In an interview from a few days ago, Nicolas Cage said that he gets mistaken for musician Nick Cave just about daily. Now, Cave has shared his perspective on their similar names, as well as a terrific story about one time he was mistaken for Cage.
In his The Red Hand Files newsletter, he told a story about being at a bar in São Paulo and meeting a man named Diego. Cave is a great storyteller, so here’s him recounting the tale:
“As he asked me my name, the barman leaned over and said to him, ‘Dude, you’re talking to f*cking Nick Cave!’ Diego suddenly became super-animated, jumping around on his stool, saying that he loved me, that he was my greatest fan, and so on and so forth. He kept looking at me, then at his drink, shaking his head in wonder and saying, ‘Nick Cave. F*cking Nick Cave.’ Anyway, we sat there talking for a couple of hours, getting completely pissed, and then Diego started to turn maudlin. I asked him again if he was alright, and he burst into tears and said, ‘My wife kicked me out. Told me never to come back. She says she hates me.’ I was drunk, so I hugged him and asked, ‘Why does she hate you?’ He said, ‘She thinks I’m stupid.’ Then he pointed at me and said, ‘But she f*cking loves you. Just completely loves you.’ I said, ‘Really?’ He replied, ‘Yeah, Peggy Sue Got Married is her favourite film. She’s watched it like a hundred times.’ Then Diego started crying again. I was about to explain that he’d made a mistake and mixed me up with the actor, Nicolas Cage, but he looked up at me with such a pitiful mixture of tragedy and wonder that I didn’t have the heart. ‘She just loves you, man,’ he said. Then he asked me about my acting career. I said something like, ‘I’m just an ordinary person like you. Hollywood is not all it’s cracked up to be. It can be a cruel place. It gets lonely sometimes,’ and so on. After a while, I began to warm to my theme. I told him that making Raising Arizona was the most extraordinary experience and a highpoint in my career, that John Goodman was a fascinating and complex character, and how it was a real privilege to work with the Coen brothers and that they were ‘masters of their craft’ and all this bullsh*t. Eventually, Diego decided he should go back home and tell his wife, Ana, that he’d met her favourite actor, and that Nick Cave says he’s not stupid, and that he’s a good guy. Then he suggested that I come home with him and put in a good word. I tried to dissuade him, telling him that it was impossible as I had to be on a movie set early in the morning. Eventually, he relented, and instead we got a pen and a piece of paper from the barman, and I wrote —
Dear Ana, Diego is not stupid. He’s a good guy. Love, Nic Cage.
Diego hugged and kissed me and stumbled out of the door, waving the note in his hand. The barman leaned over and said, ‘His wife’s got a point.’”
In a 2022 newsletter, Cave also wrote about the time he actually met Cage, and that’s also a pretty terrific story that’s told engagingly, so find that here.
The Boys debuted near the tail end of the MCU’s better days, and Prime Video/Amazon‘s Bad Supe franchise is still going strong as James Gunn’s DCU takes shape. However, The Boys is winding down while the Gen V spin off is now firmly established with prequel series Vought Rising in the works. Before that show launches, we gotta see Homelander lose it for good, so let’s talk about how The Boys‘ fifth season might torture his psyche and more.
Plot
Amazon
To be perfectly blunt, Amazon has managed to reveal almost nothing about this final season’s plot. As showrunner, Kripke has also revealed that filming began last November with scripts only half written. He stressed that this isn’t uncommon for the satiric, superhero-skewering show since current events have forced last minute changes, so even if concrete plot hints had dropped, they could completely change by air time.
However, we can take some semi-educated guesses. Plot armor is now gone, so anybody and everybody could croak. Yay? Also, Butcher is likely working out how to use the virus as a weapon of mass destruction. Starlight and A-Train re the Supes most likely to free Hughie, MM, Kimiko, and Frenchie. Homelander has so many enemies, and that list has grown since he became de facto U.S. president. He will be beholden to Sister Sage, and it would be amazing if she turned on him and helped to take him out. For that matter, a satisfying Homie obliteration could come from Butcher, Ashley, Soldier Boy, Hughie, and others, but Eric Kripke (while speaking with TV Insider) has also made it sound like he remains his own worst enemy while really wanting Soldier Boy to come through as his father:
“Yeah, no, he is. The thing about Homelander — and I was just talking to Antony about this yesterday — is it’s sort of tragic, actually, but ultimately, the guy just wants someone to love him. He tries amassing all of this power just so someone somewhere will love him, but they’re all scared of him because of all that power. And I think the same goes for Soldier Boy… [Homelander] just wants a dad to love him and be proud of him. And without spoiling anything in Season 5, I would say, because the revelation that Soldier Boy was his father came so late in Season 3, we never really got the chance to play it, but actually playing this father-son relationship between those two characters, there’s a lot of material to mine there and a lot of fraught emotional turns. So we’re able to dig into that in Season 5, and it has been a blast watching those two actors play off each other in the dailies.”
Then there’s the Supernatural reunion of Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy being thawed out after bringing Homie to tears upon discovery. Kripke recently weighed in with TV Insider on how these characters cross paths:
Behind the scenes, the fun has already been captured as Kripke shares, “It’s a blast. We already shot it.” And for anyone wondering which actors will share the screen with one another, Kripke adds, “I will confirm that Jared, Jensen, and Misha are all in the same frame together, and in the same storyline, and interacting with each other.”
Another major question remains: what will Ashley be like as a Supe? The last season finale featured her possibly Hulking out after taking Compound V in sheer desperation. The resulting transformation looked painful for her and showed her scalp beginning to pulsate. Colby Minifie has admitted that she hopes this is “humiliating” for Ashley:
“As we’ve seen, when V first enters your body, the historic visual on the show is that it enters your bloodstream and things start happening in your blood, and it takes over your body. So what we’re hinting at is something’s going to happen! We don’t know if she survives or dies, but I have pitched some things of what her superpower could be — they’re all humiliating. I don’t know what they’re gonna do, or how they’ll see that to fruition. But it will be something crazy.”
A fitting possibility includes “super hair” akin to Medusa. After Homelander made Ashley’s hair fall out from stress (and then he publicly dragged her for being bald), those snakes would be an incredible way to squeeze him into submission. Hey, somebody needs to do this.
Cast
At this moment, the official lineup of The Seven includes Antony Starr (Homelander), Chace Crawford (Deep), Susan Heyward (Sister Sage), Nathan Mitchell (Black Noir), and Valorie Curry (Firecracker). Yup, that’s only Five, but A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) recently left the building and will be part of the fifth season, surely behind enemy lines. The same goes for Starlight (Erin Moriarty) officially being part of the rebellion. Other confirmed The Seven-tangential returns include Colbie Minifie (as Supe-d up Ashley) and Homelander’s son, Ryan (Cameron Crovetti). Meanwhile, Daveed Diggs nabbed a secret role.
