A lot of Richard Linklater’s movies are worth seeing multiple times. Boyhoodwas shot over 15 years, so you literally get to see the cast grow up with the film, while A Scanner Darkly required multiple viewings in order to really understand what the heck is happening to Keanu Reeves. So it makes sense that Linklater is a fan of re-watching movies, though you might not expect him to head to the theaters multiple times for the intricate musical numbers, but the man is a complex person.
The director admitted to NME that he thinks Barbie is one of those movies you have to rewatch. In fact, he thinks it’s probably the best thing to ever happen to the industry.
“I liked the musical numbers,” the director admitted. “I liked the movie a lot. It’s worth seeing a couple times. The best thing that happened to cinema in a while is Oppenheimer and Barbie. Sends a good message. I’m glad those are doing well.” Doing well is an understatement.
It makes sense that Linklater is fixated on musical numbers. The director is currently working on a 20-year-long adaptation of Merrily We Roll Alongwhich is slated to hit theaters sometime in 2040. It’s nice to know that Paul Mescal will still be just as relevant a few decades from now.
Nas clearly heard all the jokes. For years, the rap veteran has been maligned — perhaps unfairly, although likely not — for having bad taste in beats. For rushing his projects as they neared deadlines. For giving halfhearted effort to the preternatural gifts he’d been given. For never truly living up to the bar set by his seminal 1993 debut, Illmatic. And sometime during the music industry shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he decided he’d had enough of the critiques.
That was when, after he was jokingly called out by Big Sean, Nas decided to get serious. A chance meeting with Fontana producer Hit-Boy spawned not only the greatest creative chemistry he’s shared with a producer since that groundbreaking debut but also an astonishing six full-length albums comprising two separate trilogies in the next four years. The finale of this collaborative project, Magic 3 , dropped on Thursday, Nas’ 50th birthday.
Now, I’m not here to break down the new project or review it; if you’ve heard the five albums prior, you know what to expect. You either like it or it’s not for you. But I have to say I don’t think we have really talked enough about how incredible this whole moment has been — what it represents for both artists’ careers, for hip-hop music, or the culture at large. So, let’s talk about it. Nas and Hit-Boy’s four-year run should go down in hip-hop history as the best of what this genre can be; it should be an instruction manual for artists to follow for years to come.
At the time Nas announced the first King’s Disease album produced by Hit-Boy, he was coming off of yet another creative slump that saw his legacy reeling from the dreary The Lost Tapes II and the disastrous Nasir. Not to mention, he’d been accused of some rather nasty behavior by ex-wife Kelis; he had some work to do to get back into the public’s good graces. For an artist who’d once been lyrically derided by Jay-Z for his fitful work ethic, no one could have expected the burst of output to come.
(“Four albums in ten years, n***?” isn’t actually that bad when you think about it, but compared to his prolific rival, looked pretty bad, especially considering the reception of those albums.)
On its face, the decision to link up with Hit-Boy could have seemed to an outsider to be confusing at best, if not downright cynical. Here you had two artists who were opposites in almost every way you could think of: East Coast/West Coast, old-school staple/new-school hitmaker, one recovering from back-to-back duds, the other, still celebrating his most recent beat placement winning a Grammy for one of LA’s most-revered late rap titans, Nipsey Hussle. Nothing about it made sense; maybe that’s why it worked.
For Nas, Hit-Boy’s production was a jolt of both fresh air and much-needed consistency, providing a diverse array of complementary soundbeds for Nas’ complex, time-tested flow. He also plugged the weathered veteran into a whole new world of contemporary collaborators, allowing him shake off the mantle of disgruntled old head and instead play the role of the sage mentor, the voice of experience guiding his successors’ generation with a steady hand and just enough burst to keep up with the kids.
No doubt, artists like A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Anderson .Paak, ASAPs Ferg and Rocky, Big Sean, Blxst, Don Toliver, Fivio Foreign, Lil Durk, and 21 Savage had grown up revering Nas’ contributions to hip-hop music. But Nas’ generation has proven … less than generous in issuing accolades, advice, or acknowledgment to their successors. Instead, there has been a slew of gruff admonitions, gatekeeping, and laments about the “state of hip-hop.” Nas himself had been accused of the same when he released Hip-Hop Is Dead in 2006.
So, for him to make that effort to bridge the generation gap — aided by Hit-Boy, who provided the connective glue to make such tricky collaborations stick — is meaningful to both his career and the fabric of rap as a whole. Yes, it helped Nas to quell speculation that his music is no longer relevant — some of which even came from one of his future collaborators, 21 Savage — but it also provided a Golden Era parallel to what Gucci Mane’s been doing in Atlanta as a godfather of trap rap.
It showed that hip-hop doesn’t HAVE to be just a “young man’s game” (if anything, I wish he’d included more women’s voices to prove it’s not only a man’s game, either). It showed that the vets don’t have to dismiss the kids in their own twilight; in fact, by embracing subsequent generations, the older artists get to hang on to their golden years just that much longer. And it showed that the best approach for anyone isn’t just to chase trends or follow the market, but to find the spark that comes from doing what you love out of inspiration, not obligation.
And it’s wild to think that we have Hit-Boy to thank for lighting this fire under Nas; aside from both being cast aside by a certain superproducer who couldn’t be bothered to dedicate his time, resources, and appreciation to them for their collaborations with him, both had incredible bounces back as a result. Hit-Boy got even more prolific while working with Nas, churning out enough material for collaborative projects with Dom Kennedy, Dreezy, Music Soulchild, and even his own formerly incarcerated father.
