Category: News

The best thing about getting into gin is the fact that a good bottle won’t cost you a mortgage payment. Unlike whisk(e)y, with its high-priced unicorn bottles, gin is a spirit for everyone. Rarely does an expression top $100.

You can always go cheap with gin and be completely happy with a bottle of Gordon’s or Beefeater. But if you truly want to enjoy all the juniper and botanical nuances of the spirit, you’ll want to spend just a little more. Unlike whiskey, spending a little more doesn’t mean ramping up from $50 to $250. It’s more like $20 to $60 (with a few crazy expensive exceptions).

To help you get the most out of your money, we tapped the experts — asking a handful of bartenders to tell us the best (slightly more) expensive gins that are worth the splurge.

Procera

Can Coskunkal, director of operations for Street Guys Hospitality in Washington, DC

Procera is the best gin I’ve ever had. It’s by far the best. It’s super earthy with a great juniper taste that comes from Juniper Procera, a unique type of botanical only grown in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Price: $92

Hans Reisetbauer Barrel Aged Blue Gin

Chris Johnson, beverage director at Oaxaca Taqueria in New York City

Hans Reisetbauer Blue Gin Aged in Oak. Hans makes some of the best brandy in the world and his gin isn’t too shabby either.

The regular Blue Gin gets five years in Austrian oak, it gets rounded out a lot and a ton of warmth from the barrel spice

Price: $75

Isle of Harris Gin

Gavin Humes, bartender at Scratch|Bar & Kitchen in Encino, California

My favorite super-premium gin is the Isle of Harris Gin. It’s beautifully elegant and refreshing. In addition to some of the more traditional flavors in gin, this one is infused with sugar kelp, which emphasizes the salinity and ocean quality in a way that I enjoy.

It makes for a phenomenal gin and tonic, and pairs well with seafood of all types.

Price: $92

Old Raj Dry Gin

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Old Raj Dry Gin is the tried and true “expensive” bottle of gin that really should make an appearance in the home bar.

With gin, some may think it is overstated, but this styling stands on its own by packing a unique juniper punch that will stand out.

Price: $49.99

Monkey 47

Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

Monkey 47 from Black Forest Distillery will punch your pocketbook in the mouth, and you’ll thank it for the pleasure.

Made with a molasses base, this is a fruited, botanical bomb. As the name suggests, there are 47 botanicals and fruits used in its distillation and juniper is far from the star. The nose is a bit of juniper and rosemary. As it roars down your palate, it has a creamy body filled with mild melon and sage. The finish is dry and lingers enough to keep you going back to deciphering all the individual profiles that meld so well together.

Price: $79.99

The Revivalist Botanical Equinox Gin

Alex Clark, bartender at Square 1682 in Philadelphia

The Revivalist Botanica Equinox l Gin. It’s on the pricier side of gin, but not too bad on the wallet. This gin is one I like to just put on the rocks and sip. A little bit of ice brings out all the unique botanicals in this one.

Price: $50

The Botanist

Benjamin Pozar, bartender at Red Brick Distillery in Philadelphia

My pick is The Botanist from the island of Islay off the coast of Scotland. Botanist is delicious, the mint notes are fantastic in a southside or eastside gimlet. The flavors are unique and unforgettable. All 22 ingredients are foraged from the island that’s most known for its Scotch distilleries.

Price: $40

Cambridge Truffle Gin

Nicholas Wyatt, bartender at Teddy’s Bourbon Bar in Prattville, Alabama

Cambridge Truffle Gin is a must-try. Its delightful herbal qualities are rounded out by the deep earthiness of white truffles. If you can find bottles of it, buy them all.

Price: $105

Writer’s Picks:

Tanqueray No. 10

Regular Tanqueray is cheap and reliable. But, if you want to up the ante in both quality and flavor, splurge for a bottle of Tanqueray No. 10 with its perfume-like qualities featuring peppery juniper, dried orange peel, and various herbal notes. Perfect for your favorite gin cocktail.

Price: $40

Koval Dry Gin

You might be aware of Koval because of its award-winning whiskeys. Once you’ve had your fill of the brand’s bourbons and rye, grab a bottle of Koval Dry Gin, You won’t be disappointed. It’s spicier than most gins, but that’s a good thing. It’s also fresh and filled with floral, citrus, and juniper notes to appeal to the most classic gin drinkers.

