Quick, name five rappers that double as fashion icons. Were any of those artists that came to mind Kendrick Lamar? Probably not. While the Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist is more known for his deft wordplay and ability to eviscerate a fellow rap superstar, he’s covertly one of the most stylish rappers in modern hip-hop.
Let us not forget the flared jeans from this year’s Super Bowl, or last year’s Tupac-inspiredPop Out concert fit — Kendrick has some serious style, so it doesn’t surprise us that Chanel just named him the new face and brand ambassador of its eyewear.
Considering Chanel exclusively makes clothes for women, Kendrick might not seem like the most obvious choice, but the brand has tapped male icons in the past, including Timothée Chalamet and G-Dragon. We’re going to assume even Kendrick never thought he’d have anything in common with a Hollywood heartthrob and a K-Pop sensation (aside from all being artists at the top of their game).
In a statement following the announcement, Kendrick said of the partnership
“Chanel has a timeless legacy and that is always something I can get behind.” So this is essentially a case of game recognizing game!
This isn’t the first time the pair have collaborated; Kendrick scored the Dave Free-directed Margaret Qualley-starring Chanel short film The Button, which dropped in 2024 and is definitely worth a watch if you’re fans of any of those three people. An ad campaign shot by renowned fashion photographer Karim Sadli is set to drop sometime this week.
Another Coachella has come and gone. Highlights from the 2025 music festival included Charli XCX bidding farewell to Brat summer and getting into a playful trolling match with Green Day; Lady Gaga’s headlining set featuring fashionable nods to her music videos; and Megan Thee Stallion performing with Queen Latifah, Ciara, and Victoria Monét.
The lineup isn’t out yet, but Coachella has announced the dates for next year’s festival: weekend 1 is scheduled for April 10 to 12, 2026, followed by weekend 2 from April 17 to 19, 2026. Advance tickets go on sale on Friday, May 2, at 11 a.m. PT. You can find more information here.
Until then, the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, where Coachella takes place, is hosting another music festival this April: Stagecoach. The lineup features Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Lana Del Rey, Nelly (celebrating 25 years of Country Grammar), Sturgill Simpson, Shaboozey, Goo Goo Dolls, T-Pain, Sierra Ferrell, Nikki Lane, Creed, and Backstreet Boys.
In 2024, our pre-festival events created some of the season’s biggest moments, with Dasha, The Bros Fresh, Pink Sweat$, Teyana Taylor, Zach Fox, Justine Skye, Le Chev, and more taking the stage. We chilled in the desert during Coachella, lit up the Chicago skyline ahead of Lollapalooza, and brought the vibes to Austin for Austin City Limits, inviting music fans to sip on custom cocktails, sample eclectic eats, and pregame music’s busiest time of year in style.
And now, we’re taking things to the next level.
Our Sparkling Sessions 2.0 Tour launches with an exclusive day party in the desert just a heartbeat away from the Stagecoach festival grounds. From Sparkling Ice-inspired bespoke cocktails to Mexican streetfood to a “chilling pool”, it’s going to be hot (and cool). Politik and Le Chev will be supplying the sounds before Jessie Murph takes the stage at 4 pm.
It’s the perfect kickoff to festival season — you don’t want to miss out.
Spots are limited, so secure yours now by RSVP’ing here.
The trend towards higher-and-higher-proofed bourbons has been chugging along for a while now, and it doesn’t show any signs of abating. Not only are long-running high-ABV expressions like Booker’s and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof still cranking out bangers with regularity, but we’ve also got new brands like Rare Character blazing a new trail when it comes to potent potable products. Hell, even the traditionally low-proof Woodford Reserve Distillery has produced a few scorching hot sippers lately.
With all of those blistering bourbons on the shelf, you may be wondering which of them you should look to buy.
Say less. With this list, I’m going to run down all of the best high-proof bourbons out there right now and rank them according to flavor. After all, just because something is high-proof doesn’t mean that it’s just jam-packed with additional flavor. The bottles on this list deliver both a sky-high ABV and an astounding amount of flavor that you can actually taste.
Are you ready? You may not need a hazmat suit for these selections, but they’re definitely going to turn up the temperature on your tastebuds.
These are the best bourbons, over 120-proof, power-ranked for flavor!
This expression is a critically acclaimed blue corn whiskey from Smokeye Hill, which is based in Arizona. Uncut and unfiltered, this bourbon was matured for at least 5 years before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of peanut butter, dried mango, and wheat bread are immediately evident on the nose. After a quick swirl of the glass, I’m also picking up cinnamon red hots and a touch of fresh bananas and vanilla wafers as well. It’s not a particularly expressive nose, but it’s well-integrated and inviting while hiding the brunt of the burn.
Palate: It opens with a fairly slick mouthfeel, and it has some nice chocolate and bananas on the palate with robust oak, tobacco leaves, and lush Madagascan vanilla tones backing them up. The flavors here are impressively creamy, though it should be said that the density is surprisingly austere despite its fairly rich flavor profile.
