When Charlie, a 10-year-old boy, came in for his first visit, he didn’t look at me or my colleague. Angry and crying, he insisted to us that he was cisgender – that he was a boy and had been born male.

A few months before Charlie came into our office, he handed a note to his mother with four simple words, “I am a boy.” Up until that point Charlie had been living in the world as female – the sex he was assigned at birth – though that was not how he felt inside. Charlie was suffering from severe gender dysphoria – a sense of distress someone feels when their gender identity doesn’t match up with their assigned gender.

I am a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist who has been caring for transgender youth for over a decade using what is called a gender-affirmative approach. In this type of care, medical and mental health providers work side by side to provide education to the patient and family, guide people to social support, address mental health issues and discuss medical interventions.

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Getting on the same page

The first thing our team does is make sure our patients and families understand what gender care is. We always begin initial visits in the same way. “Our goal is to support you and your family on this journey, whatever that may look like for you. My name is Mandy and I am one of the doctors at CATCH – the Child and Adolescent Trans/Gender Center for Health program. I use she/her pronouns.” Sharing pronouns helps transgender people feel seen and validated.

We then ask patients and families to share their gender journey so we can better understand where they are coming from and where they hope to go. Charlie’s story is one we often hear. A kid may not think much about gender until puberty but begins to experience worsening gender dysphoria when their body starts changing in what feels like the wrong way.

Support and acceptance from family has a huge impact on a transgender person’s mental health.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Social transitions with family help

Transgender and gender-diverse youth (those whose gender identity doesn’t conform to the norms expected of their assigned sex) may face transphobia and discrimination, and experience alarmingly higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide than their cisgender peers. One option can be to socially transition to their identified gender, both at home and in the outside world.

An important first step is to help parents become allies and advocates. Connecting parents with one-to-one as well as group support can help facilitate education and acceptance, while helping families process their own experience. Charlie’s parents had been attending a local parent group that helped them better understand gender dysphoria.

In addition to being accepted at home, young people often want to live in the world in their identified gender. This could include changing their name and pronouns and coming out to friends and family. It can also include using public spaces like schools and bathrooms, participating on single-gender sports teams and dressing or doing other things like binding breasts or tucking back male genitalia to present more in line with their gender identity. Though more research needs to be done, studies show that youth who socially transition have rates of depression similar to cisgender peers.

Many young people find that making a social transition can be an important step in affirming identity. For those that still struggle with depression, anxiety and managing societal transphobia, seeing a therapist who has knowledge of and experience with gender-diverse identities and gender dysphoria can also be helpful.

However, most young people also need to make physical changes to their bodies as well to feel truly comfortable.

Medical options for transgender youth can include hormone blockers or hormone therapy as a first step.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Gender-affirming medical interventions

When I first met Charlie, he had already socially transitioned but was still experiencing dysphoria. Charlie, like many people, wanted his physical body to match his gender identity, and this can be achieved only through medical interventions – namely, puberty blockers, hormonal medications or surgery.

For patients like Charlie who have started experiencing early female or male puberty, hormone blockers are typically the first option. These medications work like a pause button on the physical changes caused by puberty. They are well studied, safe and completely reversible. If a person stops taking hormone blockers, their body will resume going through puberty as it would have. Blockers give people time to further explore gender and to develop social supports. Studies demonstrate that hormone blockers reduce depression, anxiety and risk of suicide among transgender youth.

Once a person has started or completed puberty, taking prescribed hormones can help people match their bodies with their gender identities. One of my patients, Zoe, is an 18-year-old transgender woman who has already completed male puberty. She is taking estrogen and a medication to block the effects of testosterone. Together, these will help Zoe’s body develop breasts, reduce hair growth and have an overall more female shape.

Leo, another one of my patients, is a 16-year-old transgender man who is using testosterone. Testosterone will deepen Leo’s voice, help him grow facial hair and lead to a more male body shape. In addition to testosterone, transgender men can use an additional short-term medication to stop menstruation. For nonbinary people like my 15-year-old patient Ty, who is not exclusively masculine or feminine, my colleagues and I personalize their treatments to meet their specific need.

The health risks from taking hormones are incredibly small – not significantly different, in fact, than the risks a cisgender person faces from the hormones in their body. Some prescribed hormone effects are partially reversible, but others are more permanent, like voice deepening and growth of facial hair or breasts. Hormones can also impact fertility, so I always make sure that my patients and their families understand the process thoroughly.

The most permanent medical options available are gender-affirming surgeries. These operations can include changes to genitals, chest or breasts and facial structure. Surgeries are not easily reversible, so my colleagues and I always make sure that patients fully understand this decision. Some people think gender-affirming surgeries go too far and that minors are too young to make such a big decision. But based on available research and my own experience, patients who get these surgeries experience improvements in their quality of life through a reduction in dysphoria. I have been told by patients that gender-affirming surgery “literally saved my life. I was free [from dysphoria].”