Price: $45

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I still recall my last trip before the onslaught of COVID-19. I traveled from my current home in the Austin, Texas area to Portland, Oregon where I tasted single malt whiskey at Westward Whiskey’s distillery and visited the exceptionally dramatic Multnomah Falls. Fast forward eight months and we’re still in the midst of a global pandemic. Worldwide, more than 50 million cases of coronavirus have been recorded to date. So while I desperately yearn to travel right now, I’m currently content with staying put and re-discovering my love for the Lone Star State.

Particularly Austin and its surroundings, known as the Texas Hill Country.

With coronavirus cases in Texas on the rise, it behooves Texans with a penchant for travel to remain in our hometowns. Even taking a low contact road trip to another part of our vast state presents its share of risks. Such risks can be lessened by following safety protocols specific to preventing the spread of the virus. Social distancing, along with washing your hands and wearing face masks, is proven to be effective. Taking such safety measures is akin to driving carefully — you do it not only for you but for the other drivers sharing the road with you.

Throughout Austin and the neighboring Hill Country, various places of lodging (hotels included), National Parks, museums, and other businesses have been approved by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to reopen. Ultimately, your decision to visit these reopened locales are contingent on your comfort level and personal assessment of risk factors (and how far you’d have to travel to get there).

This is all to say, this guide to ATX and the Hill Country might be relevant to some of you right now. But for the majority of readers, it offers yet another spot to file away for when COVID is better contained.

Stay at the swanky Austin Proper Hotel, Austin, TX

Easily one of the best (and my favorite) luxury hotels in downtown Austin, Proper is committed to keeping guests safe and super comfortable. Out of the 244 rooms and suites, some have a view of Austin’s famous Lady Bird Lake. The hotel hosts The Peacock, an indoor/outdoor restaurant with some of the tastiest Mediterranean eats in town.

You’ll definitely want to sit on the patio since it overlooks Shoal Creek. Who doesn’t like a seat with a view?

COVID Precautions: temperatures are taken at the door before entering the hotel, masks are required in public spaces, and keyless entry is now an option.

Discover new art at West Chelsea Contemporary, Austin, TX

Formerly Russell Collection Fine Art, West Chelsea Contemporary revealed its newly remodeled and rebranded space last month in October. The new vision for the gallery is already off to a great start! Running now through December 31, 2020, is the Concrete to Canvas exhibition — showcasing some of the biggest names in street art. From Banksy and Basquiat to KAWS and Keith Haring, this show pays homage to graffiti, street art, and the artists stemming from these movements. The creative works from the aforementioned artists are rarely shown in Texas, so this is an awesome opportunity for locals to check them out in-person.

COVID Precautions: Guests of the gallery are required to wear face masks at all times. Additionally, hand sanitizer stations, reminders for social distancing, routine cleanings of the entire gallery, and close monitoring of entrances and exits are all part of the safety measures WCC is taking.

Picnic at Mt. Bonnell, Austin, TX

Mount Bonnell, Austin’s crown jewel, is the city’s highest point at 775 feet. It’s been a top attraction since the 1800s. You have to trek up 106 stone stairs – which leaves me winded every time – but it’s worth the effort. Bonnell offers picturesque views of downtown, Lake Austin, and the Hill Country, making it the perfect picnic spot for you and a significant other.

View Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin at Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, TX

Artist Ellsworth Kelly gifted his beautiful final masterpiece, Austin, to the Blanton Museum of Art. An 18-foot totem made from California redwood towers over visitors before entry. The 2,715 sq. ft. stone building features multi-colored mouth-blown glass windows and 14 black and white marble panels. Depending on the time of day you go, you’ll have a different experience of the structure’s ambiance and lighting. If you go in the morning or afternoon on a sunny day, the glass windows project a vivid rainbow of hues across the interior walls.

COVID Precautions: Masks are required by all visitors. Social distancing is enforced. Also, you must secure timed tickets in advance to gain entrance into the museum.

Sleep in the trees at Lofthaven Treehouse, Spicewood, TX

There’s something whimsical about living out your Peter Pan dreams by staying in an actual treehouse. Nestled in the Hill Country, the Lofthaven Treehouse is a yurt built around the trunk of an old cypress tree. If that’s not cool enough for you, there’s the epic bathhouse and kitchenette that rests on a ravine connected to the bedroom by a *gasp* 40-foot suspension bridge.

I’m also struck by the heated waterfall because winters in the Hill Country can be a bit chilly.

