The “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)” singer makes his on-screen debut in Queer, which stars Daniel Craig as an American ex-pat living in Mexico City in the 1940s who makes a meaningful connection with a younger student, played by Drew Starkey. Apollo also provided a song for the soundtrack: “Te Maldigo” is a tender ballad produced by — you guessed it — Reznor and Ross.
Apollo previously discussed what it was like preparing for a sex scene with James Bond. “Yeah, I had to get on the soup diet,” he told Starkey in a conversation for Interview. “Luca did not tell me to lose weight, but when you’re about to have a sex scene with Daniel Craig, you’re like, ‘Oh, dude, I can’t be looking off.’ I was at 200 pounds, because I’m 6’5″. It’s around where I should be, honestly. But I got down to 181 when the movie came. I lost 20 pounds because I read in the script that my character had a flat brown stomach. I was like, ‘Damn, I’m actually not flat right now.’ I had to get it together, and I was on tour with SZA. Luckily, I didn’t have that many lines.”
You can watch the Guadagnino-directed music video above.
It’s still 2024, but the 2025 music festival season has already arrived. Which is to say, the Coachella lineup is here.
On Wednesday evening, America’s preeminent music festival released the poster for next year’s bill, including headliners Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott. Further down, there’s everyone from Charli XCX to Basement Jaxx, Anitta to GloRilla, Keshi to Kraftwerk. It’s a stacked lineup, one that invites a few questions. Let’s begin with the most pressing matter…
1. Did One Band Make History On The Coachella Poster?
The first name that drew my attention on the Coachella 2025 poster wasn’t headliners Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, or Travis Scott. It wasn’t Megan Thee Stallion, in a victory lap from her mighty 2024, or FKA twigs, who will put on a high-concept spectacle, or Japanese Breakfast, even though her inclusion means we should be getting the follow-up to 2021’s excellent Jubilee next year. It was The Misfits. Specifically, The Misfits logo. Is this the first time a band’s font has appeared on a Coachella poster? The closest other examples I can think of are AC/DC in 2015 and Prince in 2008, but this is more unusual. Unprecedented even. Those were symbols; this is a specific font. Hopefully there’s plenty of french onion soup to go around.
2. Green Day Over Charli XCX?
No offense to Green Day, who are out on the road playing a pair of all-time classics (Dookie and American Idiot) from front to back, but it’s a little surprising that they got the Saturday headliner slot over Charli XCX. Over 30 years after releasing their first album, Billie Joe Armstrong & Co. are still more recognizable to the general public than Charli XCX, but for the Coachella crowd, the queen of Brat is a bigger and more zeitgeist-defining draw. I’m sure Green Day will put on a great show — they always do — and in the long run, they have the lead in historical significance. But right now, it’s Charli, baby.
3. Can Lady Gaga Top Her 2017 Headlining Set?
It’s been an up and down year for Lady Gaga. Joker: Folie à Deux flopped at the box office, and “Disease,” the first single from her upcoming album, stalled at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Yet, even with those speed bumps, she helped kick off the 2024 Olympics and her collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Die With A Smile,” is one of the most-streamed songs of the year. Gaga previously headlined in 2017 (this was also the year she filmed scenes for A Star Is Born on the Empire Polo Club grounds), albeit as a replacement for Beyoncé. This time, she has months to prepare for “a massive night of chaos in the desert.” Gaga will find a way to one-up herself.
4. What Is Travis Scott Up To?
All the bottom of the poster, even below the smallest-font Sunday acts (shout out to Yulia Niko), it reads, “Travis Scott Designs The Desert.” What does that mean? Well, according to a press release, the “Mo City Flexologist” rapper is “headlining the main stage on Saturday night where he will debut an entirely new era of music to the world.” He will also “curate a fully immersive and experiential world within the desert.” Scott was supposed to headline in 2022, but he was dropped from the bill following the Astroworld tragedy.
5. Who Will Post Malone Bring Out As Special Guests?
This year alone, Post Malone has been on songs with Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Morgan Wallen, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, and Chris Stapleton, among many others. It’s a near-certainty that he’ll be joined on Sunday by some surprise famous faces. Probably not Taylor or Beyoncé (Posty popping up during the Cowboy Carter Netflix halftime show on Christmas is more likely), but nonetheless, get ready for a star-studded set.
6. Can We Expect A Blackpink Mini-Reunion?
In a recent interview with Billboard, Lisa was asked how the members of Blackpink keep in touch during their respective solo careers. “We know each other so well and know how much energy we have to put into every single project,” The White Lotus star said. “So we want to support and say, ‘You did really well!’ Like, Jennie and Rosie just released their own songs, and we’re on texts, we’re on FaceTime. They’re like family.” Will Coachella double as a Blackpink family reunion? Lisa gets a prime spot on Friday, while Jennie is scheduled to perform on Sunday. What, no Rosé on Saturday?
