Oskar Blue/Highland/Creature Comforts/Sixpoint/Istock/Uproxx
When we describe lagers, it’s difficult not to overuse the term “crisp” because it’s such a defining adjective when it comes to a well-made beer. It’s equally fun to refer to a beer as crispy as it is to refer to one as a “crispy boy” or some other crisp-adjacent slang. And it’s not fake either, when we crack open a lager, we are hoping for a refreshing, flavorful beer with a nice crisp, dry finish. The kind of easy-drinking beer you can just as easily imbibe in the middle of a sweaty summer heat wave to cool you off or as a refreshing respite on a frigid winter night.
Many beers are seasonal but the lager is for… whenever. With spring slowing easing its way in, we decided to take eight of the crispiest, easy-to-find, American lagers and rank them for you. Keep scrolling to see them all.
When you name your beer “Crisp Pilsner,” you’re telling the world exactly what they’re going to get when they crack one open. This German-style pilsner is known for its clean, crispy, slightly hoppy flavor profile. It’s definitely a no-frills, easy-drinking beer.
Tasting Notes:
Basic cracker-like malts, lemon zest, grassy, and herbal hops are the main aromas detected on the nose. The palate is all caramel malts, sweet corn, and citrus. The finish is lightly hoppy, but not very dry. Overall, this is just an okay pilsner — solid but not life-changing.
Bottom Line:
There’s nothing bad about Anchor’s take on a crisp beer style. It’s just fairly basic and unexciting.
If this beer was good enough to be “crushed by Quint” in Jaws then it’s definitely good enough for us. Known just as much for its easy-drinking, highly-refreshing flavor as it is for its low price, Narragansett Lager is the kind of beer we always like to have around.
Tasting Notes:
The nose has a ton of sweet cereal grains, corn, honey, and citrus peels. It actually smells kind of generic and mass-produced. The taste follows. It’s slightly sweet with cereal grains, a kind of corny flavor, more citrus peels, and light hops. It’s not the greatest beer ever made, but it hits the spot and it’s very cheap.
Bottom Line:
For the price, it’s difficult to beat this lager. Compared to some of the others on the list and it just doesn’t stand up quite as well.
If you randomly happen upon a six-pack of Altstadt Lager in a store, you might assume it’s a beer imported from German. While it certainly has that appearance (and taste), this traditional Munich-style helles lager was actually brewed in Texas using Bavarian hops and German-grown malted barley. It even has yeast from the oldest brewery in the world, Germany’s Weihenstephaner.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find bready malts, honey, cereal grains, and light lemon peel. Drinking it reveals notes of more cereal grains, light citrus, and honey. There’s little to no bitterness from the hops. It’s a refreshing beer, but a little muted in the flavor department.
Bottom Line:
Another beer that has everything crispy beer fans love. It just leans a little too much into the refreshing, easy-drinking realm and out of the complex, flavorful zone.
Based on the refreshing lagers of Germany and the Czech Republic, Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils is brewed with Pilsner and honey malts and gets its floral, hoppy aroma and flavor from the addition of Saaz and Aramis hops. At 4.7%, it’s a surprisingly crushable pilsner.
Tasting Notes:
The first aromas you’ll notice are those of cereal grains, sweet corn, honey, citrus peel, and light Noble hops. While the palate is slightly less exciting, it does have a great combination of biscuit-like malts, light fruit, spices, and floral, lightly bitter Noble hops. The finish is dry and memorable.
Bottom Line:
Another beer that loses points because its nose is much more potent than its palate, Mama’s Little Yella Pilsner is still the kind of beer you’ll keep in your fridge all year long.
Creature Comforts doesn’t pull any proverbial punches when it comes to their lager. It’s called Classic City Lager and that’s exactly what it is. This 4.2%, highly sessionable lager is available any time of the year and is known for its no-frills, clean, very crisp flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Classic lager aromas of cracker-like malts, cereal grains, lemongrass, and herbal, earthy, floral hops greet you on the nose. The palate continues this trend with bready malts, cereal grains, honey, citrus, grassy, herbal, floral, and lightly bitter hops at the finish.
Bottom Line:
Classic City Lager is just that: classic. It has everything lager fans crave. It’s a little thinner than we’d prefer, but that’s to be expected due to its low ABV.