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Ongoing gender care

In March 2021, nearly five years after our first visit, Charlie walked into my exam room. When we first met, he was struggling with his gender, anxiety and depression. This time, he immediately started talking about playing hockey, hanging out with friends and making the honor roll. He has been on hormone blockers for five years and testosterone for almost a year. With the help of a supportive family and a gender-competent therapist, Charlie is now thriving.

Being transgender is not something that goes away. It is something my patients live with for their entire lives. Our multidisciplinary care team continues to see patients like Charlie on a regular basis, often following them into young adulthood.

While more research is always needed, a gender-affirmative approach and evidence-based medicine allows young transgender people to live in the world as their authentic selves. This improves quality of life and saves lives, as one of our transgender patients said about his experience receiving gender-affirming care. “I honestly don’t think I would be here had I not been allowed to transition at that point. I’m not always 100%. But I have hope. I am happy to see tomorrow and I know I will achieve my dreams.”

Mandy Coles is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics and co-director of the Child and Adolescent Trans/Gender Center for Health at Boston University.

This article first appeared on The Conversation. You can read it here.

This piece originally appeared on Patreon.

Devin Booker entered Tuesday’s pivotal Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers in a slump. Across a pair of home games, he lit up the defending champions for 65 points on 61.2 percent true shooting, yet the City of Angles was far less kind to him. In a road split, he averaged just 18 points on 46 percent true shooting.

But then came Games 5 and 6, when he rediscovered his shooting stroke to the tune of 77 points on 77.3 percent true shooting, including 47 on 90.5 percent true shooting in Thursday’s close-out victory on the road. He buried the Lakers with a pair of first-quarter avalanches, dropping 18 and 22 points, respectively, and scripting the ending of those games in the opening frame.

And for Booker, who averaged 29.7 points on 62.6 percent true sohoting against Los Angeles, success in this series was all about space. For long stretches in Games 3 and 4, the Lakers shrunk the floor. They prioritized forcing him away from ball-screens and taking away his right hand. Booker is capable going left, but he is at his best maneuvering with space to his right. That’s where he typically wants to venture and Los Angeles knew it. The results were possessions like these…

The strategy was particularly prevalent during the final five games and most effective in Games 3 and 4. Following those frustrating shooting nights, Phoenix emphasized scheming more space for its star scorer. The Suns began stationing Chris Paul in the corners or utilizing him as a screener more frequently because the Lakers did not consider him a spot-up threat, allowing them to aggressively stunt off of him and inhabit Booker’s sought-after commodity of space.

They were justified and valid in doing so. Paul took four catch-and-shoot threes in the series and all looked at least a little funky. Even in Booker’s Game 5 resurgence, the agenda remained the same: ignore Paul off the ball, take away space for Booker (often to his right), and dare Paul to make long balls.

Let’s contrast two plays a game apart, the first from Phoenix’s series-opening victory.

Look at all that space into which Booker can flow. This is optimal for him. He brandishes a good handle, but is most comfortable when the few dribbles before a shot are used to set up his rhythm rather than requiring him to navigate narrow quarters. A vacant wing and top of the key allow for him to survey the defense, identify his spot and simply dribble as a means of transportation rather than manipulation. It’s a contested shot but that’s a bucket entirely within his wheelhouse.

Contrast that sequence with one from Game 2, where the outcome is less favorable for Phoenix.

As an important distinction, the alignments between these plays are different. In the above clip, Paul is the trigger man up top rather than Deandre Ayton near the free-throw line. The strong-side is empty. But the philosophy remains similar: Booker working off of a pin-down screen into space.

Except, the space doesn’t exist. Likely, he would prefer to scoot toward the right wing and cook downhill. These actions are lethal for him and the Suns when he’s able to carry his momentum into space. But Dennis Schröder, by playing way off of a compromised Paul, clogs the avenue to do so. Booker’s proclivity for using his handle to prime a shot rather than wiggle through small windows of space is evident.

On plays like this, and holistically throughout the matchup, the Lakers’ goal was to reroute his path and invoke a change of direction. Although Dario Saric and Mikal Bridges are a bit slow in organizing their weak-side action — and that takes them out of the play as an option — Paul’s direct involvement and off-ball positioning inhibit Booker.

That is not Paul’s fault. He shouldn’t be initiating here if he’s not a viable passing outlet for his co-star. The pin-downs for Booker demand space. Paul’s presence allowed Los Angeles to omit the “space” portion of that checklist for success.

Observe the convenience of Paul as a screener and how much more seamlessly Booker maintains his momentum into space for rhythm buckets, enabling his dribbling and shot preparation to work in tandem rather than separate components of a multi-step process.