Finish: The lingering finish is full of flavorful sweet leather, semi-bitter dark chocolate, and vanilla pods.
Bottom Line:
Smokeye Hill isn’t the first brand to introduce a blue corn bourbon, but it’s certainly the most successful. Balancing the atypical flavors found in blue corn bourbon at such a high proof, this is definitely a bottle that you should add to your shopping list ASAP.
20. Very Olde St. Nick Believe 19-Year-Old Bourbon
Preservation Distillery has been a champion among non-distilling producers for decades now, releasing more legendary liquid to the export market than most distilleries release domestically. This new 19-year-old whiskey under their Very Olde St. Nick brand, named “Believe”, contains sourced Kentucky straight bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bourbon is full of sticky salted caramel with nougat and molasses. Suddenly, cinnamon bark and vanilla extract can be found with a few swirls of the glass.
Palate: The sweet confectionary taste of glacé raspberries greets the tip of the tongue with that flavor of cinnamon bark and pie crust, easing each sip further down your palate. There’s a ton of white pepper and dense oak at midpalate, which offers balance as it transitions to the finish. The mouthfeel is quotidian, but the rest of the experience is rather impressive.
Finish: The finish is medium-length with some almond, orange pith, oak, and Rainier cherries, bringing added nuance to every sip.
Bottom Line:
Preservation Distillery is well-known in hardcore enthusiast circles, but the small outfit is quickly catching on with a wider audience as well, thanks to general releases like Old Man Winter and their well-received Rare Perfection series. Of course, they’re still releasing some absolutely stellar sourced bourbon under the Very Olde St. Nick banner, and for our money, that stuff is the best of the bunch.
Larceny Barrel Proof has been getting uneven reviews since it first launched, but over the last year or two, things have really leveled off, and the praise has been rolling in. This is the first batch of 2025, and as always, it features a blend of 6-8-year-old Heaven Hill wheated bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Juicy orange notes are immediately striking, with vanilla pods, corn husk, plums, and freshly risen biscuits sans butter soon emerging as well. While it isn’t an “off note” per se, there’s also a slightly soapy aroma that casts intrigue throughout each nosing approach.
Palate: Wow, this is really balanced. Juicy oranges and candy apple notes seize the lead at first, with brown sugar, faint menthol tones, sassafrass, and barrel char soon following. It dries the palate significantly as the heat begins to settle in, bringing with it some notes of hazelnut spread and toasted coconut shavings.
Finish: The finish is really lingering and marked by barrel char, red apple, brown sugar, and peppercorns.
Bottom Line:
Larceny’s Barrel Proof lineup has been improving in fits and starts since its inception in 2020, and now we’re finally seeing both steadfast improvement and consistency with each batch. The latest release aligns with previous highs and makes a strong case for those who either have overlooked these releases or haven’t revisited them in a spell.
Holladay Distillery in Weston, MO, is a beautiful destination where a new generation of bourbon makers are casting the dye for an incredible future. With Master Distiller Kyle Merklein steering the ship, Holladay is putting out two excellent 6-year bourbons from a rye-based and a wheat-based mash bill. For this Rickhouse Proof expression, they’ve chosen to showcase the latter at full octane, without dilution.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smoked caramel, dark chocolate, and stewed red apples give this one a really autumnal vibe, with clove and some great barrel char and oak tones tying it all together.
Palate: Smoked caramel makes it to the palate along with a lot of vanilla and nougat, while dark chocolate plays a supporting role from the wings. The dense oak and barrel char notes are really the skeleton that holds this all together, though, and enables the sweeter notes to stand tall with a few shakes of clove thrown in for good measure.
Finish: The finish gives a sweet impression of cooked apples and caramel, which helps to curtail the heat and heighten one’s enjoyment. One other thing that helps is it sticks around for a long time, affording you the opportunity to savor it until the last drop.
Bottom Line:
Ben Holladay’s Bourbon is enjoying a ton of critical acclaim as one of the best young craft distilleries on the market today, and that reputation is well-earned. If you aren’t already adding bottles of Ben Holladay Bourbon to your liquor cabinet, then its placement on this list should be a call to action. There’s a $75 wheated bourbon out there right now that tastes better than Pappy 20, and this is it.
Booker’s new Barry’s Batch honors Barry Berish, former Beam Chairman and CEO and a dear friend to Fred Noe. The base of this bourbon (41%) comes from the 5th floor of the 7-story warehouse 3, with additional components coming from center cuts in warehouses 1, H, X, and G.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: These days, I go into pretty much every Booker’s expression expecting an onslaught of floral notes combined with peanuts, peanut shells, or hazelnuts. For 2025’s first batch, there are indeed some floral notes of lavender found right off the bat, but some salted dark chocolate, nutmeg, and corn pudding obfuscate the nutty notes.
Palate: The whiskey is impressively oily and explodes with the flavor of cayenne, brown sugar, salted dark chocolate, and robust nutmeg. I’m immediately struck by how dynamic this whiskey is. Viscous on the palate and full of cinnamon, baked apples, and honeyed graham cracker notes that all brush up against a vigorous shake of black pepper and rapidly building ethanol punch.