Howdy Beer is a classic, crisp, refreshing lager from the folks at Colorado’s Post Brewing Company. It’s a throwback in a can, not only in flavor but on the classic, cowboy-centric label as well. Referred to by the brewery as a “Western Pilsner”, it’s a 4.5% ABV thirst quencher you’ll want to drink all year long.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is pilsner malts, cereal grains, citrus peels, and floral hops. It’s light, but it draws you in for more. Sipping it reveals notes of wet grass, tangerines, lemongrass, cracker malts, and more herbal, floral, lightly bitter hops. It’s definitely a unique pilsner and a refreshing one as well.
Bottom Line:
Howdy Beer is a great thirst-quencher. Its only downfall is that it’s a little too hoppy for some fans of lighter, more crushable lagers.
Another beer that literally has the word “crisp” in its name, Sixpoint set out to make one of the crispiest pilsners possible and they did just that. Brewed with German Tettnang and Hallertau hops as well as Cargill Pilsner malt, it’s known for its very crisp, crushable, complex flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of grass, bready malts, citrus peels, apples, honey, and floral, Noble hops are prevalent on the nose. Take a sip and you’ll find flavors of Granny Smith apples, caramel, freshly baked bread, and more floral hops. The finish is dry, but not at all bitter.
Bottom Line:
This beer is equal parts light and crushable and equal parts complex and flavorful. It’s a great example of crisp American lagers done right.
If you’ve never tried Highland Pilsner out of Asheville, now is a great time to do so. Brewed with Pilsner malts as well as Perle, Saphir, Hallertau Blanc, and Hersbrucker hops, this German-inspired pilsner is snappy, crisp, and highly refreshing.
Tasting Notes:
Before your first sip, you’ll be greeted with a nose of freshly baked bread, lemon peels, pilsner malts, and floral, earthy Noble hops. It’s a very inviting nose. The palate continues this trend with notes of bready malts, caramel, orange zest, light spices, and floral hops. The finish is dry and crisp and leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
If you’re only going to drink one snappy, crisp lager on this list, make it Highland Pilsner. It’s complex, dry, and perfect for the first signs of spring.
SZA is the subject of a new Billboard cover story that dropped today, as the publication named her Woman Of The Year. During the interview, she confirms what fans had been suspecting for quite a while: that there will be a deluxe version of her chart-topping 2022 album, SOS.
“And, once she releases the deluxe edition of SOS — which will feature 10 additional tracks and is coming soon — SZA says she’ll be done trying to convince herself that she deserves her flowers,” the piece notes.
.@sza made chart history with ‘SOS.’ Now gearing up to release a deluxe edition and headline arenas, she cements her place as Billboard’s 2023 Woman of the Year.
“After I do the deluxe, I’m hoping to be able to accept that this chapter is done,” SZA said. “I’m looking forward to actually feeling proud of myself and not just smiling and nodding at accolades but really feeling it internally and knowing that I’m good enough.”
While it’s still unclear exactly when we can expect the added ten tracks, it’s just nice to know that it’s on the way. And, hopefully, it won’t take that long to drop — given there were five years between SZA’s debut and sophomore album cycles.
Many fans speculated that the SOS deluxe edition would drop in August, after spotting a potential Easter egg in SZA’s “Kill Bill” music video on the motorcycle license plate, which read “SOS” and “August.” In their defense, she previously used a similar method at the end of her “Shirt” music video to announce her album’s release date.
However, she shut those ideas about the deluxe date down on Twitter. “The deluxe is not coming out in august lol it’s just a license plate,” she wrote.
The deluxe is not coming out in august lol it’s just a license plate .
Good news: we are finally about to make it through the dead of winter. Bad news: those springtime showers and allergies might keep you inside anyway. Fortunately, there’s a ton of new TV shows and movies to binge on Netflix, including the second installment of You Season 4, which recently left fans hanging with a midseason finale. Speaking of hanging, The Hangover trilogy is about to land in the Netflix back library, and never forget that this is where two talented souls (the Joker director Todd Phillips and the Chernobyl creator/The Last Of Us showrunner Craig Mazin) made their early bread and butter.
As well, Chris Rock is about to launch a new kind of comedy special on this streaming service, and lovers of high fantasy and true crime can also get their fix with fresh selections. Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Netflix in March.
Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (Netflix standup special streaming 3/4)
Chris Rock has “got to play that Tamborine,” and we ranked that special at the top of our Best Stand-Up Specials on Netflix list. Fortunately, Rock is not only back for another event, but this should be quite an experiment. Selective Outrage will stream as Netflix’s first live-streamed event at 10:00pm EST on release day. Anything could happen, as Rock already knows from hosting the Oscars. This set takes place in Maryland, and of course, you’ll be able to stream this puppy after the fact if you can’t make it live.
You: Season 4 Part 2 (Netflix series streaming 3/9)
Joe Goldberg has another new name, and largely a new personality, given that he’s a fake professor in London. He’s also fallen into a pit of relative despair, but the masses are still clicking, so tune in to see what the show has in store for him (he’s the one being stalked these days) after all that stalking and killing. Don’t expect too much sexy time from this season, however, because Penn Badgley has been there and done that, thank you very much.
Shadow and Bone: Season 2 (Netflix series streaming 3/16)
Here comes more heartwrenching choices to be made in a world that strongly resembles 19th century Russia, where an orphan must survive the best way that she knows how while also dealing with the darkness of the Shadow Fold. This show returns with a loyal fandom for a story where approximately half of the world can work some sort of magic, and we’re truly living in a golden age of high fantasy on the streaming services.
Murder Mystery 2 (Netflix film streaming 3/32)
Did the world need a second installment of the zany comedy starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston? Probably not, but people will watch it anyway. The leading duo characters are now kind-of legit detectives who are aiming to make their own P.I. agency a real thing, and they end up on a private island for a destination wedding that of course turns into a crime scene where everyone is a suspect (don’t stop us if you’ve seen this one). The stakes are higher, and eventually, these two will make it to France.
Waco: American Apocalypse (Netflix documentary streaming 3/22)
True crime devotees, the time has come for a deep dive into the 1993 Waco siege, which somehow lasted 51 whole days. The story of David Koresh’s cult-leaderdom is still layered in so much disturbing detail, and this project promises to reveal unearthed footage that emerged from within the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit, along with raw footage from news coverage that never materialized on TV. Director Tiller Russell (Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer) helms this story, so expect intensity.
Avail. TBA Agent Elvis
Furies
I Am Georgina: Season 2
Avail. 3/1 Cheat
Tonight You’re Sleeping with Me
Wrong Side of the Tracks: Season 2 Burlesque
Easy A
Forged in Fire: Knife or Death: Season 2 The Hangover
The Hangover: Part II
The Hangover: Part III
Little Angel: Volume 2 Magic Mike XXL
National Lampoon’s Animal House
Open Season
Open Season 2 Out of Africa
Rango
Seven Years in Tibet
Sleepless in Seattle
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
The Other Boleyn Girl
Avail. 3/2 Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery: Season 2 Karate Sheep
Masameer County: Season 2 Sex/Life: Season 2 This Is Where I Leave You
Avail. 3/3 Love at First Kiss
Next in Fashion: Season 2 Split the Root
Avail. 3/4 Chris Rock: Selective Outrage
Divorce Attorney Shin
Avail. 3/6 Ridley Jones: Season 5
Avail. 3/7 World War Z
Avail. 3/8 Faraway
MH370: The Plane That Disappeared
Avail. 3/9 You: Season 4 Part 2
Avail. 3/10 The Glory Part 2 Have a nice day!