Booker is undoubtedly a skilled enough scorer to thrive on many occasions without being the headlining beneficiary of offensive scheming. His Game 6 explosion and six-year resume exemplify that. But the Lakers’ top-ranked defense, even with Anthony Davis sidelined/not fully healthy and LeBron laboring somewhat, poses a different challenge than most. They have the personnel to counteract Booker’s right-hand tendencies/adroitness and dwindle dimensions of space in which he thrives.

Yet Phoenix responded with the necessary offensive personnel, both players and coaches, to counter the counter. As the series progressed, the Suns tapped into those resources to steer their franchise star back on track.

They slotted Paul in the corners, generally the left one, when the ball was not in his hands, mitigating the risk of his defender muddying Booker’s space in his money zones. They made a concerted effort to clear the right wing or corner to afford Booker the space he desired in getting to his right hand, whether it was his initial path or enjoying the option to snake back there.

Overwhelmingly, the Lakers sat on his right hip. A screen gave him the chance to still proceed as he pleased, but it was much harder if the right wing, or a path to it, was occupied. That caused some trouble for him at times.

The solution was for the Suns to channel their inner Dixie Chicks and generate Wide Open Spaces (I’m sorry … well, not really, it’s a great song). They deserted the right wing, loaded the weak-side and, when applicable, planted a marksman in the corner to keep his defender beholden to him.

Game 5 saw this floor-spacing plan develop most commonly and helped Booker regain his rhythm. He harmoniously reached his go-to spots in a way rarely seen the previous two games and by Thursday, he was just rolling.

He drained a career-high eight threes en route to 33 first-half points and slithered left or right off the bounce. He drilled step-back triples, turnarounds, and a bevy of the contested jumpers he’s authored for years.

His 22 first-quarter points guided the Suns to a 36-14 edge. From that point on, their lead never ducked below 10. He, and they, had all the space they needed.

Have you ever wondered what you’d get if you threw Hotline Miami, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and some cute and cuddly mascots that look straight out of Diddy Kong Racing into the ol’ game development blender? Chances are probably not, but Funktronic Lab’s Wave Break makes a compelling case for why you should. Billed as “the world’s first skateBOATING game,” the neon-lit, Miami Vice inspired world of Wave Break looks pretty cool — just check out this trailer for it:

What’s most compelling to us about Wave Break right off the bat is despite it looking sort-of like a Fall Guys-esque multiplayer experience, the game actually comes with an entire single-player campaign that, according to the Nintendo Switch listing, features an “episodic storyline involving guns, kickflips, and blood money.” That being said, it also has a few different multiplayer modes, from ranked matchmaking skateboating battles to custom game modes so you can kickback with your friends. There are also a few different game modes, such as Trick Attack (a battle to rank up the highest score through pulling off sweet moves), Deathmatch, and Free Play.

Beyond gameplay, the trailer shows off the game’s emphasis on style, which extends to the outfits and customization options within the game. According to the listing, you can “unlock hundreds of custom clothing for maximum stylin’, as well as tons of decals and decorations for your boats.” Customization also takes shape in the game’s park creator mode, which allows you to build your own skateboating arenas, something Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater fans will surely be all about. Lastly, if you’re a streamer looking for a chill game to show off to your viewers, the game boasts an entirely ‘stream safe’ synthwave soundtrack — meaning you won’t get a copyright strike tossed your way while playing it.

If Wave Break sounds up your alley, you can catch it on PC and Nintendo Switch on June 11, 2021.

Tragedy struck in Agua Caliente, California Tuesday morning when Tory Carlon, a more than 20-year member of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, was gunned down by a coworker at Fire Station 81.

The assailant, Jonathan Tatone, died of a self-inflicted gunshot in his home later that day.

“We do believe there was some disagreement over work performance and work-related issues,” Lt. Brandon Dean said Wednesday. “How long it has been going on we don’t know yet.” The two men worked at the station on different shifts and had been clashing over operations and other issues.

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L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Osby described Carlon as “truly dedicated, one of our better firefighters, amazing, and a true loss to our department.”

Carlon leaves behind his wife, Heidi, and three young daughters.

Early this morning, Burbank firefighters gathered on the overpasses to pay respect to fallen LA County Firefighter… https://t.co/tb2xFE1ao9

— Burbank Fire Department, CA (@BurbankFire)
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The tragedy happened just two days before Carlon’s oldest daughter Joslyn was set to graduate from Saugus High School. One can only imagine the pain she felt knowing that her father couldn’t be at the ceremony.

However, even though her father couldn’t be in attendance, her extended “fire family” had her back and they made an impressive display.

On Wednesday night an email chain was sent among L.A. County Firefighters asking them to show up to show their support for the daughter of their fallen brother.