Finish: The finish is rather lengthy, aided by this whiskey’s high heat. The closing notes include brown sugar, black pepper, baked apples, graham cracker pie crust, and ground ginger.
Bottom Line:
While the swiftly building heat does, in fact, detract from the overall experience here a bit, singing the roof of the mouth in a level 3 char, I’m pleased to report that this is my favorite standard Booker’s release of the last two years. Not one to throw that claim around lightly, I was delighted to have my expectations subverted in such a dynamic way thanks to each surprisingly layered and flavorful sip.
16. New Louisville Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 8 Years
Nicknamed “El Chapo,” this new single-barrel offering from New Louisville Whiskey Co., which is itself an offshoot of Prohibition Craft Spirits Distilling Company, is an 8-year, Indiana-sourced bourbon. You probably know PCS as the parent company of NULU Whiskey Co.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose of this whiskey is resplendent with wild cherry bark, mature oak, chocolate truffle dust, and vanilla beans. A few swirls of the glass unveil Ladyfingers, almond extract, and mascarpone with a hint of peanut brittle.
Palate: The palate leads with mocha, almond extract, and black cherry notes before evolving to include chocolate truffle dust, allspice, and sugar-sweetened mascarpone. The texture begins buttery before the ethanol sinks its hooks into your tongue, introducing barrel char, black pepper, and cloves.
Finish: The finish is medium to long and marked by ground ginger, almond extract, mature oak, and black cherry flavors as it slowly sizzles away.
Bottom Line:
This impressively robust bourbon matches its formidable flavor depth with just enough finesse around the edges to maintain a “crushability” more often found in whiskey at a lower proof. If you’re a bourbon fan, you’re familiar with the classic notes found in this rock-solid single barrel. What you’re probably not familiar with is experiencing them in such an approachable, well-rounded manner.
Dream Spirits, out of Leesburg, Virginia, is a non-distilling producer on a rapid ascent. Dreamed up by the proprietor of the world-famous 1 West Dupont Circle Wines & Liquors store, Prav Saraff, the brand is sourcing standout barrels of bourbon from Kentucky and Indiana and bottling it at their home base in Old Dominion. This special release, launched in mid-December, is an exclusive blend of 95% 6-year high rye MGP bourbon with 5% 16-year Tennessee bourbon. The blend then rested in stainless steel for 3 weeks before being dumped into Mizunara barrels for 21 months, an unprecedented period for finishing casks of that type.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey opens with rosewater and Rainier cherries before sandalwood, black pepper, and cedar perk up in the glass. Tahitian vanilla, butterscotch, and nougat can also be found once you stick your nose deeper into the glass, while dried raspberry top notes begin to emerge after a short period of resting.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey really follows through on the nosing notes. Dried raspberries and black pepper spice open the door for faintly floral notes, sandalwood, butterscotch, and vanilla bean flavors to stroll right through. The texture is spiky, in a good way, with flourishes of baking spice accenting the otherwise flavorful, full-bodied, fruit-forward experience.
Finish: The lengthy finish is where the Mizunara casks have the last word, as cinnamon, sandalwood, and black pepper spice tickle the palate while figs, dark chocolate, and vanilla extract sweeten the send-off.
Bottom Line:
Mizunara-finished bourbons are a rarity due to the expense of the rare casks, but when utilized correctly, they can create marvelous results, as this bourbon goes to show. Dream Spirits isn’t yet known as a premier blending house, but having tasted several of their single barrels throughout the year and enjoying the hell out of this Mizunara-finished offering, it’s obvious they’ve got incredible liquid on their hands and a bright future ahead.
After releasing a stellar 15-year bourbon last year, said to be sourced from the ill-named stock of “Buff Turkey” floating around the industry, O.K.I. is back again with a 16-year version. Let’s see what one extra year does to this well-rounded, hyper-aged stock.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied pecans stand out on the nose in addition to fresh figs, pie crust, and a slightly vegetal note. Black pepper and hazelnut spread soon enter the fray and add a bit of depth, but the top notes definitely dominate the aroma profile.
Palate: Peanut brittle, creamy vanilla and hazelnut spread immediately detonate on the palate. I’m not one to call whiskey an *insert tasting note* bomb, but this one definitely lands with explosive assertiveness. The thick, oily mouthfeel helps to contain the heat as blackberry jam, allspice, and mature oak grow in prominence at midpalate.
Finish: The lengthy finish welcomes butterscotch and nougat to the mix, while the blackberry note from midpalate carries over and ends with a bit of peanut brittle.
Bottom Line:
While we’re proponents of the popular wisdom that bourbon hits its sweet spot between 8-12 years of age, there’s no denying the brilliance that well-managed barrels can reach at a more mature age. OKI’s new bourbon is proof positive that under careful stewardship, bourbon old enough to celebrate its sweet 16 can maintain a vibrancy typically reserved for younger stock. This is an absolutely killer release.
