Liam Payne fans have had a rug pulled from under them. Earlier today (October 29), supporters of the late “Stack It Up” singer learned that a posthumous single (“Do No Wrong”) from Liam was slated to be shared on November 1.
However, the track’s producer, Sam Pounds, has decided to postpone its release indefinitely. Over on X (formerly Twitter), the Grammy Award-winning shared a statement explaining the gut-wrenching decision. “Today I’m deciding to hold ‘Do No Wrong’ and leave those liberties up to all family members,” he wrote. “Even though we all love the song it’s not the time yet. We are all still mourning the passing of Liam and I want the family to morn [sic] in peace and in prayer. We will all wait.”
Initially, Pounds intended to donate the record’s proceeds to a charity of the family’s choosing or “however they desire” to divide it up. But it appears thanks to the pleas from users online, given Liam’s untimely and tragic death, Pounds changed his mind.
Liam’s family haven’t addressed the post track or any plans for its future release. Following Liam’s passing they issued a heartbreaking statement to the public, writing: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts, and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
That, of course, depends on how you determine import. Merriam-Webster defines it as such: “marked by or indicative of significant worth or consequence.” Armed with that definition, we can say that “worth” doesn’t strictly boil down to cost. Indeed, some of the most important bourbons of all time are/were bottom-shelf offerings, some of which can still be purchased today for less than $30.
This list will focus strictly on bottles of historical importance, expressions that helped transform the industry, establish new standards, and alter the course of the industry as we know it. Some of those are extremely rare or even possibly extinct, while others are sitting on your local liquor store’s shelf right now, but no matter the availability or price, these all have one thing in common: they changed the bourbon world as we know it.
Let’s dive into it and rank the 21 most important bourbons ever made!
Michter’s Master of Maturation, Andrea Wilson, deserves more credit than anyone in the industry for creating and then popularizing “toasted barrel bourbon.” The process, which involves a barrel being held over a flame but, crucially, not being charred, unlocks a different degree of wood sugars that imparts a wholly unique flavor profile on the end product. That end result brings forth flavors like marshmallow, honey, campfire smoke, and coconut shavings and has caught on like wildfire throughout the industry, with innumerable brands joining the trend that Michter’s began with this 2014 release.
Angel’s Envy Bourbon is historically significant, not for inventing finished bourbon, but for being the first brand to offer an evergreen expression of finished bourbon as part of its core lineup. That bold decision was initially met with intrigue but has since blossomed into a practice that countless other brands have adopted, culminating in an industry-wide trend to push the boundaries of finishing we’ve seen over the past few years.
The Gold Foil version of A.H. Hirsch’s 16-Year Bourbon is best known today by the moniker bestowed upon it by whiskey writer Chuck Cowdery, who wrote an entire book extolling its virtues titled “The Best Bourbon You’ll Never Taste.” The story of A.H. Hirsch 16-Year begins with…Ultimately what makes this bourbon so historically important, impressive quality aside, is that it’s one of the most prominent bourbons to develop a cult following on the internet.
Denizens of StraightBourbon.com (including Chuck Cowdery) helped to drive consumer interest in this hidden gem, a process that we’ve since seen repeated time and again with the rise of more internet-based bourbon clubs, Facebook groups, and influencer-approved limited editions. Again, it’s a trend that some may frown upon, but all the same, this release is one of historical import for that reason and others.
18. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon “Goykh Smash”
Four Roses
ABV: 60.3% Average Price: ??
What Makes It Important:
This expression is so under-the-radar that we weren’t even able to find pictures of it online, and everything is online. Shout out to our connect for the image above. The Goykh Smash Four Roses Single-Barrel Selection is historically significant because it’s the bottle most widely credited with introducing private label stickers (erstwhile known as “tater stickers”) to the bourbon industry. The story goes a little something like this: Steven Goykhberg was a prominent member of the early aughts bourbon collector scene, and he selected this barrel of Four Roses and then put one of the early examples of a tater sticker on the bottles. It features a photo of Hulk “smashing” the ground with the words “Goykh Smash” above it with “I Don’t Fool Around” below.
While pretty much all photos of this pick have seemingly been scrubbed from the net, you’ll still hear early collectors speak in reverent tones about the bottle that many people credit with transforming the marketing of single-barrel selections. As a final note, Four Roses has since instigated a “non-mutilation” policy, kicking anyone who adds a sticker or other adornments to their single-barrel selections out of their single-barrel program. That development makes early Four Roses bottles with tater stickers all the more attractive to after-market collectors.
These days, it’s quite common to see bourbon and charitable causes linked, but while people have long been using rare bottles to raise money for good causes, Parker’s Heritage is one of the key releases that brought the idea to the mainstream. In 2010, Parker Beam, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Shortly after that, this expression was created and launched in 2007 as a way to both honor Parker’s contributions to the industry (he was part of 2001’s inaugural class of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame) and to donate money to the research and eradication of ALS. Those charitable efforts continue today with each release of Parker’s Heritage, though sadly, Parker passed away in 2017, his legacy is alive and well.
Wild Turkey 101, perhaps more than any other offering, helped maintain the bourbon industry’s viability in the global market through the lean years of the 70’s and 80’s. While domestic sales of bourbon were in the toilet during those decades, it was the inventiveness of distilleries and the explosion of the foreign market, primarily Japan, that kept many of bourbon’s most storied producers in business.
For Wild Turkey, that meant offering their 101-proof bourbon in stylish decanters, which did little to abate the public’s waning interest but have persisted as a cool historical idiosyncrasy, and exporting a large volume of its flagship liquid overseas. The success of bourbon’s sales in Japan helped keep them and other companies afloat and produced some now-legendary expressions that might not otherwise exist if it weren’t for Wild Turkey spearheading the movement. One of the most revered expressions to come out of this era, nicknamed “Cheesy Gold Foil,” has remained one of Wild Turkey’s most sought-after expressions to this day.
15. Willett Family Estate 28-Year-Old Bourbon Barrel #1056
Willett Family Estate is now known as a legendary name in the bourbon industry, and they built that mythical status thanks to their incredibly well-regarded vault of hyper-aged sourced whiskey. Bottles like Doug’s Green Ink and LeNell’s Red Hook Rye put the brand on the map and now regularly sell for 5-figures at prestigious auction houses, but Willett’s cache of 20+ year bourbons also garner plenty of acclaim.
Case in point: when this expression was released, it was Kentucky’s oldest single-barrel bourbon ever bottled. Selected by Pacific Edge and distilled in 1980 from an undisclosed source before being bottled in 2008, if there’s one bottle of bourbon most emblematic of Willett Family Estate’s early grasp on the single-barrel market, gobbling up excellent, old bourbon from far-flung sources and driving the demand for such increasingly rare liquid, it’s this bottle right here.
We can keep this one short and simple by saying Weller is typically cited as the earliest example of “wheated bourbon” to grace the market. As it goes with pretty much every claim to a “first” in the bourbon world, there are some who would dispute that claim, but at the very least, Weller has done the most to popularize the style since its inception in 1849. We have William Larue Weller to thank for this expression, and as you may know the current-day version of Weller Special Reserve is produced by Buffalo Trace who has furthered the reputation of wheated bourbon thanks to the success of both its Weller and Van Winkle lineup of whiskeys.
What makes Evan Williams Bourbon so significant is that it was produced by Kentucky’s first legally registered commercial distillery by the Welsh immigrant whose name adorns every bottle. Not only was Evan Williams the first man on the scene for what would become the epicenter of bourbon for generations to come, but Evan Williams Bourbon remains to this day one of the world’s best-selling bourbons, seldom leaving the top three in global sales annually.