Also, showrunner Eric Kripke’s Supernatural reunion is adding Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins (who knows what roles?) to the existing equation of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s imaginary Joe Kessler and Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, who will also be warming up for Vought Rising.
Detained rebels will include Jack Quaid (Hughie), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko), and Tomer Capone (Frenchie). Where is Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher? Working on a dastardly plan with that Supe virus in tow when Urban isn’t exercising middle fingers on-set with Quaid for funsies.
We can also plan on seeing ghostly Becca Butcher (Shantel Van Santen) and potential returns from Cindy (Ess Hödlmoser) and Gen V‘s Sam (Asa Germann) and Cate (Maddie Phillips).
Release Date
Gen V will return in Summer 2025, and The Boys will return sometime in 2026. From there, Vought Rising will probably arrive in 2027, and The Boys: Mexico (with Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal) remains “a while away” from an official greenlight, according to Eric Kripke.
Trailer
We won’t see a trailer until after Gen V‘s next season surfaces, but it’s worth reliving the moment when an unimpressed Sister Sage unsettled Homelander while he recruited her for The Seven.
Megan Thee Stallion doesn’t just watch anime. She’s also a fan of Grey’s Anatomy. Or Killing Eve. Or maybe Sideways. Something with Sandra Oh in it, based on her reaction to meeting the actress at the 2025 Gold House Gold Gala on Saturday (May 10) at the Music Center in Los Angeles.
“You’ll never believe who I just seen,” Megan Thee Stallion said while standing next to Oh. “Bam! Oh my god! The icon, the legend. Wow! Come kill me. Whoa!” The “Whenever” rapper added that her “whole year’s made” and that she finally feels “famous.”
If only Meg had turned around at that moment and seen someone whose star power is greater than hers and Oh’s combined. I won’t spoil the surprise, but trust me, it’s worth watching the video.
Megan Thee Stallion also recently attended the 2025 Met Gala, where she broke the event’s “no phones” policy. “We are trying food at the Met,” Megan said in the video, which also features basketball player Angel Reese and rapper Doechii. They sampled white truffle lobster rolls, hamachi, vegan lox, and truffle chopped cheese, as prepared by chef Kwame Onwuachi. Their favorite? The cornbread with caviar. “We went in three times,” Reese said.
YouTuber Alex Warren is rapidly rising in popularity — and on the charts. His song “Ordinary” has already topped the Billboard Global 200, and has peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, earning him a surprise appearance at Stagecoach alongside Jelly Roll and an extension of his ongoing Cheaper Than Therapy Tour. 15 new dates have been added, picking up in August after the conclusion of the tour’s first US leg in June. Added dates include stops in San Diego, Hawaii, three dates in Florida, and both Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.
Presale for tickets begins Wednesday, May 14 at 10am local time, while the general sale begins on Friday, May 16 at 10am local time. You can sign up for presale here, or get the general sale tickets on LiveNation.com. See below for the mew tour dates.
08/09 – San Diego, CA @ Frontwave Arena
08/14 – Honolulu, HI @ Waikiki Shell
09/23 – Indianapolis, IN @ Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
09/25 – Richmond, VA @ Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
09/30 – Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
10/01 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater
10/03 – North Charleston, SC @ Firefly Distillery
10/04 – Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place
10/05 – Orlando, FL @ Addition Financial Arena
10/08 – Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live
10/10 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
10/11 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheatre
10/12 – St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena
10/14 – Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
10/15 – Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live!
Remember McDonald’s Chicken Selects? I’ll confess that I don’t. But for years, fans of the Golden Arches have been asking to bring back these chicken strips. The Chicken Selects were the same chicken used in McDonald’s discontinued Snack Wrap, which I have a vague memory of eating. But both of those menu items have been off the menu for 12 years.
12 years in fast food feels impossibly long, so the fact that so many people are itching for the return of the Chicken Selects fascinates me. How do ya’ll remember? Are you sure what you tasted was as good as what your hazy, nostalgia-filled memory purports it to be?
This same conversation is playing out in a different key over on the McDonald’s Reddit board, where McDonald’s fans are already complaining that the brand’s new McCrispy Strips (the first new permanent McDonald’s menu item in four years) aren’t nearly as good as the old Chicken Selects.
I have no allegiance to the Chicken Select, but consider me intrigued. I love chicken strips, they are inarguably one of fast food’s most popular foods currently, so I welcome any new strip, tender — or whatever the hell a Burger King Chicken Fry is supposed to be — with open arms. Here is my verdict!
McCrispy Strips
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
If you were worried that the McCrispy Strips were going to be some elongated form of the McNugget, it is thankfully not that. This is real chicken breast meat, heavily breaded, coated, and fried to a perfect golden brown.
When I bit into this strip, I was greeted by a pleasing, audible crunch, so points to McDonald’s on the texture here. These are crispy, crunchy, and the breading, which is heavily seasoned with black pepper, soaks up the savory and tangy flavor of McDonald’s new Creamy Chili Dip perfectly.
Unfortunately, that’s about the only nice thing I can say about the McCrispy Strips. Outside of the texture, I’m just not getting a lot here. The chicken meat isn’t tender or succulent like Raising Cane’s or Chick-fil-A; instead, the meat flakes in this weird and unappetizing way. It’s not dry by any means, but it’s not juicy either. It tastes a lot like — unsurprisingly — McDonald’s McCrispy sandwich, just cut into more bite-sized pieces.
We wouldn’t go as far as saying the McCrispy Strips are bad; they’re fine, but this is the first permanent menu item to hit the menu in four years. Shouldn’t they be better?
The Bottom Line:
The McCrispy Strips are clearly designed to be a staple order — the idea here isn’t to replace your McNuggets (which work way better as a side than a main meal) but rather, serve as an alternate option to a Quarter Pounder, Big Mac, or McCrispy Chicken sandwich. They aren’t good enough to compete with the burger lineup, but we’d take these over a McCrispy Chicken sandwich any day, if only because they are way easier to dip.
There’s two kinds of nostalgia: firsthand and secondhand. Secondhand nostalgia is having warm, fuzzy feelings for something you haven’t personally experienced yourself; it’s a longing, “those were the days” fondness for the old-school Pizza Hut buffet when you’ve only ever used the Domino’s Tracker. Meanwhile, firsthand nostalgia is the more direct Webster’s-Dictionary-defines meaning of the term: “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition.”
PinkPantheress makes secondhand nostalgia sound firsthand.
The (tall!) British artist released her new mixtape, Fancy That, last Friday. Over the course of 20 bubbly minutes, PinkPantheress builds a 1990s/2000s soundscape around her modern, candy-rush songs. She’s a crate digger in a digital era. There’s “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?” by Hot Topic emo group Panic! At The Disco on the throbbing “Tonight.” The skittering “Girl Like Me” is driven by a pair of songs from electronic music duo Basement Jaxxx, “Romeo” and “Always Be There,” while “Stateside” is a banging recontextualization of Adina Howard’s R&B-meets-G-funk hit “Freak Like Me.”
