Earlier in the week, Disney took its strongest stance yet against Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill after Governor Ron DeSantis signed it into law on Monday. After weeks of employee pushback over the company’s tepid response to the anti-LGBTQ legislation, Disney came out with a forceful statement demanding that the law be repealed. “We remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that,” the company said in a statement.
With the House of Mouse now firmly opposed to the discriminatory legislation, state Republicans have already begun exploring avenues to retaliate against the entertainment giant. One such move involves repealing an over 50-year-old statute that would severely impact Disney’s ability to invest in its Florida theme parks.
Yesterday was the 2nd meeting in a week w/fellow legislators to discuss a repeal of the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which allows Disney to act as its own government. If Disney wants to embrace woke ideology, it seems fitting that they should be regulated by Orange County. pic.twitter.com/6sj29Gj6Wz
“Yesterday was the 2nd meeting in a week w/fellow legislators to discuss a repeal of the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which allows Disney to act as its own government,” including oversight of land use and environmental protections within the District, and [providing] essential public services such as regulation of the EPCOT building code and maintenance of roads. [State Rep. Spencer] Roach continued, “If Disney wants to embrace woke ideology, it seems fitting that they should be regulated by Orange County.”
According to Deadline, “there is still a very long way to go” before the Reedy Creek Improvement Act can be repealed, if it even gets that far. However, should Republicans continue with their efforts, there is a possibility such a move could impact Disney’s decision to move over 2,000 of its California-based jobs to its campus in Orlando. At that point, who are Florida Republicans really hurting: Disney or the state?
Lil Durk isn’t done with 7220 yet. After the album helped the Chicago rapper secure his first solo No. 1 album, he returns with the video for the album’s standout track, “Petty Too” featuring Future. The standout track was also the centerpiece of Lil Durk’s performance on The Tonight Show shortly after the album’s release, with Durk bringing out Future to perform alongside him to the live audience’s delight.
Like all of Durk’s videos this cycle, it’s directed by Jerry Productions and features a stripped-down concept, with Durk and Future rapping on a rooftop and treating some lady friends to a private shopping spree. As the women peruse a pair of clothing racks, Durk and Future declare their petty ways and spit boastful rhymes about their disdain for romance.
In addition to “Petty Too,” Durk has put out videos for the menacing “Ahhh Ha,” the chest-beating “Golden Child,” and the sneering “Computer Murders.” The videos helped push 7220 to No. 1, and helped Durk secure an extension on his record deal reportedly worth $40 million, something he was quick to brag about on social media. Next month, you can catch Durk on tour beginning April 9 and running through May 2.
Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish movies available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
Benedict Cumberbatch gives a villainous performance for the ages in The Power of the Dog, the first film in 12 years from director Jane Campion. The western is expected (and deserves) to be an Oscars frontrunner, so hop on the horse-drawn bandwagon now. Watch it on Netflix.
Jennifer Lawrence is back in Don’t Look Up, Adam McKay’s apocalyptic satire about two low-level astronomers (J-Law and Leonardo DiCaprio) who try to warn everyone on Earth about an approaching comet — but no one seems to care. The ensemble cast also includes Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, and Tyler Perry. Maybe that’s why no one cares about the comet. They’re too busy looking at all those stars. Watch it on Netflix.
Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson star as a preposterously attractive couple who get together after her character — one half of a global sensation pop duo — discovers her lover and music partner has been stepping out. That’s right, it is rom-com time over here. Will they? Won’t they? Whose hair will look better in the pivotal scene that will probably take place in the driving rain? There’s one way to find out: Grab some popcorn and comfy pajamas and set up shop on the couch. Watch it on Peacock.
Zoe Kravitz plays a stay-at-home digital detective in this latest thriller from Steven Soderbergh who — with the help of her friendly A.I. sidekick Kimi — uncovers a string of murders she traces back to the company she works for. She then must venture out into a pandemic-ridden Seattle in search of the reason why. Honestly, we can’t relate. But, Kravitz is quickly becoming a bonafide action star and a Soderbergh script rarely disappoints. Watch it on HBO Max.