Jim Beam’s Distiller’s Masterpiece was one of American whiskey’s biggest game-changers. The expression, launched in 1999, marked a number of significant milestones as one of the first super-premium bourbons to be released with a price point of $200+ and the first prominent example of a super-premium finished bourbon. This offering was so ahead of its time that it sat on shelves for months, despite being an artful collaboration between Jim Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe and Cognac pioneer Alain Royer that has since gained contemporary acclaim for its prescience as well its superlative quality.
While not everyone will see this release in a positive light, given the fact that it spawned a proliferation of high-priced progenitors in the finished bourbon category of uneven quality, there’s no denying that its release was a watershed moment in the contemporary bourbon industry.
11. Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Bourbon (MGP Sourced)
A bit of a curveball on this list; this is another one of those representative choices that speaks to a wider trend. These Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel expressions in the 12-year age range, sourced from MGP in Indiana, drove the bourbon world crazy when they first hit shelves. While there had been earlier examples of stellar, sourced MGP bourbon on the market, this was definitely the tipping point that drove consumers into a craze, hunting this expression into extinction.
Since these bottles first hit shelves, there have been countless brands built with MGP-sourced liquid, whether they eagerly disclose that fact or not, and with MGP now situated as perhaps the biggest producer of sourced bourbon in the industry (they don’t disclose such details publicly) it’s safe to call the Smooth Ambler tipping point a crucial one for the contemporary market, driving popularity and demand for MGP juice, and proving its viability.
The Old Crow Chessman series is emblematic here of several critical developments in the industry. For one, in 1969, during the lean period when these were produced and domestic whiskey sales were in the tubes, decanters became all the rage to spruce up American whiskey’s presentation. The Old Crow Chessman were some of the most ostentatious and ambitiously packaged whiskeys of all time, coming in a fully functional chess set with an oh-so-70s shag rug with black and white squares to play on.
Another aspect that makes this series historically important is its tangential ties to the man who founded Old Crow, James C. Crow. Dr. Crow is widely credited as being the man to introduce or at least popularize the sour mash process in the bourbon industry. Though Crow passed away long before this expression was created (it was sold in 1969 by National Distillers, and the Old Crow brand is today owned by Jim Beam), this was one of the last prominent releases to bear his name before Old Crow became a bottom-shelf offering, not worth exploring. More than that, in fact, this is frequently cited by critics as one of the best bourbons of all time.
I’ll be the first to admit that this selection is speculative, but here’s the path to historical import for Eagle Rare 25. Joined by Weller Millenium (which isn’t officially a bourbon) in Buffalo Trace’s uber-premium range, Eagle Rare 25 is historically significant not just for being a hyper-aged expression but also for the process that produced it. This expression spent the first decade of its life destined to be Eagle Rare 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon before graduating past that mark to be earmarked as a future Eagle Rare 17 release. Having aged beyond 17 years, it was then eligible to become Double Eagle Very Rare, but at the 20-year mark, the whiskey that wound up in this release was moved to Buffalo Trace’s experimental Warehouse X, a climate-controlled aging facility which the distillery hopes will allow them to push the ages of future releases beyond 25 years, perhaps as high as 50 or more.
As the first step toward that ambitious goal, Eagle Rare 25 is easily the most historically significant bourbon released in the last two years. Going one step further, the case can be made that this uber-premiumization of the category could become a thing of the future in line with Distiller’s Masterpiece helping to create the super-premium market as it exists today. If successful, Eagle Rare 25 will mark the opening salvo in that effort to put hyper-aged bourbon expressions on par with offerings in the same age range from Scotch and Japanese distilleries.
The expression that most bourbon enthusiasts cite as the one that put single-barrel bourbon on the map is Blanton’s. Not only did this brand’s popularization of single-barrel bourbon completely revolutionize the American whiskey landscape, leading to scores of imitators, but it’s also remained one of the most commonly sought-after bourbons on the market today. The popularity of Blanton’s (aided, in part, by its prominent place in the John Wick movie franchise) has been another of the pivotal moments in recent bourbon history that created the craze that it is today.
While many people cite Blanton’s as “the first single-barrel bourbon,” there’s an important distinction to note there, as Blanton’s was actually the first bourbon to be commercially marketed as a single barrel. In fact, Old Forester’s President’s Choice is generally considered the world’s first single-barrel bourbon, debuting back in 1962 as a unique expression of hand-selected casks from Old Forester’s President, thus the name.
The 20-year version of Pappy Van Winkle is teeming with historical significance. This offering was the first to be bottled in the celebrated Pappy Van Winkle lineup, which now stands as perhaps the most widely sought-after lineup in the entire bourbon world when it hit the shelves back in 1994. The culmination of several earlier iterations by Julian Van Winkle III, this expression was initially utilizing liquid sourced from Old Boone Distillery (a little-known-fact gaining more widespread attention thanks to soothsayers like Gil Schwarz) and was the first bourbon to receive a 99-point rating from the Beverage Testing Institute in 1997 in Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
One can also make the case that this expression was pivotal in launching the bourbon boom as the late chef Anthony Bourdain’s proclamation that “if God made bourbon, this is what he’d make” on his show The Layover back in 2012 helped send the fervor around the brand into hyperdrive, fueling today’s bourbon mania.
Sure, you may just see Old No. 7 for what it is, the most ubiquitous American whiskey on the planet, and for that reason alone, it’s certainly important to the history of the category. Jack Daniel’s goes a step further, however, as the whiskey that popularized — perhaps even invented — the Lincoln County Process, which is the backbone of the Tennessee whiskey category. A quick obligatory note for any time one discusses Jack Daniel’s: yes, it is technically a Tennessee whiskey, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a bourbon. Some people will argue this point with you until they’re blue in the face, but the facts are simple: Jack Daniel’s is made to the regulations of bourbon, which means it is legal to label it as such, but the Lincoln County Process ALSO makes it legally a Tennessee whiskey, while not stripping it of its status as a bourbon. The difference may seem negligible to some, but it’s a constant point of contention worth dispelling here.
One last bit that makes Jack Daniel’s important is the brand’s more recent embrace of Nearest Green, a formerly enslaved man who they believe taught Jack Daniel (the man) how to filter his whiskey in what became known as the Lincoln County Process. As the most prominent American whiskey brand on the planet (and arguably the biggest bourbon brand), there can be no debate about Jack Daniel’s importance to the category.
Very Very Old Fitzgerald is a now-discontinued line of wheated bourbon from the famed Stitzel-Weller Distillery, aged for either 12, 15, 16, or 18 years. This particular bottling was created to honor the family that owns the Chicago Blackhawks organization, which in itself isn’t historically significant. What is, however, significant is that this rare bottling is considered one of the hardest-to-find expressions in the vaunted lineup, which led to it becoming the highest-priced bourbon ever sold at auction earlier in 2024, fetching a whopping $80,100 before fees and taxes. While the sale has since been surpassed (by a Van Winkle Single Barrel Bourbon) this bottling remains indicative of bourbon’s continuing rise to prominence in the global whiskey space and reflective of just how coveted some of the most acclaimed expressions of America’s Native Spirit have become.
Of further historical significance is the Old Fitzgerald lineup’s role in popularizing Bottled in Bond bourbon. It first began as a bonded bourbon in 1904, but things really picked up post-Prohibition when Old Fitzgerald became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery’s flagship bourbon, with Very Old Fitzgerald and eventually Very Very Old Fitzgerald joining the lineup. It should be noted, however, that all of the Old Fitzgerald bourbons were bonded products in Julian Van Winkle’s lifetime, though we began to see higher-proofed options (like this Blackhawk single-barrel) after he passed in 1965.