The next day, over 300 firefighters from L.A. county and neighboring departments showed up at Josyln’s ceremony at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita. The parking lot was filled with fire engines from all over the area and the firefighters lined up and stood at attention as Joslyn entered the ceremony.

Surrounded by her late father’s firefighting colleagues, Josyln Carlon graduated #SaugusHighSchool tonight, just da… https://t.co/pztAqO0rCD

— Dr. Carlos – crime related news & other stuff (@insidethebadge)
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“I haven’t had a chance to look at where all of our brothers and sisters have come from,” Battalion Chief Nick Berkuta Berkuta told The Santa Clarita Valley Signal. “But I can see that we have quite an outpouring of support that is truly appreciated.”

“We’re here to make sure that she knows we’re all thinking about her,” said Fire Department Capt. Chris Reade. “We found out last night, email goes fast, and we all dropped everything we were doing in our personal lives and came down here to show our support.”

As seen from the media area at the Saugus High School graduation, the hundreds of firefighters who came to support… https://t.co/pCKd1vImzE

— SignalSCV (@SCVSignal)
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When Joslyn walked up to the stage to accept her diploma, she did so wearing her father’s fire jacket draped across her shoulders. She was greeted by a chorus of cheers from the firefighters and a standing ovation from fellow classmates.

When she left the stage she was escorted by a firefighter who is a close friend of the Carlon family.

Daughter of firefighter killed in shooting wears father’s jacket to graduation https://t.co/7mI8FVgiLn

— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc)
1622829611.0

When asked what the gesture meant, Reade gave a simple explanation that sums up the meaning of “fire family.”

“It means that we’re always going to be with them,” said Reade. “The Fire Department family is huge and strong, and they can come to us anytime for anything they need.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for the Carlon family. It has already eclipsed its goal of $200,000.

Delores Spencer has been teaching math since 1954. When she retired from her Virginia school district 30 years ago, she started tutoring students and hasn’t stopped. Now, at age 89, even in the midst of a global pandemic, Mrs. Spencer is still going strong.

Mrs. Spencer has kept up her teaching skills through her decades since retirement, even learning the new ways math gets taught. And when in-person tutoring got thwarted by COVID-19, she took it as an opportunity to reach more people through virtual tutoring.

Since last spring, Mrs. Spencer has provided math lessons online through her Math Lab on Facebook and YouTube. Each week, she posts a free, hour-long lesson on a particular math concept to help students and parents learn better.

“I just really wanted to help students get over that fear of math,” Spencer said in a video interview with Good Morning America. “So many parents and students have fear of mathematics. And it really, it’s beautiful.”

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She said she wants to reach people who need tutoring but can’t afford it. “If I can find out what blocks you, then I can remove that block, and usually you don’t need me anymore until you get to another block. And that’s what real tutoring is about.”

Watch this inspiring woman in action:

89-year-old math tutor’s virtual lessons reach students around the world l GMA

www.youtube.com

Thank you, Mrs. Spencer, for showing us that we don’t have to stop doing what we love just because we get older, and for continuing to share your gift of teaching with the world.

The best new hip-hop this week includes albums, videos, and songs from Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Roddy Ricch, and more.

Throughout the week, a steady trickle of releases from across hip-hop kept fans sated until the main event on New Music Friday. Isaiah Rashad shared “200/Warning,” a track that didn’t make his album, on Tuesday, while Logic shared the Madlib-produced “Mafia Music.” Meek Mill showed off his “Flamerz Flow,” Lakeyah was “Young & Ratchet,” IDK brought back go-go with “Shoot My Shot,” and Moneybagg Yo praised his hometown’s newest basketball star with “Rookie Of The Year.”

Friday saw the releases of Roddy Ricch’s return single “Late At Night,” Bad Bunny’s song-of-the-summer bid “Yonaguni,” “Art Of War” from Jasiah, Denzel Curry, and Rico Nasty, and videos for Rowdy Rebel and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s “9 Bridge” and J. Cole’s “Punchin’ The Clock,” along with the releases listed below.

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 19, 2021.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Brockhampton — Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine Plus Pack (Deluxe)

Adding four new songs to their recently released album, including two versions of “Jeremiah,” Brockhampton staves off their impending dissolution just a little bit longer.

Lil Baby & Lil Dirk — Voice Of The Heroes

The heavily anticipated joint album from the Atlanta and Chicago stars lives up to its hype thanks to immaculate production choices and judicious use of pitch-perfect guest verses from Meek Mill, Travis Scott, and Young Thug.

Lloyd Banks — The Course Of The Inevitable

As the early-2000s heyday of gritty, bars-forward New York mixtape rap returns, it’s only right to see one of that scenes standout artists, Queens quick-wit Lloyd Banks, also make a comeback bridging the generation gap by including both contemporaries and the rappers he’s inspired, such as Benny The Butcher, Freddie Gibbs, and Roc Marci.