Sip the finest from Texas’ unique terroir at Fall Creek Vineyards, Dripping Springs, TX

When you think of wine, perhaps France or California comes to mind first. Well, here in Texas we’re proud of our distinctive terroir and winemaking style. There are over 50 wineries spread throughout the Hill Country, with Fall Creek Vineyards being part of the count. For $20, you can enjoy what they call their “Tasting Experience” which consists of five pre-selected wines. Be sure to give their 2018 Tempranillo a swish and sip.

COVID Precautions: Fall Creek practices six feet of social distancing in their tasting room.

Go underground at Inner Space Cavern, Georgetown, TX

This cave was first discovered in 1963, before it was opened to the public three years later. The cave has beautiful formations and even houses some prehistoric animal bones. One of the coolest things about this underground cavern is it’s constant, year-round 72-degree temperature. No complaints there.

If you’re a true adventurer, you’ll want to do the wild cave tour, which consists of hiking, crawling, and climbing through a maze of formations.

Enjoy a dram at Milam & Greene Distillery, Blanco, TX

If you’re itching for a trip outside of the city and into the Hill Country, Blanco is the place to visit – all the more so if you’re a whiskey drinker. As is the case with the local wine scene, Texas whiskey makers have their own way of creating the brown spirit, thanks in part to the warmer climate.

The quaint town of Blanco is home to Milam & Greene, one of my favorite bourbon and rye whiskey creators. Their tasting room recently reopened and you’re able to purchase bottles and enjoy a delicious cocktail.

COVID Precautions: The distillery is currently operating at 50% indoor capacity and face masks are required.

Get in touch with nature at Jacob’s Well, Wimberly, TX

The awe-inspiring beauty of Jacob’s Well is something to be appreciated every season. In the warmer months (May-September), you can swim in the artesian spring. When cooler months arrive, you can hike the 80 acres of surrounding trails. Jacob’s Well is the second-largest fully submerged cave in Texas with the deepest part of the cavern being 140 feet below sea level.

COVID Precautions: There are guided morning tours that allow a maximum of 10 persons. Everyone is required to wear a face mask for the duration of the tour. Individuals in different families or social groups will be asked to remain socially distanced from other touring guests.

Enjoy whiskey and gin at Still Austin Whiskey Co., Austin, TX

I know, I know. “Didn’t you just list a distillery?”

Sorry, not sorry. I’m a fan of quality, Texas-made booze and Still Austin is among my favorite producers. Their newest grain-to-glass Straight Bourbon Whiskey is as good neat as it is in a craft cocktail.

COVID Precautions: They recently reopened their tasting room at limited capacity and masks must be worn while in the distillery.

Peanuts is no longer trapped merely on Apple’s streaming service, which means for those who don’t own a copy of the classic cartoon Thanksgiving or Christmas specials can still get their holiday fix on network TV this winter. It also may deflect some attention from the tree in Rockefeller Center a bit, too.

Wednesday brought word that Apple, which owns the rights to the Peanuts gang, had struck a deal with PBS to make sure the Charlie Brown holiday specials air on TV after fan outrage that the Halloween special skipped network TV for Apple+. The official Snoopy Twitter account announced an air date on PBS for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

And the vaunted PBS NewsHour shared news that both the Thanksgiving special and Charlie Brown’s beloved Christmas special would also air on PBS in the coming weeks.

There was some considerable outrage when the Peanuts Halloween special was only found on Apple+, as it was the first time since its creation that It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown didn’t air on TV. According to CBS, it’s “too late” for the Halloween special to make sense on broadcast TV this year, but fans without Apple+ will have their chance to watch the other two before the year’s out.

The annual holiday tradition was thrown into question in October, when Apple TV+ made a deal with Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions to be the sole home of the Peanuts’ holiday specials.

But PBS said Wednesday that while it’s too late for “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” the two other holiday specials — “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” — will also air ad-free on PBS and PBS Kids on November 22 and December 13, respectively, at 7:30 p.m. local time/6:30 p.m. CT.

A Change.org petition to get the specials back on broadcast television saw more than a quarter million people sign.

A lot of people here are like family to me,” Michelle says about Bread for the City — a community nonprofit located in Washington DC that provides local residents with food, clothing, health care, social advocacy, and legal services. And since the pandemic began, the need to support organizations like Bread for the City is greater than ever, which is why Amazon is Delivering Smiles to local charities across the country this holiday season.

Watch the full story:

Amazon is giving back by fulfilling hundreds of AmazonSmile Charity Lists, and donating essential pantry and food items to help organizations like Bread for the City provide to those disproportionately impacted this year.