Luther: The Fallen Sun
Outlast
Rana Naidu 10 Minute Workouts : Volume 2 20 Minute Workouts : Volume 2 30 Minute Workouts : Volume 2 Abs & Core Volume 1 Bodyweight Burn : Volume 2 Fire & Flow with Tara & Xochilt Volume 1 Fitness for Runners Volume 1 High-Intensity Training : Volume 2 Ignite & Inspire : Volume 1 Kick Off with Betina Gozo : Volume 1 Lower-Body Workouts Volume 1 Upper-Body Workouts Volume 1 Yoga Volume 1 Yoga with Xochil : Volume 1
Avail. 3/15 The Law of the Jungle
Money Shot: The Pornhub Story
Avail. 3/16 The Chronicles of Riddick
Kick-Ass 2
Pitch Black
Riddick
Shadow and Bone: Season 2 Still Time
Avail. 3/17 Dance 100
In His Shadow
Maestro in Blue
The Magician’s Elephant
Noise
Sky High: The Series
Avail. 3/20 Carol
Gabby’s Dollhouse: Season 7
Avail. 3/21 We Lost Our Human
Avail. 3/22 Invisible City: Season 2 The Kingdom: Season 2 Waco: American Apocalypse
Avail. 3/23 Johnny
The Night Agent
Avail. 3/24 Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga
Love Is Blind: Season 4
Avail. 3/28 InuYasha: Seasons 4-5 Mae Martin: SAP
Avail. 3/29 Emergency: NYC
Unseen
Wellmania
Avail. 3/30 Big Mäck: Gangsters and Gold
From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke
Unstable
Avail. 3/31 Copycat Killer
Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Henry Danger: Seasons 4-5 Kill Boksoon
Love Is Blind: Season 4 Murder Mystery 2
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 2
And it’s your last chance to stream these titles:
Leaving 3/5 Hap and Leonard: Seasons 1-3
Leaving 3/16 Lee Daniels’ The Butler
Outback Truckers: Seasons 1-3
Leaving 3/18 Instant Hotel: Season 2
Leaving 3/24 Shtisel: Seasons 1-3
Leaving 3/25 Big Time Rush: Seasons 1-4
Leaving 3/31 30 Minutes or Less
Brokeback Mountain
The three least-liked Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, at least according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes, have been released in the past three years: Eternals (2021), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). Is there superhero fatigue? Yes, but there’s another reason for the lack of critical admiration: none of those movies is about Venom.
The [Jenny Slate voice] symbiote-shaped hole in our heart will soon be filled by Venom 3, however. On Wednesday, actor Tom Hardy revealed that pre-production has started on the third film in the franchise. “Whilst working on V3 pre prep @lelping @sonypictures @sony @venommovie this throwback came up #cuttingroomfloor #byetom #thankstom,” he wrote on Instagram, along with a deleted scene in which Eddie Brock gets into an argument in public with Venom. (I am 97 percent serious when I say that Tom Hardy should have been nominated for an Academy Award for Venom. Maybe 98 percent.)
While plot details remain under wraps, a notable industry scooper stated in December 2021 that the third Venom film would “explore the Multiverse” and show “Venom finally meeting and fighting Spider-Man,” specifically the Andrew Garfield version of the Wall-Crawler. Kelly Marcel, who co-wrote Venom and 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, is returning to pen the screenplay for Venom 3 based on a story by herself and Hardy.
We’ve had enough movies about various demonic possessions and exorcism, but have we ever had any demonic movies that were based on real events? Yes! A lot actually, maybe even too many. We probably don’t need more. But here is another one!
The Pope’s Exorcist stars Russell Crowe as a priest who helps keep Italy demon-free, though it doesn’t seem like he’s doing a good job of it by the looks of the trailer, which features Crowe being taunted by a possessed young child with rotting teeth. For some reason, when demons control you, their first task is to destroy all the years of pristine dental hygiene.
The story is based on “actual files” from Father Gabriele Amorth, the guy who did all of the Pope’s dirty work (his nightly exorcisms). Though we have to suspend disbelief for a little bit here, due to the fact that anyone can whip up some “actual files” and create a movie out of them. Also due to the fact that Father Amorth thinks that yoga is a satanic ritual. Do we really trust this guy?
Here is the official synopsis:
Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican (Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe), The Pope’s Exorcist follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden.
The movie also stars Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, and Franco Nero and will haunt theaters on April 7th. Check out the trailer above.
The year is filled to the brim with highly-anticipated concert tours and festivals. Chart-topping recording artist SZA’s SOS Tour is near the top of the list. The “Kill Bill” singer launched her North American tour wing of her tour yesterday (February 21) in Columbus, Ohio, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center.
Over the next few weeks, the songwriter will embark on a 15-city tour with support from singer Omar Apollo. The Grammy Best New Artist nominee has quickly gained a fan base due to his deeply emotional approach, which will fit in perfectly with SZA’s discography while on tour. Although SZA’s setlist will fluctuate across each night’s performance, Omar Apollo’s growing fame and discography doesn’t offer as much flexibility.
According to setlist.fm, Omar’s setlist is a mix of both fun and sad songs. View Omar Apollo’s setlist and the remaining SOS Tour dates below.