Let’s go straight to the official description of this one: “A man breaks into a tech billionaire’s empty vacation home, but things go sideways when the arrogant mogul and his wife arrive for a last-minute getaway.” Hmm. Intriguing. As is the cast, which features Jesse Plemons and Lily Collins and Jason Segel. We could tell you who plays the arrogant CEO and who plays the thief. You could look it up, too. But, really, either way would work just fine. Watch it on Netflix.
Well, guess what: It’s a remake of the 2003 classic with Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, which was itself a remake of a film from 1950, only this time is stars Zach Braff and Gabrielle Union as the flustered parents and can be found on Disney Plus, a service that did not even almost exist when the other versions came out. Which is fine. Time marches on. And this one is written and produced by Kenya Barris from Black-ish, which is also fine. Good, even. Round up the family and grab some snacks. Watch it on Disney Plus.
Ryan Reynolds plays Mark Ruffalo’s time-traveling son, so there’s a little MCU crossover there for you before Deadpool makes his possibly sooner than expected MCU return. They’re going to save the future, of course, and this film also has Ruffalo’s 13 Going On 30 co-star, Jennifer Garner, so there’s reteaming aplenty here. Expect both family drama and romance and drama across four dimensions. Watch it on Netflix.
Steven Spielberg brings the classic musical to the big and/or small screen, to the delight of both older fans and newer ones who get to experience it all for the first time. Get in there. Really let the experience wash over you. Sing along. Dance around your living room. Get in a knife fight with your sworn enemy. Okay, maybe not that last one. But the other ones, definitely. Watch it on Disney Plus.
In Domee Shi’s Turning Red, a boy band-loving teenage girl turns into a red panda whenever she experiences strong emotions, which as every parent of a teenager knows all too well, is often. Too often. It’s all the time, really. Turning Red is being called Pixar’s best movie in years, as it should. It’s about time red pandas got the cinematic showcase they deserve. Watch it on Disney Plus.
Deep Water is an erotic thriller that stars Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas as… honestly, what more do you need? It’s a “weird, wild mess” of a movie from the director of Fatal Attraction and Unfaithful, with a murder mystery, duplicitous characters, and Affleck as an alpha cuck. Deep Water is the kind of sleazy mainstream movie that rarely gets made anymore, so it feels like a sexy treat that it even exists (from Disney, no less). Break out your Ana de Armas cardboard cutout and make it a double feature with Basic Instinct.Watch it on Hulu.
2. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space-Aged Childhood (Netflix)
NETFLIX
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood is loosely inspired by director Richard Linklater’s childhood in Texas. The coming-of-age animated film (think: Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, but more nostalgic) is set during the summer of the Moon landing, and features performances from Glen Powell, Zachary Levi, and Jack Black. Linklater brings out the best in Black (he’s fantastic in both School of Rock and Bernie), and Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood looks to be no exception. Watch it on Netflix.
Judd Apatow’s The Bubble is a pandemic-era movie about making a movie during the pandemic. We’re through the looking glass, people. The comedy, which stars Karen Gillan, David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Pedro Pascal, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm breakout Maria Bakalova, was produced like a “two-hour Simpsons episode,” according to Apatow, and reportedly inspired by the production of Jurassic World Dominion. If enough people watch it on Netflix, maybe we’ll get a full-length Cliff Beasts 6: The Battle For Everest movie. Watch it on Netflix.
Each week our staff of film and TV experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
Based on a best-selling book of the same name, this epic, generations-spanning saga follows a Korean family on an immigration journey, with the action taking place in Korea, Japan, and America. Looking for a well-reviewed, emotionally moving series that starts with a forbidden romance? Of course you are. Watch it on Apple TV.
A pirate comedy starring Taika Waititi, Rhys Darby, Leslie Jones, and Hodor from Game of Thrones? Don’t mind if I do. Our Flag Means Death is about an 18th-century aristocrat (Darby) who gives up whatever aristocrats do to become a swashbuckler alongside Blackbeard (Waititi). If it’s anything like What We Do in the Shadows but with pirates, prepare to be… Hook-ed. Watch it on HBO Max.
