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There’s a definite uptick in Scotch whisky when you reach the $75-ish mark. We’re still pretty far away from things getting wildly good, but we are smack dab in the middle of things getting better, more refined, and worth sipping neat. This is all to the good because, folks, it’s time to list and rank some great Scotch whisky that cost just shy of $80.

The 10 whiskies listed below are a good mix of single malt and blended Scotch whiskies. Overall, I pulled in bottles that are, well, just really freaking tasty. I also pulled in a far-reaching range of unpeated, peated, and blended whiskies. That means that there is a little something for everyone. Read my tasting notes and find the bottle that speaks to you.

As for the pricing, this is based on delivery in Kentucky either by Total Wine, Reserve Bar, or Drizly. Prices and availability will vary (sometimes by a lot) depending on where you are. Let’s dive in!

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10. Buchanan’s Special Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $74

The Whisky:

This Scotch blend is a mix of Diageo single malt and single grain whiskies that are all at least 18 years old. Those whiskies are aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before their married into this well-crafted expression.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of malt next to hints of orange zest, honey, and bright cherry.

Palate: The palate really delivers on the cherry as the orange zest becomes candied and a nutty edge arrives, ushering in a subtle and almost sweet smoke.

Finish: The smoke dries a bit as a note of pine arrives late, supported by the orange, cherry, and honey with a touch of warm spice.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic. It works really well in a highball with a twist of orange. It also works perfectly well over a big ol’ glass full of ice. It’s easy, rewarding, and feels like a classic when you take a sip.

9. Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 45.8%

Average Price: $72

The Whisky:

This no-age-statement whisky has an interesting aging process. The whisky is aged in a combination of used barrels and re-charred barrels. Basically, they take old barrels, strip the charring, rebuild those barrels, and then re-char them to Talisker’s standards. The process adds a new layer of depth by rejuvenating the staves. The whisky from those barrels is then blended into a darker, smokier, and deeper single malt.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This sip amps up the peat a tad while bringing in the brine next to a clear maltiness, honey pears, and a touch of charred wood.

Palate: The smoke at play here is more akin seaside campfire while the brininess is reminiscent of oyster liquor with a dry chili spice lurking in the background.

Finish: There’s a hint of the berry leftover from the Talisker 10, with a touch more peppery spice by the end.

Bottom Line:

I really like making whisky-forward cocktails with this. It makes a really nice smoky old fashioned thanks to the subtler smokiness and nice peppery spice.

8. Highland Park Valknut Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46.8%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

High up on the Orkney Islands, Highland Park is making whisky for modern-day Vikings. Valknut (a knot of three triangles honoring those who fell in battle) uses locally grown “Tartan barley” that’s malted with a bit of local peat. That whisky spends an undisclosed amount of time aging in American oak that held sherry. The whisky is vatted, proofed with Orkney’s soft water, and bottled in a bespoke Viking-inspired bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Imagine vanilla pods warming up in a pan and just starting to release their oils and smoke next to a hint of black pepper and cedar.

Palate: The palate holds onto that vanilla while adding a touch of black licorice and clove next to more cedar and maybe some fennel-crusted rye bread.

Finish: The finish holds onto the spice with a chewy tobacco vibe next to an almost fatty smoke from a backyard salmon smoker and a touch of orange oils.

Bottom Line:

This is a big and bold whisky that really benefits from a little water or a big rock to open it up a bit, revealing more creamy spiced pudding notes. Overall, this is again a great candidate if you’re looking for a subtly smoky cocktail or an everyday pour over some ice.

7. Bunnahabhain Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Toiteach A Dhà

ABV: 46.3%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

This smoky Islay peated malt, called “Toiteach A Dhà,” means “smoky two.” The whisky is a peated malt that’s matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and then vatted with an eye cast towards the sea and all that sherry wood.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of sweet and stewed plums with a focus on cinnamon sticks and an almost spicy smokiness.

Palate: The palate shifts towards a savory fruit (think pumpkin) with flourishes of dark chocolate next to meaty dates and lightly salted sardines.

Finish: The end leans back into the spicy and very briny smokiness as the malts ebb and flow between sweet and dry with a plummy texture.

Bottom Line:

This is just nice whisky. It’s softly sweet and faintly peated with a nice briny funk to it. It all comes together in the end, especially over a few pieces of ice. If you’re looking for something unique and sea-forward, then this is the whisky to grab.

6. Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

Chivas 18 is the brand’s signature higher-end blend. The juice is built around a specially made Strathisla 18 single malt. That whisky is supported by 20 other single malts from around Scotland with various casking processes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This smells like classic “Scotch” from the first sniff thanks to layers of creamy dark chocolate, dried tart berries, buttery toffee, and a sense of marzipan just kissed with rose water and orange oils.