02/24 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
02/25 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
02/27 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
02/28 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
03/02 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
03/04 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
03/07 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
03/09 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
03/10 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
03/13 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
03/14 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
03/16 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
03/18 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
03/19 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
03/22 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Kia Forum
Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
After all these years, The Rolling Stones are still kicking it, and it seems like there might be some exciting material on the horizon. Sources have told Variety that the two surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, may collaborate on the new album by the “Sympathy For The Devil” band.
According to the publication, multiple sources said McCartney recorded bass parts for a Rolling Stones project produced by Andrew Watt, and that Starr will work on it as well. Variety continued: “Recording sessions took place in Los Angeles in recent weeks and, while it’s unclear which tracks will make the final cut — or whether McCartney and Starr would end up on the same song — the album’s production is nearing the mixing phase.”
Since last year, The Rolling Stones have teased a new record. Last month, guitarist Keith Richards confirmed on Instagram that there’s “new music on its way.” Plus, Mick Jagger said there were “a lot of tracks done.”
Of course, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have long had some tension. Just in 2021, for example, McCartney said, “I’m not sure I should say it, but they’re a blues cover band, that’s sort of what the Stones are. I think our net was cast a bit wider than theirs.”
“I told Ja that Halo asked me to get his jersey after all star game and he was wit it,” 2 Chainz shared in an Instagram post, where he posed with Morant’s signed #12 orange jersey.
He also offered his thanks to Morant through an additional Instagram Story. “Preciate it Ja,” 2 Chainz wrote. “That boy Halo asked me to get this jersey for him, no cap. He said, ‘Dad, get Ja’s jersey.’ The boy looked out, I appreciate it, fam.”
This latest jersey is just another addition that 2 Chainz got for Halo’s growing collection. Previously, he picked his son up some memorabilia courtesy of New York Knicks guard R.J. Barrett and Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic.
2 Chainz had brought Halo out to the Mavs game last May, where Doncic signed it in person. He posted a sweet video of his son watching the replay of the moment on TV at their house.
Fans have also taken notice of all of Halo’s gifts from his father. “I’m super jealous and happy for the baby at the same time!!,” one person wrote in the post’s comments.
“Cause Halo a cool cat. Cooler than you lol,” another wrote, taking a more sarcastic approach.
Before we dive in, a little context. It wasn’t that long ago that so-called “whisk(e)y experts” scoffed at the idea of drinking blended whiskeys. The erroneous idea was that a “blended” product was a mix of all the stuff that wasn’t good enough to be “straight bourbon” or “single malt” or “single pot still” whiskeys. That just wasn’t and still isn’t based in any sort of reality, since all of those whiskeys are blends too.
All whiskey has always been about balancing flavor notes from barrels that match whatever expression the whiskey-making team is going for. In most cases, a “blended whiskey” is something that’s built from different styles of whiskey. When a “straight bourbon” or “single malt” is made, it’s a blend of the same style of whiskey barrels, without any other types of whiskey in the mix. But even then, those whiskey barrels could be decades apart in age and have vastly different mash bills, making them different whiskeys at the end of the day. So everything — unless it says “single barrel” or “single cask” on it — is a blend of whiskeys.
These days, whiskeys call themselves “blended” even when they’re made with varying, say for example, bourbons. “Blended straight bourbon” has become a huge thing and generally refers to expressions where bourbons from different regions come together to create something delicious for all of us to drink. All of this is to say that the idea of “blended” whiskey — in any form — being somehow inferior was as wrongheaded 20, 50, or 100 years ago as it is in 2023. So I grabbed a dozen blended whiskeys from all over the world off of my shelf and blindly taste them a find a truly great one for you to try too.
Our lineup today includes the following bottles:
Compass Box The Spice Tree Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (UK)
Nose: The nose dances between dark orchard fruits, dried ginger coins, creamy nutmeg over a frothy latte, clove-stuffed oranges, and a fleeting sense of winter-spiced vanilla cake.
Palate: The taste is luxurious with deep and dark dried fruitiness next to soft and honeyed malts, cinnamon bark, whole nutmeg, and a whisper of salted black licorice next to soft tobacco spice.
Finish: That soft tobacco drives the finish back toward those honey malts with a subtle layer of nutty creaminess on the back end, adding to the lushness.
Initial Thoughts:
Damn, this is good whisky. I wanted to pour more of this immediately after tasting it. That’s a good sign.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Oatcakes and vanilla wafers mingle with raisins, bushels of apples, and gingerbread with a hint of honey and I want to say mango skins.