Old Forester has a well-loved portfolio of high-quality bourbons today, but what makes their entry-level offering perhaps the most historically significant of all boils down to one thing: it was the first commercially available bourbon to promote the fact that it was exclusively sold in glass bottles. That little innovation quickly became an industry standard that pervades to this day and would mark the first of Old Forester’s two revolutionary marketing tactics over the course of its 150+ year history, with the second being the introduction of single barrel products.
Maker’s Mark is a bourbon borne from the minds of the Samuels family, and as history tells it, they settled on the iconic wheated mash bill after baking several batches of bread with different grain recipes. As one of the most historic distilleries to only ever produce a single mash bill and never sell their liquid to other brands, Maker’s Mark is significant, but the real hook is the way the brand transformed the industry with its emphasis on tourism.
Margie Samuels designed Maker’s Mark’s distillery to be a visiting place for a tourist industry that didn’t yet exist but, through her visionary work, became a multi-billion dollar industry that netted her a posthumous Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame induction in 2014. Of lesser, but still notable, significance was Margie’s decision to use the iconic red wax that adorns each bottle for which Maker’s Mark is known. They remain the only brand whose specific use of wax (red, with dripping tendrils) is protected from imitation. For dawning a new age of branding and tourism while standing as an exemplar of quality in American whiskey around the world, Maker’s Mark is one of the most important bourbons of all time.
Any savvy bourbon enthusiast today will note the prevalence of cask-strength offerings on the market, and if you’re wondering where it all began, look no further than 1988, which witnessed the first commercially available release of Booker’s. Booker Noe, the brand’s creator, had been personally bottling and wax dipping some of his favorite bourbon barrels from the “center cut” of Jim Beam’s voluminous warehouses for years, giving them out as Christmas gifts to friends and beloved employees.
However, when the popularity of “Booker’s bourbon” caught on, it became inevitable that those special selections would go on to become a commercially available product. Once it hit the market, Booker’s became the most prominent example, if not also the first example, of cask-strength, undiluted bourbon to hit liquor store shelves. While tastes at the time were less adapted to absorb all that high-octane alcohol, barrel-proof bourbon has since become a huge craze, with offerings in that style proliferating across seemingly every brand in America.
Booker’s, as part of Jim Beam’s Small Batch Collection, also marked one of the first times the phrase “small batch bourbon,” which was coined by Booker Noe himself, was used to market what was at that point already a prevalent practice of producing bourbon in batches. You can even use the creation of Booker’s to trace the genesis of the rise of “hazmat” offerings and increased appreciation of full-flavored bourbon, which continues to this day. It’s all of these factors that make Booker’s the most important bourbon of all time.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
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Soccer Mommy – Evergreen
Following the electronic grandeur of 2022’s Sometimes, Forever, Sophie Allison scales back her sound to its most essential components on Soccer Mommy’s latest album, Evergreen. Still, there are new flourishes to take in: the lush strings on opener “Lost;” the titular, tender tribute to Allison’s Stardew Valley wife in “Abigail;” the Alex G-esque guitars on “Some Sunny Day.” If Soccer Mommy’s latest proves anything, then it’s that great songwriting will always be evergreen.
Laura Marling – Patterns In Repeat
Singer-songwriter Laura Marling has invariably imbued her work with an aura of calm. Gentle, finger-picked acoustic guitars have become a constant of her music, and while that’s still the case with her new album, Patterns In Repeat, that tranquility has been given a new raison d’etre. As a new mother, Marling reflects on parenthood and domestic life on tracks like “Child Of Mine” and “No One’s Gonna Love You Like I Can.” It’s unquestionably some of her most tender songwriting yet.
Two Shell – Two Shell
Electronic duo Two Shell have always embraced their inscrutability. From trolling journalists in email interviews to leaking their own self-titled debut album months ago, they don’t shy away from playing into their absurd antics. Although they enjoy their opacity, Two Shell’s first LP contains some of their most accessible, danceable production to date. This is a record brimming with thumping kick drums, thick low-end, and wall-to-wall techno bangers.
Mamalarky – “Nothing Lasts Forever”
Indie rock four-piece Mamalarky are now a part of Epitaph’s roster, and they’ve just released their first single for the label, “Nothing Lasts Forever.” Although there is no mention of a new album, “Nothing Lasts Forever” showcases what could be an intriguing direction for the group to head in. Heavily filtered synths and funky drums abound, suggesting that the uncertainty Livvy Bennett sings of can be as frightening as it is fun.
Yeule – “Eko”
Yeule has been on an incredible run, from excellent albums like 2022’s Glitch Princess and 2023’s Softscars to their cover of Broken Social Scene’s “Anthems For A Seventeen-Year-Old Girl” for the stacked I Saw The TV Glow OST. “Eko” continues that run with what is Yeule’s most overtly pop song in her catalog. As its name suggests, “Eko” is about love, obsession, and a voice echoing in their head. Like the echoes ringing in Yeule’s head, their catchy new song will be echoing in yours.
Katie Gavin – What A Relief
MUNA is known for their sugary-sweet hooks, pristine production, and refined pop songwriting. So it may come as a surprise that the debut solo album from front-person Katie Gavin is quiet, contemplative, and mostly acoustic. She has described her first solo endeavor, What A Relief, as “Lilith Fair-core,” and it feels like an apt description. What A Relief may be a pared-down affair compared to MUNA’s outsized indie-pop, but it’s just as riveting, showcasing Gavin’s plurality as an artist.
Fievel Is Glauque – Rong Weicknes
Jazz fusion duo Fievel Is Glauque revel in confusion. Just as their 2022 debut album, Flaming Swords, accomplished, its follow-up, Rong Weicknes, twists and turns like a disorienting case of vertigo. That is, if vertigo were a lot of fun to experience. Simultaneously groovy and grotesque, Fievel Is Glauque’s second record is a whimsical expansion on their avant-garde blueprint.
Momma – “Ohio All The Time”
One of the standout indie rock releases of 2022 was Momma’s debut, Household Name. There isn’t any news of a full-length follow-up, but the Brooklyn-based outfit has returned with “Ohio All The Time,” a ‘90s alt-rock-indebted tune that reminisces on the possibilities of youth and the excitement surrounding one of the band’s summers on tour. If “Ohio All The Time” is any indication, then whatever Momma has in store for LP2 likewise seems pretty exciting.
Hey, Ily! – Hey, I Loathe You!
Hey, Ily!’s new album, Hey, I Loathe You!, is a total triumph. Caleb Haynes and co. follow up on the histrionic digigoth of their 2021 EP Internet Breath and their 2022 proper full-length Psychokinetic Love Songs with chiptune synths, swelling post-rock guitars, and pure panache. Emo heads who watch Nintendo Directs live are absolutely eating with this one, and that includes yours truly.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy – “Our Home”
Will Oldham, the prolific indie rocker who records under the sobriquet Bonnie “Prince” Billy, actually went and made a capital-C Country album. Following up last year’s gorgeous Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You, Oldham decamped to Nashville with producer David “Ferg” Ferguson and cooked up a batch of songs alongside virtuosic session musicians. “Our Home,” lead single of next year’s The Purple Bird, features a breathtaking solo from mandolinist and co-writer Tim O’Brien. Country has always been a peripheral style for Oldham, his filigreed indie tunes inflected with subtle twang. But on “Our Home,” he leans fully into the Nashville sound, even going so far as to release this album on No Quarter instead of his usual home, Drag City. As “Our Home” shows, however, Oldham isn’t interested in facile pastiche; he’s the real deal.