Visit AmazonSmile Charity Lists to donate directly to a local charity in your community, or simply shop smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible products to your charity of choice.

On Thursday morning, Donald Trump tweeted, “Important News Conference today by lawyers on a very clear and viable path to victory. Pieces are very nicely falling into place. RNC at 12:00 P.M.” There’s already so much packed into a single tweet — the uppercase “Important News Conference,” the blatant lie of a “viable path to victory,” etc. — but the best was yet to come. Trump’s lawyers include Rudy Giuliani, who is tasked with challenging Joe Biden’s legal victory in the presidential election, but mostly spends his time screaming next to a sex shop in Philadelphia and quoting My Cousin Vinny.

Giuliani’s press conference was mostly “the same reheated garbage” that we’ve already heard a thousand times before, with one exception: the disgraced former-mayor of New York City busted out of an impression of Joe Pesci’s character from My Cousin Vinny, the 1992 legal-comedy that won Marisa Tomei an Oscar (deservedly so). “Did you all watch My Cousin Vinny? You know the movie? It’s one of my favorite of all movies, because he comes from Brooklyn,” Giuliani said, while he was supposed to be defending Trump’s BS claim of voter fraud. “When the nice lady who said she saw. And then he…”

You know what? Just watch the clip. Rudy’s Pesci impression is too good to describe.

Here’s the clip (which Rudy perfectly described) in question. Would it surprise anyone if Giuliani, who has turned into a real-life George Costanza (if Costanza had worse politics and got duped by Borat), said that he learned everything he knows about the law from watching My Cousin Vinny on cable? It would make a lot of sense, actually. Meanwhile:

Disney is working on two different reboots of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: (1) A Margot Robbie-starring girl-power verison; (2) A Craig Mazin-penned full-on refresh with details yet unknown. Despite all of that (and Disney probably nowhere near interested in touching anything do do with Johnny Depp, after he lost his “wife beater” libel trial against a tabloid in the U.K.), there appears to be a focused fan effort on… getting Depp back into the Pirates universe?

Yeah, it’s a thing (currently a 308K+-signature strong thing) even though it doesn’t sound like a fantastic idea for any studio to cast Depp in a blockbuster. Warner Bros. forced him to exit the Fantastic Beasts franchise following his legal debacle (being described repeatedly as a “monster” in court documents doesn’t bode well). Depp will still receive his full, eight-figure salary for the next film, but apparently, some people still want him to set sail again as Jack Sparrow. Here’s how the Change.org petition presents its case:

Johnny Depp has been out recently as Captain Jack Sparrow. One of the reasons is his personal issues as well.

He has been playing this role since 2003 when we first saw him arriving at the Port Royal in his boat with that epic background music playing. But can you imagine someone else portraying this instead of him? Or no Jack Sparrow at all?

Disney is rebooting Dead Men Tell No Tales because of its box office but don’t they know that without Johnny Depp or Jack Sparrow they will sink, they will never be able to reach that horizon they are looking for.

The campaign further urges followers to boycott the Pirates reboots, and… is this real? The petition certainly exists, but there’s literally no way to verify if all the signatures represent real people, whether they actually exist or are otherwise part of some behind-the-scenes shenanigans.

Meanwhile, Depp appears to be devoted to appealing the U.K. court decision, and he may still push forward with the U.S. defamation case he filed against Heard. Since the U.S. standard for defamation is even tougher to meet than the U.K. one — and based on how Heard never even named Depp in the op-ed that led to his U.S. lawsuit — that seems like an effort that might do Depp even more reputation harm than good.

Following a bizarre commercial which raised many questions and led to the company becoming a meme last year (as well as certain global events that led to a lot more people exercising at home), stationary bike brand Peloton decided to expand their reach by signing a multi-year partnership with Beyonce. After the deal with Bey was officially announced, Jay-Z decided that he’d position himself as a rival by reportedly making a similar move to break into the fitness industry.

Per a report from TMZ, Jay-Z is investing a chunk of his money into the startup brand CLMBR, which is gearing up to launch its first two products. CLMBR is a home equipment company which specializes in vertical climbing machines. The equipment is made to simulate a climbing wall and, much like Peloton, includes a touch screen which offers a range of in-depth workout classes with instructors on-demand.

Further establishing himself as competition, Jay-Z’s fellow CLMBR investors include a name familiar to Bey. The couple’s longtime fitness consultant Marco Borges is financially backing the startup, as well as renowned tennis champion Novak Djokovic and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley.

