Although music lovers still have a ways to go until this year’s induction class is announced, the fan votes have been tallied. According to Stereogum, today (April 22) the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame revealed Phish won the 2025 fan vote.
Phish fans cast a total of 330,000 votes. Behind Bad Company followed Phish with 281,000 votes. In third place was Billy Idol with 260,500 votes. Cyndi Lauper (237,000 votes) and Joe Cocker (234,000) round out the top five artists.
Although the fan vote only counts for a minor part of the overall votes (that power remains with the 1,200 recording artists, music historians, and other industry professionals). Still, Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame fan vote winners have a strong history of being inducted. Notable inductees to win the fan vote include Chicago, Tina Turner, and Kiss. Ironically, in 2021, Jay-Z landed in last place but still managed to gain entry into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
View the projected 2025 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame fan vote final count below.
2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Fan Vote Results
Phish – 330,000
Bad Company – 281,000
Billy Idol – 260,500
Cyndi Lauper – 237,000
Joe Cocker – 234,000
Soundgarden – 233,000
Chubby Checker – 203,000
The Black Crowes – 165,200
Mariah Carey – 138,000
Joy Division + New Order – 120,500
The White Stripes – 110,500
Outkast – 108,000
Oasis – 99,500
Mana – 34,500
Dasha and her denim riding boots are stomping towards Stagecoach 2025. While attendees are looking forward to performances from the “Didn’t I” singer as well as headliners Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, and Luke Combs, Dasha has something special lined up.
During a sit-down with People, Dasha revealed her next record is on the way. But instead of releasing snippets online, Dasha will debut her song “Give Me a Second” live at Stagecoach 2025.
When asked about the forthcoming tune, Dasha hinted at its overall vibe. “It’s just super fun, upbeat, and the lyrics are so real,” she said. “I like having a really fun time showing my personality in my lyrics, and this song is the perfect one that sums it up.”
She continued: “It’s not my next single or anything. I really wanted to include it in the set because of how much fun it is to perform. We’re literally opening the show with it.”
Although Dasha says the song is just an appetizer rather a full-on marketed release, fans are excited nonetheless. Dasha also confirmed supporters should expect a two EP from her this year.
Dasha is set to perform on Saturday, April 26 on the T-Mobile Mane Stage. To view the Stagecoach 2025 click here.
As of today (April 22), Lorde has not confirmed its expected release date. So, when she took to her official social media pages to announce a surprise pop-up event in New York City fans believed the time had come. At Lorde’s direction hundreds of fans flocked to Washington Square Park hoping to get the inside scope on her next moves.
Unfortunately, local law enforcement were also present. With the 7 pm Eastern start time approaching, attendees eagerly waited for Lorde to appear from the crowd. But that did not happen. Instead, Lorde returned to her Instagram stories with sad news.
“Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down,” she wrote (viewable here courtesy of Pop Base). “I am truly amazed by how many of you showed up!! But they’re telling me you gotta disperse…I’m so sorry.”
Attendees and users online had flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration with the NYPD. Others have begged Lorde to reschedule the event. But Lorde hasn’t hinted at doing such a thing.
Still, with Boone’s sophomore album, American Heart, slated to drop soon he has opened himself up to constructive criticism.
Over on TikTok, Boone posed a question not to his supporters but rather his haters. In the video (viewable here), asked detractors to outline their disdain for him and/or his songs.
“If you hate me or my music at least have a good reason for it,” he wrote. “I just read a comment that said ‘idek why I hate Benson Boone, but it feels right.’ Like WHAT!!? how am I supposed to improve after reading that? At least say something valid like ‘he low-key just flips everywhere can he [do] anything else?’ or even ‘I just don’t like his songs even though I’m basing my opinion off the only one that I’ve heard over and over’ (super valid).”
So, users have flooded his comments with their (sometimes harsh) answers.
One user chalked it up to his domination on local airwaves. “I feel like sometimes when a radio overplays a song a LOT like ‘Beautiful Things’ for example,” wrote the skeptic. “It can ruin the song and therefore the artist by proxy, without it having to do anything with you directly.”
Benson pleased with the insight replied: “Honestly, this is so true!”
Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.
Reacher has been such a juggernaut for Prime Video/Amazon that they couldn’t resist (or rather, they had the fine idea of) green lighting a spin off, Neagley, so named for Frances Neagley. That series will star Maria Sten as Reacher’s best friend, who he damn well realizes is the only person who can save his butt. That offshoot series will fill the void (or possibly voids) between Reacher seasons, which is also a practical matter because Alan Ritchson is one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood right now.