Thanks to Hit, Nas gets to have the last laugh, and thanks to Nas, Hit’s name is buzzing more than ever. Their collaboration resulted in the producer taking home even more Grammys hardware and the rapper bringing in his first-ever trophy despite his 30-plus years of hip-hop prominence. It was, as they declared with the title of their second trilogy, Magic. Now, we can’t wait to see what comes next for them both.
Nobody can do what Rihanna can. The singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman took the Jay-Z mogul mold and elevated it — even beyond what HOV could. At the height of Kanye’s powers with Yeezy Brand, back when he could do no wrong, Rihanna was still more beloved, more respected, and more vital to culture.
It’s why we are still hotly anticipating a followup to 2016’s ANTI. It’s why people lost their minds when she revealed a baby bump during a Super Bowl Halftime performance. It’s why FENTY continues to be one of the most forward-thinking brands in all of fashion. Rihanna is just different.
And only she could save PUMA.
PUMA
Did PUMA just eclipse Adidas, Nike, and New Balance? For one week, at least, yes. This week brought the release of PUMA and Rihanna’s latest collaboration == the Fenty x PUMA Avanti, a sneaker so layered with sneakerhead geekery, that I can’t help but be psyched for it.
The sneaker is PUMA and Rihanna’s fourth collaboration, following the Fenty x PUMA Trainer, Fenty x PUMA Fur Slide, and The Creeper, and features a premium leather upper, dual gold foil branding, leather piping, and an attached fold-over tongue in leather, with brown leather lining and a gum outsole. It’s available in two colorways, black and white, and silver chrome.
It’s easy to write this sneaker off as simply a dope design, but it’s actually layered with meaning. The design of the Avanti is a combination of PUMA’s King Football boot, which was worn by legends like Eusebio, Pelé, and Maradona, and the heritage running shoe Easy Rider. It’s a great combination of PUMA classics, but it goes deeper than that, the design of the sneaker makes a sly reference to the Jil Sander King — a collaboration between PUMA and German designer Jil Sander — who was actually the first person to combine the world of high-end fashion and sportswear. A nice tip of the cap from one groundbreaking female designer to another, right?
So you might be asking yourself, where can I pick up a pair of Avantis? Unfortunately, not at PUMA. The sneaker is clean sold out (toddler versions are still available, no you can’t size down into those though), which means if you want to score a pair you’ll have to hit aftermarket sites.
StockX, eBay, and GOAT are all great choices that authenticate their sales so you can buy with some piece of mind. As of now, the prices for the Avanti aren’t too out of line — they’re just above retail depending on size, so your options are either to pay a slightly inflated price, or just wait until PUMA inevitably drops more.
It’s rare when a live-action adaptation of a beloved animated tale actually hits the mark, but many of them end up missing the said mark. Sometimes by a lot. We’ve seen it a lot recently (like, too much) but the recent live-action adaptation of the hit anime series One Piece is actually getting some positive reactions. And it’s hard to make a good reimagining of a show that has 1,075 episodes and counting.
Netflix’s adaptation of the popular series (based on the long-running manga and the animated series) dropped in August and was an instant hit with fans, landing at No. 1 on the Netflix Top 10 for the past two weeks. The series tells the story of Monkey D. Luffy, a quirky kid with a rare ability to stretch out his limbs, which is a great power for a pirate to have. Luffy and his crew sail around the seas in order to find the coveted “one piece” treasure.
The series was just renewed for a second season, meaning there will be plenty more sea tales in the future. Here is the official announcement, which was posted to socials:
To the Straw Hat Grand Fleet: What did you think of Season 1 of the live-action One Piece? I spent a long time working on it with Netflix and Tomorrow Studios. It seems people around the world have been enjoying the show, which makes the hard work from the production team truly worth it. Two weeks after the launch, I just received some great news. Netflix has decided to renew the show! The adventures of Iñaki and the live-action Straw Hats will continue onward!
Considering that the manga has been around for 25 years, it’s safe to say that Luffy will have a ton of new adventures in the upcoming season. You can catch the first season of One Piece now streaming on Netflix.
Fall is around the corner, which means it’s time to retire all of the “Barbie summer” energy and instead shift to “Joe Pera Fall.” You know — lots of soup, woodworking, and the soothing sounds of Joe Pera building a small fire in order to lull you to an autumnal slumber. It’s unfortunate that Pera’s showJoe Pera Talks With You was canceled after just three seasons, but the comedian/Mister Rogers protege is back with something new.
Joe Pera: Slow & Steady is Pera’s first comedy special, and it will debut on Pera’s own website and YouTube channel on October 6th at 8 pm ET. The special will consist of footage from Pera’s 18-month tour around the world, where he workshopped “new jokes, old jokes, jokes addressing people calling me Dahmer.”
Pera also announced that he self-funded the project, adding, “It’s okay, it cost my savings, but we made a stand-up special just the way we wanted to.” The special was directed by Marty Schousboe with music from Ryan Dann. Check out the trailer above.
Since his show ended, Pera has made numerous appearances on late-night shows, appeared on season five of HBO’s Search Party, and also launched a new podcast, Drifting Off with Joe Pera. There were rumors that he might be the next James Bond but that’s still unclear.