Palate: The palate leans into the soft and powdered winter spices with a soft orange citrus note that leads to apple nut oatmeal with plenty of fresh honey and raisin next to spicy apple cider and ginger snaps.
Finish: The end has a maltiness that’s followed by sweet winter spices, honey, and nuttiness.
Initial Thoughts:
This was pretty damn good too. That oatcake vibe 100% felt very Irish whiskey forward and the orchard fruit confirmed it. Still, this was a little extra and I dig it.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is very thin on the nose with a hint of malt and butterscotch that leads to straight-up tap water.
Palate: There’s a hint of floral malts on the taste that lead back to that creamy butterscotch with a hint of soft spice.
Finish: The finish is watery.
Initial Thoughts:
This is clearly something you mix highballs with when you want to tie one on.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice mix of maltiness and spiced creaminess with a touch of tropical fruit and old oak staves on the nose.
Palate: That spice leans toward cinnamon bark and allspice with oakiness to it next to a hint of smoldering apple wood and maybe some rock candy.
Finish: There’s a whisper of sweet smoke next to seared peaches and dry tobacco leaves with a whisper of vanilla.
Initial Thoughts:
This was very “fine” but a little indistinct. It felt more like a mixing whisky that you build with than a slow sipper.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with old oak and leather with a hint of winter spice and a can of corn — just a plain ol’ can o’ corn.
Palate: The old leather drives the palate with a soft vanilla base and a sweet but singed marshmallow sweetness next to more of that mild winter spice.
Finish: The end really leans into the sweetness of it all with a creamy butterscotch and vanilla sheet cake with white frosting that’s cut with cinnamon and clove tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This started off a little weak but ended pretty strongly. It feels like a smack-dab middle-of-the-road whiskey.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a sweet peaty with clear notes of burnt orange and honey-dipped malt cookies with a hint of spice and smoke.
Palate: That spice attaches to the malt on the palate with a sense of smoked citrus fruits and a touch of oakiness.
Finish: The smoked oranges and spices peak on the finish with a hint of caramel sweetness.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a Johnnie Walker Black clone.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose runs deep with stewed apples spiced with cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and clove next to marmalade and dried apricot with a faint touch of honeyed malt.
Palate: A can of spiced peaches drives the palate toward coconut macaroons dipped in dark chocolate and just touched with salt next to lemon meringue pie.
Finish: Rich toffee leads the way on the finish with deep dark malted creaminess and a touch of those stewed stone fruits.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty goddamn tasty. It’s definitely the best pour since the first one.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Irish oatcakes with vanilla wafers, orange rinds, and light peppery spice lead the way on the nose.
Palate: Orchard fruits confirm the Irishness of it all on the palate as butterscotch and vanilla pudding mingle with white pepper and a fleeting sense of old oak.
Finish: The orchard fruits peek on the finish with a honey oatmeal cookie vibe.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very standard Irish whiskey. Nothing wrong with that but not really that exciting either.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a dry apple cider vibe that leans into orange marmalade, dried apricot, and moist almond cake dipped in luxurious eggnog on the nose.
Palate: There’s a woody huckleberry jam vibe on the front of the palate that leads to old-fashioned cinnamon apple fritter, pecan waffles, more orange marmalade, and nutty almond cookies dusted in powdered sugar and nutmeg.
Finish: There’s a hint of dry sweetgrass and dried pear chips with a hint of sasparilla root, sea salt flakes, and this fleeting sense of cold slate on a rainy day balanced by rich yet dry chili spice and dark and burnt orange and espresso beans.
Initial Thoughts:
Goddamn, this is a killer whiskey. It’s clearly a bourbon blend but goes so far beyond anything remotely average. This is good stuff.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is soft and full of rye bread crusts, a touch of pound cake, and a hint of marzipan with a mild “woodiness” below everything.
Palate: The palate feels very Irish Whiskey with a spiced maltiness — cinnamon and nutmeg mostly — next to wet brown sugar, floral honey, and a hint of lemon pepper.
Finish: The end really leans into the maltiness with a hint of nutshell woodiness and toffee sweetness next to mild raisin notes.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty nice overall. It has a nice depth that I dig but it is a little short on the finish.