7. Yo Gabba Gabba?
Yo Gabba Gabba.
8. Who Will Be This Year’s Knocked Loose?
Metalcore greats Knocked Loose went viral in 2023 for their wild Coachella set. To quote one tweet, “Influencer babes are stage diving during Knocked Loose’s Coachella set.” Billie Eilish was there, and she was vibing. So was everyone in the circle pit. But who will be this year’s Knocked Loose, the heavy band that captivates Coachella beyond their usual audience? My money’s on either Gel, who released the heavy-and-hook-filled Persona EP over the summer, or Australia’s Speed. They have Only One Mode and it’s ferocious.
9. Where’s The Country?
Since the beginning of July, the top of the Billboard Hot 100 has been dominated by three artists: Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, and Shaboozey. Some combination of that trio has had the No. 1 song in the country for every week but one, when Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” took over the world. That’s an incredible run, and Post Malone and Shaboozey are playing Coachella. But they’re the only country or country-adjacent acts on the bill. No Cody Johnson, no Kacey Musgraves. Maybe Coachella didn’t want to double-book with Stagecoach, which takes place later that month, but you would think arguably the biggest genre of 2024 would be better represented.
10. What Will Be The Most Talked-About Non-Headliner Set Of The Weekend(s)?
Somehow, Missy Elliott — one of the most electric, unique, and influential artists in hip-hop history — has never performed at Coachella. To make up for the long-overdue slight, she gets second billing on Friday night. Elliott played all the hits during her first-ever headlining tour earlier this year: “Sock It 2 Me,” “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It,” “Gossip Folks,” “WTF (Where They From),” “Lose Control.” Expect a crowd-pleasing set from an icon.
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season, improving to a West-leading 11-3 with a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. That wasn’t the expectation for this Warriors team after seeing Klay Thompson depart for Dallas and failing to land a second star despite numerous trade rumors this summer, but Curry continues to play at an extremely high level to lead the way and Golden State’s depth is shining in the early season.
In his 16th season, Curry has kept evolving as a player, adapting to new teammates around him and continuing to stress defenses with his other-worldly shooting ability. Off the court, Curry has evolved plenty as well, becoming a major figure not only in the sports space but in the world of entertainment and general pop culture. This season, Curry is partnering with Rakuten and his stylist Jason Bolden on an initiative to highlight Black and Brown designers through his tunnel fits, and allowing fans to purchase the same pieces he wears to games in a curated hub on Rakuten and get cash back and rewards (available here).
Earlier this month, we got to talk with Curry and Bolden about the partnership, the evolution of Curry’s style from his first game “Peaky Blinders” outfit to now, finding himself suddenly at things like the Met Gala, looking beyond the big designers to find things that speak to your personal style and expression, and how he’s grown to have a greater appreciation for the work that goes into fashion now that he has Curry Brand.
Stephen, how would you say your style has evolved since you came into the league? You’re now 16 years in. When you look back at where you were in 2008, 2009 to where you are now in terms of your style and your approach to fashion, what’s changed for you?
SC: I think, just a little bit more intentional now than I was back in the past. I tried a lot of stuff over the years. My favorite fit, anytime anybody asks, I had my Peaky Blinders debut for my first NBA game, with the Kangol hat, the vest with the open button, almost like a tweed color material.
Instagram
So like all the way from that to what I’m wearing now, and the different … usually stay on trend most the time, take some chances, but always for me, just want to be as comfortable as possible. And the intentionality is obviously why we’re talking around like the tunnel walk and how the energy in the league has changed. I never thought I’d be a participant at the Met Gala. Stuff like that has just, it’s evolved dramatically. My wife has a lot to do with that, and kind of her pushing me in different ways, and you know, her eye for fashion. So it’s been cool to just experiment and try new things and be in a place now where you kind of are expected to show up a certain way, and that’s kind of dope.
Jason, I mean, when you when you work with guys, something that’s fascinating for me is, fashion is such a personal expression thing, and as a stylist, how do you tap into that? And what are the conversations you have with people you’re styling about what they want to do, but also how you can kind of push them in directions that you think will accentuate their own personal styles?
JB: Using Stephen as an example, it’s just like you just watch his day-to-day life, and then to know him as a person, his style point of view is just, it’s classic, it’s easy. It’s what most guys lean towards. Like he has this kind of a classic Americana feel to him, but it’s super relatable. And I think for me, when I first met him, it was very obvious. Like, he liked fashion, but it wasn’t like a sole focus. And then it became this thing, speaking of the Met, it became this thing, like I saw the evolution of his excitement — [Curry laughs] — and being around other like minds. Fashion can be very intimidating, like basketball could be very intimidating for some people, and this was like a new world. But to see him, kind of collect friends and come back from the Met and talk about the people that he met and talked to, and it’s just like there’s that commonality.