Ashton Kutcher has resigned as chairman of the board for Thorn, an anti-child sex abuse organization that he co-founded while married to Demi Moore. The actor is stepping down after unsealed court documents revealed that both he and wife Mila Kunis wrote letters of support for Danny Masterson asking the judge to apply leniency after the That ’70s Show star was convicted of raping two women.
Kutcher and Kunis were target of intense backlash after the letters were published, and Kutcher in particular was called out for running an organization that helps purportedly victims of sexual abuse. The hypocrisy was not lost on him as he offered his resignation.
“Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences,” Kutcher wrote in a Sept. 14 letter to Thorn’s board, which was shared exclusively with TIME.
“After my wife and I spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn, I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately,” Kutcher wrote. “I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve.”
“The mission must always be the priority and I want to offer my heartfelt apology to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I hurt by what I did,” Kutcher wrote. “And to the broader advocacy community, I am deeply sorry. I remain proud of what we have accomplished in the past decade and will continue to support Thorn’s work. Thank you for your tireless advocacy and dedication to this cause.”
We’ll see if this will do much to stem the criticism of Kutcher. But we doubt it.
Ashton Kutcher’s organization conflates consensual sex work with sex trafficking, so consent seems to be a confusing topic for him https://t.co/F2kAJjr25v
The world of John Wick will eventually expand into the Ana de Armas-starring Ballerina, and it sounds like Keanu Reeves wants to get back into the saddle for John Wick 5 (despite you-know-what happening). For at least five years, however, The Continental limited series has been gestating, first as a version that would have aired on Starz and been based in LA rather than NYC. Fast forward some years, and The Continental is a three-part special event (based in NYC) landing on Peacock this month. Can we expect to see Keanu Reeves pop in as Baba Yaga?
As much as everyone would like to see more Keanu, this doesn’t seem possible. The Continental will be a prequel that takes this universe back to the 1970s. Granted, Keanu is happy to appear in Wick spinoffs in general (and will be in Ballerina, coming out in June 2024). However, Mr. Wick’s very first dog wasn’t of this earth in the 1970s, and Wick himself was not on the scene yet. Also, getting Keanu involved would add up to time travel, which is probably a bad idea in this universe.
This series will be focused on (as the title suggests) the early days of the assassin-welcoming hotel where Winston is gaining his bearings as portrayed by Colin Woodell (The Flight Attendant). Mel Gibson will also appear as “Cormac,” a kingpin who plays a pivotal role in running the hotel. Here’s the limited series’ synopsis:
The three-part event will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970’s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.
Formally titled The Continental: From the World of John Wick, viewers can check into Peacock’s series for part one on Sept. 22nd. Part two arrives on Sept. 29 with Oct. 6 bringing part three.
Scotch whisky is the biggest style of whiskey in the world. It’s not even close. That means that there’s a lot of it on shelves (even in the U.S. where it’s solely an import). When there’s an overabundance of anything, finding the best is a crapshoot without some guidance. Scotch is no different and, trust me, there’s a lot of shitty Scotch whisky on shelves right next to killer bottles (and plenty of mids).
I was a head judge at this year’s competition, so let me give a little foundational information before we dive in. The whiskeys I’m listing below are all the Scotch whiskies that made it to the finals or “Sweeps” round and then won the best of their category. To achieve that, each pour had to go through a lot of double-blind tastings. First, the pour had to be awarded gold medals from every judge on the panel both unanimously and anonymously. Once the “double gold” was confirmed, those judges had to decide whether or not to send the pour to “Sweeps” (the finals). Then those award-winning pours were double-blind-tasted again by all of the judges to decide which was the best in their category.
Then they were double-blind tasted again against all the whiskeys for the best overall whiskey of the year. It’s a lot.
Spoiler alert, a Scotch whisky did not win the best whiskey of 2023 in New York (we’ll be announcing that whiskey here next week). But a handful of great Scotch whiskies did make it to the finals and those are the ones I’m breaking down below with my own tasting notes while calling out the best of each category. Let’s get into it!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This new blended Scotch whisky is an American-driven expression. The brand was created by retired US Marine Major Eric Dominijanni who fell in love with scotch while stationed abroad. The whisky in the bottle is a blend of Highland and Speyside Scotch whiskies (malted barley and grain whiskies) that are vatted, proofed, and bottled to highlight bold flavors for an American audience.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of rich and almost creamy maple syrup on the nose with hints of seared vanilla pods, old cinnamon bark, and dark chocolate-covered espresso beans with a thin whisp of campfires smoldering on a cold fall day.
Palate: The taste opens with that dark chocolate layered with cinnamon malt cakes, salted candied almonds, rum raisin, and old oak staves with another whisper of those soft campfires in the distance.
Finish: The cinnamon goes deeper toward clove and allspice on the finish as the chocolate and vanilla create a creamy finish with plenty of soft maltiness and cold smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is a subtle and balanced malt with just enough smoke to be clear and present but never overwhelming. This works really well over some ice or in a cocktail.
Best Blended Scotch — The Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky
Yes, Scotch whisky has celebrity white-labeled brands too. This one comes from Outlander star Sam Heughan. The whisky’s recipe/build is under wraps so there’s not much more to say besides that Sam Heughan is not simply slapping his name on a bottle. He’s fully involved in the process as a deeply caring whisky fan who wants to put something special on the shelf.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lemon drops and Almond Joys drive the nose with a hint of floral honey, bourbon vanilla, and dried apricot next to deep maltiness and a hint of oak.