Taste 11
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That oated sweet grainy nose of a good Irish whiskey mingles with dark chocolate cut with creamy vanilla sits next to a rich buttery toffee with a note of orange on the nose.
Palate: The palate amps up that vanilla with a dusting of Christmas spices and fatty nuts that lead to a minced meat pie feel with a dark orange/chocolate underbelly.
Finish: The end has a hint of tannic oak with a creamy vanilla lushness that’s spiked with dark wintry woody spices.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty good too. It’s not a “wow” pour of whiskey but it is a solid one.
Taste 12
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one is immediately peated with a sweet edge of toffee, buttered cinnamon toast, and plenty of dark red berries next to green tea, soft leather, and a hint of pine tobacco.
Palate: The palate has a general “peatiness” that remains sweet with plenty of vanilla and fresh honey next to more of those red berries and a good dose of matcha tea dusted with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Finish: The end leans into the rye and bourbon with a hint of orange zest, salted caramel, and spiced tobacco next to that sweet smokiness.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty close to “wow” from nose to finish. There’s a delicate balance of sweet peatiness and dark, spicy, and sweet American whiskey vibes that just work.
This whisky from the legendary Nikka Distillery blends grain and peated malt whiskies. The mix is fine-tuned as a mixing whisky, primarily for highballs.
Bottom Line:
This was so thin that I couldn’t imagine it anything but a whisky highball with fizzy and sharp sparking water and a big garnish of something bold (maybe grapefruit or rosemary) to help it pop.
This new blend from a bottler mixes smoky peated whiskies from Speyside and Islay. Those whiskies are dialed to create a mixing whisky blend.
Bottom Line:
This was fine if you’re looking for a highball whisky. It tastes exactly like Johnnie Walker Black Label, which costs about the same price and is probably on every shelf at every liquor store within a 20-mile radius of your door from coast to coast.
10. Suntory World Whisky AO A Blend Of Five Major Whiskies (JP) — Taste 4
This whisky from Suntory blends five whiskeys from the five big whisk(e)y regions on the planet. The blend is Irish whiskey from Cooley Distillery, Scotch whisky from Ardmore Distillery and Glen Garioch Distillery, American whiskey from Jim Beam’s Clermont Distillery, Canadian whisky from Alberta Distillery, and Japanese whisky from Yamazaki Distillery and Hakushu Distillery.
Bottom Line:
This was very much “fine.” It was a little indistinct. That said, if you’re looking for a highball or cocktail base, this might work but seems like a waste at this price point. This whisky isn’t bad, it’s just a little too expensive, and that hangs it low on this ranking.
This Irish whiskey is batched from sweet bourbon barrels. The blend is a mix of malt and grain Irish whiskeys that spent at least five years resting in old bourbon casks before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that’s perfectly fine. It’s clearly rendered for mixing and will shine in a highball with ginger ale and a twist of lime. So if you’re looking for something that’s a single notch above standard Jameson or about five notches above Proper No. 12, get this.
8. Bluebird Days Whiskey Straight American Whiskey (US) — Taste 5
Country Artist Jordan Davis partnered with Bluebird Distilling in Pennsylvania to create this American blend. The blend is a mix of Bluebird’s oldest barrels of wheat whiskey and bourbon that’s proofed down before bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is the last of the “fine” pours. There’s nothing wrong with this whiskey. It’s standard and goes down easily. It’s definitely more of a mixer than a sipper though.
This masterfully crafted whiskey leans more towards the single pot still whiskeys than grain whiskey. Those whiskeys are aged in a combination of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon for anywhere from eight to 16 years. Then, the whiskey is finished in an extra-charred ex-bourbon barrel, bringing about the “Black Barrel” moniker, before blending and proofing.
Bottom Line:
This was very good. I can see sipping this or mixing up a mean cocktail with it. Brasstacks, if you’re a fan of Jameson, this is the bottle you graduate to. This is a huge step up from the standard bottle of Jameson.
6. The Beverly High Rye Fine American Whiskey (US) — Taste 10
This new whiskey is rendered from a marriage of Iowa’s famed Cedar Ridge and Indiana’s MGP whiskeys. The blend balances bourbon with a majority of rye in the mix to create a “high rye” American whiskey.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that’s just good whiskey. No notes! Overall, if you’re looking for something new and fresh that still feels like coming home to a warm embrace, then this is the whiskey for you. If you do pull a bottle for your bar cart, make sure to try it in a Manhattan or Sazerac.