Palate: The palate has a mild old leatheriness that leads to dried roses, salted dark chocolate bars, and smoked cranberry next to a whisper of raspberry vanilla cake.

Finish: The end has a hint of dry and almost woody florals and winter spices next to smoked berries and dry cedar bark.

Bottom Line:

This is the perfect on-the-rocks whisky. You know what to do!

5. Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $73

The Whisky:

Bowmore is Islay’s subtlest peated whisky. The white-walled distillery is famed for barely kissing their barley with peat smoke, making their whiskies very beloved by those looking for a taste and not a face-melting of peaty smoke. This expression in particular is vatted from 12-year-old barrels (mostly ex-bourbon with a touch of ex-sherry) and proofed way down with Islay spring water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft sense of chamomile tea cut with fresh honey and lemon oils next to a soft sense of earthy peat that’s more mossy/mushroomy than “smoky.”

Palate: The lemon oils merge with dark and creamy chocolate next to hints of nutmeg and clove over a light sense of singed orchard wood.

Finish: The smoldering orchard bark leans into fresh honeycombs, more chamomile flowers, and a light flourish of seawater on slate.

Bottom Line:

This is a very approachable peated whisky. It’s earthy but balanced very well by a bright honey sweetness and deep creamy chocolate vibe. It works well over some rocks but really shines as a simple whisky cocktail base.

4. Dalwhinnie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $73

The Whisky:

This entry-point bottle to the wider world of Dalwhinnie is a hell of an easy drinker. The whisky is aged in Scotland’s oldest distillery, making the maturation process a severe one. The juice spends 15 years hiding in those barrels as the temperatures dip well below freezing across all those winters, which stops the maturation process, well, cold.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Imagine a bowl of pear and apple peels sitting next to an open jar of floral summer honey on the nose.

Palate: Dots of citrus oils mingle with that honey as a smooth vanilla character arrives on the back of sweet brown bread bespeckled with smoked walnuts.

Finish: The nuts, sweet bread, and floral honey all converge on the finish as it slowly fades towards a final billow of sweet smoke at the back of your mouth.

Bottom Line:

This is another subtly peated whisky. The smoke (which is so faint) is presented via dark fruit and nuts. It’s kind of like standing next to an orchard campfire while eating chestnuts off and open fire and smoking some berries and apples right there. It’s one of the smoothest malt whisky experiences in the game.

3. Ardbeg An Oa Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46.6%

Average Price: $70

The Whisky:

This is a quintessential Islay peaty whisky. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez, charred virgin oak, and ex-bourbon casks before being married and rested again in Ardbeg’s bespoke oak “Gathering Vat,” allowing the whiskies to really meld into a cohesive pour.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Slow-smoked peaches mingle with soft cherrywood and a bundle of smoky savory herbs — sage, rosemary, ramps — on the nose.

Palate: The palate is soft and buttery with a sweet burnt toffee vibe next to nutmeg, walnut, Earl Grey, and maybe a touch of woody maple syrup.

Finish: The end takes its time and meanders through salted black licorice, wild florals, more singed savory herbs, and a hint of black-pepper-covered brisket fat that’s been heavily smoked over sea-soaked driftwood.

Bottom Line:

If you buy one Ardbeg to try, let it be An Oa. This is just delicious, albeit boldly peated whisky. This is a whisky that deserves your time, so add a little water or a rock and let it breathe, open up, and show you its deeper nuances.

2. Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 8 Years

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $70

The Whisky:

This expression was originally released to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary. The whisky was created to mimic the whisky that was being made back in the 1880s, during a high point in Lagavulin’s history. The whisky became a modern hit and is now part of their core line.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of honey-orange, dry and earthy malts, and a nod to chocolate-covered cherries with the slightest hint of fried cod wrapped in newspaper.

Palate: The taste brings a solid billow of campfire smoke with traces of dark chocolate, burning cinnamon sticks, dry mint, and burnt potato skins (yes, really).

Finish: The end is long-ish and marries the tastes together, leaving you with the memory of drinking a dark mint-chocolate spiked espresso next to a smoldering backyard fire on a cold autumn night, while somewhere in the distance, the sea laps at the shore. The very end has a whisper of new Band-Aids still in the box.

Bottom Line:

This whisky has really grown on me. While I don’t think it’s as amazing as the 16-year from Lagavulin, it’s still a winner. This whisky just works if you’re looking for a peaty pour on a rainy day, or to add a little whisper of smoke to a bright summer cocktail, or just as an easy sipper any ol’ day of the week. Don’t overthink this one, just enjoy it.