Palate: That apricot gets leathery on the palate as the malts arrive with plenty of honey and cinnamon-forward spice next to a hint of eggnog nutmeg.
Finish: The finish is concise with a little cinnamon, honey, and almond rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is a concise and well-rounded whisky. The vibe is very slow sipping (especially over a rock) but this whisky also makes a killer cocktail.
Double Gold Medal Distiller’s Single Malt Scotch — Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky The Cadboll Estate Aged 15 Years Batch #3
The new batch of Glenmorangie’s beloved Carboll Estate is here. This year’s edition is made with two barley harvests from Glenmorangie’s own estate-grown barley (on the Carboll Estate). Once distilled on Glenmo’s iconic copper pot stills, the whiskey is aged in American oak (ex-bourbon casks) primarily. The final batch is vatted with a few barrels of Amontillado sherry casks as well.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Beautiful notes of hazelnut bathed in floral honey drive the nose toward stewed peaches over buckwheat pancakes, soft jasmine, and a hint of cold slate slick with rainwater.
Palate: The floral honey opens the palate toward fresh gingerbread, Nutella, and clove-laced orange layered into toffee dropped in roasted almond with this fleeting sense of summer herb gardens and bright yellow nasturtiums.
Finish: A touch of toasted coconut adheres to the gingerbread and toffee on the finish with a dash of bourbon vanilla, creamy mocha latte, and old oak stave.
Bottom Line:
This is delicious malt. It’s balanced sweet malt with real depth. Overall, sip it slowly and then use it in your favorite whiskey cocktails.
Double Gold Medal Distiller’s Single Malt Scotch — Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years
Glenmorangie has a wide range of whiskies to choose from. The whisky in this bottle is aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks. Then a portion of those casks is re-barreled into sherry casks for three years. That whisky is then batched back with the rest of the bourbon barrels to create this release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey dominates the nose with mixed nuts and dried fruits, kind of like a homemade trail mix without the M&Ms.
Palate: The taste holds onto those rich honey notes and adds in a late-fall sense of wet, falling leaves with a soft nuttiness and almost savory fruitiness (not quite a squash but not as sweet as a fig either).
Finish: A very, very small whisper of cherry or applewood smoke arrives to usher in a slow finish of salted caramel, more of that bespoke trail mix, and a final note of sherried malt.
Bottom Line:
This is a great after-dinner sipper. Add a little water or a single rock to really let it bloom in the glass and then take your time with it.
Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch & Best Scotch of 2023 — Ardbeg 25 Years Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This expression from Ardbeg is also their oldest expression (as of their current lineup). The whisky is the epitome of peat on Islay. What makes this expression so special and extremely rare is that it was distilled and casked when Ardbeg was on its knees as a company, in the early 1990s. They simply weren’t making that much whisky back then and there’s hardly any of it left. That makes this a one-and-gone whisky with only 278 bottles, 90 of which were sent to the U.S.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Heavy cream, smoked toffee, lemon pith, and ashes from last night’s campfire open this one up on the nose before veering toward soft sea-filled air, a touch of muddy bog, and old shovel handles from a well-worked farm.
Palate: On the palate, there’s this deep sense of potting soil that’s still in the plastic from the garden shop next to uncooked smoked bacon rashers with plenty of black pepper and a slightly sour edge leading back to that heavy cream and smoked toffee by the mid-palate.
Finish: Finally, hefty/spicy packed tobacco chewiness brings about a full-on head buzz — it’s a wild sensation.
Bottom Line:
This is an iconic whisky. It’s f*cking delicious and one of my all-time favorite Islay pours. Again, take your time with it and it will reward you with a deep flavor profile that constantly surprises your palate.
Nope, it’s because people are “nasty,” according to the former president.
During a preview of his interview on Meet the Press this weekend, Trump was asked by moderator Kristen Welker about whether we’ll see Melania campaigning with him soon. “Yes. Soon? Yeah, pretty soon. When it’s appropriate, but pretty soon. She’s a private person, a great person, a very confident person and she loves our country very much,” he explained. “And honestly, I like to keep her away from it. It’s so nasty and so mean.”
Donald said that for now, Melania remains focused on their 17-year-old son, Barron, and life as a mom in Palm Beach, Florida. “She’s right now with Barron at school,” said Donald. “She loves that boy.”
Trump, who always sounds like Hank Hill when he’s talking about Barron, recently called out Ron DeSantis for allegedly sharing “Have You Seen This Woman” flyers with Melania’s photo on it. If you’re getting roasted by Ron, something has gone wrong.
For now, people have doubts about Trump’s explanation.
I wonder how big a bite out of campaign funds it’ll take. Better pony up, grannies. https://t.co/8HuXq1mLmq
We’re already halfway through Bourbon Heritage Month. That means it’s high time to do a massive blind taste test of some new bourbons. There’s just so much out there, friends. And there’s really no better way to filter through the static than taking away labels and preconceptions to find the gems in a blind taste test.