Fancy That also features UK favorites The Streets, Underworld, Groove Armada, Sugababes, Just Jack, and William Orbit, while her breakout hit, 2021’s “Pain,” introduced Sweet Female Attitude to a new generation — a generation that, it’s worth pointing out, PinkPantheress is part of.
PinkPantheress was born in 2001, seven years after Basement Jaxx formed. But this era, along with 1990s drum and bass and late 2000s pop-punk (she’s a huge Paramore fan), speaks to her for the same reason that millennials look back at the 1980s through rose-colored glasses.
“When people look at the fashion or aesthetics [of the 2000s], and the culture, and the way people just cared a lot less than they do now, I think that really appeals to them,” she theorized to Sniffers. “I guess reviving it is the only way we can really imagine ourselves in that time.”
PinkPantheress’ revival of the 2000s on Fancy That takes the form of indie-pop breathy vocals and radio-ready hooks supported by sampled songs. But the time capsule approach is never nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s her way of “sharing a love for something and reinterpreting it,” she explained to Mixmag. “I would only sample something I love, I would never sample something for the thought of it having nostalgia-bait or whatever reason. I do it because I want to reinterpret something I love to different audiences.”
Listening to PinkPantheress makes me feel comforted by the past and excited about the present. Here’s some of her finest sampling work.
“Pain”
Sample: “Flowers” by Sweet Female Attitude
“Attracted To You”
Sample: “Starz In Their Eyes” by Just Jack
“Noticed I Cried”
Sample: “And Yet…” by Signaldrift
“Last Valentines”
Sample: “Forgotten” by Linkin Park
“Where You Are”
Sample: “Never Let This Go” by Paramore
“Tonight”
Sample: “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?” by Panic! At The Disco
“Noises”
Sample: “Suntoucher” by Groove Armada
“Girl Like Me”
Sample(s): “Romeo” and “Always Be There” by Basement Jaxx
Fancy That is out now via Warner Records. Find more information here.
Halsey has launched her For My Last Trick tour, which kicked off at the Toyota Pavilion in Concord, California this past weekend. It’s not just Halsey, as she’s joined on the road by Magdalena Bay, Alvvays, Evanescence, Del Water Gap, The Warning, Hope Tala, Sir Chloe, Royel Otis, Flowerovlove, and Alemeda.
Ahead of the tour, Halsey shared a message about the setlist (as Stereogum notes), writing:
“This tour is going to be a little bit different.
Each song was carefully selected. For good reason. There will be many moments where you’re not so sure, but the person next to you is screaming. And some where your neighbor just doesn’t get it, but I’m playing the song you crossed your fingers you’d hear.
Don’t trust the moon. She’s always changing.
It’s a lot. Compiling a career that has spanned so many shapes, sounds, sizes, and sentiments. To be the joke and be in on the joke, all the same.
This is something special. I can feel it. The very first of my very last tricks, Starts tomorrow.”
Find the setlist and Halsey’s upcoming tour dates below.
Halsey’s For My Last Trick Tour Setlist
1. “Darwinism”
2. “Bad At Love”
3. “Alone”
4. “Lucky”
5. “Dog Years”
6. “I Am Not A Woman, I’m A God”
7. “Control”
8. “Lilith”
9. “Angel On Fire”
10. “Arsonist”
11. “Panic Attack”
12. “Graveyard”
13. “Only Living Girl In LA”
14. “Lonely Is The Muse”
15. “You Should Be Sad”
16. “Colors”
17. “Closer” (The Chainsmokers cover)
18. “Drive”
19. “Gasoline”
20. “Alice Of The Upper Class”
21. “Nightmare” (encore)
22. “Without Me” (encore)
23. “The Great Impersonator” (encore)
Halsey’s 2024 Tour Dates: Halsey: For My Last Trick
05/12 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre =~
05/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl +~
05/17 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion =~
05/18 — Durant, OK @ Choctaw Grand Theater ~
05/19 — Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP ~
05/21 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater ~
05/22 — Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre ^~
05/24 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre ^~
05/25 — Hollywood, FL @ Hard Rock Live ^~
05/28 — Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion ^$
05/29 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park ^$
05/31 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live ^$
06/01 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater ^$
06/03 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center ^`
06/04 — Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheater `$
06/06 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center ^`
06/07 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion ^$
06/08 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Arena `$
06/10 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage &`
06/11 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre &`
06/13 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center &`
06/14 — Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake `#
06/17 — Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island `#
06/18 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre %#
06/20 — Somerset, WI @ Somerset Amphitheater %#
06/22 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre %#
06/24 — West Valley City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre %#
06/26 — Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater %#
06/28 — Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre %#
07/05 — Lincoln, CA @ The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort !
07/06 — Highland, CA @ Yaamava’ Theater!
= with Del Water Gap
~ with The Warning
+ with Evanescence
^ with Alvvays
$ with Hope Tala
& with Royel Otis
` with Sir Chloe
# with flowerovlove
% with Magdalena Bay
! with Alemeda
With so many brand-new whiskey expressions hitting liquor store shelves week after week, it can be hard to know what’s really worth a splurge. I get it. That’s exactly why, here at UPROXX, we round up the best of the best each month so that you know what new whiskeys actually deserve your attention.
Below, you’ll find all of the best new bourbon, rye, Scotch, and American Single Malt whiskeys that are new in stores for the month of May. Be sure to take a close look at the tasting notes to find the flavor profiles that are most appealing to your palate, and feel free to click the price so you can add some of these beauties to your collection. Some are limited editions that won’t last long, so you’ll want to act fast. (FYI, these aren’t affiliate links, I’m just trying to help you out!)
Now, without further delay, let’s get down to the business of tasting and ranking all of the best new whiskeys you should be chasing this month!
Nicknamed the “Number One” release, this 12-year and 10-month bourbon from Bhakta was finished for an extensive 12 months in Armagnac casks. Comprised of just 11 barrels, this is a limited release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You get subtle notes of brown sugar and cooked dates on the nose of this whiskey right away. It’s clear the Armagnac is seizing the lead as it dances between vanilla pods and milk chocolate, with outright oak notes somewhere further off in the distance.
Palate: Licorice, black pepper, and red raisins leap from the glass onto your palate with the initial sip of this whiskey. The licorice note in particular was unexpected, and it grows in prominence on the second sip, though brown sugar, plums, and blanched red pepper notes aid it.
Finish: The finish is medium length and is carried by a viscous mouthfeel and the flavor of oak, dark chocolate, and a final kiss of star anise.
Bottom Line:
This polarizing bottle will excite those who love black jellybeans, star anise, and honeyed licorice root tea. For everyone else, it may be a bit of a puzzling pour, but with so many interesting notes dancing at the periphery of the sweet, herbaceous center, it’s hard to deny that this is an interesting albeit atypical bottle of bourbon.