1. Oban West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $79

The Whisky:

This is a great gateway to both Oban and scotch, in general, to have on hand. The whisky is classically made and then matured in the Oban storehouses for 14 long years — all within a stone’s throw of the sea. The whisky barrels are then blended and proofed by Oban’s tiny distillery team (only seven people work there) before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Citrus, salt, and a whisper of briny peat smoke open this one up on the nose as this sense of dry orchard fruits at the end of fall mingle with soft honey drizzled over spiced malted crackers with a hint of smoked orange saltwater taffy lurking in the background.

Palate: That smoked citrus carries on as a foundation for mild winter spices as a note of honeycomb, hints of fresh pears, and plummy dried fruits with a fatty nuttiness mingle on the palate.

Finish: The oaky spice and extremely mild peat smoke meet at the end with a slight malty sweetness, old pear, and the faintest whisper of dried seaweed.

Bottom Line:

This is flawless whisky. It’s perfectly suited to neat or on the rocks sipping while also being a killer cocktail base. You cannot go wrong with this bottle.

On Monday, Chelsea Handler took her place behind The Daily Show desk as the latest guest host to occupy Trevor Noah’s recently vacated seat. Or, as she sees it: “This is where I get to spend a week talking sh*t about all the wack jobs and hot messes out there. But I do it sitting behind a desk, because I’m a professional!”

Among the first targets on Handler’s list was “Marjorie Taylor Greene, a.k.a. Capitol-Storming Barbie, who hates her job,” according to the host. “Which is so funny, because the rest of us also hate her having her job.”

Handler’s comments were in response to a video the conspiracy theory-loving congresswoman posted about just how hard it is to be an elected official. “Becoming a member of Congress has made my life miserable,” Greene said — to say nothing of how miserable she has made millions of Americans. Among Marge’s complaints? She spends way too much time in Washington, D.C. and doesn’t get to go home and just be a “regular” person. “Because this job is so demanding it’s turned into practically year-round,” Greene said.

A JOB? Being YEAR-ROUND? What kind of insanity is that?!? Handler had some thoughts:

First of all, you’re NOT a regular person, you moron. You’re a congressperson. Because you campaigned and somehow WON, which requires you to work. Year-round! I also don’t want to work year-round, and that’s why I don’t.

To quote Kim K. for a second: ‘Get your f***ing ass up and work!’

For Handler, the ultimate point was that “if you don’t like being in congress, then go work at Foot Locker, bitch.”

You can watch the full clip above, beginning around the 4:35 mark.

On her latest EP, Motive, which was released last October, singer Joyce Wrice delivers an emotional collection of tracks, set to groovy, dance-ready beats. Today (February 7), Wrice has shared the latest video from the EP for a song called “Bittersweet Goodbyes.”

On the track, Wrice seems to have let go of a relationship that was not good for her, however, the turbulent emotions continue to come back and forth in waves.

“Why you always inconsistent? / Look at me / Close the space, don’t give me distance / ‘Cause if you’re looking for the worse that’s what you’ll find / Bittersweeet goodbyes,” she sings over the intoxicating, pulsating beat.

In the song’s accompanying music video, Juliann McCandless and Ashley Bone, Wrice is seen dancing alone — never missing a beat. She is then joined by a group of equally talented dancers, who nail the choreography arranged by Brian Drake, and display impeccable chemistry on the dancefloor. Also in the video are Kiana Ledé, ESTA, and Mack Keane, the latter of which co-produced the song with Kaelin Ellis. Toward the end, as the rest of the dancers begin to walk off, Wrice maintains her momentum, as she dances the pain away.

Check out the video for “Bittersweet Goodbyes” above.

The Super Bowl is just days away, which means we’ll finally see Rihanna onstage for the first time since 2017 when she performs the Super Bowl Halftime Show. And while excitement for her performance is reaching peak levels, there’s even more buzz about what she has planned for after it — namely, whether she’ll be releasing a new album, her first since 2016’s Anti.

Ever since she was confirmed as the halftime show headliner, fans have been wondering whether she’ll release a follow-up to Anti, with rumors that she’ll also announce a stadium tour running rampant on Twitter. Even Rihanna’s musical contemporaries have thrown a few logs on the flame, speculating that she’s been rehearsing brand-new music in the studio.

The response is understandable; after all, Rihanna is one of the few marquee stars in the music world who could sell out a stadium tour anywhere in the world within minutes of tickets going on sale, and it has been six years since fans have had a chance to see her live. Unfortunately, Rih herself seemingly shot down hopes for a new album, telling the Associated Press, “Super Bowl is one thing, new music is another thing.”