For this blind tasting, I grabbed 20 new releases from this year, month, and even week. That means that some of these are just hitting shelves right now while other bottles are 2023 batches of standard releases from around the country. Our lineup today features the following 20 new bourbons:
Legent Yamazaki Cask Finish Blend
Old Elk Straight Bourbon Whiskey Four Grain
Backbone Bourbon The Forge Blended Bourbon Whiskey
Blue Run Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Trifecta Blend
Milan & Greene UNABRIDGED A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies
Wheel Horse Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch
Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey Highest Rye Aged 6 Years
New Riff Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon Kentucky Straight Whiskey Topflight Series by ReserveBar
Barrell Bourbon Cash Finish Series: Tale of Two Islands
Eight Settlers Devil’s Gate Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch
Shortbarrel Single Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Rabbit Hole Limited Edition Artist Series Single Barrel Heigold Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Remus Repeal Reserve VII Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Thirteenth Colony Distilleries Southern Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch
My wife was kind enough to shuffle, pour, and catalog these for me for the blind tasting. After that, I ranked each pour based on quality, profile depth, and balance. There is a lot going on with these very diverse bourbons — so let’s dive right in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: The nose opens with a leathery sense of old dried chilis that have just been kissed with heat before a sense of dried cranberry and rich malted chocolate take the nose toward soft plummy cakes full of soft powdered spices.
Palate: A hint of maltiness comes through early on the palate with a fleeting sense of smoked red berries before deep vanilla buttercream creates a luscious foundation for rich pipe tobacco, cranberry sauce cut with anise, clove, and nutmeg, sticky toffee pudding, and mulled wine cut with toffee and dry reeds.
Finish: The spices warm on the finish before descending toward soft nutcakes and winter-spiced doughnuts with a light sense of stewed plum and pear over old saddle leather and rickhouse dank.
Initial Thoughts:
This hits the trifecta of brilliance — it’s so deep and rewarding, it’s perfectly balanced, and it tastes truly special.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a clear sweet porridge craftiness before dark fruit and almonds mingle with sweet apple wedges and vanilla sheet cake with a hint of leather, creamy oats, and toffee.
Palate: The taste is all about the creamy and nutmeg-heavy eggnog with an oaty vibe next to a nice counterpoint of sweetgrass and vanilla pipe tobacco.
Finish: The mid-palate has a sweet winter spice vibe that leads to a raw and sweet carrot and apple cores next to a hint of new wicker.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty good all around. It’s very crafty but balanced with classic bourbon notes.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is very light and you have to dig for moments of brown sugar, mild oak, and maybe some brown spice.
Palate: The palate has moments of classic bourbon vanilla, caramel, cherry, and winter spice.
Finish: The end gets creamy with a honeyed vibe next to salted caramel and eggnog with a hint of tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This starts off really weak and then builds over the palate to a truly solid finish. Still, that’s not balance — which is a shame.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Vanilla-dosed milky lattes with a touch of cinnamon stick drive the nose toward a hit of dried chili, old clove, and brown butter with a light sense of apple cider and figs.
Palate: The apple and cinnamon take on a mulled cider vibe on the palate with macadamia nut cookies, sourdough bread crusts, and soft caramel candies cut with mint syrup.
Finish: The soft and espresso-laden vanilla returns on the finish with a creaminess that helps the finish stay silky as a whisper of smoldering orchard barks and winter spice barks sneak in with a nice warmth.
Initial Thoughts:
This is balanced, deep, and very tasty. It didn’t jump out at me but it got the job done.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Light notes of cherry cola, fig pudding, and marzipan lead to a sense of old boot leather and mint tobacco with a whisper of toffee
Palate: There’s a hint of earthiness on the palate that supports more dark Cherry Dr. Pepper, dry black tea leaves, moist marzipan just kissed with pear brandy, and a sweet oakiness tied to fresh pipe tobacco.
Finish: There’s a moment of absinthe on the finish that leads to dark orange oils and maybe some lemon pepper tobacco with a touch of cedar.
Initial Thoughts:
This is complex yet very light. It’s interesting and I want to go back to it. I feel like there’s a lot more to unravel in this pour.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright berries and light honey-laced grits drive the nose toward soft caramel cut with orange and chocolate with a touch of cedar.
Palate: Soft vanilla and more caramel create a lush palate with hints of winter spice and maybe some dried red chili next to wet brown sugar and rum raisin with a dash of old leather tobacco pouches.
Finish: A hint of earthiness attaches to the grits as layers of spice — anise, clove, dried chili, nutmeg — build toward a leathery tobacco finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a very solid classic bourbon. Nothing more, nothing less.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Maple syrup over vanilla-heavy pancakes pop on the nose with a sense of peach pie and mint tobacco over cinnamon bark, barrel must, and old boot leather.
Palate: That peach pie takes on a canned peach vibe on the palate with vanilla sheet cake drizzled with caramel and buttercream icing before rum raisin and leathery figs arrive with a dose of menthol tobacco packed into an old cedar box.
Finish: Bold warmth from the woody spices is countered by vanilla buttercream and eggnog on the finish with deep boot leather, old cedar humidors, and still-smoldering sage with a light sense of barrel house floors.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another really nice classic bourbon. It’s balanced and tasty though maybe a touch warm on the very end.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a rush of brandy-soaked dark fruits — dates, figs, prunes — next to old oak staves with a touch of fall leaves and apricot jam that leads to — I swear — rubber fishing lures.
Palate: Those dark fruits dominate the palate with added winter spices that lean allspice heavy alongside plenty of oakiness with this fleeting sense of blackberry bramble, thorns and all.
Finish: The spice and berries really amp up at the finish with a sense of fresh cranberry sauce and pecan chocolate clusters.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a confounding pour of whiskey. It ends wonderfully but that rubbery note on the nose just throws the whole thing off.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of patchouli and green tea powder with a deep sense of cinnamon bark, allspice berries, and whole nutmeg next to walnut-heavy zucchini bread, apple bear claws, and a whisper of almond milk.