Jack Daniel’s age-stated series kicked off back in 2022 with a 10-year whiskey, and ever since then, we’ve welcomed ever-better entries into the lineup. This year, we’re welcoming the inaugural batch of Jack Daniel’s brand-new 14-year Tennessee Whiskey, marking the first time since the mid-1900s that the brand has released an expression at this age. Most intriguing of all? This is the first barrel-proof expression in the lineup, and it clocks in at a respectable 126.3 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bananas foster comes tumbling over the edge of the glass with a strong rum-like overtone, followed by the aroma of hazelnut spread, pineapple chunks, clove, black pepper, and duck fat to round things out.
Palate: Once on the palate, the flavor of bananas foster, molasses, brown sugar, and tobacco leaf coat the tongue with a slightly chalky mouthfeel. Further notes of Brazil nuts, vanilla pods, faint leather, marzipan, and restrained oak soon bring more life to the party. This is a multilayered and delicious sipper.
Finish: The lingering finish is drying at midpalate but juicier at the edges of the tongue where the banana and marzipan linger with closing notes of sage smudge and nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
Expectations for this release were sky-high ever since preliminary mock-up labels first hit the TTB and social media soon after. Was the wait worth it? Most definitely.
Almost every new limited edition in Jack Daniel’s lineup has immediately entered the debate for “best modern Jack Daniel’s expression.” While the influence of oak is more prominently featured on this release than any of the previous age-stated series bottles, which may not be for everyone, this is yet another stiff competitor for that honor.
12. Old Commonwealth 10-Year Cask Strength Bourbon
The very first expression from Old Commonwealth Distillery is this Old Commonwealth 10-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Cask Strength Bourbon, which launched to much fanfare only a few weeks ago. History lesson: Old Commonwealth is an iconic brand created in the 1970s by Julian Van Winkle II, the son of “Pappy” Van Winkle, and in those days, it utilized liquid from the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Fast-forward to 1997-2002, Julian Van Winkle III was selling a version of Old Commonwealth that was proofed to 107 and utilized a wheated mash bill just like his father did decades before. This contemporary recreation has been five years in the making, and though it uses a mash bill sans any wheat, its founders felt that this whiskey was exceptional enough to carry the banner and continue the legacy.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: When you first pour Old Commonwealth into your glass, it opens with the aroma of blueberries and rosewater before deferring to some sweet tobacco, earthy oak, and a fat scoop of vanilla ice cream. It picks up some cherry cordial and leather as it sits in the glass. This is well-layered, lovely stuff.
Palate: Cherry and caramel notes come barreling down the middle of the palate with some faint coconut flakes and well-defined oak undergirding the entire affair. A second sip welcomes clove, hazelnut, and honeyed green tea as the dense liquid begins coating your palate, making you salivate for more.
Finish: The finish is lengthy with white pepper, sweet tobacco, dark chocolate chunks, and sticky toffee all making an impression.
Bottom Line:
This is delicious stuff that belies the 5-year journey Old Commonwealth underwent from ideation to creation. In speaking with the founders, they indicated just how thorough the process was to land on the ideal liquid for this project. The results are as follows: their efforts have been rewarded with this robust, rich whiskey that deserves high praise on its own merits, as well as for the beautiful green-tinted bottle that houses it — a nod to its legacy from decades ago.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is often heralded as the single best value in all of bourbon. Why? Because it’s a consistent product, released three times a year, that clocks in at full barrel strength and is aged for at least 11 years. This “B” Batch, B524, was aged for 11 years and two months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: My initial nosing notes say, “This is just dope.” I hope that begins to explain what’s going on here. The aroma of buttery croissants and cinnamon reaches the nose, along with some hazelnut spread, sticky toffee, and honey brioche buns.
Palate: The palate finds earthy toasted almond notes coming together with decadent dark chocolate and more buttery, flaky, croissant flavors. Excuse my French, but pain au chocolat ain’t got shit on this. The texture is well-fused and oily, which causes it to stick to your teeth despite the high-octane proof point, which makes this one dangerous pour.
Finish: The finish is pretty lengthy and introduces a bit of walnut meat, hazelnut, and a few shakes of clove and nutmeg to the palate. All in all, it’s a really satisfying send-off.
Bottom Line:
Simply put, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is one of the best bourbons on the market, cost be damned. After a solid but polarizing “A” batch earlier this year, Elijah Craig came back on its “A” game for 2024’s second release, making it one of the premier barrel-proof bourbons to hunt down right now.
Nashville Barrel Co. has been cleaning up at awards and winning accolades for a few years now, yet they still manage to fly under the radar of most everyday consumers. If it’s a brand you haven’t explored yet, drop everything and start today. This bottle from the brand’s Nashtucky lineup (the result of Kentucky-born distillate that was aged and bottled in Nashville) is the standout expression you should start with.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, this whiskey opens with a faint French Toast slathered in maple syrup aroma, which quickly gives way to a pronounced nuttiness combined with caramel chews, circus peanuts, and baked apple notes.