Jerrod Carmichael’s Rothaniel feels like an intrusion, and we mean that in the best possible way. Deeply personal, the comedian – in what is technically his third HBO special following 8 and Home Videos – comes to the spare stage of the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City on a winter day ready to bare his soul. And while some of the truths he tells are things he may have alluded to in the past, this feels unique, naked, and gripping, elevated by the vision of director Bo Burnham, whose focus is unrelenting as Carmichael seems to be processing the experience of sharing the most intimate details and observations about his life in real-time with an audience whose feedback he welcomes. It is remarkable, human, and a special that everyone is going to be talking about. Watch it on HBO Max.
We are going back in time, again, this time to the 1970s, again, to see the dawn of an erotic magazine made specifically for women. That sounds fun. It also co-stars Jake Johnson from New Girl as a seedy pornographer who wears shirts unbuttoned halfway to his navel, which sounds… really fun. Worth a shot, at the very least. Watch it on HBO Max.
Do you enjoy Big Mouth, the Netflix animated series where a bunch or horny teens are mentored and/or terrorized by teams of very literal fur-covered hormone monsters, some of whom are voiced by Nick Kroll and Maya Rudolph and David Thewlis? You probably do, because Big Mouth is awesome. And now it has this spinoff, which focuses exclusively on the hormone monsters working in their office behind the scenes. It’s a fun idea, made by people who are good at this. That’s all you can really ask for sometimes. Watch it on Netflix.
If Hulu’s The Girl From Plainville wasn’t based on a true story, we’d say it was a bit too unrealistic. But, since all of this actually happened, we’ll just call it the wildest f*cking true crime drama we’ve seen in a while. It’s got Elle Fanning playing a sociopathic teenager so obsessed with mirroring her life off a Ryan Murphy musical that she convinces her boyfriend to kill himself so she can take all the glory. It’s also got some terrific performances – from Fanning, obviously but also from Chloe Sevigny who plays the dead boy’s mom. Fanning’s Michelle Carter is both an ego-maniac and a shy, mentally disturbed young girl who idolizes Leah Michele, and her Glee alter-ego, Rachel Berry. That’s clearly her first mistake, but things turn dark when she decides her own love story should also turn out like Michele’s real-life relationship with co-star Cory Monteith. It’s just … bizarre. And yet, like a train car full of feral cats veering off the tracks, we just can’t help but watch. Watch it on Hulu.
“Am I livestock?” Who among us hasn’t asked ourselves that question while grazing amongst the cubicles at work? But the workplace in Severance (a new Adam Scott starring and Ben Stiller produced Apple TV+ series) is a little different, running workers through a process that effectively breaks people in two with zero crossovers between their work life and non-work life. Sound ideal in a world where work stresses bleed into home life and Sunday scarys seem to always kneecap your weekend? Perhaps in some respects. Susan from HR probably LOVES the idea, seeing it as the ultimate NDA, but as the show is set to explore, it’s a less tidy experience that raises all kinds of questions about what happens when people are severed from the awful things they might be asked to do at work. Watch it on Apple TV Plus.
Audiences can’t get enough of space-bound conflict these days, and the ever-morphing Pablo Schreiber leads this cast as the indispensable “Master Chief,” who’s apparently the deadliest weapon in existence and the key to ensuring humanity’s survival against all odds. Expect a ton of action as humanity battles “the Covenant,” but more importantly, get ready to meet characters from all walks of life. Clearly too, this selection will be of interest to the gaming crowd. Watch it on Paramount Plus.
If you think about it, Winning Time (HBO’s new Adam McKay-produced series about the 1980s LA Lakers) has all the elements of a classic heist movie. Assembled by a larger than life fast talker with equally big ambitions (in this case, former Lakers owner Jerry Buss), a rag-tag group comes together, leaning on their exceptional and unique talents to paper over any personality conflicts that might arise while taking the thing (a whole mess of gold trophies) no one thought they’d ever get their hands on. This while having some wild misadventures along the way. We’re simplifying, of course, but the point is this should appeal to basketball fans and non-basketball fans alike, earning the right to be the most buzzed-about piece of basketball culture crossover content since The Last Dance helped us all stave off boredom for a few months by telling the story of another mismatched group of big personalities and champions. Watch it on HBO.
Abbott Elementary has done something wild. It poked through the bubble of pop culture to become a phenomenon despite being a weekly network sitcom in 2022. Do you understand how crazy that is? Do you understand the odds against this happening? It’s basically impossible. And yet, here we all are, talking about Quinta Brunson and her very sweet, very good show. And Principal Ava. We are always talking about Principal Ava. Watch it on Hulu.