Peter Rosenberg — Real Late

Although he’s primarily known as a New York City radio personality, Peter Rosenberg is also a longstanding industry vet with a deep, deep call list of potential contacts. In his first foray into cultivating a DJ KaySlay-style compilation, he taps those contacts, bringing in rap icons like Ghostface and Raekwon, underground favorites like Ransom and Westside Gunn, and left field up-and-comer Fly Anakin.

Smoke DZA — Hustler’s Catalog

No, but seriously… it’s a good week for fans of fundamental, modern boom-bap-styled hip-hop. Smoke DZA applies his laconic flow and lifestyle raps to his second full-length project of the year, replete with soulful samples and similarly flossy guest appearances from Dom Kennedy, 24Hrs, Dave East, and of course, Curren$y.

Singles/Videos

Beanz — “Blow Me”

Beanz deserves much more attention. Although she didn’t get super deep into the first season of Rhythm + Flow, she seems to be one of the most committed contestants to date, with a sharp flow, a clear point-of-view, and undeniable style.

Belly — “Zero Love” Feat. Moneybagg Yo

The Roc Nation rapper continues his comeback, tapping one of trap rap’s hottest artists for a sex-crazed, cold-hearted ode to macking.

Booka600 & OTF — “Apart”

Grab a tissue; this tender hood ballad, addressed to the late King Von, finds the Chicago rapper mourning his homie and promising to keep the grind alive in his honor.

Che Noir — “Reasons” Feat. Jynx

How much Buffalo is too much Buffalo? In a week that saw releases featuring verses from nearly every member of the prolific Griselda posse, it would have seemed wrong to exclude Che Noir’s soulful new single.

Chitana — “Hard Times”

Young Dolph’s latest PRE acquisition offers a reflective look at the conditions he’s overcome, the obstacles he’s faced, and well, the terrible state of the world for Black folks in general.

Jayson Cash — “All I Know”

Okay, so, I’ve got to bend my “automatically posting artists from Compton” rule a bit here since Jayson Cash claims Carson, but he’s also one of the most authentic artists I’ve ever heard.

Sally Sossa — “Right My Wrongs” Feat. Toosii

Sally Sossa quietly had one of the coldest debuts of 2020, but she’s gaining momentum — and should gain some requisite notice thanks to the inclusion of the white-hot Toosii.

Smiley — “Moving Different”

The Toronto native’s off-kilter flow, the string orchesta sample, and the low-fi visuals make this a video that seems like it should generate a bit of buzz.

YSN Flow — “Pac Man”

The Ohio rapper has been on a roll, and it’s only a matter of time until his bouncy, precise flow and relentless energy reach the mainstream. At 17, time’s one thing he’s got plenty of.

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

High-proof bourbon whiskey is that category that sits neatly in between “bottled-in-bond” and “barrel proof.” Bottled-in-bond whiskey always has to be 50 percent or 100 proof and gets to that proof through the addition of water. Barrel proof (or cask strength) whiskey is whatever proof the whiskey was in the barrel and is never cut with water. High-proof whiskey is (generally speaking) the whiskey that’s 100 proof or higher and always cut with water.

Ironically, there are uncut barrel-proof bourbons that are lower proof than watered-down high-proof bourbons. How does that happen? Depends on how hot the whiskey goes into the barrel and how long it’s aged. Sounds strange but I promise it’s possible — there’s a wide world of whiskey out there, folks.

Today, our focus is on 10 water-touched high-proof bourbons, which I’m judging on taste alone. I’m blind taste-testing a few drams that I haven’t had quite a while — Maker’s 101, Noah’s Mill, Johnny Drum — and a few that are in my regular rotation — Wild Turkey, Garrison Bros., Knob Creek. It’s going to be interesting to see where these expressions fall when tasted without the familiarity of their labels!

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1:

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a mild buttery toffee next to vanilla and wood. That vanilla becomes a creamy pudding as a touch of butterscotch arrives with a mild warmth. The end has a dry tobacco vibe with a hint of holiday spice.

Taste 2:

Tasting Notes:

This is a bowl of stewed apple over vanilla ice cream that’s been drizzled with extra caramel. The taste really focuses on that caramel, with hints of oak next to roasted almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, and dry wicker.

Taste 3:

Tasting Notes:

That darkness can only mean one thing — Garrison Brothers. There’s a massive nose of new leather that covers notes of corn syrup pecan pie and a hint of cinnamon rolls. The taste holds onto the leather (dramatically) while hints of white chocolate ice cream mingle with Nesquik chocolate milk. More leather comes in late as hints of cedar and tobacco warm things up on the end.