Are you the type of drinker who loves the bright, biting, and vegetal flavors of a good additive-free tequila? Then, you should be drinking high-proof tequila.
If you’ve never experienced a high-proof tequila, imagine your favorite tequila, but… more. It’s more biting, more agave-forward, with a stronger emphasis on the vegetal, grassy, fruity, and earthy flavors, with a more pronounced burn. With a high-proof tequila, you’re trading in smoothness and delicate vanilla qualities, but what you’re gaining is a more nuanced, complex, and natural-tasting spirit.
And while our favorites are all sip-worthy and drinkable straight, we think high-proof tequila is at its best when mixed into a cocktail. The way a high-proof tequila instantly elevates everything from ranch water to a margarita or paloma is a quick and easy way to level up your cocktails, so we’re shouting out our 10 favorite high proof tequilas and ranking them from good to great.
A fairly new brand on my radar, Alma Del Jaguar’s Nocturna offers a spicy, zesty, and naturally sweet additive-free tequila that packs a powerful punch. It’s also my favorite expression from the brand’s portfolio.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1414, Feliciano Vivanco, with single estate agave cooked low and slow, roller mill extracted, and mixed with local well water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Very spicy on the nose, I’m getting intense cayenne earthiness, black pepper, and a touch of salt water.
Palate: That spice makes way for warm citrus notes, floral honey, and a lot of agave.
Finish: Warm, long and mineral-rich with a spicy kiss on the aftertaste.
A bit on the tamer end of the spectrum, I think Alto Canto’s High Proof Blanco is a great starter bottle for opening up your palate to the wonders of high-ABV tequila.
This additive-free blanco comes in at 96 proof and features a relatively smooth experience despite the higher alcohol content. The tequila is produced at NOM 1636, Tequila El Rocio, using agave cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona extracted, and mixed with natural spring water, which gives it some palpable minerality.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamy and a bit lactic with notes of rich cocoa and raw agave.
Palate: Suprisingly soft with a grassy green agave forward quality. As those initial flavors pass the palate, I’m getting some asparagus and green pepper with a tart green apple skin that hovers gently on the backend.
Finish: Buttery with a kiss of roasted agave that produces a gentle heat on the aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Buttery and mildly spicy. This is very agave-forward but still delicate. A great starter bottle that’ll help transform your cocktails without making you wince.
Cazcanes’ Blanco No. 9 is a bottle that keeps appearing on our lists, and for good reason. This stuff is excellent. It’s highly vegetal, buttery, additive-free, and agave-forward. It hits all the tequila snob buzzwords, but most importantly, delivers big flavors.
Produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, No. 9 is made from autoclave cooked agave that is roller mill extracted, mixed with spring water, and fermented in stainless steel thanks before being twice distilled through a stainless pot with a copper coil.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich layers of roasted agave, leather, cocoa, and sweet pea flowers.
Palate: Vegetal and earthy, with notes of cracked black pepper, roasted jalapeño, and a touch of vanilla.
Finish: A mix of caramelized butter and zesty orange peel.
The Bottom Line:
It’s the sort of tequila that makes your mouth water, which makes it ideal for slow sipping or mixing in a high-end cocktail. If you go the cocktail route, we recommend not adding any heavily-sweetened ingredients, keep it to fresh lime juice and high-quality liqueur.
Clocking in at 100 proof, Don Fulano’s Fuerte offers a truly sip-worthy experience. This high-proof has a mellow finish but still boasts a full flavor experience that smacks the palate to attention. It’s a best of both worlds sort of tequila.
Fuerte is produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, from agave slow cooked for 28-32 hours that is then screw mill extracted, mixed with volcanic spring water, and fermented in open-air tanks for 72 to 96 hours.
This tequila is additive-free, so if that’s your jam, this doesn’t disappoint.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bit funky, but notes of rosemary, sage, wet grass, and jasmine help it from being off-putting. There is also some warm inviting agave present.
Palate: Lots of minerality and earthy tones, I’m getting fresh clay, raw coca, and a delicate sweet vanilla kiss.
Finish: A long and spicy finish that sticks to the tongue.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re much more interested in sipping your tequila than mixing it in a drink, Don Fulano’s Fuerte is a great candidate.
Recently, we put a bunch of high-proof tequilas to the blind taste test, and Tapatío came in at number one for us. While it doesn’t top this particular list, we still think its an essential high-proof tequila, and considering it’s on the cheaper end, it’s an easy sell!
Produced at NOM 1139, at the distillery that shares the brand’s name, this tequila is made using agave harvested at peak maturity that is slow-cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with deep well water.
It is 100% additive-free.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: An herbaceous mix of rosemary and thyme with rich caramelized agave, and a light touch of mint.
Palate: Wonderfully warm and citrusy, with a bouquet of spicy anise, cinnamon, and cooked agave.
Finish: Oily and supple with a strong tongue-numbing spicy kick on the backend.
The Bottom Line:
A rich blend of chili spice, cinnamon, and agave-forward flavor, with a warm buttery finish. Perfect for sipping and mixing.
It’s been a minute since I’ve sung the praises of G4’s 108, so allow me to say it for the people in the back: do not sleep on this tequila. If you see it at the store, pick it up. Don’t think twice.
This is one of the finest additive-free tequila brands in operation, and G4’s 108 proof helps to put what makes this brand so great into focus. A single slip will slap you in the face with bright agave forward flavor.
G4 is produced at NOM 1579, Destileria El Pandillo, from agave cooked in stone brick ovens for 22 hours. Once roasted, the agave is crushed with a metal tahona, mixed with rainwater, and twice distilled in copper pots.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Raw agave and wet stone on the nose. There is also a lot of heat, enough so that a big whiff will make your eyes water.
Palate: Juicy navel oranges, rind zest, and an intense roasted agave flavor.
Finish: Dry, but with a warm roasted nut quality.
The Bottom Line:
A dusty, zesty, agave-forward tequila that’ll deepen and enhance the flavors of your favorite tequila cocktail.
Released this year, Tequila Ocho’s Plata Puntas 108 is the highest-proof expression the brand has ever produced. I’m a bit torn on this one, on the one hand, it’s very good, and not including it in this list would’ve felt wrong because of just how good it is.
On the other hand, I find it prohibitively expensive right now, and I imagine this $100+ price point will start to fall as soon as next year. Just remember, patience is a virtue!
Plata Puntas 108 is produced at NOM 1474, Tequilera Los Alambiques, with agave cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with deep well water. It is then fermented in open-air wooden vats, and twice distilled through a copper pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, dry earth and lime, with a hint of green olive.
Palate: Buttery and earthy, with a briny-olive flavor, and a lot of black pepper.
Finish: A nice warm heat with a touch of mint.
The Bottom Line:
Tequila Ocho’s Plata Puntas is ideal for margaritas and palomas. The way its earthy, green, and briney flavors cut through a cocktail is a quick and easy way to get more agave-forward flavor in your mixed drinks. But it’s a shame it’s so expensive, because it might hold people back from daring to mix it.
The stuff of legends, Fortaleza’s semi-rare Blanco Still Strength is a must if you’re already a fan of the brand. In the intro to this piece, I mentioned that high-proof tequilas offer more and Fortaleza’s Blanco Still Strength perfectly exhibits that. This tastes a lot like the regular Fortaleza Blanco, but the flavors are much more intense and rich.
This tequila is produced using old-fashioned methods at NOM 1493, Tequila Los Abuelos, with agave slow-cooked in stone ovens and crushed with a stone tahona.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, vanilla bean, citrus, sea salt, and black pepper, with a bit of green olive.