Palate: The palate is straight-up masala chai with a deep sense of luscious salted butter next to pumpkin pie topped with candied pecans before veering into roasting herbs and root beer floats.
Finish: The end pulls it all back toward lemon pudding and spiced apple cider with a note of rum raisin and brandy-soaked peaches next to hints of old cedar and smudging sage.
Initial Thoughts:
Amburnara! That cask finish is drastic and this sip is bafflingly complex. I need way more time to figure it out than a blind taste test. That said, this pour makes me want to spend that time figuring it out. It’s just fascinating.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bursts with raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry all stewed with plenty of holiday spices and folded into a cobbler topped with dense buttery buttermilk biscuits.
Palate: The palate leans into the spice with a focus on clove, nutmeg, and a very small whisper of anise as the berry turns more towards a fresh strawberry with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans chiming in on the mid-palate.
Finish: That chocolate-bitter vibe drives towards a finish full of cinnamon-spiked dark chocolate tobacco leaves, stewed plums, and a dollop of floral honey.
Initial Thoughts:
This is craft whiskey done right. It’s grain-forward but so well-balanced.
Taste 11
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hefty notes of dry (almost burnt) grains dominate the nose supported by a light sense of vanilla extract and some burnt caramel too with a ton of ethanol.
Palate: There’s a sense of classic bourbon notes — cherry, spice, oak, caramel — and that’s about it.
Finish: There isn’t a whole lot to the finish besides an echo of oak and spice with some vanilla and fruit.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty flawed sadly.
Taste 12
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Red apple skins and cinnamon sticks drive the nose toward salted butter creamed with brown sugar and allspice with a mild note of sweet and toasted oak that almost has a singed marshmallow vibe.
Palate: Chicory coffee grounds and black cherry ice cream pop on the palate as salted caramel, rich vanilla cake, and soft winter spice balance everything out.
Finish: That winter spice goes woody on the end with a dry vibe before soft vanilla creaminess smoothes everything out.
Initial Thoughts:
Hey, this is pretty good — but standard — stuff.
Taste 13
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Big notes of stewed apples lead to apple cider spiked with dried red chili, allspice, and anise on the nose before dark chocolate oranges and salted caramels give way to old oak staves with a hint of vanilla-mint tobacco.
Palate: That vanilla creates a silky palate with tons of butterscotch and caramel popcorn with a good flake of salt as cinnamon and chili-heavy cider leads to Christmas nut breads and old leather tobacco pouches with a hint of dark cherry.
Finish: The end amps up the ABVs dramatically as chili, black pepper, and anise drive the end toward an almost cool mint tobacco vibe with a vanilla buttercream underbelly.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a big and powerful Kentucky bourbon. I think it needs a rock to calm that end down a bit, but that’s a nitpick.
Taste 14
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is soft, kind of like freshly baked rye bread, with notes of eggnog spices, slick vanilla flan, thin caramel sauce, and hints of spicy orange zest.
Palate: The palate amps everything up as the orange peel becomes candied and attaches to a moist holiday cake, dried cranberry and cherry, more dark spice, a touch of nuttiness, and plenty of that vanilla.
Finish: The end takes its time as the whole thing comes together like a rich and boozy fruit cake as little notes of leather and tobacco spice keep things interesting on the slow fade.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another whiskey that just freaking good.
Taste 15
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with big notes of bananas foster, peach cobbler, and blackberry crumble next to roasting herbs, smoldering smudging sage, old cedar kindling, and rich vanilla-chocolate malted tobacco with a dash of Cherry Coke and Almond Joy.
Palate: Lushness dominates the palate with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, candied orange peels, candied almonds, black cherry soda, cream soda, plum pudding, and mincemeat pies dusted with powdered sugar before dark and lightly smoked oak arrives.
Finish: That smoky oak leads to pepper brisket fat and salted butter cut with cedar tobacco before veering toward blackberry pie and red currants swimming in dark chocolate with a faint whisper of fresh vanilla pods.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a wild bourbon that’s also freaking delicious. It all somehow works with a perfect balance.
Taste 16
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A lot of red berries and vanilla dominate the nose with hints of oak and maybe some woody spice.
Palate: Vanilla pods and sweet buttermilk biscuits drive the palate toward masa and woody spice.
Finish: The end has moments of brown spice and old vanilla with maybe a touch of fruit.
Initial Thoughts:
This is fine.
Taste 17
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of fresh orange zest and dark cherry on the nose with a hint of winter spice, old dried prunes, and a hint of black tea.
Palate: The winter spice leads to creamy vanilla and eggnog on the taste as a peach cobbler with fresh vanilla whipped cream leads to warming tobacco spices and hints of old oak.
Finish: Marmalade and leathery dried apricot counter the vanilla creaminess with a light sense of winter spice barks rolled up with soft pipe tobacco leaves and dipped in black cherry soda.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very deep and balanced with a great texture. This is the good stuff.
Taste 18
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of dried dark berries that leads to malted chocolate and vanilla over candied orange and cherry that’s helped with buttermilk biscuits dripping with salted butter and honey before sharp red pepper spice cuts in with rich tobacco.