Seriously, have you seen the dude’s IMDb page lately? He barely has time to squeeze in his Reacher diet in between sets and has even pledged to make time for Blue Mountain State‘s fourth season, so of course eyebrows might be raising on whether he will be appearing in his own franchise’s spin off or not.
Will Alan Ritchson Be In The Reacher Spin Off Neagley?
You know it. The Big Guy (who is the only good Big Guy of Lee Child’s world) is confirmed to be part of Neagley. Heck, she’s always showing up for him, so it’s the least that Reacher can do, although Amazon hasn’t confirmed exactly how large of a role he will portray in this upcoming season.
And that ambiguity is alright. Neagley has risen in fan popularity following her third-season ambulance joke in Reacher, which has taken her from a small role in the books to being the glue among stories. Not only does she serve the planned function of being able to bounce Reacher’s internal thought processes around with him and “bolster the exposition,” but she’s also able to crush bad guys alongside him while juggling a bowl of cereal.
Neagley will also co-star Damon Herriman, Matthew Del Negro, Jasper Jones, Adeline Rudolph, and Greyston Holt, and a synopsis awaits:
Frances Neagley is a private investigator in Chicago. When she learns that a beloved friend from her past has been killed in a suspicious accident, she becomes hell-bent on justice. Using everything she’s learned from Jack Reacher and her time as a member of the 110 Special Investigators, Neagley puts herself on a dangerous path to uncover a menacing evil.
Reacher‘s first three seasons are available on Amazon.
Shoreline Mafia is fresh off a couple of weekends as a Coachella 2025 hip-hop highlight. If you missed out, or didn’t but want more, today (April 22) brings good news: The duo just announced the Back In Bidness tour, their first concert run in over five years.
The 28-date tour, in support of the new album Back In Bidness, launches in July and runs through October. The pair will touch down in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, and other cities before wrapping up at LA’s Kia Forum on October 23.
Tickets go on sale starting with an artist pre-sale on April 23 at 1 p.m. ET. The general on-sale kicks off April 25 at 10 a.m. local time. More information can be found here.
Find the full list of dates below.
Shoreline Mafia’s 2025 Tour Dates: Back In Bidness
07/03 — Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena*
07/05 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center*
07/06 — Hidalgo, TX @ Payne Arena*
07/11 — Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater*
07/12 — Rio Rancho, NM @ Rio Rancho Events Center*
07/13 — Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena*
07/18 — El Paso, TX @ Moody Center*
07/20 — Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Ampitheater*
07/25 — Las Vegas, NV @ Orleans Arena*
07/26 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena*
07/27 — Reno, NV @ Reno Events Center*
08/30 — Bakersfield, CA @ Dignity Health Arena*
09/10 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Complex
09/12 — Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theatre
09/13 — Minneapolis, MN @ Myth Live
09/16 — Chicago, IL @ Riviera
09/17 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
09/19 — Washington, DC @ Fillmore Silver Spring
09/20 — New York, NY @ Pier 17
09/21 — Boston, MA @ House of Blues
09/23 — Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
09/24 — Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
10/03 — Riverside, CA @ Riverside Municipal Auditorium
10/04 — San Diego, CA @ SOMA
10/06 — Sacramento, CA @ Channel 24
10/08 — Seattle, WA @ WaMu
10/09 — Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
10/23 — Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
Lil Uzi Vert is apparently in the middle of a health scare right now: TMZ reports the rapper was taken to the hospital via an ambulance.
Citing an “eyewitness,” the publication reports emergency services received a call about a “sick person,” and that Uzi was wheeled through the lobby of a New York City hotel on a gurney and loaded into an ambulance yesterday (April 21) at around 2:30 p.m. ET. The rapper was apparently conscious during the ordeal and was reportedly accompanied by JT. TMZ claims they’ve confirmed Uzi was taken to the emergency room and was kept overnight, and he’s still in the hospital as of this morning.
It’s not clear exactly what symptoms Uzi experienced or is experiencing, or what his current status is.
Late last year, Uzi released his latest project, Eternal Atake 2. Following the album’s release, their was speculation that a primary motivation for sharing it was to fulfill Uzi’s contractual obligation with Atlantic Records. Uzi himself seemingly confirmed, or at least acknowledged, the theory by sharing a photo of Frank Ocean. Ocean, of course, did something similar to what Uzi allegedly did, by releasing 2016’s Endless, which satisfied his Def Jam contract, and then releasing Blonde the next day.