That doesn’t mean that she isn’t working on something; she also acknowledged the increased anticipation that would result from her accepting the Super Bowl spot. “The second that I announced this, I said, ‘Oh, my God, they’re going to think my album is coming,” she recalled. “I need to get to work.”

However, even with our patience stretched to the breaking point, many fans have taken a philosophical outlook about the wait, echoing Jerrod Carmichael’s advice from the Golden Globes: “Rihanna, you take all the time you want on that album, girl. Don’t let these fools on the internet pressure you into nothing!” If it results in the best body of work possible, we’ll wait.

Sea.Hear.Now festival officially unveiled their 2023 lineup, ahead of the annual fall event, and it is stacked. Foo Fighters and The Killers are scheduled to headline the two-day fest on September 16 and 17.

Other acts taking the stage include Greta Van Fleet, Weezer, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Beach Boys, Sheryl Crow, Tegan And Sara, and many more.

As for the surf side of the festival, attendees can catch Cam Richards, Sam Hammer, Will Skudin, Rob Kelly, and other water shredders hit the waves of North Beach Asbury Park and Bradley Park in New Jersey.

“Surf returns with the North Beach Rumble surf contest, taking place between the Surf and Sand stages and will feature the best surfers from the East Coast competing in a team format,” a press release notes. “The teams, captained by professional surfers Cam Richards and Sam Hammer, will compete in multiple heats with the winning team awarded for the most wins based on overall style and creativity.”

Presale for the 2023 Sea.Hear.Now festival opens this Thursday, February 9, at 10 a.m. ET, with the options to purchase for 1-day or the full 2-day pass.

A public on-sale will take place after that if there are any remaining tickets. Those who want to attend can currently sign up to get an entry code via the fest’s website here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The first reactions to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania are rolling in, and the critics definitely agree on one thing: Jonathan Major’s Kang the Conqueror is a show-stopping new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As for the rest of the film, well, the vibe is mostly positive. However, there does seem to be some hesitancy about how well this first entry in Marvel’s Phase 5 will play with general audiences.

While some critics are going so far to praise it at as director Peyton Reed’s Star Wars, others feel a little robbed that it’s not a proper trilogy ending for the beloved (and often lighter) Ant-Man films. That said, Majors’ character work could be enough to paper over those concerns.

“The more I think about Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, the more I get excited to see it again,” Tessa Smith tweeted. “We all know Jonathan Majors can act, but DANG, he was BORN to play Kang! His conversations with EVERYONE else in this film are bone-chilling.”

“So #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania goes hard in the paint as the big epic Sci Fi film,” Kristian Harloff wrote. “Blending Star Wars, Fifth Element, Dune + Strange World. I don’t think its going to work for everyone but I really dug this tone. Its a bit chaotic towards the end but wraps up nicely. Kang rules.”

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania … trying to imagine a Marvel novice, ‘one ticket please,’ then getting two hours of variant and multiverse talk. Jonathan Majors is great as Kang and for a good portion of the movie Michelle Pfeiffer is the main character, which is awesome,” Uproxx‘s Mike Ryan tweeted. “They found the perfect actor in Majors for Kang — and we are going to get A LOT of Kang coming up — but I’m not sure about the whole, “you think Thanos was bad? Meet Kang!,’ strategy. He’s fun here, but to be the big bad over multiple projects?”

You can see more reactions below:

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens in theaters on February 17.

There’s no denying the Grammy Awards is the biggest night in music. Just as the annual ceremony looks to acknowledge the year’s rising stars and legacy acts. The program also carves out time each year during its In Memoriam tribute section to remember the musicians that passed away (or at least some of them). For rapper Quavo, this was the most meaningful part of the event.

Performing his new song, “Without You,” the Atlanta native paid his respects to his late nephew, rapper Takeoff, who was tragically killed last year. Unfortunately, the touching tribute has since been mudded by allegations that a fight broke out backstage between him and Offset.

The former Migos member quickly took to Twitter to deny the rumors, writing, “What the f*ck look like fighting my brother y’all n****s is crazy.”

However, now footage obtained by TMZ has fans questioning what to believe. In the video, Offset’s wife, Cardi B, a featured presenter for the evening, was heard yelling, “Both of y’all wrong. Both of y’all. This is not right.”

Shortly after she’s heard yelling, ET‘s Kevin Fraizer asked Cardi about what tensions she was attempting to settle, and she denied anything had happened. Cardi laughs off the question, saying, “The only thing I settled was my outfit, honey.”