Taste 4:

Tasting Notes:

Soft eggnog spices and creaminess is touched by a soft cedar. The palate is subtle and warms toward a cinnamon candy next to buttery toffee with a hint of dry wicker reeds. That creamy-yet-spicy vibe carries through the finish as a silky mouthfeel takes over, leading to a final burst of spicy and sweet cinnamon candy fireworks through the senses.

Taste 5:

Tasting Notes:

This starts out with an apple pie filling with a lot of cinnamon leading towards salted caramel. The taste has this mild orange feel with more cinnamon candy. The end has a lightness that feels like … sasparilla? Cream soda? No, it’s Dr. Pepper!

The end leaves you with fizzy and distinctly spicy Dr. Pepper.

Taste 6:

Tasting Notes:

This has a cherry-vanilla soda vibe with a hint of dry pine. The taste leans into the old wood while touches of old leather mingle with light pepper and a chewy vanilla/cherry tobacco. The end is silky smooth and not overly warm.

Taste 7:

Tasting Notes:

This has to be the Bootleg Series. It has a funky old hue that’s nearing forest green. The taste has this mix of dry coconut, cloves, and greenwood with a touch of .. cumin? It’s velvety smooth and touches on coriander with a sweetgrass vibe.

Taste 8:

Tasting Notes:

This feels like a classic bourbon with notes of vanilla cream mingling with buttery cornbread and a touch of orchard fruits. The palate has a mild worn leather next to a subtle dark chocolate orange all leading towards a bucket of buttered popcorn with a side order of Red Vines.

Taste 9:

Tasting Notes:

This opens with a buttery croissant with spicy plum jam next to flourishes of vanilla. There’s a rich toffee next to dark chocolate-covered marzipan, old cellar beams, and a mild vanilla tobacco chew. It’s light and soft.

Taste 10:

Tasting Notes:

This is just a straight-up classic. This has to be Knob Creek. There’s a vanilla/cinnamon/kettle corn feel that leads to touches of eggnog spice, orange zest, and very mild cherry. The end is a brioche dripping in brown sugar and brown butter cinnamon glaze next to a cherry tree, drooping with fruit.

Part 2: The Ranking

10. Heaven’s Door “Bootleg Series” Mizunara Oak Whisky 26 Year — Taste 7

ABV: 55.75%

Average Price: $550

The Whiskey:

This bottle is going to be hard to find outside of private collections. The 26-year-old whiskey is finished in Japanese Mizunara oak barrels. These barrels are made from trees that have to be at least 200-years-old and impart something truly unique into the juice.

Bottom Line:

To be 100 percent fair, this might be losing some of its luster thanks to the flask it’s in. Still, this is built to be a super funky and super old bourbon. It just didn’t feel like something I’d ever reach for other than to show off when I have friends over.

9. Eagle Rare 17 — Taste 6

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $1,395

The Whiskey:

We kind of come full circle with this whiskey. It’s largely the same juice as George T. Stagg. Except these barrels spend 18 years and three months in Warehouse P on the first floor, where the juice loses 59 percent of its volume. The bourbon is then blended, filtered, and bottled at a very accessible 101 proof.

Bottom Line:

HA! I cannot believe this! I like Eagle Rare a lot and order the 10-year-old all the time at a whisky bar I go to. I guess today it just didn’t stand out that much.

8. Garrison Brothers Balmorhea — Taste 3

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $196

The Whiskey:

This much-lauded Texas bourbon is the highwater mark of what great whiskey from Texas can be. The juice is aged in Ozark oak for four years and then finished in oak from Minnesota for another year, all under that blazing West Texas sunshine. The bourbon is then small-batched, proofed with Texas spring water, and bottled at a healthy 115 proof.

Bottom Line:

I just couldn’t get past that leather note on the nose and in the palate. I ended up nosing and tasting this one twice (and then again, just now). It’s still there.

That’s what’s interesting about tasting booze you love like this. When spped right after something entirely different, you never know what’s going to pop.

7. Wild Turkey 101 — Taste 1

ABV: 50.5

Average Price: $26

The Whiskey:

A lot of Wild Turkey’s character comes from the hard and deep char they use on their oak barrels. 101 is a high-rye and high-ABV bourbon that leans into the wood and aging, having spent six years in the cask. A little of that soft Kentucky limestone water is added to cool it down a bit before bottling.

Bottom Line:

This feels right. Look, I love me some Turkey but this is an entry-level whiskey that’s made to be mixed.

6. Pinhook Bohemian High Proof 2020 — Taste 9

ABV: 57.25%

Average Price: $52

The Whiskey:

Pinhook’s contract distilled bourbon is all about refinement. The expression is made from 100 barrels that are matured for 34 months before being small-batched by Pinhook’s Master Taster Sean Josephs. The juice is barely touched with that soft Kentucky limestone water to take the edge off.