I feel like sports, music, and fashion kind of have that commonality where people can actually connect on. So when it came to his style point of view, it was pretty easy. He likes classic, conventional, smart clothing, and I think you can look at like a lot of his tunnel walks that you see. He gives a point of view. He loves a tank top to layer. He loves to layer. Like, he loves the play on all of his sneakers, and, like, ripping colors from the sneakers, and how we kind of play with what we base that back to. I believe most people have a style point of view. They just need a little direction. And I think that’s exactly what we found with our relationship.
What was that process like for you, Stephen? You mentioned the intentionality now, and if it’s not something that was kind of front of mind at the beginning, how did that kind of evolve for you in terms of thinking more about it and having those conversations with someone like Jason? Because, like, it’s not something I think you necessarily think about, like, ‘What is my style?’ until it’s presented to you.
SC: No, for sure, even now, you see the adjectives he used, they make the most sense of how to explain what I tend to gravitate towards if I see something on the rack. And that’s kind of how the whole process was. He used the Met Gala as an example, but it was like the intimidating factor of, okay, there are so many different options. Obviously we went with Versace, but like, OK, what does that actually look alright? There’s all these different materials. How loud do you want to go? What kind of fit do you want? All those kind of questions. I’m great if I get to see it and like, Oh, I like this. I like that. I don’t like that. And then allow looks to kind of formulate from there. And that process has become pretty fun. But like, Jason will tell you, from the first fitting when you come in, you get overwhelmed with stuff.
JB: Oh, we have that recording, right? He looks — [laughs] oh, that’s a good one, I’m gonna use that against him.
SC: And now I kind of look forward to it, because the hard work’s done, because I know he knows me and knows exactly — not to say he’s going to force me to wear certain things, but it’s like, there’s a meet me halfway. Like, these are the kind of things I had in mind for you from a color perspective, a material perspective, a fit perspective. It might push me over my boundary, or whatever you want to call it, like the threshold I probably would have thought with some fits, but it’s like, when I look back, I’m like, I’m glad I tried that, because it was something different. So that whole process has been cool, and it’s been fun to now, in this partnership with Rakuten, and being able to do this where we can elevate and put some Black and Brown designers on the map, and allow their talent to shine with this relationship and the tunnel walk perspective. And for me, it just gave me another opportunity to have some fun and do something meaningful in the process.
Jason, you mentioned that Stephen’s style is pretty relatable. As you look at this partnership where people can buy those fits and what people would be able to do with it if they want to kind of copy that look, or get some things from that look. What do you think people from the outside can take away from what this will be, and kind of the things that you work on with him, in terms of styling and putting outfits together and bringing designers together and looking at different pieces?
JB: I think the special thing about this particular relationship with Rakuten is it’s so authentic to him, and just the way that he approaches everything with intentionality. There’s these moments of being so relatable, but there’s that piece of aspiration there too. So, to be in a relationship like that, where you’re able to service people in so many different ways, and give people opportunity to, kind of like live out their dreams and hopes and aspirations through clothing, right? But doing it in such a relatable way, but on such a huge stage. We get to see these looks go up and down the tunnels, and it’s like being able to celebrate these people or introduce new brands to consumers who may not know. So I think it just feels really good, and it feels very authentic. And the relationship with Stephen, Rakuten, myself and these other brands, I feel it’s needed, and it’s special, and why not celebrate it when you have these spaces and these opportunities to do it?
Rakuten
At a broad level, I think a lot of the focus in fashion is around the big brands and the big designers. How important is it, as somebody who … we talk about this is a thing of expression, and being able to show people you can find things from different designers, from people who have different perspectives that can maybe speak more to you authentically, as opposed to necessarily just trying to follow trends and big brands? And how important is that in something like this to show people like there’s great stuff you can find from all over and different kinds of people and different kinds of designers?
JB: I think fashion in itself is just, it’s a bonus to self expression, right? And being able to use these other brands that may not have the opportunity to have, you know, this massive, big brand exposure, I think it’s the perfect opportunity to constantly show people in a different way expression does not need to be from such a massive box. You can express yourself from so many different ways. And this particular partnership is just to kind of increase the visibility for that type of life, just for individuality.
Stephen, now that you have your own brand in Curry Brand, how has that changed how you think about fashion and design? Because now you are involved in that even more, and what has that relationship to the industry kind of brought to your mindset when you look at pieces and you look at kind of putting things together?
SC: I mean, beyond just the sense of pride of that, you realize how hard this industry is to be successful, to create a standard that you have to keep executing on and delivering, you know, every season. I think for me, the biggest thing is just the design team — the designers, the people that Jason was just talking about — from Curry Brand side, there’s so many people behind the scenes that are having to, you know, from scratch, source the material, create these looks, create the trends, create, just the design language of what it means to rock Curry Brand. And like, how much goes into that is insane.