Distilled and bottled in Indiana, and coming from a 99% corn and 1% malted barley recipe, is this new bourbon release from Old Hamer. Aged for an impressive 10 years, this sourced whiskey spent its life maturing in charred, new oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This whiskey opens with a strong powdered sugar and corn pudding note, with some Rainier cherries and faint eau de vie notes. It’s a decidedly sweet set of aromas, but with the maturity and restrained richness that a decade resting in new oak can impart.
Palate: The first thing that stands out is its heavy mouthfeel. This whiskey has a dense texture that pairs well with the strong hit of sweetness that kisses the tip of the tongue with cinnamon, red apples, corn syrup, and white pepper. There’s a bit of barrel char and a heavy vanilla character at the back end as well.
Finish: The finish is brief, but becomes cloyingly sweet with vanilla and barrel char representing the primary flavors. There’s also some cinnamon, golden raisins, and nougat to round things out.
Bottom Line:
Old Hamer 10 is an impressive whiskey in several ways: notably for its viscous mouthfeel and atypical flavor profile. Unfortunately, these positives are overshadowed by the intensity of its sweetness and a brief finish that keeps this one just a shade short of the mark.
Whiskey JYPSI’s Tribute Double Barreled Bourbon uses revived Cherokee White Corn in its grain recipe before distilling it and aging it for at least four years. Once that bourbon is aged to their liking, it undergoes a finishing process in new American oak barrels for 3-6 months at a lower proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Jypsi Tribute whiskey opens with cherry candy notes, sandalwood, and allspice. It’s an intriguing base that soon leads to an infusion of vanilla and oak notes.
Palate: The palate continues the impression made by the nosing notes, as the flavor of cherry Luden’s cough drops combines with Red Vines, allspice, and oak. The texture is fairly unremarkable, and it lacks a dynamic flavor profile, but it’s a rather harmonious one that’s enjoyable to drink.
Finish: The brief finish simply recalibrates the three core notes with oak and allspice dialed up, and the sweet cherry cough drop note turned down.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the simpler whiskeys I’ve had in a while, but rather than being a bad thing, it just makes one pay closer attention to each note, and all of them are fairly well-developed. For a simplistic, straightforward sipper, this one does have a bit of spice to challenge the palate, but overall it’s just an easy-drinking bottle, which I enjoyed.
17. Woodinville Straight Bourbon Finished in Tequila Barrels
Woodinville Straight Bourbon Finished in Tequila Barrels is a product of head distiller and co-founder Brett Carlile’s wildest dreams. It’s a concept he had always wanted to explore, and after tinkering around, he landed on this final product. While it’s non-age stated, this bourbon was matured for at least five years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There are floral notes and hints of juniper on the nose at first, which is to be expected, but also some sage, caramel, and palo santo. I’ve always found Woodinville’s bourbons to be full of unexpected notes like coconuts and milk chocolate, and given some time to settle in the glass, those aroma notes are certainly there and play well with the others.
Palate: On the palate, this begins like Woodinville’s base bourbon, but it evolves to include some notes of bubblegum, oranges, sage, and Tahitian vanilla. The Tequila barrel’s influence is evident without being heavy-handed, as the juniper from the aroma notes is faint and presents itself as more of a floral aspect on the tongue.
Finish: The succinct finish is where the tequila barrels’ influence is most obvious, as white flowers, black pepper, youthful oak, and faint citrus notes close out the impressive pour with a slightly dry, Chardonnay-like climax.
Bottom Line:
As someone who appreciates agave spirits and adores American whiskey, I’ve seldom seen the two play nice in a single bottle. What makes each spirit so great can often get lost when attempted in a union, but Woodinville’s latest offering is here to challenge that notion. Continuing a string of increasingly impressive bourbons with a tequila-cask finish, this one certainly ranks among the best of them, transcending its lot in life to be not just a passable effort but an impressive one.
It seems like New Riff is really leaning into an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to its Single Malt whiskeys, and I’m here for it. This year’s blend features a combination of three mashbills with whiskey aged up to 10 years and finished in six different casks. It becomes challenging to track all the specifications, but suffice it to say that it includes Maris Otter Malt and Scottish Peated Malted Barley, with casks that include ex-Bourbon, Madeira, Oloroso Sherry, Red wine, and others.
The end result is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Mesquite woodchips, orange blossom, sandalwood, and juicy apples come tumbling out of the glass as soon as this whiskey is poured. It has some of the hallmarks of smaller barrel maturation, though it isn’t immediately clear if anything other than 53-gallon barrels were deployed in this meticulously crafted blend.
Palate: Once this whiskey passes the lips and hits your palate, those nosing notes all stand true. It’s an, at first, confounding melange of cask-influenced flavors that soon smooths out to reveal juicy apples, mesquite woodchips, and blood oranges. The flavor of oak also begins to settle in at midpalate and influences the taste as this whiskey takes a turn towards the finish.
Finish:
The finish is medium-length and slightly tart, with flavors of blood oranges and BBQ rub, leaving an impression of oak and black pepper spice that closes things out.
Bottom Line:
While New Riff’s initial Single Malt offering was a light affair with a ton of sweet top notes, this expression delves more deeply into the savory side of the flavor spectrum. The results here are, frankly, a bit mixed, but despite requiring some time in the glass to coalesce, this is still a delightful expression that allows you to taste a ton of different flavors, muddled though they may be.
For this 25th Anniversary Edition of Compass Box Flaming Heart, 8th in the series, lead whiskymaker James Saxon is bottling a non-chill filtered expression that produced exactly 9,384 bottles. The components include liquid from Talisker, Benrinnes, and Laphroaig distilleries with “Williamson” Islay Malt in the mix as well.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Initially, the nose is met with waves of lime rind, brown sugared peaches, mesquite woodchips, faint milk chocolate, and torched mango skin. The nose on this whiskey is really rich, and keeps you going back to the glass to unlock new layers.
Palate: The palate opens on an austere note of peat smoke, mesquite wood chips, and nougat, before revealing pink peppercorns, peaches, cayenne, black pepper, and candied lime peels.
Finish: The lengthy finish is almost chalky in texture, and it closes with brushed smoke, butterscotch, BBQ rub, hints of raspberry, and lime pith.
Bottom Line:
This is a deceptively delicious whiskey that, while not as harmonious as one would like, manages to surprise and delight all the same. I’ll be reaching for repeat glasses of this one and appreciating its jagged edges just as much as its rich chunks of unexpected tastiness.
14. Ardbeg Eureka Committee Release Single Malt Scotch 2025
The Ardbeg Committee is celebrating 25 years. To honor that milestone, the brand is releasing Eureka!, a marriage of Pedro Ximinez sherry casks and roasted malt whiskey matured in ex-bourbon casks and offered at 52.2% alcohol strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Gentle whisps of smoke emanate from the glass in lockstep with touches of stewed apple, dates, and model glue before beseeching the onset of golden raisins, sherried mushrooms, and dark chocolate. It’s an earthy and alluring aroma profile with hints of honey roasted peanuts poking through on the back end.