Palate: Fruity with a mix of pear, lemon, and orange, a nice soothing herbaceousness, and a luxurious mix of caramelized agave and warm rich vanilla.
Finish: Buttery with a bit of pleasing bitterness on the finish.
The Bottom Line:
Bright, citrus-forward, and fruity, with a warm mix of agave and vanilla. Fortaleza’s Blanco Still Strength is one of the finest tequilas on the market, period. Use it to level-up your favorite tequila cocktail.
Don’t let the minimalist label fool you, Wild Common makes some seriously great tequila and its Still Strength Blanco is the brand’s best expression. Crafted by famed master distiller Chava, this additive-free tequila comes out of NOM 1123, Cascahuin, and is made using old-fashioned methods, including stone oven roasting for 72 hours and stone tahona milling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rush of orange rind, cinnamon, anise, and rich agave tones. Agave is a common note to find on the nose of a high-proof tequila, but I don’t think I’ve come across a tequila that offers a warmer representation of note.
Palate: I’m getting high minerality, some sea salt, white pepper, and a mix of citrus, anise, and honeydew.
Finish: A long warm finish with a wonderful silky mouthfeel and a lasting burn.
The Bottom Line:
Wild Common’s Still Strength Blanco offers big and bold flavors and can easily be your favorite if what you’re after is warm, agave rich tequila.
Our top pick, Cascahuin’s Plata 48, is the finest high-proof tequila currently on the market. Its price might have you second-guessing on whether you should actually mix this into a cocktail, but as someone who has done it, let me tell you, it doesn’t come across like a waste of a great tequila.
Though, I’d strongly suggest you mix this into something like a ranch water, because you don’t need any added sweetness muddling up the nuance here.
This tequila is produced at NOM 1123, Tequila Cascahuin, with agave slow-cooked in brick ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with well water before being fermented in stainless steel tanks and twice distilled in a stainless pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rush of crushed black peppercorn and juicy citrus zest, with a touch of wet grass, and roasted agave.
Palate: There is a dessert-like quality to this tequila, I’m getting a lot of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, but also natural grassy and vegetal flavors. It’s incredibly well-balanced.
Finish: A mix of butter and zest. The flavors of Cascahuin 48 are incredibly intense, but the finish is surprisingly mellow and dare I say, smooth.
The Bottom Line:
A bouquet of sweet dessert-like tones and grassy natural flavors. Balanced, mellow, and full-flavored, Cascahuin’s Plata 48 is simply the finest high proof tequila you can buy right now.
Are you the type of drinker who loves the bright, biting, and vegetal flavors of a good additive-free tequila? Then, you should be drinking high-proof tequila.
If you’ve never experienced a high-proof tequila, imagine your favorite tequila, but… more. It’s more biting, more agave-forward, with a stronger emphasis on the vegetal, grassy, fruity, and earthy flavors, with a more pronounced burn. With a high-proof tequila, you’re trading in smoothness and delicate vanilla qualities, but what you’re gaining is a more nuanced, complex, and natural-tasting spirit.
And while our favorites are all sip-worthy and drinkable straight, we think high-proof tequila is at its best when mixed into a cocktail. The way a high-proof tequila instantly elevates everything from ranch water to a margarita or paloma is a quick and easy way to level up your cocktails, so we’re shouting out our 10 favorite high proof tequilas and ranking them from good to great.
A fairly new brand on my radar, Alma Del Jaguar’s Nocturna offers a spicy, zesty, and naturally sweet additive-free tequila that packs a powerful punch. It’s also my favorite expression from the brand’s portfolio.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1414, Feliciano Vivanco, with single estate agave cooked low and slow, roller mill extracted, and mixed with local well water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Very spicy on the nose, I’m getting intense cayenne earthiness, black pepper, and a touch of salt water.
Palate: That spice makes way for warm citrus notes, floral honey, and a lot of agave.
Finish: Warm, long and mineral-rich with a spicy kiss on the aftertaste.
A bit on the tamer end of the spectrum, I think Alto Canto’s High Proof Blanco is a great starter bottle for opening up your palate to the wonders of high-ABV tequila.
This additive-free blanco comes in at 96 proof and features a relatively smooth experience despite the higher alcohol content. The tequila is produced at NOM 1636, Tequila El Rocio, using agave cooked in stone brick ovens, tahona extracted, and mixed with natural spring water, which gives it some palpable minerality.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamy and a bit lactic with notes of rich cocoa and raw agave.
Palate: Suprisingly soft with a grassy green agave forward quality. As those initial flavors pass the palate, I’m getting some asparagus and green pepper with a tart green apple skin that hovers gently on the backend.
Finish: Buttery with a kiss of roasted agave that produces a gentle heat on the aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Buttery and mildly spicy. This is very agave-forward but still delicate. A great starter bottle that’ll help transform your cocktails without making you wince.
Cazcanes’ Blanco No. 9 is a bottle that keeps appearing on our lists, and for good reason. This stuff is excellent. It’s highly vegetal, buttery, additive-free, and agave-forward. It hits all the tequila snob buzzwords, but most importantly, delivers big flavors.
Produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, No. 9 is made from autoclave cooked agave that is roller mill extracted, mixed with spring water, and fermented in stainless steel thanks before being twice distilled through a stainless pot with a copper coil.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich layers of roasted agave, leather, cocoa, and sweet pea flowers.
Palate: Vegetal and earthy, with notes of cracked black pepper, roasted jalapeño, and a touch of vanilla.
Finish: A mix of caramelized butter and zesty orange peel.
The Bottom Line:
It’s the sort of tequila that makes your mouth water, which makes it ideal for slow sipping or mixing in a high-end cocktail. If you go the cocktail route, we recommend not adding any heavily-sweetened ingredients, keep it to fresh lime juice and high-quality liqueur.
Clocking in at 100 proof, Don Fulano’s Fuerte offers a truly sip-worthy experience. This high-proof has a mellow finish but still boasts a full flavor experience that smacks the palate to attention. It’s a best of both worlds sort of tequila.
Fuerte is produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, from agave slow cooked for 28-32 hours that is then screw mill extracted, mixed with volcanic spring water, and fermented in open-air tanks for 72 to 96 hours.
This tequila is additive-free, so if that’s your jam, this doesn’t disappoint.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bit funky, but notes of rosemary, sage, wet grass, and jasmine help it from being off-putting. There is also some warm inviting agave present.
Palate: Lots of minerality and earthy tones, I’m getting fresh clay, raw coca, and a delicate sweet vanilla kiss.
Finish: A long and spicy finish that sticks to the tongue.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re much more interested in sipping your tequila than mixing it in a drink, Don Fulano’s Fuerte is a great candidate.
Recently, we put a bunch of high-proof tequilas to the blind taste test, and Tapatío came in at number one for us. While it doesn’t top this particular list, we still think its an essential high-proof tequila, and considering it’s on the cheaper end, it’s an easy sell!
Produced at NOM 1139, at the distillery that shares the brand’s name, this tequila is made using agave harvested at peak maturity that is slow-cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with deep well water.
It is 100% additive-free.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: An herbaceous mix of rosemary and thyme with rich caramelized agave, and a light touch of mint.
Palate: Wonderfully warm and citrusy, with a bouquet of spicy anise, cinnamon, and cooked agave.
Finish: Oily and supple with a strong tongue-numbing spicy kick on the backend.
The Bottom Line:
A rich blend of chili spice, cinnamon, and agave-forward flavor, with a warm buttery finish. Perfect for sipping and mixing.