And so there’s an appreciation for the art of it. There’s an appreciation for the work that goes into it. And then, when you see somebody in the wild wearing your stuff, like, it’s just a visual for the amount of time, investment, and passion that people pour into this. So I’ve seen it, like you said, on my side with our brand, and now it reflects, I’m sure, to another level, what these designers that we’re repping with this partnership. So it’s just an overall appreciation, for sure, of how hard it is to do this.
Pharrell had one of the year’s most notable movies with Piece By Piece, a biopic animated in the style of Lego. He’s not finished telling his story through film yet: It was just revealed he’s teaming up with Michel Gondry on Golden, a movie set for 2025 that was inspired by his childhood.
The cast is led by Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Halle Bailey. Bailey isn’t the only noteworthy musician in the movie, as the film also features Janelle Monáe, Anderson. Paak, and Missy Elliott. The cast is rounded out by Da’vine Joy Randolph, Brian Tyree Henry, and Quinta Brunson.
“Piece By Piece is about my life, whereas Golden is about a neighborhood that I grew up in. This is very different. It’s a musical expedition, set in the summer of 1977 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with the spirit of the music [of that time]. You know how in Dirty Dancing and Grease, the music was almost a character? That’s what it’s like in this film. It’s a coming-of-age story about self-discovery and pursuing your dreams, but it’s so much more magical than that. It’s a celebration of Black life, Black culture, and most importantly, Black joy.”
The film was originally titled Atlantis, after the housing development where Pharrell grew up. Of the name change, Pharrell explains, “It just speaks to the narrative, the area, the energy and literally everything about [the film, which is] this analysis of what being ‘golden’ is. Children and grown-ups with inner children within them can connect to it and realize that there’s a golden aspect to them too, whether it’s realized or latent.”
Now, Gomez has eased some concerns about the future of her music career, while also explaining what she prefers about the acting ecosystem.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gomez said, “I think I’ve done just as much as I wanted to do in music, but it’s exciting because I feel like I haven’t even started in film and TV, even though I know I’ve been a part of some great projects and I’m really proud of them. I like that I have to earn my position, and I love storytelling. So, I’m excited to do more of that.”
The interview then prompted, “When you say you’ve done what you wanted to do with music…,” and Gomez clarified, “Almost done. Music isn’t going away. I just set it down for a second.”
She was then asked, “What do you get from acting that you don’t from music,” and Gomez’s answer was “sanity.” She explained:
“You go into a room [to do junket press], and it’s really scary to talk about music that maybe has been a part of your story and isn’t anymore. And it’s really hard to sit there and talk about myself. It’s draining. But every interview I’ve done for this movie, there’s not been one personal question asked, and I’ve wanted to kiss every single reporter in the mouth and just say “thank you,” because it’s been so refreshing, and I think that that’s a space that is safer for me.”
Last night was the 2024 CMA Awards, which featured performances from Post Malone and Chris Stapleton, Shaboozey, and Luke Combs. Kacey Musgraves was also in attendance at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and she played “The Architect,” a beautifully delicate track from Deeper Well (which was nominated for Album Of The Year; it lost to Johnson’s Leather).
Musgraves recently shared that she wrote “The Architect” with Shane McAnally and Josh Osbourne in Nashville, and “it was around the time or a couple weeks after the insane Covenant School Shooting that happened there, and the community was just reeling and it felt just so off and scary.” She continued, “And you know, we got together to write a song, and we even felt guilty just being able to meet up and write a song and get to do something so pleasant as that when something so crazy had just happened. It sparked this very real conversation about life and how it’s really confusing how there’s so much suffering — there’s also so much beauty at the same time, so it’s this great weird duality of being a human, especially in these modern times.”
Musgraves was nominated for five 2025 Grammys including Best Country Album for Deeper Well and Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “The Architect.”
There have been rumors about the Coachella 2025 lineup for the past few days now, but yesterday (November 20), it was officially revealed: Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone are headlining, while Travis Scott is billed as a special guest.
“I have long dreamed of throwing a massive night of chaos in the desert. I’ve had a vision I’ve never been able to fully realize at Coachella for reasons beyond our control but I wanted to come through for music fans. I have been wanting to go back and to do it right, and I am. I’m headlining and starting the weekend off at Coachella. Can’t wait to hear you all singalong and dance dance DANCE till we drop.”
Then, while delaying her album Chromatica, Gaga revealed she had a surprise performance planned for the canceled 2020 Coachella festival, writing, “I had so many fun things planned for us to celebrate together… I had a secret Coachella set lined up, and a lot of other fun surprises, some of which I’m still planning to share with all of you very soon!”