III Points is returning to Miami, Florida, this October with another excitingly diverse array of performers.
The “phase one” lineup for the music festival includes hardcore (Turnstile), rap (2hollis, Denzel Curry), dancehall (Sean Paul), DJs (Peggy Gou, Barry Can’t Swim), and rock (Mk.gee). The bill also features ANOTR, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Indira Paganotto, L’Impératrice, Michael Bibi, and Nina Kravitz, with hundreds more to be announced at a future date.
III Points Music Festival describes itself as “two days [of] blending music, art, and technology in the heart of Miami.”
Tickets for III Points Music Festival, which is held on October 17 and 18 at Miami’s Mana Wynwood, go on sale on Thursday, April 24, at 1:11 pm ET. There’s a few different options: GA ($229); GA+, which includes expedited entry and premium restrooms ($269); VIP with “expedited entry, exclusive amenities, gourmet food and drink options, and more” ($349); and the “After Midnight” pass, which allows concertgoers the option to enter the festival after midnight ($139). You can find more information here.
Check out the “phase one” lineup below.
III Points Music Festival’s Phase One Lineup
2hollis
ANOTR
Barry Can’t Swim
Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso
Darkside
Denzel Curry
Indira Paganotto
L’Impératrice
Michael Bibi
Mk.gee
Nina Kravitz
Peggy Gou
Sean Paul
Turnstile
d4vd is giving himself plenty more chances to successfully land a backflip on stage: He just announced the Withered tour.
d4vd’s run begins with a special Houston appearance in a few days before launching in earnest in August, running from then to early November. Tickets go on sale starting April 24 and more information can be found on d4vd’s website.
Find the list of dates below.
d4vd’s 2025 Tour Dates: Withered
04/27 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
08/05 — Del Mar, CA @ The Sound*
08/06 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren*
08/08 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom*
08/09 — Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater*
08/12 — St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live*
08/13 — Orlando, FL @ The Beacham*
08/15 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy*
08/16 — Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works*
08/17 — Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte*
08/19 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5^
08/22 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia^
08/23 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring^
08/26 — Cleveland, OH @ The Agora^
08/28 — Boston, MA @ Roadrunner^
08/29 — Montreal, QC, CAN @ MTELUS^
08/30 — Toronto, ON, CAN @ HISTORY^
09/02 — Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre*
09/03 — Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall*
09/05 — Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room at Old National Centre*
09/06 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed*
09/07 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee*
09/09 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore Minneapolis*
09/10 — Kansas City, MO @ The Truman*
09/12 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom%
09/13 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex%
09/15 — Portland, OR @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom%
09/16 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo%
09/19 — San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield%
09/20 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre%
10/01 — Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene#
10/03 — Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA#
10/04 — Stockholm, SE @ Fryshuset Arenan#
10/06 — Cologne, DE @ Carlswerk Victoria#
10/09 — Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg#
10/10 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso#
10/12 — Brussels, BE @ La Madeleine#
10/14 — Dublin, IE @ 3Olympia Theatre&
10/15 — Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy&
10/16 — Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Galvanizers&
10/18 — Bristol, UK @ SWX Bristol&
10/20 — London, UK @ Roundhouse&
10/23 — Paris, FR @ Élysée Montmartre&
10/26 — Zurich, CH @ X-TRA#
10/27 — Berlin, DE @ Huxleys Neue Welt#
10/30 — Frankfurt, DE @ ZOOM Frankfurt#
11/01 — Vienna, AT @ Gasometer#
11/02 — Prague, CZ @ ARCHA+#
11/04 — Warsaw, PL @ Klub Stodola#
* with Bryant Barnes
^ with Laundry Day
% with Yung Kai
# with Saga Faye
& with MOIO
The newest number one movie in America, Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s thrilling vampire horror set in the 1930s Mississippi Delta, has made a big impression at the box office and an even bigger impression on the conversation around film-going in general. Shot on atypical 65mm film using both IMAX and Ultra Panavision 70 cameras, the movie has spawned a larger awareness around the format. It has led a number of movie-goers to drive hours out of their way to see the supernatural flick in its full glory.