It’s been a minute since I’ve sung the praises of G4’s 108, so allow me to say it for the people in the back: do not sleep on this tequila. If you see it at the store, pick it up. Don’t think twice.
This is one of the finest additive-free tequila brands in operation, and G4’s 108 proof helps to put what makes this brand so great into focus. A single slip will slap you in the face with bright agave forward flavor.
G4 is produced at NOM 1579, Destileria El Pandillo, from agave cooked in stone brick ovens for 22 hours. Once roasted, the agave is crushed with a metal tahona, mixed with rainwater, and twice distilled in copper pots.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Raw agave and wet stone on the nose. There is also a lot of heat, enough so that a big whiff will make your eyes water.
Palate: Juicy navel oranges, rind zest, and an intense roasted agave flavor.
Finish: Dry, but with a warm roasted nut quality.
The Bottom Line:
A dusty, zesty, agave-forward tequila that’ll deepen and enhance the flavors of your favorite tequila cocktail.
Released this year, Tequila Ocho’s Plata Puntas 108 is the highest-proof expression the brand has ever produced. I’m a bit torn on this one, on the one hand, it’s very good, and not including it in this list would’ve felt wrong because of just how good it is.
On the other hand, I find it prohibitively expensive right now, and I imagine this $100+ price point will start to fall as soon as next year. Just remember, patience is a virtue!
Plata Puntas 108 is produced at NOM 1474, Tequilera Los Alambiques, with agave cooked in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with deep well water. It is then fermented in open-air wooden vats, and twice distilled through a copper pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, dry earth and lime, with a hint of green olive.
Palate: Buttery and earthy, with a briny-olive flavor, and a lot of black pepper.
Finish: A nice warm heat with a touch of mint.
The Bottom Line:
Tequila Ocho’s Plata Puntas is ideal for margaritas and palomas. The way its earthy, green, and briney flavors cut through a cocktail is a quick and easy way to get more agave-forward flavor in your mixed drinks. But it’s a shame it’s so expensive, because it might hold people back from daring to mix it.
The stuff of legends, Fortaleza’s semi-rare Blanco Still Strength is a must if you’re already a fan of the brand. In the intro to this piece, I mentioned that high-proof tequilas offer more and Fortaleza’s Blanco Still Strength perfectly exhibits that. This tastes a lot like the regular Fortaleza Blanco, but the flavors are much more intense and rich.
This tequila is produced using old-fashioned methods at NOM 1493, Tequila Los Abuelos, with agave slow-cooked in stone ovens and crushed with a stone tahona.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted agave, vanilla bean, citrus, sea salt, and black pepper, with a bit of green olive.
Palate: Fruity with a mix of pear, lemon, and orange, a nice soothing herbaceousness, and a luxurious mix of caramelized agave and warm rich vanilla.
Finish: Buttery with a bit of pleasing bitterness on the finish.
The Bottom Line:
Bright, citrus-forward, and fruity, with a warm mix of agave and vanilla. Fortaleza’s Blanco Still Strength is one of the finest tequilas on the market, period. Use it to level-up your favorite tequila cocktail.
Don’t let the minimalist label fool you, Wild Common makes some seriously great tequila and its Still Strength Blanco is the brand’s best expression. Crafted by famed master distiller Chava, this additive-free tequila comes out of NOM 1123, Cascahuin, and is made using old-fashioned methods, including stone oven roasting for 72 hours and stone tahona milling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rush of orange rind, cinnamon, anise, and rich agave tones. Agave is a common note to find on the nose of a high-proof tequila, but I don’t think I’ve come across a tequila that offers a warmer representation of note.
Palate: I’m getting high minerality, some sea salt, white pepper, and a mix of citrus, anise, and honeydew.
Finish: A long warm finish with a wonderful silky mouthfeel and a lasting burn.
The Bottom Line:
Wild Common’s Still Strength Blanco offers big and bold flavors and can easily be your favorite if what you’re after is warm, agave rich tequila.
Our top pick, Cascahuin’s Plata 48, is the finest high-proof tequila currently on the market. Its price might have you second-guessing on whether you should actually mix this into a cocktail, but as someone who has done it, let me tell you, it doesn’t come across like a waste of a great tequila.
Though, I’d strongly suggest you mix this into something like a ranch water, because you don’t need any added sweetness muddling up the nuance here.
This tequila is produced at NOM 1123, Tequila Cascahuin, with agave slow-cooked in brick ovens, roller mill extracted, and mixed with well water before being fermented in stainless steel tanks and twice distilled in a stainless pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A rush of crushed black peppercorn and juicy citrus zest, with a touch of wet grass, and roasted agave.
Palate: There is a dessert-like quality to this tequila, I’m getting a lot of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, but also natural grassy and vegetal flavors. It’s incredibly well-balanced.
Finish: A mix of butter and zest. The flavors of Cascahuin 48 are incredibly intense, but the finish is surprisingly mellow and dare I say, smooth.
The Bottom Line:
A bouquet of sweet dessert-like tones and grassy natural flavors. Balanced, mellow, and full-flavored, Cascahuin’s Plata 48 is simply the finest high proof tequila you can buy right now.
The Peaky Blinders movie is filming as we speak. Cillian Murphy will return as Tommy Shelby OBE during WWII, and the production will introduce several new characters portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson, Barry Keoghan, Tim Roth, and more. Deadline also recently reported the confirmation of many returning original cast members including Sophie Rundle (as Ava Thorne), Steven Graham (as Hayden Stagg), Ned Dennehy (as Charlie Strong), Packy Lee (as Johnny Dogs), and Ian Peck (as Curly).
Questions have swirled regarding whether Tom Hardy will return as Alfie Solomons, and there’s another mystery on the table because although Joe Cole’s John Shelby is long gone, another Shelby brother could make a return.
Will Paul Anderson Return As Arthur Shelby In The Peaky Blinders Movie?
Unfortunately, Netflix hasn’t spoken on the subject, which is a complicated one. Back in 2022, Steven Knight sat down with Digital Spy to promote the series’ sixth season’s arrival. At that time, the feature film seemed far off into the distance, but when asked whether “Tommy and Arthur” would be part of the franchise’s future, Knight remarked, “It’s impossible to say yet. But the film – yes.”
So, all seemed well from a Cillian and Paul standpoint, at least for a first movie, but the production is now in full swing, and there’s been radio silence on Paul Anderson’s participation. And since that 2022 interview, Anderson fell into some legal troubles, which included a recent Boxing Day arrest for possession of crack cocaine (among other substances), for which his attorney reasoned that he was, ahem, simply stepping back into Arthur’s shoes “to please fans of the show by slipping into character.”
As sad as that situation sounds, it’s hard not to feel reminded of Arthur’s sixth-season scenes as an inebriated non-Santa, but to get back to the question at hand, nobody knows (or at least, nobody is talking) about whether Anderson will return for the Peaky Blinders movie on Netflix.
One of the talking points of the first week of the NBA season has been about whether the league is good enough as an entertainment product, with much of the focus being on the Boston Celtics and the style of play they’ve adopted and popularized that sees them take an outrageous number of three-pointers.
That’s led to people wondering if the league needs to make rule changes, from pushing back the three-point line, eliminating corner threes, or changing the point values from 2s and 3s to 3s and 4s in order to make the math advantage less. The argument is, the NBA is an entertainment business first and foremost, with most of their revenue coming from TV money. If the product that yields the best results (which is what the teams are focused on) isn’t fun to watch, they need to adapt the rules.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has apparently heard that argument, and has some different ideas on what rule changes the league should look into. On a recent appearance on Zolak & Bertrand on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, Mazzulla made an impassioned plea for the NBA to “bring back fighting.”