The art of capturing the essence of the dancefloor should garner a gold medal. Few can do it like Weyrauther (Cobrasnake, who cut his teeth by posting candid photos of the world’s “coolest kids” and Hollywood stars online, comes to mind). While Instagram and TikTok allow just about anybody to take photos and post them online, the art of using a true camera and capturing a sweaty-dancefloor-moment-in-time from the point of view of a clubgoer is something of a lost art.
But Weyrauther is keeping it alive. If you go to his Instagram profile, you’ll see he highlights what he calls “Ibiza flashbacks since 1999,” cementing the fact that Ibiza has been an extraordinary, world-class partying destination for over two decades.
Originally working as a graphic designer for record labels in Germany, it was when Weyrauther came to Ibiza in 1998 as a true electronic music lover that he saw his life and career blossom. With a request from a Holland magazine editor wanting “sexy girls dancing in the club for Playboy,” he smuggled his camera in his pants and got some of the most iconic party shots to ever be seen and published in Playboy. From there, he started taking exclusive Ibiza club content for DJ Mag, Dance Mag, and other publications around the world to capture the the coveted Ibiza partying scene at the tail end of the millennia.
Today, Weyrauther works five nights a week at basically every club on the white island. With every subgenre of EDM dedicated to a specific night each week during the summer season, every night looks completely different.
“I’ve been to a lot of parties over the years,” Weyrauther tells Uproxx. “Jamie Jones residencies full of beautiful dancers, Amnesia’s famous opening and closing parties, tINI & the Gang’s colorful and women-centered parties…I adapt to each one. Every show might get a different shooting style, whether it be in candid style, black and white, or only behind-the-scenes. I say I’m an “embedded photographer” where I’m there to close the clubs. I’ve been embedded in the scene for 25 years at this point.”
To commemorate over two decades of capturing the rise of Ibiza’s as the globe’s most famous party island, Weyrauther curated nearly 50 photos that capture his passion for the moments and people that make up his life’s work.
Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays on the calendar, and it provides the perfect opportunity for bourbon pairings as you prepare to enjoy a full meal. Plus, let’s face it, you might need a drink (or two) just to get through the day.
Whether you’re celebrating the traditional way, enjoying it with friends for a more modern “Friendsgiving,” or keeping things simple with a “Turkey Day” dinner — whiskey helps. With that in mind, we put together this list so that you can maximize the festivities by pairing a different bourbon with every stage of your evening.
To break down the “stages,” we’re going to set you up with an initial pour, the “welcome to the party” pour, which will help you settle in on a light note. Next up, you’ve got the all-important “dinner pour,” which is something that will pair well with the bold, savory flavors of your meal. After dinner, you’ll need an “intermission pour” to help reset your palate and bridge the gap between all those heavy flavors from dinner and the lighter, sweet notes of dessert. Once dessert is done, we’ll help you find the ideal pairing for a “game time pour,” which is the best bottle to enjoy while football is on, a movie is playing, or the at-home games get going. Finally, we’ll close out with a “farewell pour,” which will be the best bourbon of the evening so you can end the festivities on a high note.
Are you ready to find your perfect Thanksgiving bourbon pairings? Keep reading to see our full list!
While this expression doesn’t feature an age statement, consumers would be well advised to know that they use 8-year-old bourbon for these small-batch blends, which include up to 20 barrels in each batch. After undergoing the brand’s proprietary filtration process, the bourbon is brought to bottling proof with Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Michter’s US*1 Bourbon has a dense aroma bouquet that immediately appears well-refined. Notes like honeysuckle, brown sugar, raisins, and youthful oak fill the air, with each well-developed layer greeting the olfactory senses warmly.
Palate: On the palate, what’s immediately remarkable about this bourbon is the texture, as it gently coats your tongue with moderate warmth, and before you know it, the taste of brown sugar, raisins, and walnuts is suddenly everywhere on your tongue. That deceptively viscous texture works well here and is a credit to Michter’s proprietary filtration process and their atypical proof-point.
Finish: The finish here is brief, with brown sugar and cinnamon coexisting harmoniously alongside new oak and clove, making for a gentle send-off after every sip.
Why Is This The Perfect Pairing?
The first pour of the evening should be a greeting, a sign of things to come, and a satisfying sipper that your guests will want to enjoy all night if need be. It should also be something that eases you into the evening, which means an approachable ABV coupled with corresponding flavors. There’s no better option for all of the above than Michter’s US*1 Bourbon.
Michter’s US*1 Bourbon brings a ton of flavor to the table, but it doesn’t overpower your palate, and it surely won’t detract from any hors d’oeuvres you may be serving or small talk that’ll break the ice. On the contrary, this bourbon will elevate everything about the early stages of your Thanksgiving meal, making it the ideal choice as a welcome-to-the-party pour.
The “Dinner” Pour — Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch B524
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 aged for at least 11 years. This year’s “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.
Why Is This The Perfect Pairing?