Palate: As it was on the nose, the smoke wafts over the tongue at first with stewed apples, raisins, dark chocolate, black pepper, and cinnamon bark following closely behind. Hints of leather and tobacco leaves crop up at midpalate before touches of toasted barley and nuttiness lead the way to the finish.
Finish: On the finish, which is pleasantly lengthy, lends itself to flavors of wet tobacco leaf, black pepper, and hazelnut spread.
Bottom Line:
Ardbeg Eureka is a full-bodied whisky with a lot to offer on the front end before losing its bearing a bit as it barrels through the finish. No matter, though. It does enough to impress you with its brash interplay of fruit and smoke notes that it still manages to be a winner once it’s all said and done.
13. Mellwood Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky Bottled In Bond
This revived brand from the Pursuit Spirits crew was created to honor George W. Swearingen’s Mellwood Distillery, which dates its founding way back to 1865. This contemporary version is made according to bottled-in-bond specifications as a nod to Rudolph F. Balke, President of the original Mellwood Distillery Company, who played an instrumental role in passing 1897’s Bottled In Bond Act.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honeyed cornbread and red pepper flakes make a stunning initial impression as the grain-forward aspects mingle with stewed Bartlett pears, youthful oak, and orange sugar candy straws.
Palate: The palate detonates with a big pop of vanilla on the front end and an assertive punch of molasses that haunts the back of the mouth and plants a flag behind your molars. In the middle are the flavors of nutmeg, dry cedar, walnuts, and cacao nibs.
Finish: The finish introduces green apples and black pepper spice to the party, succinctly closing with a touch of chewing tobacco leaf and rum-soaked prunes.
Bottom Line:
Pursuit Spirits came out of left field with two surprise, 375ml expressions earlier this spring, with Mellwood being one of them and Derby City being the other. While we’ve highlighted the impressiveness of the cask strength Derby City elsewhere, you shouldn’t sleep on this bottled-in-bond offering either. At this point, it should be evident to anyone paying attention that Pursuit Spirits knows good whiskey, and this one is just further proof of that fact.
12. River City Whiskey Willow Lawn Double Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is just the second release from River City Whiskey, and after the success of its maiden voyage, I’m eager to ride the wave with this one. This bourbon, dubbed “Willow Lawn,” originated in Indiana and matured for nine years before being finished in a second barrel for an undisclosed period.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This whiskey opens with brown butter, pie crust, and delicate orange pith and vanilla pod notes. There’s even the impression of a tropical fruit, like grilled pineapple beating at the heart of each whiff. Over time, as the whiskey settles, you begin to detect notes of coconuts, s’mores, and an intriguing butterscotch aspect, which I often find in bourbon finished with a toasted cask.
Palate: On the palate, this one reveals a classic double-oaked flavor profile with dense oak tones immediately present along with toffee, toasted marshmallows, candied apricots, black pepper, oregano, and brown sugar. It’s a tightly packed flavor profile that matches its heavy mouthfeel, before tapering off a bit towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium-length and has hints of mocha, dark chocolate, and barrel char, along with some vanilla, black pepper, and toffee as it slowly sizzles away.
Bottom Line:
After its stunning debut, River City Whiskey is back with its second offering: this Double Barrel Bourbon dubbed “Willow Lawn.” It has some impressive turns, and while it doesn’t flow as harmoniously as their inaugural release, those who are taken by the concentrated charms of double-barrel bourbon will find a lot to like in this expression.
Chicken Cock has upped their game. Building on their already fantastic 8-year-old Double Oak Bourbon, the brand returned to the drawing board and aged the whiskey for an additional two years to extract even more flavor. It was then proofed with Kentucky limestone water and bottled at 92-proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is effusive with notes of crème brûlée, Madagascan vanilla, and candied orange peels before demurring to notes of pie crust, bright red cherries, and faint menthol aromas. It’s a complete, lush aroma profile that defies expectations and really draws you into the well-developed confectionary notes.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is awash with vanilla, green apples, and pie crust notes at first. The vanilla and green apple tones linger to midpalate, where golden raisins, black pepper, and figs start to make an appearance alongside a touch of mint, butterscotch, and barrel char.
Finish: The finish is full of prickly black pepper spice, creme brulee, and more mint notes. It’s a bit brief, and a surprising set of flavors to end on, but neither of those facts truly mars the overall experience.
Bottom Line:
From start to finish, this whiskey completely surprised me. It was far more vibrant and full of light, sweet notes on the nose and palate than I expected, and even as it leaned more heavily into those barrel-driven notes of black pepper and barrel char on the finish, its allure never diminished. It’s still a bit rough around the edges and goes from 0-100 rather quickly with its spice-laden climax, but all the same, this is a must-try expression.
For a brand that has historically been slow to innovate, Maker’s Mark sure hasn’t been shy about kicking out new products in recent years. The legacy distillery’s latest innovation fits the general shape of their previous output while completely reimagining it. The brand’s first-ever wheat whisky is aged for 7-8 years, is bottled at cask strength, and comes from a blend of two mash bills: one with 70% soft red winter wheat and 30% malted barley, and the other with 100% malted soft red winter wheat.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is evocative of gingerbread with a bit of barrel spice elevating further notes of butterscotch, golden raisins, and cloves.
Palate: In the mouth, Star Hill Farm Whisky carries a lot of the traditional notes found in Maker’s Mark, but with more edge and leaner shoulders. Notes of Chelan cherries, honeysuckle, baked apples, nutmeg, and dark chocolate stand tall.
Finish: The finish on this whiskey is medium-length, but prickly, which helps to punctuate flavors like honey, hay, baked apples, and earthy cinnamon bark.
Bottom Line:
What’s more shocking than Maker’s Mark releasing its first new mash bill in brand history is that it took so long. With wheat already playing a starring role in their production, a wheat whisky fits the overall DNA of the brand. It also gives them an interesting lever to pull as they usher in a new era of innovation. You don’t want to miss the boat, because if this bottle is a peek into the future, then the future is bright in Loretto, Kentucky.
This single-barrel product from Michter’s is bottled at barrel proof only after being subjected to the brand’s proprietary filtration process. While most other brands take a “one size fits all” approach to filtration, Michter’s is different in that they use a custom filter for every single one of their expressions and even update those filtration specs from year to year. The results speak for themselves.
The bottling strength of this 2025 release ranged from as low as 107.4 proof (53.7% ABV) to as high as 115.2 proof (57.6 %ABV).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is elegant. It sings with white flowers and oak before mint and allspice join the party, bringing along hints of caramel, vanilla custard, and cardamom. It’s a harmonious, rich aroma profile.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey becomes a bit rougher around the edges. Those spice notes are dialed up while the white flowers and caramel are more subdued, which allows space for brown sugar, barrel char, and vanilla custard flavors to come tumbling over your tongue and rushing up the roof of the mouth.