Bottom Line:

There’s a thinness to this that holds it back a little. I’m not saying this isn’t really tasty and well-crafted. It’s just missing that “grab your attention” x-factor that I want from a high-proof bourbon.

5. Johnny Drum Private Stock — Taste 5

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

Willett — or Kentucky Bourbon Distillers — makes this special label. As with everything at Willett, though, the cards on the aging, mash bill, and blending of this bottle are held pretty close to the chest. The juice is a marrying of varying barrels that are cut to 101 to compete with Wild Turkey. That’s about all we know.

Bottom Line:

This had that Willett “cinnamon candy” vibe, though it was dialed back. This really caught my attention for that journey from sasparilla to cream soda to f*cking Dr. Pepper. It felt almost insulting at first, then I just wanted more.

4. Knob Creek 9 — Taste 10

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $36

The Whiskey:

This entry-point to Jim Beam’s small batch Knob Creek is a nine-year-old classic. The juice is a low-rye mash that’s aged in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses for a minimum of nine years. The whiskey is then vatted and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.

Bottom Line:

This felt both classic and right. There was nothing that jumped out as “oh my god, that’s life-changing!” But it was comforting, soft, and familiar. That went a long way amongst these high-proof bourbons. Oh, and it’s tastes really good.

3. Maker’s Mark 101 Travelers Exclusive — Taste 2

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $42

The Whiskey:

This is Maker’s Mark classic wheated bourbon that’s bottled at “a higher proof” to bring about a “richer flavor.” Well, that’s what the label says anyway.

Bottom Line:

This was just really damn tasty. It was complex yet refined and accessible. There was almost zero burn and that’s when taken neat. This feels like a great sipper that’s also going to be a go-to cocktail base going forward.

2. Pursuit United — Taste 8

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a new-ish release from one of our favorite bourbon podcasts and whiskey reviewers, Bourbon Pursuit. The juice is a blend of three whiskeys hailing from Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky, Finger Lakes Distilling out in New York, and an unnamed Tennessee distiller. The blend is crafted to be an accessible whiskey, or well-crafted table bourbon if you will, that’s high proof and very drinkable.

Bottom Line:

This keeps growing on me and I’m not surprised it nearly hit the number one spot. It’s just really well-put-together bourbon that hits my palate plumb and true every time I take a sip.

1. Noah’s Mill — Taste 4

ABV: 57.15%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This is Willett’s high-proof bourbon that’s barely cut down to a very high 114.3 proof. This is kind of like the big and bolder sibling of Willett’s Rowan’s Creek bourbon, which is cut down to 100.1 proof.

Bottom Line:

I can’t remember the last time I had a dram of this but it really popped today. The spicy cinnamon candy was a great throughline and the really high-proof didn’t hinder the sip at all. In fact, this felt smoother and cooler than lower-proofed high-proofs on this list.

Plus, it was pure silk on the senses and tongue.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

Willett made a pretty good showing all things considered. I’m kind of surprised Noah’s Mill ended up on top. If I could have seen the labels, I probably would have put money on me picking Maker’s or Knob Creek.

The only real oddities were Garrison Brothers and Eagle Rare, which just didn’t click for me today. That being said, I ended up leaning towards much more affordable bourbons that are fairly easy to find. I didn’t try to, that’s just what I liked best. So there’s that.

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As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

Australia’s Splendour In The Grass is always one of the year’s most anticipated spring festivals. This year, as live events recover from the impact of the pandemic and waiting for it to be safe for crowds to gather in persono once more, the fest is offering a virtual event this summer before it resumes in November 21. Dubbed Splendour XR, this event is slated to be one of the most immersive music festivals experiences so far. Slated for Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25, the stacked lineup includes artists like Khalid, Grimes, Charli XCX, The Killers, and so many more.

Artists will deliver never-before-seen live sets created specifically for this event, and tickets will be the relatively affordable price of $19.99 for a single day, $34.99 for both days. That’s certainly cheaper than any other festival you’ll attend this year.

“Splendour has always offered patrons a deep programming experience with The Forum, Global Village, Little Splendour and more on offer alongside our favorite artists,” Splendour in the Grass Co-producers Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco said. “We could not be more excited about Splendour XR and the opportunity to take the Splendour goodness online to our existing community and also to new audiences around the globe.”

Check out the full lineup below, purchase tickets here, and get a sense of the virtual event’s immersive experience in the preview video above.

