a highly complex bourbon that should appeal to even the most ardent Kentucky bourbon fans and should be enjoyed slowly in a rocks glass, with a single ice cube.
Released in April 2019, this was the third whiskey ever released by Wilderness Trail. It’s a small-batch bourbon made from between 10 to 12 barrels and is made with corn, barley, and rye (instead of wheat). The result is a more complex, spicier bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose are hints of caramel apples, molasses, and cooking spices. The sip is filled with flavors of charred oak, spicy cinnamon, sweet vanilla, and a lingering nutty sweetness. The finish is long, dry, and ends with a final hint of subtle white pepper spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a reasonably new bourbon, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t stand up against some of its bottled in bond rivals.
This award-winning whiskey prides itself on being a true Texas classic. It’s bold, uncut, unfiltered, and very high in alcohol. Specifically chosen barrels are set aside and take on extra maturation to make this highly-coveted turbo-charged bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be treated to hints of nutty sweetness, espresso, rich vanilla, and clover honey. The first sip yields dried fruits, rich brown sugar, spicy cinnamon, toasted marshmallows, and butterscotch. The finish is long, very warming, and ends with an extra hit of milk chocolate and vanilla sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is a big, bold bourbon. It should be enjoyed with a solitary ice cube and be allowed to open up while it’s sipped slowly, in order to allow you to enjoy all of the various flavors.
This is the first-ever American whiskey to be aged using the Solera maturation method. This involves a pyramid of barrels in which lower-level whiskey is removed and more whiskey is added to the top layer. The result is a highly complex, nuanced liquid that is unlike any other bourbon on the market.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of dried cherries, sweet vanilla, and rich sherry. On the palate, you’ll find flavors of raisins, caramelized sugar, clover honey, toasted oak, and more Oloroso sherry. The finish is medium in length, subtle in heat, and ends with a nice, charred oak finish.
Bottom Line:
This complex, delicate bourbon was painstakingly crafted and should be given the respect it deserves. Sip it slowly and enjoy all the various flavors.
When drinkers think of peat, they usually think about Scotch. Islay whiskies are known for their peated single malts. Kings County Peated Bourbon is for fans of those expressions as well as lovers of American whiskey. It was made using peat-smoked malted barley. The result is a sweet, smoky bourbon that unites drinkers on both sides of the pond.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of salted caramel, sweet vanilla, and a nice kiss of peat smoke. The palate is filled with brown sugar, creamy chocolate, rich vanilla, and more smoke. The finish is long, lingering, and ends with a final hint of woodsmoke.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to bourbon, there is no better expression for fans of smoky, peaty Scotch whisky. This should be enjoyed like a well-made Scotch, sipped from a Glencairn glass.
One of Leopold Bros. newest expressions, its unfiltered Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon, is a high corn whiskey that also has a mash bill that contains malted barley and rye. It’s pot distilled and matured for five years in new, charred American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
The aromas that greet your nose are filled with sweet cereal notes as well as caramel apples and sweet vanilla. The palate is loaded up with sticky toffee pudding, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a subtle hint of peppery spice. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a final kick of pepper.
Bottom Line:
This high barley bourbon is perfect for fans of unpeated Scotch whisky. In fact, it might be one of the best gateway bourbons for Highland Scotch fans.
This high corn bourbon is made at Cedar Ridge, a farm-to-glass distillery in Iowa. This 100-proof whiskey is matured for four years in bonded warehouses. It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s bringing attention to a state not normally associated with whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Released to celebrate the distillery’s 10th anniversary, this bottled in bond bourbon has a nose of charred oak, sweet vanilla bean, and rich almonds. The palate is full of creamy caramel, nutty sweetness, spicy cinnamon, and toasted marshmallows. The finish is long, full of pleasing heat, and ends with a final hint of sweet, spicy cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
If you’re an Old Grand-Dad BIB drinker or lover of one of the other well-known brands, this is the perfect change of pace. It’s so good, you might never go back.
Over the past few years, Texas has changed from the wild west of whiskey to the new frontier. Balcones has led the way with offerings like its Texas Pot Still Bourbon. It’s made from blue corn, wheat, rye, and barley, before aging for two years in charred, American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of butter cookies, charred oak, caramel apples, and cinnamon. The palate is bursting with rich almonds, sweet honey, brown sugar, and leather. The finish is long, warm, and ends with a final hint of rich caramel.
Bottom Line:
If you’re taking a break from the larger brands, you can’t do much better than Balcones. We suggest trying all of this Texas brand’s lineup.
The most unique thing about Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon is that all four grains (non-GMO corn, winter cereal rye, winter wheat, and two-row barley) are farmed and sourced from the on-site farm. This truly farm-to-bottle bourbon is born on the 2,000-acre farm in Nevada. It’s bold, aged for five years and non-chill filtered.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is filled with hints of candied orange peels, creamy vanilla, and brown butter. The palate is well-rounded with buttery vanilla cookies, sweet corn, cracked black pepper, and dried cherries. The finish is medium in length, warming, and ends with a final peppery flourish.