Jay-Z’s workout equipment endeavor isn’t the only company he’s invested in lately. The rapper recently broke ground on his own brand of cannabis products, Monogram, which seeks to grow high quality strains in small batches.

It’s been a while since we last saw Nelly grace the big screen but the St. Louis sneaker rap pioneer is returning to film in the near future, playing a rock and roll legend in the Bruce Beresford-directed Clear Lake according to Variety. The biopic will tell the story of guitar hero Buddy Holly, the bespectacled 1950s superstar who was killed in a plane crash at just 22 years old.

While Nelly will depict fellow rock Wayfinder Chuck Berry, Colin Hanks will star as Holly’s manager Norman Petty, with Diane Guerrero from Orange Is The New Black as Maria Elena Holly, Buddy’s wife. Variety previously reported that the role of Buddy Holly was given to Irish actor Ruairi O’Connor, best known for his role as Prince Harry Tudor (aka King Henry VIII) in the Starz miniseries The Spanish Princess.

Nelly bounced back this year after being accused of sexual assault in 2018. While he denied the charges, he spent much of 2019 lying low until he was booked as a surprise headliner at J. Cole’s inaugural Dreamville Festival. This spring, he participated in a good-natured Verzuz battle with fellow 2000s hitmaker Ludacris, then joined the cast of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars, where he debuted an eye-catching, custom pair of Jordans. With a new movie role in the works, it seems Nelly is proof that no one is ever really “canceled.”

After a huge breakout in the NBA Bubble, Jimmy Butler has signed a signature shoe deal with Chinese apparel company Li-Ning to become the “face of the brand” in place of fellow Heat icon Dwyane Wade, according to Nick DePaula of ESPN.

Seeing the deal listed as “significant” is great sign for Butler’s pocketbook as he becomes an increasingly prominent face of the league. Butler led the Heat to an unexpected run all the way to Game 6 of the NBA Finals, going toe-to-toe with LeBron James for large parts of the series.

The deal with Li-Ning comes after Butler took his Big Face Coffee brand to the next level through a partnership with Peloton, which developed Big Face merch for Butler to wear in the Bubble. Butler also appeared in a big Michelob Ultra ad spot throughout the NBA playoffs in which he belted out a wonderful rendition of “You Make My Dreams” by Hall and Oates.

Pro hoopers have in many instances recently gone to Chinese brands for apparel and shoe deals as money begins to flow there at an even larger scale and competition increases for deals with American companies like Nike and adidas. Current players like C.J. McCollum and D’Angelo Russell have deals with Li-Ning, while Wade has a lifetime deal with the company.

In a stunning sign of the times, noted capitalist Jim Cramer and Democratic socialist Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez are both in agreement that Donald Trump has doomed millions of Americans by not aggressively pursuing a second round of stimulus funding. Despite the president and his supporters claim that the stock market is doing great, the CNBC host and congresswoman spent Wednesday highlighting the fact that the success of Wall Street has little effect on what’s happening on Main Streets across America where small business are folding and people are struggling to find work.

Cramer was the first to tackle the dire situation on CNBC’s Halftime Report, where he blasted Trump and government officials for failing to pass a new COVID stimulus package. “I really hate to say this, but I think that Congress has doomed so many companies,” Cramer said. “The president has doomed so many companies.” According to Cramer, independent businesses will not survive the pandemic, which will leave nothing but large chains like Walmart, Target, and Olive Garden:

“I think a lot of these companies… have picked up just a giant amount of allegiance. I do think that these companies have wiped out a lot of smaller companies because there’s no stimulus,” the “Mad Money” host said. Those business, he added, “don’t have credit lines. You can’t keep up. They’re the empty storefronts of the country.”

Later that day, AOC echoed Cramer’s remarks after learning that the administration is using the stock market as an excuse not to rush a second round of stimulus funds even as COVID cases continue to rapidly spike.

“30 million people in this country are at risk of eviction,” AOC tweeted. “Millions of people are unemployed or underemployed from cut-back hours. The economy is not the stock market. We are NOT doing fine. People need help in red states and blue, & our job is to help everyone. This is basic.”

If AOC and the host of Mad Money are in agreement on government spending, that seems like a pretty good sign that a second round of stimulus funds has transcended partisan politics and needs to happen for the good of the country.

(Via AOC on Twitter, CNBC)