DAY 1
KHALID. CHVRCHES. DENZEL CURRY. DUKE DUMONT. TASH SULTANA. MASKED WOLF. RUSS MILLIONS. BAND OF HORSES. LITTLE SIMZ. VIOLENT SOHO. AURORA. PHOEBE BRIDGERS. VERA BLUE. PINK SWEAT$. CLIENT LIAISON. GRIFF. POND. TAYLA PARX. DUNE RATS. METHYL ETHEL. THE CHATS. TRIPLE ONE. CAT & CALMELL. KING STINGRAY. THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND

DAY 2
THE KILLERS. CHARLI XCX. VANCE JOY. GRIMES METAVERSE (SUPER BETA). THE AVALANCHES. OF MONSTERS AND MEN. KAYTRANADA. BLACK PUMAS. HOT DUB TIME MACHINE. MILLENNIUM PARADE. THE JUNGLE GIANTS. OCEAN ALLEY. JUNGLE. WHAT SO NOT. KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD. SINÉAD HARNETT. HOLLY HUMBERSTONE. SPACEY JANE. CROOKED COLOURS. AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS. WAFIA. AVIVA. THE SNUTS. BAND-MAID. ZIGGY RAMO. GRETTA RAY

Paramount+ just dropped the final trailer for Infinite, the action thriller about reincarnated warriors starring Mark Wahlberg, and man, this thing looks wild. Within the first few seconds, you have Marky Mark jumping off of a cliff on a motorcycle so he can stab a plane with a ninja sword, and it doesn’t let up from there.

As the trailer teases out Wahlberg’s slowly learning that he has the ability to tap into a multitude of past lives, the trailer delivers one crazy action beat after another, and just when you think director Antoine Fuqua can’t pull another rabbit out of his hat, Jason Mantzoukas shows up. What more can you need? Even better, Infinite is skipping a theatrical release and going straight to Paramount+ in less than a week. So the time between now and you watching Marky Mark stab a plane is extremely minimal.

Here’s the official synopsis:

For Evan McCauley (Mark Wahlberg), skills he has never learned and memories of places he has never visited haunt his daily life. Self-medicated and on the brink of a mental breakdown, Evan is sought by a secret group that call themselves “Infinites,” revealing to him that his memories may be real – but they are from multiple past lives.

Infinite starts streaming June 9 on Paramount+. Here is Mark Wahlberg stabbing an airplane with a sword.

(Via Paramount Plus)

After releasing an album in 2020, Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist producer Niia is back with a brand new EP. Across its seven tracks, If I Should Die is a spooky, smoky affair filled with groovy arrangements and intoxicating vocals.

To celebrate the new EP, Niia sat down to talk Drake, Monterey Jazz Festival, and the best tattoo she’s ever seen in the latest Pop Life 20 Q&A.

What’s the first pop song you remember hearing?

Diana Ross- “Upside Down”

What do you think pop music will be like in the future?

Woah, this is tough…pop stars from different planets. Singing plants? Realistically, probably a Lil Miquela vibe where there are holograms of popstars able to perform anywhere at any time.

If you could perform in any country in the world, where would it be and why?

Ravello, Italy. It’s probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever been and I’m Italian, so performing there is a dream of mine.

What is your favorite food?

Pasta. Specifically Carbonara.

What is your favorite ‘90s or early ‘00s pop hit?

“The Boy Is Mine” – Brandy & Monica.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Peter Gabriel & Sting at the Hollywood Bowl. There are no words to describe that experience…Ugh, also- Jennifer Holiday in a small church in Provincetown MA when I was 25. Jennifer Holiday was famous for her role in dream girls I was obsessed with as a girl. I quit singing for the summer because I knew I would never be able to sing like Jennifer. She still is one of the best there is.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

A classic black dress with a twist. I love a classic look with a modern pinch. Feels romantic and nostalgic but also fresh! I like to dress up to perform. It makes me feel more polished so I can be chic while crying (if I need to).

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Rachel Sennott on Twitter. @the_pastaqueen on IG!

Name the best pop song to makeout to.

Drake – “Teenage Fever”

What’s your most frequently played song for a dance party?

Roisin Murphy – “Something More”

What’s the last thing you Googled?

John Mulaney wife…

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Chet Baker – Chet on vinyl.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Downtown Brooklyn. We were staying in a workout-themed hotel… my band and I didn’t work out once. My manager Chelsi used the medicine ball as a chair a few times.

What’s the worst tattoo you’ve ever seen?

I don’t know about the worst… but Brooke Candy has the best. She has so many incredible ones.

Who do you think is the most exciting new voice in pop this year?

I stan Olivia Rodrigo.

What pop song do you most associate with heartbreak?

For me, it’s “Heartbreak” – Mariah Carey.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Practice piano more, and he is not the one.

What’s the last show you went to?

I honestly can’t remember… I think Show Me The Body or Dana Dentana.

Which music festival is your favorite and why?

Monterey Jazz Festival. I’ve always wanted to play there. If you play it, you’re respected in the jazz community. I also have a special place in my heart for Monterey… almost got married there.

What would you say to Beyonce if you got the chance to meet her?

“Thank you Beyonce”

If I Should Die is out now. Listen above or here.