Against a backdrop of Prohibition-era Jim Crow racial politics, the movie is a stunning visual experience, and one that features whiskey as a quietly key component. The appeal of Irish beer serves as a lure for talent and patrons, and no juke joint of its time would be complete without high-quality corn whiskey or bourbon to keep the raucous party going. At several points in the film, characters specifically ask for whiskey, and it got us thinking…what drinks would pair well with the hit film?
I conjured the ten best bourbons available today to sip alongside your Sinners viewing experience to answer that question. While you won’t find any moonshine or medicinal whiskey on this list — two tipples that would’ve been in wide supply during that era — you will discover some bloody good bourbon that plays on the film’s themes, embraces vampire lore, and ultimately, just taste damn delicious.
These are the best bourbons to enjoy if you loved Ryan Coogler’s Sinners!
Mellow Corn Whiskey is a fan-favorite among American whiskey geeks and bottled-in-bond enthusiasts alike. This one from Heaven Hill is just good old 100-proof corn whiskey. Despite coming from a mash bill of 81% corn and being aged for at least four years, it’s slightly different from bourbon in that it was matured in ex-bourbon barrels as opposed to charred new oak.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Mellow Corn lives up to its name with restrained notes of corn pudding, Manuka honey, and faint oak. That base aroma profile is aided by the presence of black pepper, fresh-cut white flowers, and a hint of hazelnut.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is surprisingly viscous with flavors that coalesce around that base profile of corn pudding, organic honey, and white pepper. Additional notes of rum raisin, cedar, and youthful oak help to add a little depth as well.
Finish: The finish here is brief and slightly warming as it welcomes an uptick in the honey and corn pudding notes, giving it a sweet sendoff.
Why The Pairing Works:
Given the popularity of corn whiskey (which typically would’ve been unaged moonshine at the time) in the movie, it only makes sense that we highlight the king of all contemporary corn whiskeys: Mellow Corn. While it’d be easy to mistake this bottle’s cult-like following as irony in a yellow suit, this is a quietly delicious expression that seasoned bluesmen and wandering wives alike would surely enjoy.
Based out of Hancock County, MS, Crittenden’s Distillery is one of the state’s few bourbon producers, and for our money, it’s also one of the best. This Cut Above expression is the first bottled-in-bond bourbon to be produced in Mississippi’s history.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is immediately alluring with notes of brown butter, popcorn, dilute honey, and youthful oak. With two swirls and some aeration, the sweetness falls off a bit and is replaced by some earthier notes of peppercorns and nutmeg.
Palate: On the initial sip, this whiskey is surprisingly light with apricots and stone fruits leading on the palate before black pepper, wildflower honey, and caramel come tumbling over the tongue.
Finish: The finish here is brief and takes a turn towards hazelnut spread and barrel char before closing with more light sweetness in the form of melon rind and white pepper.
Why The Pairing Works:
With a film as drenched in local lore as Sinners it’d be, well, a sin not to include one of the state’s premier distilleries. While Mississippi is home to another standout in Cathead Distillery, whose Blended Straight Bourbon and Tintype Series is not to be missed, we couldn’t help but side with “A Cut Above” for its more vampire-friendly moniker.
This whiskey, distilled by Starlight in Indiana, uses the aptly-named Bloody Butcher corn varietal in its grain recipe for a seasonal release that hits shelves every autumn. The farm that Starlight is on has been in the family since 1843, and is now on its 7th generation of farmers and second generation of whiskey distillers.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is definitely grain-led with cornbread, nutmeg, and corn nuts standing out at first, while chunks of caramel and black pepper can be detected once it settles in the glass.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey stays true to its nosing notes, but it turns up the sweetness a tick and coats the tongue in white sugar, brandied raisins, potting soil, toffee, and cocoa dust. The underlying corn notes and earthiness become more prominent on repeat sips.
Finish: The medium-length finish here is flush with corn husk and black pepper notes, giving it an earthy conclusion that fits well with the flavor profile.
Why The Pairing Works:
The title is pitch-perfect on this one, not just the bloody butcher part. With the film’s best action taking place under the only light vampires can stand — starlight — the distillery’s name is also evocative of the horror that ensues, making this one a natural pairing for the unnatural horror that unfolds.
To call Elijah Craig a classic bourbon is to echo what’s been said about it 100 times over. Named after a famed Baptist preacher, Reverend Elijah Craig is credited, by the brand at least, as the “father of bourbon.”
Tasting Notes:
Nose: From the first whiff, Elijah Craig is an elevated version of Heaven Hill’s value brands. Most reminiscent of Evan Williams, it takes the typical bourbon aromas and dials them up a notch with vanilla extract crossing over into vanilla cream, brown sugar becoming more distinct, and a robust oak backbone fully forming.