Joe Mazzulla has a few interesting rule change ideas for the NBA… he wants the league to add a power play, and to bring back fighting @ZoandBertrandpic.twitter.com/6czizVLe33
“The biggest thing that we rob people of from an entertainment standpoint is we can’t fight anymore,” Mazzulla said. “We should just bring back fighting. You want to talk about robbing the league of entertainment, what’s more entertaining than a scuffle? How come in baseball they’re allowed to clear the benches? How come in hockey they’re allowed to — I just don’t get why some sports are allowed to clear the benches. They have bats and weapons, we don’t, we just have a ball. The other sport has like one of the hardest surfaces and playing instruments in a puck and sticks, and we’re not allowed to throw down a little bit.”
For one, I’m not surprised that the guy with a black belt in jiu-jitsu wants to let the boys rumble a bit more. I think Mazzulla is probably making this point a bit tongue-in-cheek to try and highlight how silly the conversation has gotten, but I also think he does truly believe this and has clearly thought about this a decent bit while watching scrums happen in hockey and baseball. There’s no world where the NBA suddenly allows guys to drop the proverbial gloves and go at it like in hockey, but I can confirm as someone in the ol’ content industry that there are few things people love watching more than when a fight happens in a game.
ESPN’s ‘NFL Live’ crew is never afraid to poke fun at each other, and while discussing Jayden Daniels’ incredible Hail Mary to beat the Bears on Monday afternoon, Marcus Spears decided to take a crack at Dan Orlovsky.
Spears said the Commanders wouldn’t have had a shot at that Hail Mary with Dan at quarterback cause he couldn’t have thrown the ball that far. Later in the show, the research team found Dan’s longest throw of his career was 54 air yards, which Ryan Clark called “a helluva throw” but Spears dismissed as a “wake up”, continuing to throw some barbs Dan’s way. That led to a challenge for Spears to back up his talk by doing it himself, since he and Clark were on site in Pittsburgh for Monday Night Football, and Spears went out and did it on his first attempt, firing a ball 54 yards to Stanford Steve that had the crew stunned.
It should be noted that Spears is an all-time great Louisiana high school athlete in both football and basketball, so it probably shouldn’t be a shock that he can absolutely rip a pass. That said, to do it in a dress shirt with no warm up is wildly impressive. Orlovsky could only chuckle and admit “that one’s tough, man” as his ego took a significant hit. I will say, a recurring bit of Marcus Spears attempting various feats of strength would be a great addition to ‘NFL Live’, but it’d be hard to top this moment.
Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers were one of the surprise stories of the 2023-24 NBA season, as their run to the conference finals was something very few saw coming. Entering the 2024-25 season, the Pacers won’t surprise anyone in the East, and with Pascal Siakam getting a full offseason in Indiana after arriving in a trade from Toronto, expectations are to reach the playoffs once again and see if they can make some more noise from there.
For Haliburton in particular, this summer was a busy one, as he was part of the Team USA squad that won gold in Paris. Going from a deep playoff run to the Olympics shortens the offseason considerably, but that’s a challenge the two-time All-Star is very happy to deal with. Ahead of the start of the Pacers season last week, we got a chance to hop on a Zoom call with Haliburton on behalf of Call of Duty to talk about the release of Black Ops 6, which he and Team USA got to play early in France, what that Team USA experience was like, his excitement for this season, building more chemistry with Siakam, and making his WWE debut earlier this year with Jalen Brunson.
What was your biggest takeaway from the postseason run last year, getting that experience going to the conference finals, seeing what that journey is beyond 82 games, and trying to get deep into the 16-game season and what that takes, for you personally and for the Pacers as a team?
Yeah, I think my biggest takeaway, for me personally, was just that man, winning is hard. It’s not easy, and it’s definitely something that I don’t want to take for granted, because it’s not going to be easy to get back to do that. And I’ve heard that from, you know, a lot of older guys I was with during the Olympics. Don’t take it for granted, because you think when you’re young and you have success, that it’s just easy to repeat. It’s not easy. It’s not going to be easy, but that’s why we play this game. So that was my biggest takeaway, is just understand what it really takes to win, and the physical toll, but the mental toll and all those things on your body to play high level basketball. So all those things are important and it’s somthing I’m taking the account going into this year.
A big difference coming into this year compared to last year is you get a full offseason with Pascal in the building. What is the difference in having that full camp and offseason, rather than having a guy come in mid-season and kind of having to figure it out on the fly? And what are you hopeful that you two can build on in terms of playing together and off of each other?
Yeah, I think people underestimate how hard it is to get traded in the middle of the year and go to a team and have this instant connection and success, when we are both obviously two of the top guys on our respective teams and coming together and having to figure out how to play alongside each other and how to get the best of each other. I think going into a new year where we’ve had a year to be together, we get more time in the summer and more time in preseason to grow that chemistry, it’s really big for us. And I’m just looking forward to this year, because I think we really barely scratched the surface on what our connection could be last year, and I’m looking forward to this year, because I think just more time together will just make things easier and make the connection grow stronger. So I’m really looking forward to the year and playing alongside him for a full year.
He is such a unique player in his skill set, what was it like playing with him? And what were the things that that you saw out of him that kind of excites you about what you two can do in terms of complementing each other’s games?
Yeah, I think just finding where our spots are. Like you said, he’s such an interesting player. He’s one of the most elite post-up players in our game. So a lot of times for him to score, he kind of does it himself, because he’s so good in the post, but I think just figuring out how I can screen for him better, how I can get him open, the plays that I can run to get him in positions to succeed. And then think vice versa, how I can use him and his unique abilities to get myself open, and just how we can get the best out of each other. And honestly, it’s hard to just speak about that and figure it out, and it’s way different than to go through it and understand like, ‘Oh, these are the plays that get us both going.’ So it just takes time, and I think we’ve been allowed that, it’s why I think the relationship will blossom.
You already touched a little bit on it with being on Team USA this summer. And basically anybody that I’ve ever talked to that has been on an Olympic team has talked about how there’s nothing like it. What was that experience like for you?
Yeah, I mean, you kind of alluded to it. There really is nothing like it. I mean, unbelievable experience to play with a lot of guys I’ve looked up to my whole life, and sort of play alongside them and learn from them and get to know them more on a personal level, was a lot of fun for me. And I mean, there really is nothing like wearing USA across your chest and representing something much, much bigger than you. Just a lot of fun being out there with with those guys, and capturing something that’s just very elusive and not many people can say they have done, winning a gold medal. So it was really a lot of fun for me.
What does being on a team with 11 of the other best players in the world for multiple months and working with them and getting to see how they work and kind of getting to pick their brains, do for you as a player? And what are you excited to kind of be able to put in to what you’ve already done to get to this point?
I mean, for any player, and I think that it can help you mature a lot, and can help you see kind of the bigger picture. Because you see how these guys work, and you hear things about how guys take care of their bodies and do all these things, but to be around them, ask them the real why behind it, what they do. And get to know them more on a personal level, because I think at the end of the day, the NBA is a brotherhood and there’s only 450 of us, and so I think guys have no problems sharing their knowledge of the game and passing that on to the next generation. And so for me, just asking a ton of questions, getting to learn a lot, was really important. And I just will take every bit piece from that to give me more success going into this year.
And while you were over there, you got an early look at [Call of Duty] Black Ops 6. What was it like getting an early look at the game and what can you say about this latest edition of the game as it gets set to release this week?