Palate: Toffee rolled in roasted almond and kissed with dark orange drive the palate toward dried red chili pepper, old winter spice barks, and creamy vanilla buttercream with a sense of chocolate-laced tobacco packed into an old pipe.
Finish: That chili pepper spice attaches to the chocolate tobacco on the finish and creates a luscious finish full of vanilla butteriness, dark berry competes, and marmalade next to light nuances of an old oak stave and smudging sage with a whisper of fatty roasting herbs.
Initial Thoughts:
This is goddamn delicious.
Taste 19
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Pecan waffles covered in salted butter and fresh maple syrup pop on the nose next to candied cherry, rum raisin, and cinnamon-heavy apple cider with a kick of fresh pipe tobacco and silky vanilla cream.
Palate: That silkiness creates a lush palate full of more rum raisin, brandy-soaked cherries, old cinnamon sticks soaked in mulled wine, walnut-laden Christmas cakes, and soft oakiness with a sweet tobacco edge.
Finish: The cinnamon amps up on the warm finish with more of that creamy vanilla veering toward eggnog with a dusting of nutmeg and drizzled with salted caramel before a whisper of peppermint candy cane arrives with an underlying sense of old oak cellars.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another winner. It’s balanced, deep, and delectable.
Taste 20
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of corn husks and cherry candy with a touch of cinnamon.
Palate: The palate hits classic notes of cherry, caramel, and oak with a hint of spice.
Finish: The finish leans into the spice with a good cherry body supported by rich vanilla.
This new whiskey from Birmingham, Alabama, is made from a base of 60% corn, 30% wheat, and 10% malted barley. That whiskey ages for a few years before it’s batched and re-barreled into rum casks for a final rest.
Bottom Line:
Those burnt notes on the nose are flaws in the distillate, unfortunately. And the body of the bourbon is so light that the aging isn’t that dialed either. Sadly, this just isn’t there yet and a hard pass.
This whiskey is a throwback to a different era (sort of). The whiskey is made according to a handwritten letter from E.H. Taylor to McBrayer back in the late 1800s. The mash used is 88.4% Bloody Butcher corn, 5.8% heritage rye, and 5.8% malted barley. The whiskey then aged for at least four years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
That rubbery note on the nose (almost a magic marker when I went back to it) is a flaw in the base spirit — something went wrong. That’s too bad as the aging of this works well and the whiskey actually finished well. Again, this just needs more time to dial in. Until then, hard pass.
This Utah whiskey is named after the famed “Devil’s Gate” outside of Salt Lake City. The three-year-old whiskey in the bottles was distilled in Indiana and sent out to Utah where it was batched, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This is fine. I don’t really see the point in tracking it down unless you’re looking for a mixing bourbon and you’re in Utah. But even then, there are $30 bourbons that blow this out of the water.
This new release batch from Backbone is a blend with a 51% straight bourbon base. The batch is made up of five to seven-year-old bourbon, eight-year-old rye, and a 14-year-old light whiskey (aged in an uncharred barrel).
Bottom Line:
This had such a light nose that it threw the balance off. That’s a shame because the finish is pretty solid. Still, I’d skip this one.
Thirteenth Colony is another Georgia distillery making waves right now. The Georgia-made whiskey starts off with a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. The barrels are four to six years old before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is a “fine” bourbon (there’s nothing wrong with it at least). If you’re in Georgia, maybe try a bar pour or a cocktail made with it.
15. Old Elk Straight Bourbon Whiskey Four Grain — Taste 2
This whiskey from out in Colorado combines two whiskeys from Indiana (MGP) with Colorado’s Rocky Mountain vibe. The whiskeys are a corn/rye/barley mash bill combined with a corn/wheat/barley mash to create a four-grain experience from blending instead of scratch. That whiskey then spends six to seven years aging in the Rocky Mountain state before it’s bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is a very solid crafty bourbon (those grains are there but they’re balanced well). I’d recommend giving this a shot if you’re looking for something unique and bespoke, especially if you’re looking for a grain-forward whiskey done right.
14. Watershed Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 4 Years Bottled In Bond — Taste 12
This whiskey is from a very local craft distiller in Ohio. The bourbon in the bottle is the distillery’s bespoke bourbon that’s been left alone for over four years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is good standard bourbon. I’d use it for basic cocktails and highballs if I was in Ohio and could get it locally.
This big new whiskey from Barrell Craft Spirits swings for the fences. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of Indiana bourbon (five, six, seven, to 10 years old) and five-year-old Kentucky bourbon. Once batched, that whiskey was then filled into a Brazilian Amburana cask for a final rest. Those barrels were then bottled 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
Wow, this is a wild one. It’s truly deep and fascinating. But… it’s so far away from anything you’d expect from a bourbon that it’s hard to know where to put it. I like it, but I taste thousands of whiskey a year and crave uniqueness. If you’re a passive bourbon drinker, this will be baffling (and maybe not in a good way). You’ve been warned.
It’s still a really well-made whiskey regardless.
12. Milan & Greene UNABRIDGED Volume 2 A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies — Taste 5
Unabridged Volume 2 just hit shelves. This edition utilizes both copper pot still bourbon made in Texas and classic column still bourbon made in Kentucky (both from Milam & Greene’s own recipes). Tennessee whiskey (two to 16 years old) was added to the final batch to add extra depth before bottling 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is good bourbon. It’s complex yet light enough to be 100% approachable. I’d like to see how this adds to great whiskey-forward cocktails. I can see it really shining.