Palate: On the palate is where Elijah Craig offers few surprises again, but it plays the hits with gusto. Brown sugar, vanilla, and caramel feature prominently, but a faint nuttiness and understated, stewed stone fruit notes help to improve the flavor profile further. The texture is unremarkable but, at the same time, substantial enough to allow each of those flavors to unfurl fully.
Finish: For the finish, Elijah Craig closes with an interplay of oak, peanuts, and brown sugar that serves as a medium-length microcosm for the entire experience.
Why The Pairing Works:
With a film centered around the exploits of a supernaturally gifted son of a preacher, it only makes sense that we pair it with the so-called “father of bourbon,” who, himself, was a preacher. As the story goes, Elijah Craig found barrels that were struck by lightning, in a sense ordained by God, which is where the charred barrels used in bourbon production come from. The story is likely just a myth, though, just like most things that go bump in the night.
For Pact 10 of their critically acclaimed Blood Oath series, the brand’s creator, John Rempe, decided to utilize what he calls two “well-bred ryed bourbons and one finished bourbon” in the blend. As a nod to the series hitting double digits, he went with a double finish. The bourbon blend is finished in Cabernet Franc barrels and a second finish in Merlot casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The unique nosing notes open with a slightly dusty aroma before black pepper, Brazil nuts, caramel, cumin, duck fat, and clove all have their say.
Palate: In the mouth, this whiskey is chocolatey with a powdered texture. As it continues to unfold, the liquid comes across as peppery, but balanced, with plums and apricots making up the base of the sweet notes.
Finish: The surprisingly lengthy finish keeps the flavor of plums and apricots humming across your palate along with fresh black pepper, oak, and a touch of leather.
Why The Pairing Works:
How’s this for an aptly named bourbon for vampire lovers? Not only does it have blood right in the title, something we seized on like the undead on a lonely straggler in the dark of night, but this is a delicious bottle that will satiate any bourbon enthusiast, at least until Pact 11 is released later this year.
John Lee Hooker was a legendary bluesman, and to honor his legacy, his very own grandson — Glenn Thomas — created this brand in 2023, giving blues fans everywhere a reason to smile. Bottled at 100 proof and priced right at the same dollar amount, this four-year bourbon is the brand’s flagship offering.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with notes of caramel apple, vanilla, and oak for a familiar introduction. A slight twist of lemon zest adds some brightness to the overall bouquet.
Palate: On the palate, caramel apple, corn pudding, and allspice are immediate standouts. What is surprising, however, is an impressive richness in both texture and flavor profile. Surprisingly viscous for the proof, this whiskey delivers some final flavors of black pepper and rosemary before transitioning to the finish.
Finish: While the finish is fairly succinct, it does a fine job of leaving all of those well-integrated flavors on your palate before dissipating into nothingness. You’ll definitely be inclined to go in for a second sip before long.
Why The Pairing Works:
The Blues as an art form and a transformative medium that can penetrate space and time, is a central theme of Sinners and this bourbon honors a real live legend of the genre, John Lee Hooker. Thanks to its direct ties to the man himself, this is one bourbon that will have a long life and continue dazzling crowds years down the line, just like Preacher Boy managed to do in the end.
Jimmy Red Bourbon is made using a unique corn varietal, Jimmy Red, which the brand helped save from the brink of extinction. Ecological heroics aside, this isn’t your garden-variety bourbon – it utilizes locally grown grains, is likewise proofed with local water, and is made according to the exacting standards of the Bottled in Bond Act.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey begins pretty grain-forward, with the Jimmy Red corn taking the lead. It’s full of mineral-like, grainy, nutty, and sweet aromas, with spiced orange peel and cinnamon bark notes enhancing things in the background. There’s also a light, sugary note like cotton candy and further brioche and star anise aromas.
Palate: The palate is well-developed with an oily texture, and all of the nosing notes translate to the palate, along with the prominent addition of brown sugar, vanilla pod, and buttered popcorn. Butterscotch and the flavor of Golden Delicious apples are also two welcome inclusions.
Finish: This bourbon has a medium-length finish that leaves you sucking your molars, savoring the flavor of honeyed brioche buns long after finishing every sip.