The bad news, for enthusiasts of The Duke, is that Regé-Jean Page isn’t back this season (as planned), but the good news is that the show still brings the momentum despite the odds. This season focuses upon Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) seeking his own match as outlined by Julia Quinn’s books. Lady Whistledown (already revealed as Penelope, portrayed by Nicola Coughlan) is still doing her thing and f*cking with everyone during her society letters, thank god. Watch it on Netflix.
Well, guess what: Atlanta is back, four years since its second season and just as ready and willing to throw you for a loop. Earn and Paper Boi and Darius are still off in Europe on that tour they were en route to way back then, but there are detours and flights of fancy and all the other weird, stunning, inventive stuff that made (and makes) this one of our greatest shows. Donald Glover and this crew are pretty good at this stuff. It’s great to have them back. Watch it on Hulu.
Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke are in the MCU now, but don’t expect either of them to be the typical Marvel superhero or villain. This show is sheer chaos (and joyous to behold) with Isaac’s character plagued with dissociative identity disorder and tormented with mockery by an Egyptian god. He’s a gift-shop employee, a mercenary, and a hero? Sure. Hawke plays a David Koresh-esque cult leader. Hold on tight. Watch it on Disney Plus.
One little girl is delivering some Grade-A cuteness to the internet. With just a dash of diabolical.
The now-viral TikTok video opens with little Maddy (what an innocent name right?) being told “you’re gonna change the world someday.”
Her response? “No I won’t. I’m evil.”
Whoa! Dad wasn’t expecting that! So much for a heartfelt moment.
But Maddy is fully committed to her role now. She squints her eyes and gives a sinister gaze into the camera as she exclaims, “I’ll make everybody witches and bats and vampires!”
Oh, and she’s also going to make us all sassy, just like her. [insert head wobble with lots of ‘tude here]
And then, poof! Evil Maddy is gone. She giggles, and says, “I’m kidding. I would never do that.”
(Seriously, I don’t know what to believe here. That performance was just too good.)
Her mother was quick to come to her defense in the caption: “Maddy doesn’t have a mean bone in her body! Sass…yes!! Mean..No!!”
E3 has for decades been one of the biggest events of the yearly video game calendar. Usually slotted into the summer, it was an opportunity for some of gaming’s largest publishers to showcase what it had coming in the future.
At the time, the digital-only showcase was said to be due to health concerns with COVID-19, but many reports stated that the future of the entire show was in doubt when the hosts of E3, the ESA, remained oddly quiet about their biggest event of the year. On Thursday, those fears came to fruition when the ESA informed partners the event would be cancelled entirely.
Just got an email… It’s official, E3 digital is official cancelled for 2022. Lots of mixed feelings about this…
Many major publishers have recently opted to have their own yearly presentations sans the event. A lot of them did this when E3 was cancelled in 2020 and we’ve seen the physical presence of major publishers like EA and Sony pull out of the event in the past.
Despite these concerns, E3 is reportedly planning to return in 2023 according to IGN’s Rebekah Valentine.
Sources connected to the event tell IGN that discussions about a possible digital equivalent have been ongoing ever since, but without strong momentum to drive them. Instead, the ESA seems to be making plans to regroup for a larger comeback in 2023.
What a larger comeback would look like, we aren’t entirely sure. One thing that does seem certain is if E3 does return, it isn’t going to be the same showcase many of us have grown to know.
Four years ago, McDonald’s decided to cash in on the Rick and Morty hype train by bringing back the fast food giant’s practically mythical Szechuan sauce after it was featured in an episode of the hit Adult Swim series. The rollout could not have gone worse. Due to limited supplies, Rick and Morty fans were having full-on meltdowns inside the chain restaurant over the sauce’s availability. The whole thing was such a colossal disaster that even Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon blasted fans for how they acted.
“I wouldn’t wish that show’s fans on any fast-food restaurant,” Harmon said in a 2018 interview where he accused McDonald’s of “mugging” them with the promotion. “I think everybody got what they deserved all around.”