This new edition of Remus from MGP of Indiana’s flagship distiller — Ross & Squibb — is all about rye grains. The bourbon is made with a mash of 51% corn, 39% rye, and 10% malted rye (no barley here, folks). That whiskey was left to age for six years before batching and bottling.
Bottom Line:
Again, this is really nice bourbon. There are no bells or whistles, but it doesn’t need it. If you’re looking for an easy everyday pour, this is a good choice. It’ll also make a mean cocktail.
This bourbon is made with a classic sour mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley in copper pot stills. The whiskey is then left for two to four years before small batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is another good classic bourbon. I’d use it for cocktails.
9. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Casks — Taste 10
This Texas whiskey is hewn from 90 30-gallon barrels of four-year-old bourbon that were transferred into 26 59-gallon Tawny Port casks for a final maturation of over one year. That whiskey is then bottled as-is after a touch of water is added.
Bottom Line:
This is the best crafty whiskey on the panel. The grain-forward notes are wonderfully balanced with a deep and dark bourbon profile. If you’re looking for a truly well-made crafty with a bold grain-forward nature, this is it.
The last drop from Elijah Craig Barrel Proof of 2023 is a big one. The whiskey in the bottle is a 13-year and 7-month-old bourbon that was bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is bold and beautiful bourbon. It hits quintessential Kentucky bourbon notes with serious heat on the finish. That heat is the only reason this is a little lower in the ranking today. This needs a rock to calm it down. That said, if you’re looking for a proof bomb with real depth, this is the bottle for you.
7. New Riff Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon Kentucky Straight Whiskey Topflight Series by ReserveBar — Taste 14
The juice in the bottle is New Riff’s standard bourbon mash of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. The spirit is aged for at least four years before they’re bottled individually without cutting or filtration.
Bottom Line:
This is balanced and deep with a lovely mouthfeel. Overall, you can’t go wrong with this on your shelf for neat pours, on the rocks sipping, and mixing into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktails.
6. Blue Run Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Trifecta Blend — Taste 4
The latest release from craft bottler Blue Run is a blend of three ages of barrels that all lean into “wood heat”. In this case, the 189 barrels were six-, eight-, and nine-year-old barrels of wood-forward bourbon that were batched and bottled as-is at barrel strength.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that has a great balance with the wood and the overall classic bourbon profile. I can see sipping this neat or on the rocks and not being mad about it for a single second.
5. Shortbarrel Single Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon — Taste 17
These Shortbarrel Single Barrel releases are all over four years old and sourced either from Green River Distilling in Kentucky or MGP in Indiana. In this case, the whiskey was made in Kentucky and bottled in Georgia.
Bottom Line:
This is just really good bourbon, folks. Drink it however you like to drink your whiskey.
4. Barrell Bourbon Cash Finish Series: Tale of Two Islands — Taste 15
This new release from Barrell Craft Spirits is a unique one. The whiskey in the bottle is batched from Indiana bourbon (five, six, and nine-year-old barrels) with Maryland bourbon (five and six-year-old barrels). Once batched, the whiskey is re-barreled into rum casks and Islay whisky casks. Then those barrels are batched and the whiskey is bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is as delicious as it is fascinating. It’s also just really good from top to bottom with a brilliant balance and deeply satisfying vibe. You will need to take your time with this one though. Add water, let it air, and then return to it again and again to find the real depth. You will be rewarded for your patience.
3. Rabbit Hole Limited Edition Artist Series Single Barrel Heigold Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 18
This single barrel of Rabbit Hole is from their “Heigold” malted line. The almost five-year-old barrel was made with a mash bill of 70% corn, 25% malted rye, and 5% malted barley. It was bottled as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This hits high marks for being deep and delicious while still staying approachable. It’s just really good slow-sipping whiskey that rewards you with deeper and silkier notes on each return.
2023’s Remus Repeal Reserve is here! The Seventh edition is made from a lot of Indiana bourbons from Ross & Squibb — 6% is a 2007 21% rye bourbon, 26% is a 2013 21% rye bourbon, another 26% is a 2013 36% rye bourbon, 21% is a 2014 21% rye bourbon, and the final 21% is a 2014 36% rye bourbon. Once batched, the whiskey was just kissed with water before bottling.
Bottom Line:
This has everything you can want in a quintessential bourbon whiskey. It’s deeply layered, adds more and more on each nose and sip, and is ultimately just really f*cking good. Enjoy it slow and you won’t be disappointed for a single second.
This new version of Legent leans into the marriage of Kentucky and Japan in the bottle. The whiskey is a straight bourbon from Beam that spent eight years mellowing in Kentucky. That whiskey was then sent to the Yamazaki Distillery outside of Kyoto, Japan where blending legend Shinji Fukuyo transferred the whiskey into French and Spanish oak casks for another rest before batching again and re-filling the whiskey into the incredible Yamazaki Spanish Oak whisky casks for a final rest before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This went beyond “quintessential” and delivered a truly transcendent bourbon experience. There was simply more here than with any other bourbon on the list. It was deep, sure, but more importantly, it was unique while making total sense. This is delicious whiskey that’s a dream to sip.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the New Bourbon for Bourbon Heritage Month
Zach Johnston
Well, we made it. Overall, the top eight or nine whiskeys on this list are the ones that you want to focus on. You can ignore the bottom five altogether.
Brasstacks, that Legent Yamazaki is the winner by a country mile. Get it, savor it, and then get more.
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