The latest release from Irish-American whiskey brand Keeper’s Heart blends Irish grain and pot still whiskeys with American rye whiskey (all aged over four years). Unlike the previous releases from the brand, this expression ramps up the rye whiskey and ABVs with a higher proof and only a touch of water in the final blend.
Bottom Line:
This is another winner. Irish American whiskey is about to blow up as a style and Keeper’s Heart is the spearhead. The beauty of this bottle is that blend of funky rye with soft Irish whiskey, which creates a really solid whiskey for sipping over some rocks or mixing into your favorite cocktail.
This is a commemorative expression from Dewar’s that celebrates the brand’s long history as a sponsor of the U.S. Open. The whisky in the bottle is a one-of-a-kind 19-year-old blend of Dewar’s classic whiskies that are all aged in ex-bourbon casks.
Bottom Line:
Goddamn, this is a tasty Dewar’s expression. Not to be too on the nose, but this is a great bottle to bring out on the back nine on a sunny day. It also works as a perfect gift for the golfer in your life. Golf aside, this is good enough to buy for any fan of Scotch whisky.
3. High West Campfire Batch No: 22F30 (US) — Taste 12
This blend from Utah’s beloved High West is a big mix. The majority is a blend of MGP’s famed 95% rye (with 5% malted barley) mixed with High West’s own 80% rye/20% malted rye and an MGP bourbon with 75% corn, 21% rye, and only 4% malted barley. Finally, a dash of blended pure malt Scotch whisky is added to the mix from an undisclosed distillery somewhere in Scotland. All of that is then proofed down and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This perfectly balances soft and sweet peated malt with American whiskeys. It’s great for the peat curious but also slaps if you’re looking for a whiskey to bridge Scotch and American whiskey. It’s really the best of both worlds situation.
2. Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength Batch# 034 A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys (US) — Taste 9
The latest Batch from Barrell Bourbon is a blend of bourbons from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. The barrels in the mix are between six and 15 years old. Those barrels are masterfully blended and bottled 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is a stellar blended bourbon whiskey. There are zero faults. It takes you on a journey. Buy this fast, it won’t be around much longer. Hell, buy a case and make it your 2023 house bourbon pour.
1. Compass Box The Spice Tree Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (UK) — Taste 1
This blended whisky from British powerhouse blended Compass Box is a highwater mark for the brand. The mix in the bottle has a super unique aging process that includes barrels of heavily toasted French oak with lumber sourced from nearly 200-year-old trees in France’s Vosges forests that are built into casks made specifically for this whisky.
That’s just … cool.
Bottom Line:
This was the most nuanced and transcendent whisky on the panel today. It was deeply hewn but also fun and fresh. You wanted to spend more time with this whisky and plumb its murky depths. Moreover, it’s a great bottle to buy for whiskey fans in general who are looking for something without fault that takes them somewhere new and fun.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
This is one of those tastings where the top half is far superior to the bottom half (give or take). 12 through eight are all passable, which means you can easily pass on them at the liquor store. There’s nothing that special there that you can’t either get for a better price in another brand or just skip altogether.
Seven through one are all worth your time, with the top three picks really being the winners. That said, any of the top three will serve as great pours on your bar cart. They each offer something a little unique, so re-read those tasting notes and then click those price links to see if you can get them in your neck of the woods. Good luck!
Nearly 18 months after the on-set incident which claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Alec Baldwin’s western Rust is looking to resume production, and this news arrives after Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter charges were lowered.
The movie will re-start production this spring, this time on the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana (not that one). The new ranch has been used to as a one-stop shop for various Montana productions, like the high-budget B movie Murder at Yellowstone City, and the western-themed Rolls-Royce commercial (!?).
Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have been previously charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter. The first hearing for Baldwin is set for this Friday, and he could face up to a maximum of 18 months in prison. As of now, the actor is still signed on to the film, which he also co-wrote himself.
Meanwhile, Baldwin has been fighting at least five suits related to the incident, including one by Hutchins’ family. As for now, it seems like Baldwin will try to take his case to a jury instead of agreeing to a plea deal, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But Baldwin has maintained his innocence throughout the whole ordeal and claims that the crew members were negligent and did not provide property safety training, though reports have been piling up against him on that front.
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