Why The Pairing Works:
By reviving and utilizing the rare Jimmy Red corn varietal in its whiskey, High Wire Distilling has slowly been taking over the craft whiskey world, similar to how the film’s central antagonist slowly takes over the small town in which it’s set. What really puts a bow on this one, though, is the old-timey packaging, which feels ripped right from the period of juke joints.
The latest Orphan Barrel offering, dubbed Fanged Pursuit, features 17-year non-chill filtered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. KSBW at that age is hard to come by. Notably, it’s brought to Orphan Barrel’s preferred proof — a relatively low 46% ABV.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose bursts forth with the aroma of Luden’s cherry cough drops, clove cigarettes, Red Vines candy, leather, and torched orange wheel covered in dark chocolate. With patience, the sweet red notes continue to vacillate between red licorice and black cherry while peanut shells and caramel come into focus.
Palate: This whiskey begins with tobacco leaf, Rainier cherries, and red apple skin on the tip of the tongue before it introduces sage smudge, black pepper, barrel char, and touches of lime rind.
Finish: Allspice, dark chocolate, thyme, and orange zest hang on the palate with a medium-length finish to close things out.
Why The Pairing Works:
Have you seen the name of this one? Even though the bottle’s art evokes a snarling bobcat, the connection between the film’s vampires and the idea of “Fanged Pursuit” is too good to ignore. Furthermore, this is a rich, well-made bourbon that works on several levels — yet another thing it has in common with Coogler’s stellar screenplay.
2. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Silver Oak
Silver Oak has been creating elegant wines in California’s Napa Valley for over fifty years, making them the perfect collaborative partner for Bardstown Bourbon Company, founded in 2014, which envisions itself as the bourbon world’s answer to the posh wine region. For this creative marriage, the brands worked together to blend bourbon between the ages of nine and fourteen from various sources before maturing them in Silver Oak wine barrels for 17 months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The warm aroma of freshly baked fruitcake, vanilla frosting, burnt sugar, nutmeg, and salted caramel fills the air above the glass once you pour this multi-layered bourbon. The aroma notes are rich, bordering on decadent, and they’re each distinct enough to appreciate on their own without becoming muddled and obfuscating any of the others.
Palate: The flavor of Brazil nuts, vanilla frosting, rich stewed plum, and brandied cherries greet the palate for an almost syrupy first impression. This whiskey is so meaty and has a richness that extends beneath the surface without listlessly sitting there. Cola nut and chocolate truffle flavors take root at midpalate, and the cherries come back in force as the bourbon transitions to the finish.
Finish: Clove, oak, and jammy red berries sit on the back end of each sip, where the Silver Oak cabernet wine continues its influence but deftly blends with the base bourbon for a medium-length conclusion.
Why The Pairing Works:
This is a full-throated pour with remarkable balance and mind-bending richness that achieves its ends subtly yet effectively, which is indicative of Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s ascending adroitness in the field of finishing. In short, this is an artful execution of secondary maturation in American whiskey.
While vampires may be averse to silver, we mere mortals are seemingly impervious to the charms of wine-finished whiskey, and this ruby-twinged bourbon is one we’ve been drinking as greedily as a thirsty vampire since it was first released.
River City Whiskey is the newest brand on this list. This expression, from founders Da’Mon Brown and Ricky Rice, is a natural outgrowth of what began as a barrel pick group that the two started. Now, entering the arena of creating a brand, they’ve brought this inaugural expression “Beaver Bridge Barrel” to market using the single-barrel format they’ve perfected to present a cask-strength bourbon, aged for nine years, and made with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley with more to come in 2025.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma notes open with bruised pears, apple skin, singed orange peel, vanilla custard, black pepper, sage, and barrel char. The aromas are impressively well-developed and delicate but distinct, leading to extended appreciation before you venture in for the first sip.
Palate: The lighter, sweet notes come through on the palate, with peach rings, dried apricot, and scraped vanilla pod seizing your attention at first. The whiskey then turns a bit floral at midpalate before ceding ground to the flavors of restrained oak and honeyed black tea as it fans out over the tongue and begins transitioning to the finish.
Finish: The finish is robust but brief, expanding rapidly with full flavors before gently concluding with vanilla wafers, orange blossom, and white pepper lingering at the end of the party.
Why The Pairing Works:
As the film reaches its climax, Mississippi’s water takes center stage for a struggle between Sammie and the vampire Remmick as the former fights for his life in a mighty river. Not only does the name of this black-owned bourbon brand drive that home, but it’s also one of the best new bourbons we’ve tried in the last year.
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