So with that in mind, surprise! McDonald’s is bringing back Szechuan sauce for another round of chaos. Although, this time, employees are prepared for Rick and Morty fans to do their worst. Via Business Insider:
“The Szechuan sauce packets are locked in a closet that only I and my general manager can access,” one California shift manager told Insider. The North Carolina worker says he and his coworkers plan to keep close tabs on remaining stocks of Szechuan sauce, and remain strict about the order limits imposed by McDonald’s.
According to Insider, McDonald’s has yet to reveal when this latest Szechuan sauce rollout will begin, but reportedly, the plan is to only make the sauce available through online orders on the McDonald’s app. In theory, that should limit employees’ interactions with bug-wild Rick and Morty fans, but if they know the sauce is in restaurants, there’s very little stopping them from going in and asking for it in person. Godspeed, everyone.
Kid Cudi and Jack Harlow both have nominations at this weekend’s Grammy Awards and it turns out they’ll both be busy next weekend, too: Billboard reports they’re going to perform at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards (hosted by Miranda Cosgrove and Rob Gronkowski) next Saturday, April 9.
Billboard notes Cudi will perform a medley of his new Sonic The Hedgehog 2 single “Stars In The Sky” and his 2010 classic “Pursuit Of Happiness.”
Cudi said in a statement, “I can’t believe my late 30-something butt gets to party at the Kids’ Choice Awards! I grew up loving Nickelodeon and it’s been a dream of mine to get slimed.” Harlow offered a similar statement, saying, “I grew up on Nickelodeon so to be nominated AND perform at the Kids’ Choice Awards is crazy. Here’s to hoping I get slimed!”
Harlow has a nomination at this year’s ceremony, as he’s up for Favorite Breakout Artist against Chlöe, Glass Animals, Olivia Rodrigo, Saweetie, and Walker Hayes. As for who leads the music nominations, Taylor Swift and Adele each have four nods in various categories. This year’s first-time music nominees include Rodrigo, Saweetie, The Kid Laroi, and Doja Cat.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Toro Y Moi continues the rollout for his upcoming seventh studio album, Mahal, today with the trippy video for his latest single, “Déjà Vu.” A psych-rock track backs his nostalgic rumination on an old relationship, while the Justin Morris-directed video takes some strong visual cues from Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, with dimly-lit vignettes providing amusing, non sequitur counterpoints to the song’s soft, fuzzed-out guitars and mellow melodies.
“Déjà Vu” is the fourth video from Mahal, which means “love” in Tagalog, the official national language of his mother’s native Philippines. Toro previously released videos for “Magazine” and “Postman” alongside the original announcement of the album, following up with the video for “The Loop” in February. The album will be his first on Dead Oceans after previously leaving Carpark. The album features Salami Rose Joe Louis, Sophie, The Mattson 2, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and is due on April 29.
In addition, Toro will join headliners The National, labelmate Mitski, and The Roots as a performer at the Pitchfork Music Festival this summer. He’s also set a tour for the album that kicks off on its release day and runs through July. You can check out the dates below.
Watch Toro Y Moi’s “Déjà Vu” video above.
4/29 — Cincinatti, OH @ Brady Music Center*
4/30 — Asheville, NC @ Asheville Civic Center*
5/1 — Columbia, SC @ The Senate
5/3 — Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre*
5/4 — Richmond, VA @ Virginia Credit Union LIVE!*
5/5 — Charleston, SC @ Firefly Distillery*
5/7 — Miami, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach* [SOLD OUT]
5/8 — Miami, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach* [SOLD OUT]
5/10 — New Orleans, LA @ The Republic NOLA^
5/11 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall* [SOLD OUT]
6/23 — 6/26 – Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest Festival
7/17 — Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
7/23 — Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
9/23 + 9/24 — Big Sur, CA @ Fernwood Resort [SOLD OUT]
Jack Daniel’s is one of the best-selling whiskeys in the world. In fact, it is the world’s best-sellingAmerican whiskey full stop. That popularity cannot be denied but it also means there are a lot of opinions out there when it comes to the juice from Tennessee. That’s why I’m ranking every bottle in the current Jack rotation.
I really want to look past the hype and see what’s in these bottles. That means that this ranking is very simple. I’m going into my tasting notes and ranking them according to which ones taste the best. Price and availability in your region are not a factor here. This is all about which bottle of Jack Daniel’s I think is actually worth trying, drinking, and mixing with.