Finish: The finish is lengthy and full of rye spice, peppercorns, caramel and cardamom, before ending off with a faint twist of cinnamon bark and barrel char.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s pretty much never misses. This year’s Barrel Proof Rye is as dynamic as ever, sanding off some of the rough edges that have made previous expressions so spicy. This one is a credit to the continued tireless work being done by the distillery to keep creating and recreating the best whiskey on the planet.
The Vinyl Blend, sixth in 2XO’s Icon Series, was created to honor their founder’s love of music. This is a non-age stated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that is brought down to 104 proof from its original cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of cinnamon bark and smoked cherries, as though they were plucked out of a smoked Old Fashioned, strikes the nose at first. From there, notes of flan, rich oak, and leather flesh out the aroma profile.
Palate: There’s a ton of caramel on the tip of the tongue with this one, and that heavy wave of sweetness brings Madagascan vanilla, earthy raw cinnamon, and barrel char along for the ride. While the volume on the caramel is dialed way up, throwing it out of tune with the other notes, the supporting cast is up to the task of enhancing those top notes as black pepper and smoked cherry notes rise up along the jawline with some tobacco leaf accents opening the door for the finish.
Finish: The medium-length finish isn’t as put-together as I’d like, with the cacophony at midpalate continuing. That said, once your palate gets acclimated to all those notes playing at once, it does begin to smooth out, making each successive sip better than the last.
Bottom Line:
2XO’s Vinyl Blend is big on flavor and arguably quite bold texturally, yet somehow it all comes together and smooths out as you continue to enjoy your glass. With the natural parallel to music being drawn, this one is reminiscent of some of Ornette Coleman’s more experimental work, seemingly complex and aggressive at first, before the underlying beauty of the selection begins to make perfect sense.
Blackwood Distilling has only previously put out cask-strength versions of its popular toasted bourbons and ryes, but new for 2025 are proofed-down versions of both. Brought to bottling proof using soft Kentucky limestone water, this 7-year expression hails from Indiana, utilizing MGP’s 95/5 rye recipe before being finished in toasted casks to impart extra flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one is full of bright barrel spice and restrained floral notes, with honeysuckle and fresh mint combining with black pepper, butterscotch, and vanilla bean aromas.
Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey really shows off its vibrancy as the flavors of toasted oak and butterscotch entice the tongue. As this whiskey expands across your palate, further notes of rye spice, vanilla extract, dried orange peel, winter mint, and clover honey begin to gain steam. It’s truly a delight.
Finish: The lingering finish is full of orange blossom, honey, and gentle barrel spice notes. Before it’s all over you pick up a bit more black pepper and mint, as well.
Bottom Line:
Blackwood Distilling’s first rye offering to be brought to proof is simply dazzling. While many American whiskey fans appreciate and have become accustomed to full-throated cask strength offerings, there’s a ton of beauty to be found in expressions that are proofed down to reflect the producer’s desired flavor profile. Blackwood Distilling’s 105-Proof Rye exemplifies this ethos, making for a whiskey that is absolutely delicious on its own and completely killer in cocktails, too.
6. Frey Ranch Harvester Series 10th Anniversary American Whiskey
This new whiskey from Frey Ranch, released to honor their 10th anniversary, features whiskey aged between 5.5 and 7.5 years and distilled from grain grown right at the Frey Ranch farm. The five grains that comprise the mash bill are non-GMO dent corn, winter wheat, winter rye, barley, and oat. The final blend produced only 500 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes begin with an impressively rich hit of honeycomb and papaya with toasted almonds and black pepper spice undulating beneath the surface. Repeat nosings deliver more of the same notes, but they’re all well-balanced and well-developed, which whets the palate, priming you for an initial sip.
Palate: On the palate, the flavor of black tea, peppercorns, oak, and nutmeg balances sweet honeycomb notes. The texture is fairly robust, with a medium-bodied mouthfeel that capably coats your palate while the black tea astringency and peppercorn spice prickles your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
Finish: The finish is disappointingly brief, not because it’s particularly short, but because the flavors are so delicious and worth exploring that I’d like them to have a bit more time to be appreciated. Black pepper and oak have their say here, along with more honey and nutmeg notes.
Bottom Line:
This is a remarkably surprising expression that highlights the richness Frey Ranch is able to extract from its self-grown grains. By drinking way below its proof while maintaining a flavor profile that lives up to its elevated ABV, Frey Ranch has created a dangerously delightful sipping whiskey that will wow new fans and old ones alike.
Caleb’s Crossing Rye, one-half of the twin-set of inaugural expressions from Washington Lafayette, is a curious expression. This 95/5 Indiana rye had primary aging in Kelvin Cooperage barrels before resting in ex-Tennessee rye barrels, then being finished for seven months in Pineau des Charentes white wine casks. The base liquid itself is eight years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: White peach, dried apricots, and cotton candy notes come across on the nose of this whiskey at first. Accents of honey and sweet mint come bubbling to the surface once the ethanol has a chance to relax and the whiskey settles into the glass. Vanilla frosting and touches of Rainier cherries can also be found.
Palate: Once in the mouth, the light, sweet notes claim the center stage with peach rings and Bartlett pear notes joining white sugar, allspice, almond meat, the Pineau upfront, and gentle rye spice tones buried in the center of it all. The liquid itself has a good bit of grip, allowing it to cling to your palate gently without distracting from the flavor.
Finish: The finish on this one is short to medium, but it’s exceedingly pleasant with wildflower honey and white peach notes held together by allspice as it recedes from the palate.
Bottom Line:
The art of contorting 95/5 rye in one’s preferred image is a challenging one, given the vastness of whiskeys on the market that are competing to do that very thing. Caleb’s Crossing Straight Rye, however, does more than succeed in standing out. It goes a step beyond in transcending the whiskey’s base recipe by slow proofing and utilizing different casks to create a flavor profile that’s both familiar and wholly its own. This is one of the most impressive inaugural rye releases I’ve seen over the past few years, and it should absolutely be a part of your collection as soon as possible.
4. The Glenrothes 15-Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The latest expression in The Glenrothes lineup, this new 15-Year Single Malt, launched late last year, has been on our radar for a while. Though a formal review has eluded us until now, it’s clearly quite impressive. The whisky in this release was aged for 15 years in European oak sherry seasoned casks that were produced in Spain.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whisky kicks off with wonderful apricot and candied walnuts, with juicy Sherry notes rounding them out. Maple syrup, brown sugar, and gentle leather tones add additional nuance with passing time.
Palate: In the mouth, this whisky is silky with plenty of orange blossom and honey notes at the tip of the tongue, which then lead to cloves, cinnamon, brown sugar, and white peach notes at midpalate. Candied ginger, hints of pie crust, and raw almond notes are also wonderfully displayed here.
Finish: The finish is moderate and delicate, with the mouth-coating texture of the whisky at midpalate receding and leaving behind hints of hazelnuts, honey, and orange marmalade with white pepper.