Call of Duty
Yeah, we had a lot of fun. Thankfully, we as a team, we were some of the first people in the world to play Black Ops 6 in our in our hotel in our pool play games, and it was a lot of fun. Me and KD sat in there for a while, and he had his boy, and I had my boy, and we’re just playing against each other and talking shit, and getting to just enjoy playing Call of Duty like everybody else does. We had a ton of fun getting to play on a couple different maps and kind of the early beginning stages. My brother is an avid Call of Duty player, so I FaceTimed him and let him watch me play and see, and he was really excited about that. So I’m just really excited for the masses to get to play it, and, you know, for the rest of my life, I’ll get to brag that I was one of the first people to play the game. And I just have a ton of fun with it, because Call of Duty is something that I’ve been playing since I was a kid, and something that’s always allowed me to connect to people and connect with my brother, because we’ve always enjoyed playing the game together. So, it’s something I definitely like to do in my free time, and something that just just always brings me back to my roots.
Who are the guys that you kind of play with across the league or on the Pacers? Like, when you get a chance to sit down and and get on the sticks, who are your go-tos to hop in into a game with?
In terms of guys in the NBA, like, I don’t really play a ton with guys in the NBA, because my time to play the game is a great time for me to get away from them. Does that make sense? So a lot of times, when I get on Call of Duty, it’s literally me, my little brother, and some friends from home that I don’t get to see as much, because that’s really our only time to really connect. So we do that a lot. Cause it’s just a fun way to connect, and you only get so much time in your day to really talk to those guys and guys that really have been with you since the jump. So, we get to play on the game, it’s time for us all to connect, and, you know, give us a little bit of teamwork to win games and stuff like that. So my little brother is the mainstay in my gaming world, but everybody else kind of it comes and goes, and we kind of just feel off the vibe of how we’re feeling.
I feel like with where gaming has gone, and the ability to kind of play anywhere and with anyone — I mean, you mentioned you were in France and could FaceTime your brother and let him see it — how cool is that as an athlete that’s on the road and has kind of a unique schedule, that there are ways it can help you kind of connect with with those folks that you might not get to see on on quite as regular of a basis as maybe you’d like to?
Yeah, that’s the amazing part about it. I mean, when I travel on the road, I always have my game with me. It’s just an awesome thing for me, because, like I said, it allows me to disconnect from the world a little bit and just enjoy myself. You know, it’s kind of a mental release for me, even in the Call of Duty gamesthat can be hectic and there’s a lot of trash talk and competitiveness that comes with it, but I really enjoy it, just because it, like I said, takes me back to my roots, man. It’s really like a mental release for me, even when I’m having awful games, and even when I put the sticks off a little bit and I come back and I’m terrible, it’s still fun for me. And I think that’s the amazing part about gaming, and why so many people can connect behind it is because it doesn’t really matter, you know, what your height, weight, ability, all those things don’t really matter. It’s just, are you good on the sticks? And I think that’s fun part about it, just because everybody can connect behind it.
Another thing that you’ve been a longtime fan of is WWE and wrestling, and earlier this summer, you got chance to get in the WWE ring with Jalen Brunson in MSG. Was that like for you, and not just being a fan, but but being able to get get involved there and kind of feel that that juice in the building?
Man, it means the world. I’m like, I’m slowly starting to check off things in my life that I’ve always wanted to do. Getting in the WWE ring was cool. Would I love to be in a match? Of course, but I don’t know if my pain tolerance can withstand that, and I don’t know if the Pacers organization would necessarily allow that. But just like the relationship I have with WWE has been so amazing for me, because it’s similar to Call of Duty. Like, it’s something that I’ve done my whole life. I’ve been a fan of my whole life, so to be able to do that really means the world to me, and I can’t express that enough. Similar to the NBA as well, because at the end of the day, these are all things I loved to do when I was a kid, and I’m really just a big kid that happens to be a young adult. So that’s just something that means the world to me, and I’m slowly checking off things I’ve wanted to do as a kid in my life. And, yeah, WWE is definitely just a big part of that.
If you were to do a match, what would be your finisher in the ring?
Yeah, it’s a tough question. You know, I think growing up as a kid, it was always like a DDT headlock, like a submission move. But I don’t know if I got the technique for that right now. So I think I would love to jump off the top rope, but I got in the training ring when I was at NXT, and those heights were a little scary for me. So I don’t know, we’d have to figure it out. I think the easiest move right now would probably be a super kick. No, honestly, if Randy [Orton] would let me, I’d steal the RKO, because that move is just classic and fire. So if he let me borrow it for a little bit, that’d be my move for sure.
Is there a move you think you could take? Like, is there one you think you could sell properly, that you’re confident in?
A stunner. I could sell a stunner, high level. I could sell a super kick, pretty well, I think. Nothing off the top rope, because I don’t trust people landing on me. Yeah, nothing getting slammed. I’ll choose a stunner or super kick.
Chvrches leader Lauren Mayberry has come through with a solo song here and there over the past year or so, but now she’s going all in: Today (October 29), Mayberry announced Vicious Creature, her debut solo album. That’s set for release before the year’s up, on December 6.
Before that, she has shared the new single “Crocodile Tears,” which is an aesthetic departure of Chvrches’ synth-driven sound.
Mayberry says of the album:
“So much of this process has been an exercise in empowering myself to listen to my own intuition — something I really trained myself out of. That’s ultimately why you start making things — because you felt a feeling, and you wanted to articulate that somehow. I think it was important for me to relearn that kind of independence, and recognize what I bring to any table I choose to sit at.”
Listen to “Crocodile Tears” above and find the Vicious Creature cover art and tracklist below, along with Mayberry’s upcoming tour dates.
Lauren Mayberry’s Vicious Creature Album Cover Artwork
Island Records
Lauren Mayberry’s Vicious Creature Tracklist
1. “Something In The Air”
2. “Crocodile Tears”
3. “Shame”
4. “Anywhere But Dancing”
5. “Punch Drunk”
6. “Oh, Mother”
7. “Sorry, Etc”
8. “Change Shapes”
9. “Mantra”
10. “A Work Of Fiction”
11. “Sunday Best”
12. “Are You Awake”
Lauren Mayberry’s 2025 Tour Dates
01/28/2025 — House of Blues @ San Diego, CA
01/29/2025 — Fillmore @ San Francisco, CA
01/31/2025 — Soundwell @ Salt Lake City, UT
02/01/2025 — Gothic @ Denver, CO
02/02/2025 — Granada Theater @ Lawrence, KS
02/03/2025 — Fine Line @ Minneapolis, MN
02/05/2025 — Thalia Hall @ Chicago, IL
02/07/2025 — Concert Hall @ Toronto, ON
02/08/2025 — Electric City @ Buffalo, NY
02/09/2025 — Newport Music Hall @ Columbus, OH
02/11/2025 — Royale @ Boston, MA
02/13/2025 — Webster Hall @ New York, NY
02/14/2025 — Empire Live @ Albany, NY
02/17/2025 — Union Transfer @ Philadelphia, PA
02/18/2025 — 9:30 Club @ Washington, DC
02/20/2025 — Masquerade @ Hell @ Atlanta, GA
02/21/2025 — The Underground @ Charlotte, NC
02/22/2025 — The Mil at Cannery Hall @ Nashville, TN
02/24/2025 — White Oak Downstairs @ Houston, TX
02/25/2025 — Granada @ Dallas, TX
02/26/2025 — Emo’s @ Austin, TX
02/28/2025 — Crescent Ballroom @ Phoenix, AZ
03/02/2025 — The Belasco @ Los Angeles, CA
Vicious Creature is out 12/6 via Island Records. Find more information here.
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