Worth noting: I’m not judging these Tennessee whiskeys against Kentucky bourbons (though all Tennessee whiskey is, technically, a bourbon). Tennessee whiskey often has a higher corn content — Jack’s mash bill is 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. Bourbon, generally, has a corn content closer to 72 or 74 percent. This higher quotient of corn adds another layer of fruitiness and sweetness to TN whiskey. Then there’s the Lincoln County Process that all TN whiskey goes through. When it comes to Jack Daniel’s whiskeys, that means the unaged distillate drips through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal before it’s barreled. This process strips out some of the harsher edges of the distillate and, again, allows that fruit and sweetness to really shine through. It’s just a different beast than your average bourbon, is my point and I’m treating it as such.
To keep this list current, I’m dropping limited editions that have come out before 2020 and anything flavored (that’s liqueur, not whiskey). So things like Sinatra Century from 2015, or the gagillion Tennessee Tasters over the years, or anniversary/legacy bottles from three, five, and ten years ago have been skipped. Jack Daniel’s — like any whiskey brand — has put out a ton of special releases and limited editions over the last 20 years alone and we have to draw the line somewhere. Today, that line is at 2020 so I can highlight the bottles of Jack Daniel’s you might actually be able to find on shelves right now.
Sound good? Let’s dive in.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Jack Daniel’s Rye whiskeys are pretty killer and this bottle gives you a chance to see how it all starts. The rye is the unaged distillate made from 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. That hot juice is charcoal filtered per Tennessee whiskey specifications. It’s then cut with the famous Jack Daniel’s cave water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is malty and full of wet grains, pancake syrup, and ripe green peppers with a hint of savory fruit and tart cherry. The palate is lush with a hint of savory green herbs next to those tart cherries, more pancake syrup, and a dash of dried chili pepper flakes. A floral element comes in late as the water kicks in and fades out the sip pretty quickly toward a neutral end.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a more flavorful vodka to mix with, then this is for you. Besides expanding your palate by knowing what white dog rye tastes like, there’s little other value here (outside of mixed drinks).
This is Jack’s young rye offering — a sort of step between the white dog above and their classic rye expressions. This whiskey is made with the classic Jack rye bill (70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley) and then left to rest for only two years. That is just long enough to be called a “straight” whiskey. The rye is then vatted from select barrels and proofed all the way down to 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
The whiskey opens with a nose full of green sweetgrass, raw pancake batter, vanilla pudding cups, and Wether’s Original candies with a hint of Red Hots. That spice drives the palate along with a bright and sweet cherry toward a Cherry Coke vibe with echoes of dry sweetgrass and sharp gingery spice in the background. The spice wins out and turns the Cherry Coke into more of a cherry root beer and the whiskey fades out with a slightly watery end.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty nice, all things considered. That said, it is a little one-note with the Cherry Coke. I can definitely see mixing this with Coke or fizzy water but not much else.
This expression is the sibling to classic Old No. 7 Black Label Jack. In this case, all the barrels for each batch come from the ground floor of the warehouse. Those barrels are vatted and proofed down to 80 proof. Since the barrels are from a specific area of the warehouse, there’s a slightly different flavor at play than the classic Black Label bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This feels a little greener with soft, raw sourdough biscuit dough, banana bread, walnuts, holiday spices, and a touch of cherry on the nose. Vanilla silkiness kicks in on the taste and drives the palate back towards that walnut and spice-filled banana bread with a hint of charred oak bitterness and soft Luxardo cherry syrup. That sweetness allows the finish to slowly fade out, leaving you with a soft sense of cherry, vanilla, and walnut.
Bottom Line:
This is a rare sight in the wild, but worth giving a shot. There’s a slightly sweeter edge to this that works well in highballs or old fashioneds. Overall, this is more of a collectible (to show off) than anything else.