Bottom Line:
The Glenrothes 15-Year is a surprisingly precocious whisky with supple features that coat your palate in its charms. Restrained, bright spice notes play well with such rich sweetness here to create a complete whisky and a sumptuous sipping experience that you don’t want to miss.
Bourbon de Luxe is back again! This revived brand, presented by Rolling Fork, has been on our radar since their inaugural release, and this time they’ve got an 8-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at cask strength. This three-barrel blend produced just north of 500 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bourbon is full of expressive citrus notes, think of candied orange peels and apricot jam, and an underlying peanut brittle sweetness accents those. Further notes of vanilla candy, maple syrup, black pepper spice, and mature oak are also present.
Palate: Once in the mouth, Bourbon de Luxe’s latest batch is remarkably slick and oily, traveling well across the palate and gently sinking into your taste buds with caramel, black cherry, and milk chocolate flavors before those quickly recede and reveal earthier, sweet notes of nougat and candied walnuts.
Finish: The finish is medium-length and aided by the whiskey’s oily viscosity. As it concludes, black pepper, cloves, and lighter butterscotch notes are evident.
Bottom Line:
This remarkably well-rounded bourbon release really shows just how carefully the Rolling Fork crew have curated the whiskey barrels in their employ. Building on a stellar initial release, this offering bests their first expression by leaps and bounds, making it a can’t-miss bottling of this beautifully labeled revival.
The Dalmore Luminary Series was created to showcase rare limited edition single malts, created in partnership with Scotland’s Design Museum, V&A Dundee, to bring together the worlds of whisky and design. This impressive 17-year offering was initially matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks before being finished in a variety of casks, including Calvados, vintage Calvados (1989 and 1999), Matusalem sherry, Apostoles sherry, and red wine from Bordeaux and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The final blend of whisky is bottled without chill filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied orange peels, brown sugar, whisps of cinnamon, and sorghum can all be found on the nose of this delectable whisky. Sweet malt notes are thrumming in the background with a bit of Tahitian vanilla and peanut brittle. This is a winner.
Palate: Whoa! Wildflower honey and orange pith leap out at first, while barley tones, sweet Sherry, restrained nuttiness, faint cinnamon, stewed apple, Tahitian vanilla, and sorghum notes continue the flavor profile’s evolution at midpalate.
Finish: The medium-length finish takes a turn toward the sweet malt tones with a touch of dark chocolate, nougat, and sweet orange pith standing out. It’s a harmonious, mouth-wateringly juicy send-off with just a kiss of oak at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is a self-assured whisky that works well from its base of sweet barley to incorporate rich semi-sweet tones as well as more austere oak and citrus-inflected notes. With a mouth-coating texture and several layers of flavor to draw from, this is an eminently drinkable whisky that you’ll want to savor at length.
1. Mugen Spirit Yokai Series: The Tengu Single Barrel Bourbon (Barrel 1)
Yokai are a lineage of fantastic creatures, tricksters, and warriors, and it’s from that mythology that this new whiskey brand, Mugen Spirit, draws inspiration for its inaugural bourbon release. This limited run produced fewer than 100 barrels of 9+ year, hazmat bourbon sourced from Bardstown, Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is full of bright red cherries, pie crust, brown sugar, cloves, and mature oak. It’s a fairly classic, albeit exceptionally well-developed aroma profile that leans heavily into the dark, sweet notes and casts them against a bed of dense, woodsy notes.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey becomes far more dynamic as it coats your palate and springs to life with notes of cherry cobbler, caramel, cacao nibs, and sweet oak. Along the edges of the palate, you’ll pick up most of the oak, and it’s seasoned with a shake of freshly cracked black pepper, while the flavor of vanilla buttercream crops up before the transition to the finish.
Finish: The finish on The Tengu is one of its defining features, as it lingers on the palate for a nice, long time and is capped off with a flourish of vanilla frosting, dark cherry, and caramel tones.
Bottom Line:
Woah, talk about coming out of nowhere. This brand-new expression from a fresh brand comes with a striking label, a mouth-watering proof point, and, at the end of the day, it all makes for some incredible bourbon. While Mugen Spirit might be new on the whiskey scene, with a thoughtful launch like this, it’s clear that they’ve got the chops to make some waves this year, and potentially even in the long term.
Tucked into the safari jeep, camera in hand, face-to-face with a lion, the feeling of excitement and disbelief rushed over me. I couldn’t believe where I was at that moment. How lucky I was. How intense and incredible it was to see this animal, among others, not behind a cage in the zoo, but roaming free.
Our guide, Isaac, whispered to us “he’s going to come right next to us. Don’t be scared, stay seated, take your pictures and just observe.” The lion came close enough to touch and in that moment, something in me changed. A safari experience will fill you with a deep love for wildlife and gratitude for the experiences you’ll have.
For me, Botswana is what sparked that.
Green Season in Botswana (How To Save Money)
Photo by Jessica Kelly
Safaris can range quite drastically when it comes to price points and experience. Going during the green season, aka the off-season, can cut costs as much as 50% while still delivering an amazing experience and in some ways, a better adventure.
Green season is when many of the babies are born, so you have a great chance of seeing mothers tending to their newborn baby baboons, elephants, warthogs, hippos, giraffes, lions, buffalo, and more.
Even with the trees covered in greenery, the incredible guides through Desert & Delta properties, are extremely talented when it comes to finding unique experiences in the wild. From encountering a pack of wild dogs playing in the water and a leopard slinking through the bush, to lions mating and elephants taking a golden hour soak in a watering hole.
Why You Should Work With a Safari Operator
JESSICA KELLY
It’s incredibly worth it to go through a safari operator like Desert & Delta that represents nine amazing properties and manages the logistics. They handle the transportation in between the properties, activities, meals, safari game drives, and more to make sure your experience is stress free.
It’s possible to do a safari on your own by renting a car and driving through the national park. People do it, but in my opinion, you’re missing out on a lot. Having the help of professionals that understand animal behaviors, tracking, and communicating with each other to find the best experiences and wildlife interactions for their guests is worth every penny.
Where To Stay
Chobe Game Lodge
CHOBE GAME LODGE
Chobe Game Lodge is a great destination to begin the trip. The property is filled with luxury accommodations, each room with a little something special from terraces with views of the Chobe River, to private plunge pools. There’s a pool on the property to cool off in and after being out in the heat on a game drive. Animals can come right into the property, so you could be taking a walk on the property, look over and see a family of warthogs walking across the grass.
Staying on the Chobe River, with Namibia right across, allows guests to experience boat safaris. You can relax, and sip a local beer while riding on the water spotting baboons coming down for a drink, elephants cooling off, and hippos floating around.
Wake up bright and early to head out for a safari game drive after a quick bite to eat and cup of coffee. The Jeeps will venture out into Chobe National Park to see what you can discover, and every day is different. You can see warthogs, hippos, giraffes, elephants, jackals, monitor lizards, beautiful birds, lions, and, of course, plenty of babies!