Palate: On the palate, it’s the baked apple notes from the nose that lead the way. With that curtain lifted, the show begins in earnest with notes of caramel, dense oak, dark chocolate, red pepper flakes, and raw almonds hitting the palate. The liquid is viscous enough to easily traverse your tongue before gripping its edges to display its impressive staying power.
Finish: The finish, as alluded to above, is nice and lengthy, with a touch of mocha joining the smokey nuttiness and hints of barrel char before brown sugar washes away all of those earthy tones and gives you a sugary send-off.
Bottom Line:
This is incredibly impressive stuff that once again goes to show how formidable Nashville Barrel Co. is in the modern bourbon landscape. If you want proof that it isn’t the size of the dog in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the dog, take a bite out of NBCo’s prodigious small batch and single barrel bourbons.
9. A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon (Batch 4)
A. Smith Bowman’s Cask Strength Bourbon is essentially the crown jewel in their lineup. The annual release, now on its fourth batch, features their premium bourbon unfettered by chill filtration and undiluted by water; it’s the purest whiskey you’re ever going to taste from the Fredericksburg, Virginia, distillery.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of cherries drizzled in salted caramel comes wafting out of the glass almost immediately, and given some time to settle, there’s also plenty of nougat and lemon zest to balance things out. Vanilla beans, nutmeg, and golden raisins can also be found.
Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, it unfolds a delicate matrix of sweet notes from honey, vanilla ice cream, and coffee cake to Chelan cherries and apple cider. The texture is pretty heavy on the palate, which makes rolling the whiskey over your tongue and seeking out each layer of flavor a lot of fun. At midpalate, it takes a slight turn, with citrus notes joining oak and pie crust flavors before it barrels towards the finish.
Finish: The finish features juicy oranges, vanilla extract, cloves, and cedar before it gently fades away, which is impressive because at no point does this whiskey drink as fiery as its proof.
Bottom Line:
A. Smith Bowman’s Cask Strength releases are always cause for fanfare, as the underrated expressions regularly compete for bourbon of the year accolades. This year’s release is no different, with a bold flavor profile and an unctuous texture that hugs the palate and begs to be chewed and enjoyed at length. A. Smith Bowman has another instant classic on its hands.
Kings County is New York City’s oldest distillery and all that experience is brought to full bear with their Barrel Strength Bourbon. For their premier undiluted offering, the brand uses some of their oldest barrels which are aged between 4 and 7 years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Green grape skin and brown sugar are striking at first, but wait…there’s more. Enter the custard with lemon zest, black pepper, nutmeg, Brazil nuts, and honey to add to the depth.
Palate: The flavor of corn pudding, honey, and golden raisins splash across the palate, adding surprising levity to the dense and dark liquid in the glass. It coats your palate at once and beckons the back of your tastebuds to explore more as each sip slowly dissipates.
Finish: The finish is incredibly long-lasting, and it’s there that you’ll find more baking spices and barrel char to corral those sweeter top notes.
Bottom Line:
It’s well-known by now that Kings County produces bourbon that can punch above its weight on the national scene. If more people were to try the best of their bourbon — and these barrel-strength releases are definitely among the best of their bourbon — next to some of Kentucky’s heavyweights, it would be more well-known that Kings County can hold its own in any race, and at any price point.
Hopefully, its placement on this list is all the indication you need to seek these bottles out at your earliest convenience.
Woodford’s original release of Chocolate Whisper in 2021 was met with a ton of fanfare. So much so that the brand held back some of those barrels and decided to re-release them, now at 12 years of age. To rehash how these releases got their name: this whiskey was distilled immediately after a run of bourbon that utilized chocolate malted rye, which left a “whisper” of chocolate flavor in the succeeding batch that the distillery found too intriguing to pass up.
One final note that makes this re-release special is that while 139.4 proof is the highest-proofed Woodford Reserve release of all time, this whiskey was actually slightly proofed down. It isn’t even at cask strength! That’s impressive.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bounty of chocolate truffle notes fuses with gooey caramel, Macadamia nuts, flan, cinnamon bark, and polished leather on the nose of this bold whiskey. Subtler accents of brandied cherries, Earl Grey tea, melon rind, and vanilla pods really help elevate all of the top notes as well.
Palate: Once on the palate, notes of caramel, French vanilla frosting, cinnamon bark, and brandied cherries seize the lead while the robust chocolate notes from the nose emerge at mid-palate with a creamy, full-bodied chocolate fudge flavor that becomes an anchor for the entire pour.
Finish: The medium-length finish feels perfectly proofed as the fudge notes roll over with accents of almonds, mild barrel char, and vanilla pods.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve fans don’t frequently gripe about the label delivering their favorite whiskey at a modest 90.4 proof, but on the sparing occasions when the Versailles, Kentucky, distillery opts to push the boundaries and produce cask-strength bourbon, it certainly always generates excitement. Now that we’ve had a chance to try the highest-proofed Woodford Reserve release ever, we can’t help but hope that singing its praises will result in a third Chocolate Whisper in the future.