Once it’s time for dinner, you know you’ll be in for a world of flavors unlike any meal all year. With so many sumptuous dishes floating around, you’ll want a stout bourbon capable of standing up to all of those rich flavors and countering them with some rich flavors of its own. Enter Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof comes in three batches yearly, with each batch offering something slightly different despite generally hueing toward a similar profile. For 2024, the best of the bunch is Batch B524, which delivers the sort of luxurious, full-bodied experience that perfectly complements the decadent flavors in your dinner dishes.
The “Intermission” Pour — Widow Jane 10-Year Bourbon
For their flagship 10-Year Bourbon, Widow Jane blends whiskey distillate from three different states in bespoke 5-barrel batches before proofing it down with mineral water from their Rosendale Mines in New York. The barrels from each blend hail from distilleries in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Widow Jane has a captivating nose of fresh cherries, orange oil, mature oak, and milk chocolate paired with more unique notes like waxy plums, coconuts, and pears.
Palate: Immediately, you’ll notice that this is a really rich whiskey that punches way above its modest proof point. That exceptional mouthfeel brings a complex web of all the notes above, with the red cherries, chocolate milk, and coconut aspects featuring most prominently across the palate while maple candy and cinnamon creep in more subtly.
Finish: Again defying its modest proof point is the finish, which lingers for quite a while, leaving mature oak and milk chocolate with a touch of plum on the palate, priming you for your next sip.
Why Is This The Perfect Pairing?
With the main event out of the way, you’ll need a really high-quality bourbon to serve as a bridge between dinner and dessert. The ideal choice would be something to reset your palate, stand in as a conversation piece (since all the small talk and discussions about your personal life should be winding down by now), and offer a more mellow flavor profile as you transition to the end of the night.
Your go-to here will be Widow Jane’s 10-Year Bourbon.
Because Widow Jane hails from New York, utilizing sourced bourbon from three different states in super small batches, there’s a lot to unpack just with the back story. Once you pop the top, however, this bottle’s delicate yet delicious flavors will do all the talking, allowing you to prime your palate for one last round of eating.
The “Dessert” Pour — Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon
Four Roses
ABV: 52% Average Price:
The Whiskey:
Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon is one of the brand’s more recent innovations, springing directly from the mind and blending prowess of Master Distiller Brent Elliott. For this expression, Elliott blends six (OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESV, OESK, and OESF) of Four Roses’ ten signature recipes to create an end product aged for six to seven years that showcases his preferred flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, Four Roses Small Batch Select offers cola nut, bright red cherries, black pepper, nutmeg, and clove with some oak and caramel tones following behind those initial top notes. It’s robust and inviting, with a lovely baking spice presence that displays a ton of balance.
Palate: Four Roses Small Batch Select hits the palate with a full-bodied richness that coats your tongue and sends you mining your taste buds to discover the flavor of jammy cherries, nutmeg, black pepper, and honeyed black tea. The texture would count as its defining quality if it weren’t for the impressive balance of the flavors ever-so-slightly outperforming the viscous mouthfeel.
Finish: The lingering finish is where you’ll find vanilla extract, raspberries, brown sugar, and a light mint note — which reminds you that this is a robust Four Roses bourbon.
Why Is This The Perfect Pairing?
With all of the sweet notes found in your dessert dishes, now is the perfect time to plug in a bourbon with a slightly higher rye content. That higher rye bourbon will offer some lovely baking spice notes to cut through the sweetness of the dessert, but the beauty of selecting Four Roses Small Batch Select is that it also brings some sweetness of its own. The fruit-forward flavors in this bourbon will pair well with literally any dessert you set in front of guests, but the balanced spice notes will help to counterbalance that sweetness and elevate the dishes.
Simply put, there are few bourbons that work better as a dessert pour than Four Roses Small Batch Select.
The “Gametime” Pour — Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon
Russell’s Reserve’s 10-Year Bourbon was initially released in 2001 as an age-stated, 101-proof expression. In 2005, much to the chagrin of Wild Turkey fans, the ABV was brought down to its current level, making this a 90-proof expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Russell’s Reserve 10-Year-Old Bourbon contains varying vanillas, from ice cream to vanilla extract. There are also pastry notes and the aroma of brioche buns, along with a touch of salted caramel, warm oak, and fresh nutmeg.
Palate: The palate on Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon is distinctly earthy at first, with toasted walnuts, apple leather, and mature oak leading the charge. As you chew the bourbon, you’ll notice that those notes grow in prominence with the oak and walnut flavors outpacing the restrained fruitiness and baking spices like clove and cinnamon become more pronounced. The mouthfeel is middle of the road, which serves well to carry all of those earthy flavors without being overly slick and distracting from them.
Finish: The finish is marked by more vanilla tones, think vanilla pod more so than vanilla extract, and there’s more hazelnut flavor to be discovered alongside oak and red apple skin. It’s a medium-length finish that works well because it fades before that mature oak begins to dry out the back of your palate.