Later, Offset is seen walking away alongside his former label head Pierre Thomas visibly upset as he makes mention of a red carpet incident. Something clearly transpired, but what exactly happened is still unclear.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

“Nobody’s f*cking.”

That was Steven Soderbergh’s explanation for why he’ll never make a superhero movie. “I don’t know how to tell people how to behave in a world in which that is not a thing,” he added. Soderbergh knows what he’s talking about: he directed the “sexiest film of all time” and literally made a movie called sex, lies, and videotape. The filmmaker’s new movie, Magic Mike’s Last Dance, probably has sex, and maybe even lies and/or videotapes (or at least a Blu-Ray of Magic Mike XXL), but it doesn’t have any nudity.

“There’s no nudity in Magic Mike’s Last Dance. There’s not even a thong. And yet, it was our desire to make a sexy movie,” he told Rolling Stone. “What’s sexy is intimacy and genuine emotion. Something that feels alive, and electric, and has the potential for vulnerability. That can be sexy.” Having Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek Pinault helps.

Soderbergh is more interested in depicting relationships once they’ve moved beyond the honeymoon period. “The really radical thing to do right now [is] to show people who’ve been married for twenty years,” he explained. “Where you don’t even make a big deal of it. They’ve been together for twenty years, and they’re still into each other in that way.”

Magic Mike’s Last Dance doesn’t need nudity to be good. It just needs one choreographed scene set to a boy band song in a convenience store. It’s all I ask.

(Via Rolling Stone)

After the news broke that Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland is facing felony charges for alleged domestic violence, both Adult Swim and Hulu severed ties with the veteran voice actor who seemingly sat atop of a growing animation empire. However, according to a new report, Roiland’s questionable behavior behind the scenes of Rick and Morty has allegedly been a problem for years.

On top of allegations of sending inappropriate text messages to co-workers, Roiland reportedly had little involvement in the making of Rick and Morty following the first season. His participation dramatically decreased each season to the point where it was a rarity to see him in the Cartoon Network offices where his presence was reportedly not the best. (Roiland was reportedly investigated by the network back in 2020, but no details have been shared regarding findings or consequences.)

Via The Hollywood Reporter:

More recently, multiple sources say that Roiland, other than voice work, has not had any meaningful creative presence on any of the series that bear his name. In fact, many of his former colleagues say they haven’t heard from him in years, and when they have, it’s been unpleasant. They note, too, that he hasn’t been on speaking terms with his Rick and Morty co-creator, Dan Harmon, for multiple seasons, and a substantial number of staffers on that show as well as Solar Opposites and Koala Man have never actually met Roiland, even over Zoom.

Roiland reportedly operated under the belief that if he voiced a major character, it would be harder to fire him from the show. That proved not to be the case on Rick and Morty, and apparently, Roiland’s tactic did not work on Koala Man.

“He knew the power of being the voices,” says a source, noting how Roiland had revealed early on that he believed securing key voice roles would safeguard him from being fired one day. On Koala Man, on which he’s simply an executive producer, he was given a character to voice in the show’s third episode but, per two sources, the writers almost blew their deadline waiting for him. The character was killed off at the end of the episode.

Following reports of Roiland’s domestic violence trial and allegations of sending unwanted, lewd messages (as detailed by THR) to several women, Rick and Morty employees demanded that Cartoon Network make it clear that Roiland had minimal involvement in the show outside of voicing the characters from his house. Not only did the network comply, but it quickly severed ties with Roiland with Hulu following suit.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

One of Spotify’s top hip-hop playlists is jumping from audio formats to visual ones. Next month, RapCaviar will debut its docuseries, RapCaviar Presents on Hulu, with seven episodes featuring stories by some of the best hip-hop acts of our time.

Several artists are set to appear in RapCaviar Presents, including City Girls, Jack Harlow, Polo G, Roddy Ricch, Coi Leray, Tyler The Creator, and Pharrell Williams.

In a sneak peek clip of the series, the latter two reflect on how the two met. Tyler recalls working with Pharrell for the first time and how the superproducer inspired him to switch up his sound. Pharell then shared a lesson he learned from Jimmy Iovine early on in his career.

In other episodes, RapCaviar Presents will offer “a deep dive into current events that untangles important subjects and offers a view of the world from an artist’s perspective,” according to a press release.

Karam Gill serves as the series’ executive producer, as well as its creative director. Carl Chery, who oversees the playlist and its accompanying podcast, will oversee creative on the show, alongside Liz Gateley.

All seven episodes of RapCaviar Presents will arrive on Hulu on March 30.

You can check out a first look above.

Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.