Bottom Line:
To truly celebrate this Nevada-born whiskey, it should be paired with a nice game of cards or a socially distant game of solitaire.
This award-winning whiskey hails from Colorado, not a place commonly associated with bourbon (but no slacker in the whiskey world). This 86-proof blended bourbon has a mash bill of 56% corn, 38% rye, and 6% unmalted barley. While there’s no proof that it changes the flavor at all, the brand touts the water they use as being from “pure snowmelt” from the Rocky Mountains.
A pretty idea, at the very least.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be treated to espresso, charred oak, and brown sugar. The first sip is filled with creamy vanilla, peppery rye, sticky toffee, and sweet corn. The finish is long, spicy, and ends with a final hit of toasted oak.
Bottom Line:
There’s no better bourbon to enjoy after a long day spent outside skiing or, at the very least, shoveling the snow in your driveway.
While FEW could have simply made a classic bourbon and called it a day. The Illinois-based distillery wanted to create something truly unique. That’s why forgoing traditional methods, it added a special, Saison yeast into the recipe.
This is a true game-changer.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, charred oak, and sweet vanilla beans. The palate is a symphony of buttery caramel, sweet cream, spicy cinnamon, and more oak. The finish is long, medium in heat, and ends with more caramelized sugar.
Bottom Line:
Since it was made using beer yeast, we suggest pairing this extraordinary whiskey with a pint of peppery, yeasty Saison beer.
Berkshire Mountain Distillers of Massachusetts is the first legal distillery in the area since prohibition. Its Berkshire Bourbon is made from locally sourced corn and aged in new, charred American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
A proper nosing will reveal hints of sweet corn, charred sugar, rich almonds, and just a touch of cinnamon. On the palate, drinkers are treated to the flavors of caramel apples, candied orange peels, butter cookies, and rich caramel. The finish is lingering, warm, and ends with a final kiss of spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a special whiskey. It’s just as well suited for slow sipping as it is mixing into your favorite whiskey-based cocktails.
This small-batch, single barrel bourbon is made from a unique mash bill of 51% corn and 49% millet. It’s aged in new, heavily charred American oak barrels sourced from nearby Minnesota.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find subtle charred oak, creamy vanilla, and spicy cinnamon. The first sip yields hints of treacle, more toasted oak, rich caramel, and a nice kick of peppery spice. The finish is medium in length, warming, and ends with a final crescendo of sweet cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
Find a nice easy chair or recliner, pour yourself a glass, and forget about all the strangeness that’s already seeped into 2021.
This award-winning whiskey brand took our top spot in 2020 for “best bourbons.” That’s overall — including the big brands.
The company prides itself on being a small-batch bourbon. All of the corn, rye, and malted barley are grown at Omlin Family Farm in nearby Quincy, Washington. The whiskey is distilled and barreled at the Woodinville Distillery before being shipped over the Cascade Mountains to be matured in the brand’s barrel houses where the extreme weather conditions impact the whiskey’s flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find hints of caramelized sugar, cinnamon, and toasted oak. The palate is filled with hints of creamy vanilla, buttery caramel, bitter, dark chocolate, and cooking spices. The finish is long, warming, and ends with a final hint of caramel.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the most reasonably priced bourbons on the list. Let’s not let the folks at Woodinville know that they could charge way more for this whiskey just yet.
For the past year or so, NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts have been a lot different than usual. Instead of taking to the NPR offices, artists have been performing remotely from their own venues of choice. A lot of them, keeping in the spirit of the series, have incorporated some sort of small desk into their performance setup in one way or another. Then there’s Mxmtoon.
For her performance, she took to an empty New York City office building and sat behind perhaps the largest desk in Tiny Desk history, a desk that swirled around the entire office space. Her five-song performance included “Fever Dream,” “Prom Dress,” “Feelings Are Fatal,” “Wallflower,” and “Bon Iver.”
Mxmtoon also explained the personal significance of the performance, sharing a story about how she and her grandfather used to enjoy the concert series together before he passed away. She wrote on Twitter, “After years of watching @NPR tiny desk performances, i am so happy to share i finally did my own. so crazy i got to do a tiny desk. a bit sad, but i lost my grandfather last year and we would watch tiny desks together and he’d say how excited he’d be to watch me do one eventually. music was a shared love, and although he isn’t here to celebrate with me, i know he’s proud [smiling emoji].”
so crazy i got to do a tiny desk. a bit sad, but i lost my grandfather last year and we would watch tiny desks together and he’d say how excited he’d be to watch me do one eventually. music was a shared love, and although he isn’t here to celebrate with me, i know he’s proud
Chicago rapper Lil Eazzyy made an impressive entry to the rap game in 2020 with his debut EP Underrated and its lead single, “Onna Come Up.” The 18-year-old was still in grade school during the first wave of Chicago drill music, but it clearly had an effect on him and he’s got a knack for expressing the numbed sentiments that originators Chief Keef, G Herbo, Lil Durk, and King Louie brought to the nascent genre. Maybe that’s why he was able to secure one of those artists, G Herbo, to appear on the song’s remix, keeping pace with his elder the entire time.