Why Is This The Perfect Pairing?
This isn’t meant to be a pejorative term, but Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon is the perfect “background whiskey.” It’s damn good on its own, and it will certainly earn some double-takes for its deliciousness in between downs if you’re watching the football games, but it’s also mellow enough to simply be enjoyed without any comment.
As a game-time pour, that duality makes Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon such a delightful pairing as the night winds down. This is a whiskey that strikes a perfect balance.
The “Farewell” Pour — 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.
Why Is This The Perfect Pairing?
You need to end the night off on a high note, and that means it’s time to pull out the best bourbon you’ve got. Also, it’s Thanksgiving, so it doesn’t hurt to put one more Turkey on the table, right? For this selection, you’ll ideally want to go with something from Wild Turkey, but while the brand has a lot of excellent options, this year’s Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson B expression is your best bet.
This is one of the best bourbons to come out all year, so how’s that for ending on a high note? Furthermore, offering a pricier bottle to guests before they go on their merry way is a great way to show appreciation for their company. Some folks may be tapped out by this stage (which keeps more of this delicious bourbon in your home bar), but for those who have been enjoying every other pour, this bottle, above all others, will serve as the perfect cherry on top.
Having written about tequila at Uproxx for a number of years, I’ve become the go-to person in my friend group (and family group chat) for tequila recommendations. This is harder than it sounds, because while I’d like to recommend bottles that I think are the “best,” tastes vary between people. So more often than not, I’m making my recommendations based on a few things.
First, I ask myself, how often does this person drink tequila? Because if the answer is rarely, then I’m not going to suggest something bright, agave forward, and biting — I’m more likely to suggest something that has a bigger vanilla influence, something that will go down a lot smoother.
Then I ask: what’s the venue? If this is a bottle to bring home, the answer is easier, if the person is at a bar or in the middle of dinner at a restaurant, my answer is going to be different, because while there are hundreds of tequila brands out there, at local bars and restaurants, there is a group of usual suspects.
So to help you find the best tequila at your local watering hole or the next time you’re sitting down for dinner at your favorite restaurant, we ranked the most likely bottles you’ll come across. So tequila nerds, don’t come for me talking about how I didn’t include Fortaleza or [insert your favorite additive-free brand here]. This is a list based on common bottles that are more often than not stocked at most bars.
Espolòn is where you should start. A well tequila will often be something like Jose Cuervo or Suaza, choosing Espolòn over these common well tequilas telegraph that you’re seriously about your agave, and your drinks are going to come out better for it.
Where well tequilas can be harsh, Espolòn’s reposado provides a noticeable mellow vibe with a mix of peppery and agave-forward flavors that’ll elevate your favorite cocktails.
The tequila is made at NOM 1440, Campari, and is made using agave cooked in a low-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, mixed with well water, and aged for three months in American white oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Malty chocolate with notes of roasted agave and a hint of alcohol.
Palate: Agave and white pepper, with some caramel and citrus notes.
Finish: A bit hot with an oak finish.
The Bottom Line:
An easy swap for your bar’s well tequila that isn’t going to result in a drastically higher bill.
If you’re looking for a great blanco to sub in, Olmeca Altos is a great and affordable choice. It has a wonderful and nuanced flavor that plays nicely on the palate.
The tequila is made the old fashioned way, cooked low and slow in brick ovens, tahona crushed, and distilled in copper pots at NOM 1111, Pernod Richard Mexico.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A blend of roasted agave, grilled pineapple and citrus as the nose.
Palate: Zesty with a navel orange juiciness balanced with fresh green peppers.
Finish: Herbaceous and smooth with a gentle heat.
The Bottom Line:
Very citrus-forward with a lot of minerality and a pleasing finish.
Ahh, the ever present Casamigos. A lot of tequila snobs will turn their nose up at this formerly celebrity-owned (George Clooney) tequila but, this is a very pleasing-to-the-palate tequila, that’s why its so damn popular.
But, it’s geared to the American palate, so what you’re going to find here is a smooth vanilla-forward finish. If you like your agave biting and bright, look elsewhere. But still, if a restaurant offers their drink up with Casamigos, there is no real reason to sub it out unless you’re looking for more agave.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Very vanilla forward with some hints of caramel, and a light oak quality.
Palate: Roasted agave, cake batter, and warm baking spices.
Finish: Surprisingly peppery at the finish.
Bottom Line:
Vanilla-forward and people-pleasing. It’s not my favorite but it has its place.
Cimarron is a brand that gets slept on because of its low price, but you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with this one, and it massively punches above its weight. It’s a big step up from the stuff we’ve ranked below it today.
The tequila is additive-free and made from estate-grown agave slow-cooked in an autoclave, roller mill extracted, and rested for three to six months in American white oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich and spicy cinnamon with notes of caramelized agave and charred oak.