This is one of the best Woodford Reserve releases we’ve ever tasted.
George T. Stagg Bourbon, first launched in 2002, has since taken the whiskey world by storm, introducing consumers to a brand of full-throated, high-intensity bourbon that has slowly become the most coveted expression of the category by enthusiasts. The 2024 George T. Stagg was matured for 15 years and 2 months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of cinnamon rolls, with their beautifully sweet blend of baking spice, vanilla frosting, and baked pastry dough, comes tumbling out of the glass at first. Soon to follow are some impressive Rainier cherry notes, which is an unexpected zag given the proof and Stagg’s prototypical dark cherry vibes. Finally, there are some blood orange and nutmeg notes, which add nuance, along with some dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and mature oak tones.
Palate: This bourbon entrances your palate with a sensuous, multi-layered experience right off the bat. We’re talking about cooked apples and Rainier cherries, joined by cinnamon rolls and allspice, honey, and peanut brittle, with freshly cracked black pepper and barrel spice showing up late to the party. The mouthfeel is dense, bordering on decadent, and the liquid subsumes your senses, forcing you to contend with each layer of full-bodied flavor.
Finish: The lingering finish continues the complexity found at midpalate as red apples, oak, cinnamon bark, and black pepper all have equal footing as this bourbon takes its time leaving your palate.
Bottom Line:
Simply put, George T. Stagg is the king of 2024’s BTAC releases. Not only does it have the most lengthy finish and a formidable nose, but it delivers an incredible amount of densely-packed flavor on the palate, checking every box for sublime bourbon you could ask for. In a generally loaded lineup, this year’s George T. Stagg is the power hitter that makes the team an overwhelming success.
Unbeknownst to many, Old Forester President’s Choice was America’s first single-barrel bourbon. The expression, which can be traced back to 1962, originally got its name because the barrels that went into it were hand-selected by Old Forester’s President. Today, Old Forester President’s Choice single barrels are always bottled at full cask strength, although when it was introduced, there was also a 90.3-proof small batch version.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is chock-full of layers with maple candy, deep caramel, and milk chocolate brownies representing the sweeter contingent as a fruity black cherry aroma pairs with sandalwood, clove, and vanilla on the other end of the spectrum.
Palate: Brownie and black cherry are most evident initially, enveloping your palate in a dark, rich sweetness. Initially, it has some heat on it, but it’s just enough to prod you and let you know it’s there. The liquid is full-bodied and silky, hanging out on the back palate with a touch of leather and mesquite barbeque sauce flavor.
Finish: The finish contains a bit of smoked black cherry to go along with the familiar taste of corner brownies and lovely oak tones.
Bottom Line:
Old Forester President’s Choice recently claimed the top spot in our “best of Old Forester” ranking, so it’s unsurprising to see it faring well here. This single-barrel expression is reliably delicious and difficult though it may be to find, he who seeks them out will be met with quite the bounty.
Brown-Forman’s King of Kentucky is a brand with a noble name and humble beginnings. What was once a lowly blended whiskey in the 1940s and discontinued in 1968 was recently revived in 2018 as a premium, single-barrel bourbon. The 2024 version of this expression is 16 years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma immediately floods the room with the scent of cinnamon bark and fresh, crisp apples, joined by accents of almond extract, caramel, white pepper, and leather. Over time, there’s a bit of dark chocolate, port wine, clove, fresh coconut, and Aleppo pepper as well.
Palate: On the palate, the flavors of Aleppo pepper and coconut gently roll over the tongue before the liquid fans out to the edges of the tongue, introducing further notes of leather, Sugar Daddy milk caramel, and toasted almond. Cinnamon dashes up the mid-palate to the roof of the mouth, and before the transition to the finish begins, there are notes of nutmeg and clove as well.
Finish: The lengthy finish resembles rice pudding, with almond milk, dark chocolate, and washed-out caramel notes putting a cap on the affair.
Bottom Line:
King of Kentucky is an annual threat for the bourbon of the year crown, and each vintage of the regal expression continues to prove its dominance. While whiskey fans understandably seek out other Old Forester limited editions, this is the one label to rule them all.
3. Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson B
Always the product of barrels from a single rickhouse, thus the name — 2024’s Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse focuses on the brand’s Camp Nelson B rickhouse. Also of note: this is the highest proof offering to ever come from the Russell’s Reserve lineup at 120.2 (landing just shy of Wild Turkey Generations’ 120.8 for the highest proof from a Wild Turkey offering).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes open with a ton of cinnamon, nutmeg, dates, and some savory bacon. With a second whiff, you pick up the aroma of Tahitian vanilla with candied ginger and a touch of milk chocolate.
Palate: Wow, a ton of ginger candy and apple galette notes spring onto the palate, with cinnamon and brown butter in spades. The liquid itself is really active on the palate, especially on the roof of the mouth, with spice and nougat notes thrumming throughout.
Finish: The finish seemingly lingers forever, with the vanilla and cinnamon tones blending with cardamom and nougat for a satisfying send-off.