In the intervening years since the genre’s initial explosion out of the Windy City’s youth movement in the early 2010s, many of its original purveyors have recently rejuvenated their careers and attained even greater heights, with Herbo chief among them. His pair of collaborations with Atlanta producer Southside — Swervo and Still Swervin — raised his profile considerably so that when he returned to solo work in 2020 with PTSD, the album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and he appeared on Forbes‘ 30 Under 30 list.
Unfortunately, Herbo’s resurgence could be derailed by his recent arrest for identity fraud but giving his blessing to the next generation may be the best way to keep his name buzzing in the Chicago scene for another big comeback down the line.
Listen to the “Onna Come Up” remix above.
Lil Eazzyy is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Periodically I go through these funks where I see a run of bad or just meh movies that makes watching movies for a living really feel like a job, and I start to worry I may never see a good movie again. It takes a great movie to snap me out of it, and this week, that movie was Some Kind Of Heaven, about as close as it gets to a perfect documentary. (Available now in select theaters and for VOD rental).
Directed by young South Floridian and Sundance fellow Lance Oppenheim, Some Kind Of Heaven is a portrait of The Villages retirement community outside of Orlando, a Disneyworld-like slice of augmented reality with a population of more than 130,000, set on a movie-backdrop paradise of golf courses, swimming pools, and margarita bars. Another South Florida documentarian, Billy Corben, who loves to try to explain Florida to outsiders, describes Florida as “a sunny place for shady people,” and once told me “The whole state started as a real estate scam and, in a way, it’s never really grown out of that. We are America’s perpetual rebellious teenager.”
Perhaps the pinnacle of that real estate scam is the Villages, a kind of Tomorrowland for older folks rebelling against the concept of growing old. Even as a viewer you can’t help but be taken in by Oppenheim’s portrait of The Villages, shot in such vivid technicolor that, after the drab white elephant awards movies and hastily shot schlock I’d been slogging through all week, made me feel like the kids in Pleasantville seeing color for the first time. It’s also perfectly fitting for the setting, a place that resembles a Glendale shopping mall draped in a conceptual Hawaiian shirt.
Of course, it’s the characters that make Some Kind Of Heaven so compelling, and they’re all attempting to live out a fantasy of some kind or another. It’s tempting to imagine “adulthood” as this mythical life stage in which one puts away childish things and faces reality, but the characters in Some Kind Of Heaven prove — well, mostly the men do, anyway — that it’s possible to inhabit your self-built delusion basically until the day you die. Provided you can force the women in your life to go along with it, that is.
As one character in Some Kind Of Heaven puts it, The Villages is sort of like college, a giant party school where people from all different places can come to reinvent themselves but never have to go to class. Or to paraphrase Billy Corben again, “L.A. is where you go when you want to be somebody, New York is where you go when you are somebody, and Florida is where you go when you want to be somebody else.”
The characters include Reggie and Anne, who have been married for 47 years. Anne is a seemingly down-to-Earth gal who loves playing pickleball and doing all the active things The Villages allows. Reggie, meanwhile, seems to have interpreted retirement as a stage when accountability no longer applies, and spends his days tripping balls on powerful hallucinogens. On the day of their anniversary, he tells his wife that he’s already dead and reincarnated, and is also God, which he proves by hitting himself in the head with a rock. “He was a much more conventional type of person when we got married,” Anne assures us in a rictus of feigned calm.
Incredibly, Reggie isn’t even necessarily the best character. There’s also Dennis, a self-described former handyman to the stars, who lives out of a van which he has parked in the Villages in the hopes of finding a nice-looking woman with lots of money to move in with and live out his days. Dennis trawls bars, churches, and nightclubs to find his future sugar mama, though he says that he’s found that the best place to meet “classical looking beauties” is at the swimming pool. He name drops his former clients Colonel Tom Parker and The Smothers Brothers (could ten screenwriters ever invent such perfect name drops?) in an attempt to impress one lounge goddess, who responds, in a deadpan, “I don’t care.”
Getting old can be both liberating and devastating like that. Suffer fools? At this age? Never. Likewise, it’s hard to know whether you want Dennis to succeed in his quest or fail. Is knowing that every oily bullshitter and big-talking fabulist you knew in your twenties could still be exactly the same person at 81 years old inspiring or pathetic? To some extent, it’s both. Old age is the prism through which the vivid color of Some Kind Of Heaven refracts.
Grounding the whole thing is Barbara, a widow from Boston who looks a bit like a melancholy Liza Minnelli and who in 12 years of living there hasn’t quite found the life that she was expecting. Trying valiantly to get over the loss of her husband, Barbara gamely keeps putting herself out there, and your hope for humanity lives and dies with her latest hobby — whether it’s acting, miniature golf, Jimmy Buffet, or the tambourine.
Some Kind Of Heaven is a surreal, visually sublime slice of life that offers escapism and subverts it in the same breath, an enduring portrait of a particular subculture the likes of which I haven’t seen probably since Wildwood, NJ. I spent virtually the entire 83 minutes laughing, slapping my forehead, or both.
‘Some Kind Of Heaven’ is available in select theaters and VOD January 15th. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. You can access his archive of reviews here.
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