You’ll also be supporting talented women called the “Chobe Angels.” Johan Bruwer, the GM of the lodge and creator of the Chobe Angels, wanted to begin a completely female guide team, giving women career possibilities that weren’t prominent at the time. We had Vivian Diphupu, Environmental Educator and Guide Trainer, as the guide for our group, and she made it an unbelievable experience.
Savute Safari Lodge
SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE
All of the properties represented by Desert & Delta are top of the line, but Savute Safari Lodge will leave an extra special mark because of the watering holes right on the property. You could be cooling off in the pool or sitting down to breakfast and look over to see a huge herd of elephants playing in the water.
This particular property also had one of the most incredible guides, Isaac Mpuchane. His passion for wildlife is contagious, and he was so knowledgeable when it came to finding us incredible, life-changing experiences. He picked up on animal calls, tracking predators, and found very exclusive experiences like a herd of wild dogs playing in the water with each other, a leopard slinking through the greenery, lions mating, and more. We found a pack of hyenas, zebras, and so many beautiful birds like the yellow billed hornbill.
After the morning safari, you can head back to the room to take a little siesta in your private bungalow, with a huge spanning patio to lay out on and see what animals walk by. I was getting ready for bed one evening, and heard a trumpet sounding honk. When I looked out my window, an elephant was right outside my room! It’s truly an incredible experience.
Photo by Jessica Kelly
Camp Okavango
CAMP OKAVANGO
For the last stop, I’d recommend Camp Okavango. Experiencing the Okavango Delta, a World Heritage Site, is a good way to see a different side of the safari world. After experiencing boat safaris in the national park at Chobe Game Lodge and game drives at Savute Safari Lodge, exploring the delta is completely different.
The rooms on the property feel like your own private treehouse, surrounded by the noises of wildlife and branches swaying in the wind. As I was unpacking, I heard and saw monkeys swinging through the trees, and my back patio opened up into the bush, so at any given moment, you could see animals walking by. There’s a spacious, double shower to freshen up in before dinner, and a gorgeous infinity pool to swim in with a glass of local Amarula Cream Liqueur on the rocks.
Take the mokoro ride to explore a variety of birds and plants along the water. Take an airboat out to look for hippos, crocodiles, and elephants crossing through or a helicopter ride to get a lay of the land. Guests can even do a walking safari to explore the land, looking for giraffes and other animals like the Verreaux Owl with striking light pink eyelids. With our guide, Taps, at Camp Okavango, we had incredible wildlife experiences followed by a sundowner cocktail hour with our feet in the delta.
How To Pack
JESSICA KELLY
When packing for Botswana, keep in mind that you usually need to have a pretty light weight, soft, squeezable bag for the bush planes like the the Dagne Dover Landon Neoprene Carryall Bag. You can’t be schlepping huge checked bags onto small planes with limited space for luggage, so packing light is essential.You can pack even lighter than normal with laundry services readily available for property guests, so you really only need a couple of clutch items and your camera equipment.
You’ll want lightweight, breathable clothing like cotton or linen, in soft earth tones. Of course, plenty of sunscreen, a hat, a bathing suit, proper footwear like sneakers or hiking boots, strong bug spray and Bug Bite Thing products like their Tick Remover or the Suction Tool.
For game drives, I brought the Lux & Nyx Large Origami Tote for essentials like my camera, sunscreen, water bottle, chargers, and phone among other miscellaneous things. Be sure to speak to your doctor about any necessary vaccines and medications needed like malaria pills as a precaution.
What To Expect
JESSICA KELLY
Expect the unexpected! At any given moment you can encounter a baby being born, mating rituals, a lioness hunting prey, or other once in a lifetime experiences. Be in the moment and take some time to appreciate where you are.
Unlike other wildlife experiences I’ve had, like swimming with great whites in Mexico where divers had to learn how to use scuba breathing gear, or trekking to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, safari experiences have no real effort involved for guests and can be enjoyed by many. You relax comfortably in the boat or safari vehicles with a cup of coffee or bottle of water, camera equipment by your side, and simply enjoy the experience.
I can’t recommend Botswana enough. Seeing animals up close, in the wild, is an experience that will stick with you for life.
Photo by Jessica KellyJESSICA KELLYPhoto by Jessica KellyPhoto by Jessica KellyPhoto by Jessica Kelly
Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.
This week saw PinkPantheress drop off a pleasing appetizer and The Weeknd grab the ascending Doechii for a feature. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
After delivering one of 2024’s best albums (according to the Uproxx Music Critics Poll), Kali Uchis is already back with a new project. Sincerely, (that comma is part of the title) is out now and it’s highlighted by dreamy tracks like “All I Can Say.”
Rosé — “Messy”
The F1 movie has quite the soundtrack and among the artists featured is Blackpink’s Rosé. Her contribution is “Messy,” a dynamic ballad that’s anything but.
PinkPantheress — “Illegal”
It’s not quite a new album, but PinkPantheress’ new 20-minute EP Fancy That is a still a welcomed amuse-bouches. She tends to go short anyway, but there are still highlights like the jittery and smooth “Illegal” to be had.
Tyla — “Bliss”
While we wait for that Tyla rap song, the South African singer has unveiled “Bliss.” It’s a sultry track that sees Tyla in a celebratory mood over something special she’s found.
The Weeknd — “Timeless (Remix)” Feat. Playboi Carti and Doechii
It is Doechii’s moment right now and The Weeknd sees that. The latter dropped “Timeless” with Playboi Carti last year, and now he’s added Doechii to a fiery new remix.
Fiona Apple — “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)”
New Fiona Apple music is a treat given how rarely it tends to come around, but the circumstances surrounding her latest aren’t as sweet: “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” is inspired by years Apple has spent court-watching and seeing what the bail system can do to people and families.
Kid Cudi — “Neverland”
Kid Cudi seems to be always trying something new, so you can’t really predict what a new song from him will sound like. His latest, last week’s “Neverland,” hearkens back a bit to his folky Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven era, but with some hip-hop and poppy production added to the mix.
André 3000 — “Off Rhythm Laughter”
No, André 3000 still isn’t rapping again yet, but he does have more new music. Last week, he unexpectedly released 7 Piano Sketches, an EP that doesn’t have bars, but does have André expressing himself through the ivories.
Mariah The Scientist — “Burning Blue”
Mariah is back with her first new single since dropping 2023’s To Be Eaten Alive: She shared “Burning Blue” last week, which is the start of a new era, as a press release declared she’s “been working on new music which will soon be ready for the world via her fourth studio album.”
Amelia Moore — “Spelling Bee” Feat. Teezo Touchdown
Moore takes a Scripps-approved way of getting a raunchy message across on her new single “Spelling Bee,” with lyrics like, “How do I say what’s on my brain? / You say, ‘Babe, maybe you could write it down’ / Oh, okay / F-*-C-K me in the B-E-D of the GMC, ooh, baby / So W-E-T when you B-E-G for my L-O-V-E, ooh, baby.”
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