Bottom Line:
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson B is the lineup’s most unique bourbon yet, soaring to new heights for Wild Turkey when it comes to proof but also delivering a mouth-watering melange of flavors that aren’t typically associated with the brand. For fans of the classic Turkey flavor profile, don’t assume that means this isn’t for you. This is an incredible bourbon fit for anyone who appreciates incredible bourbon.
Oakley Spirits is a brand-new producer with some absolutely jaw-dropping whiskey in its portfolio. Case in point: its inaugural release, a 20-year Kentucky Bourbon forged from single barrels and aged to its optimal peak.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with stunning force as fresh Brazil nuts, gooey caramel, and mature oak aromas set the tone. From there, crisp red apples, marzipan, and palo santo notes emerge alongside honeycomb, cinnamon, peanut butter, and white pepper. It’s the sort of nose that makes the hair on the back of your arm stand up as you anticipate the first sip.
Palate: Caramel sweetness seizes the palate, allowing the flavors of Rainier cherries, vanilla bean ice cream, stunning oak, milk chocolate, and faint whisps of polished leather to take turns delighting the center of the tongue. At the tongue’s edges, you’ll pick up more forceful oak and baking spice tones like cinnamon and clove, which help to balance the sweetness and elevate its richness.
Finish: The long and lingering finish welcomes the reincorporation of Rainier cherries and an uptick in the vanilla bean flavors, while dark chocolate chunks and well-developed oak notes offer earthier layers of nuance that enhance each sip.
Bottom Line:
From a quality standpoint, there’s no good reason why Oakley Spirits’ inaugural bourbon offering should be flying under the radar. The combination of an unknown name in the space and a prohibitive price point is surely to blame, but tasting is believing, and we’ve been head-over-heels in love with this bourbon from the first sip, so much so that we have it earmarked as an early bourbon of the year contender.
1. Rare Character Brook Hill 10-Year Bourbon “Black Bourbon Run”
If you stay on top of the whiskey world’s current events here on UPROXX, then you’re no stranger to Brook Hill Bourbon. After emerging as one of the country’s most formidable whiskey brands in the last year, they’ve been delivering hit after hit under the Brook Hill banner. This particular single-barrel release was selected by the “Black Bourbon Run” group, co-founded and organized by Paul Holmes. This is a 10-year, unfiltered, cask-strength bourbon expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this release is indicative of its superlative quality right off the bat, with brown sugar and overripe mango notes mingling with stewed peaches, black cherries, cloves, and cinnamon bark. There’s also an undercurrent of nougat, salted toffee, and lush vanilla cream.
Palate: On the palate, that vanilla buttercream note truly blossoms in lockstep with the flavors of black cherry syrup, clove, Cassia cinnamon, and mature oak. The mouthfeel is pleasantly full-bodied, which makes chewing this whiskey a treat and unlocks additional notes of rum raisin, candied orange rind, freshly cracked black pepper, and gooey caramel.
Finish: The finish of this whiskey just goes on and on, with the initial flourish dialing up the flavors of cinnamon, caramel, and brown butter, before it speciously recedes and then returns with brown sugar, oak, and candied orange rind notes in tow.
Bottom Line:
We’ve featured several private selections of Brook Hill atop our “best of” whiskey lists over the last 12 months, and while each of those groups deserves a bit of credit for selecting some bangers, the throughline is clear: Brook Hill is not to be f*cked with.
Rare Character’s ascendence in the American whiskey world will be studied closely someday. In the meantime, discerning enthusiasts would be wise to consider the price of these bottles as their tuition and pay the cost ASAP for a higher education in excellent bourbon.
Doechii is still relatively early in her career, but if she has it her way, we may not be getting new music from her come 2045.
At the end of a new Cosmopolitan interview, Doechii (real name Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon) was asked where she sees herself in 20 years and she responded:
I hope I’m resting. I hope to be writing books or to have other creative facets that don’t generate money — doing things just to do them, not as a job. Hopefully, I’m wealthy enough to never have to work again. And I hope I maintain how I express myself. I never want to tense up or think, ‘Because I’m this old, I can’t do this.’ No matter how old I get, I’m still twerking on the floor. I want to maintain that everybody else’s perceptions of what Jaylah can do or should do never affect what Jaylah wants to do.
Doechii also addressed the idea that she’s more “intellectual” than other female rappers, saying, “I wouldn’t agree with that perspective. I’ve seen people describe me as ‘the female that,’ ‘she’s intellectual,’ ‘she’s hard,’ and ‘she’s scarin’ hos.’ I think what’s happening is people are trying to understand who I am as an artist, but they’re doing it in comparison to other artists, which I don’t think is necessary to interpret art at all.”
The Euphoria actress was recently spotted belting out Adele’s breakup anthem “Someone Like You” with two friends at a bar in Key West, Florida, amid rumors that she and her ex (?) fiancé Jonathan Davino have called off their engagement. US Magazinereports that at the end of the song, Sweeney went up to an employee and said, “Nah, I’m here forever. Don’t get tired of me.”