Palate: More cinnamon and agave on the palate, with earthy brown sugar molasses notes.
Finish: Floral and vanilla rich balanced by some oak.
The Bottom Line:
An affordable spicy agave-forward additive-free tequila.
Patrón is an upgrade that you’ll be guaranteed to find at every bar and restaurant that serves tequila. This is the go-to “good tequila,” and for good reason, while Patrón isn’t my personal favorite, there is a lot to like here.
It has a natural sweetness and easy-to-love drinkability that most tequilas lack, while still boasting old-fashioned brick oven cooking methods.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, white sugar, and a hint of honey.
Palate: A mix of tart pineapple and zesty orange with a hint of bitter lettuce to balance it out.
Finish: A crack of black pepper with a lime-influenced tartness.
The Bottom Line:
Sweet, easy to drink, and the most obvious play for elevating your cocktail.
Ahh Don Julio, a bar tequila that you can actually drink straight. Don Julio has always seemed like a leveled-up version of Casamigos. It has that same sweet people-pleasing character, but a much more complex flavor profile.
It is produced at NOM 1449 from agave slow-cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and fermented in stainless steel tanks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A wonderful balance of roasted agave and vanilla bean with just a touch of cinnamon.
Palate: Layers of cocoa and fudge with some green tea grassiness, and some crisp green pepper notes.
Finish: A finish that recalls celery and citrus, with a lingering black pepper crackle.
The Bottom Line:
A more complex and nuanced choice than Patrón, and likely in the same price range.
In just a few short years, LALO went from a brand-new brand to one of the most prevalent and best-tasting affordable bottles on the market.
LALO is pretty much everywhere, and we’re all better off for it. This tequila is 100% additive-free and made with highlands sourced agave that is cooked in stone steam ovens for 20-32 hours, rested, and then crushed by a roller mill before being fermented in open-air stainless steel tanks.
It’s sippable, shootable, and great in a cocktail. You can’t go wrong with this one, it’s not the very best, but it’ll probably only result in a reasonable upcharge from your bartender that’ll be worth every penny.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright agave-forward, and citrusy on the nose.
Palate: A buttery mix of roasted agave and caramel.
Finish: Nice and juicy with a vegetal quality.
The Bottom Line:
A wonderful agave-forward additive-free tequila. It tastes incredibly pure and has quickly solidified itself as one of the best brands of tequila currently in operation.
Affordable, additive-free, agave forward, we imagine you’re starting to see a trend here. As massive tequila fans, we love when a liquid hasn’t been too f*cked with, so naturally, we think the best choice at bars far and wide is a tequila that tastes pure.
Ocho’s plata is silky and smooth, while still retaining all the bright and biting qualities that make us massive tequila fans.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A perfect balance of orange zest, roasted agave, and Anaheim chile.
Palate: Zesty and a bit dry, with a rush of herbal flavors to balance that dryness. I can taste an almost cilantro-like refreshing quality to this liquid, so if you’re a person who thinks cilantro tastes like soap (we feel sorry for you) maybe skip this one.
Finish: Mint, bell pepper, and a hint of lime at the finish.
The Bottom Line:
Ocho is a great choice if you like your tequila to be very grassy and green.
There is a palpable minerality here that I think really separates Siete Leguas from a lot of the competition. It’s dry and earthy, yet lactic, with an agave-rich finish.
Siete Leguas is additive-free and produced at NOM 1120, Tequila Siete Leguas, using slow-cooked agave, natural spring water, and copper pot distillation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Warm and inviting with some wet rock and fresh soil qualities.
Palate: High minerality balanced out with some grassiness, and a touch of chili heat.
Finish: Lots of citrus, a touch of vanilla and a lingering heat.
The Bottom Line:
Grassy, vegetal, bright, and mineral-rich. Siete Leguas offers a very natural, yet delicate flavor.
Here it is, our number one pick for the best tequila you’re most likely to find at every bar and restaurant. El Tesoro is one of the finest brands out there right now, and it’s blanco is an easy window as to why.
This tequila is full of nuanced flavors. Yes, the usual tequila tasting notes are there, but they are so expertly balanced here that you can actually taste how this is in a different class from most other tequilas on the market.
The liquid is produced at NOM 1139, Tequila Tapatio (La Alteña) from agave slow-cooked in stone ovens. It is 100% additive-free.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A balance of raw and roasted agave, with some juicy mango notes.
Palate: Lots of black pepper, baking spices, a touch of sea salt, green grass, and minerals. The flavors are ever-shifting, just when you think you have a handle on the flavor, a new note, like floral sweetness, will reveal itself.
Finish: Pure and grassy with a gentle burn.
The Bottom Line:
Juicy, agave forward, floral and fruity. A refined choice for anyone looking to impress with their drink order.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