This is not the first time Sweeney has gone viral for her song selection in karaoke. The Masque Of The Red Death star previously shared a video on Instagram where she’s singing “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, which saw a surge in popularity after it was featured in Anyone But You. Will “Someone Like You” see an increase in streams, too? Well, considering the song already has 2.2 billion plays on Spotify alone, Adele is doing just fine.
Maybe Sweeney can do a Smut song next. Or Lana Del Rey. “When I start to work on a project, I kind of stop listening to everything else, but I’ve definitely been loving Tate [McRae] and loving Chappell Roan, and I’ve always been a huge fan of Billie [Eilish],” she said last year. “If you can see my Instagram, I always use Lana Del Rey songs on all of my Reels. So I’m a huge Lana girl.”
You can watch Sweeney sing “Someone Like You” here.
Travis Scott is a big wrestling guy. He has guested on WWE before, and after one appearance, he said being on the WWE stage “might be better” than performing concerts. Well, WrestleMania was this weekend, and sure enough, Scott was there, making a surprise cameo (here’s a video).
As The Independent notes, Scott made a surprise appearance during the Undisputed WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and John Cena. After a big entrance, Scott mostly kept to the sidelines until he distracted Rhodes, right as it seemed he was about to win. Scott’s diversion was enough to give Cena the edge and come away with the belt.
“I feel like with Travis, he loves the business and loves pro wrestling. He’s a culture guy. Travis Scott is one of the greatest already, of all time. He’s a GOAT, a legend, an icon, he loves the business. We get guys and girls like that who want to come in and who are already tapping into the culture and disrupting culture in their own cool way. They want to come in, have fun at the show. Maybe they want to sit and enjoy or be on camera. But some want to get involved. Some, like Travis, deeply want to get involved.”
Last week, Slim Thug went on Instagram to discuss “Thee Stallion,” as he called her, dancing to his songs “Thug From Around The Way” and “Still Tippin” during the first weekend of the music festival. “If that ain’t a ‘I want you, daddy’ call, I don’t know what is,” he said, according to HipHopDX. “I’m just waiting on my day, kid. I’m just waiting on her to come to Houston and hit my line like, ‘Hey I’m in the town! Pick me up!’ It’s only a matter of time at this point.
He continued:
“She brought me out in Houston. I know she got a crush on me by this point. She danced to two of my songs! I’d say I’m in there… I probably can’t keep her; I ain’t gonna lie. She a lot of energy. You could tell from the twerking. You could tell from the twerking! I ain’t gon’ let her kill me. I can’t pop a Viagra every day! Got damn! But we could have a good time. I’ll catch you in the city.”
In response, Meg took a moment while covering “Still Tippin’” on Sunday to say, “And no Slim Thug, this don’t mean I want you. I just like your music.”
A few days ago, The Weeknd teased something for the then-upcoming second weekend of Coachella 2025: a “Ferris wheel takeover,” set for April 18, 19, and 20. Now, we know more.
As Deadline notes, The Weeknd — wearing a hat, sunglasses, and bandana to cover his face — and Hurry Up Tomorrow co-star Jenna Ortega — just sunglasses for her — showed up to the festival’s Ferris wheel for what the publication described as a “meet-and-greet style publicity appearance.” This was ahead of the May 16 theatrical launch of Hurry Up Tomorrow, the companion film to The Weeknd’s January album of the same name.
Ahead of the appearance, The Weeknd shared a new video for “Drive.” The clip, helmed by Hurry Up Tomorrow director Trey Edward Shults, features The Weeknd and Ortega, among other things, enjoying a Ferris wheel together.
Ortega recently said of co-starring in the film, “I actually didn’t think that I was right for it initially, but through conversation and built trust with Trey and Abel, it felt like a team and vision I wanted to work with.”
The Weeknd has a rich history at Coachella in recent years: He was a guest at Metro Boomin’s set in 2023, and before that, he headlined in 2022 (alongside Swedish House Mafia) and 2018.
Becky G’s discography is filled with deeply personal tales of her life especially songs such as “Querido Abuelo.” Still, the “Como Diablos” singer manages to keep several parts of her life under wraps. This summer, Becky G is ready to take down that privacy wall in a major way.
Becky G’s intimate documentary is heading to the silver screen. During the 2025 Tribeca Festival, Becky G’s Rebbeca will premiere giving fans an intense look at her life.
“I can’t believe I am writing this right now… I am so honored that my documentary will debut at the 2025 Tribeca Festival,” she captioned the film poster on Instagram. “If only younger me could see how far we’ve come. Excited for you all to take a dive into the chapter of my life that this documentary captured.”
She continued: “This has been a long time in the making… I bet you think you know a lot about Becky G, but I truly can’t wait for you to meet Rebbeca.”
Rebbeca will feature the making of Becky G’s first Regional Mexican-inspired album, Encuentros, first headlining tour (Mi Casa, Tu Casa Tour), and more.
Becky G’s documentary Rebbeca will premiere at Tribeca Festival 2025 on June 12. Find more information here.
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