Nathan “Nearest” Green and Jack Daniel helped create this Tennessee whiskey after the Civil War, thanks in part to Green utilizing the Lincoln County Process when making his whiskey. The low-rye sour mash (80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye) is filtered, drop by drop, through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal. The juice is then aged for at least four years in new oak before it’s cut with that soft limestone cave water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a medicinal cherry vibe on the nose that’s maybe a cherry root beer that leads towards a savory fruit that’s close to canned pumpkin puree. Wet pine kindling leads to a new leather note as vanilla wafers layered with milk chocolate round out the nose until this faint hint of fresh apple cider sneaks in late. The palate starts off soft with a cherry bark that leads into homemade banana chips with a flake of salt and vanilla wafers with milk chocolate. The end warms with that spice as the fruit leans back towards the cherry root beer and apple cider.
Bottom Line:
This is probably better than you remember it. Give it another shot. That said, this is primarily a shooting or mixing whiskey and that’s fine. I do like it on the rocks as an end-of-the-day pour, or in a highball too. It’s versatile, is what I’m getting at.
This bottle was introduced (in its current iteration) in 1990. The key to this expression is that it’s good ol’ Old No. 7 Jack Daniel’s that is passed through sugar maple charcoal twice before it’s barreled and left to rest for an undisclosed amount of years.
Tasting Notes:
Jack is known for banana and it’s here in spades. There’s a clear sense of banana cream pie with a buttery crust and plenty of creamy vanilla pudding in the base. The taste then leans towards a very mild spicy cherry tobacco with a hint of cedar box, nutmeg, and worn leather. There’s a twinge more of spice and cedar on the backend but not a lot. The finish has a caramel sweetness that plays second fiddle to the banana and vanilla pie.
Bottom Line:
This has grown on me lately. It’s surprisingly subtle and makes for a very easy sipper, especially on the rocks. But where it really shines is as a cocktail base for Manhattans or old fashioneds. There’s a slight refinement in this that Old No. 7 just doesn’t have, hence the ranking.
This is classic Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 with a twist. In this case, the juice has been charcoal filtered through sugar maple twice and then barreled twice. The whiskey spends its first rest in new American oak. That whiskey is then re-barreled in maple wood barrels for a final maturation. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down with that soft cave water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich note of warm cornbread with melting butter on the nose next to hints of dried cherries, dry cedar bark, soft applewood with a very thin line of smoke, and soft vanilla. That vanilla smoothes out into a creaming vanilla sauce with dots of cinnamon and nutmeg as the taste leans into dried cherry scones with a touch of spicy marmalade. The fruity and jammy mid-palate veers into a finish full of cherry tobacco chewiness with a hint more of that dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is surprisingly nice for what it is — an 80 proof whiskey. It’s not hampered by a watery presence. Instead, you’re greeted by a deep but familiar flavor profile. It’s just … nice. And that’s why it’s ranked this high. It’s surprising and good. You can’t argue with that.
This was first introduced in 1997. The juice is hand-selected from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the juice to shine.
Tasting Notes:
The banana notes are drawn way back here and replaced by a clear sense of toasted oak. That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild spice, and plenty of oily vanilla beans. The sweet banana fruit is there and marries well to a peppery spice, cherry gum, and mulled wine that amps up as the end draws near with plenty of that toasted wood lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
This is another great candidate for mixing a mean cocktail. It’s nuanced enough to add depth to a Manhattan while being bold enough to stand up in a Sazerac or boulevardier.
This release from Jack asks “what would straight rye whiskey taste like if it was given the ol’ Lincoln County treatment?” Jack’s mash bill utilizes 70 percent rye mash bill and cave water from the nearby Tennessee mountains. They then treat the hot distillate as they would a standard Tennessee whiskey, with sugar maple charcoal filtration and new oak barreling.
Tasting Notes:
This opens up with a mellow-yet-sharp spice next to rich vanilla and a hint of orchard fruit, raisins, and oatmeal cookies. The sip leans into the spice while pairing a creamy mouthfeel with an oaky richness as applewood, floral honey, and a fair amount of nutmeg kick in. The end lingers in the spice and vanilla while quickly fading, with hints of that oak popping back in.
Bottom Line:
This has no business being as good as it is. For a standard rye that’s available everywhere and cheap, you really can’t beat the simple depth of this bottle. It’s straightforward, a perfect mixer, and an easy on the rocks sipper. There’s no wow factor like the rest of this list, but it’s a workhorse that knows its place. That I can respect and hence it slotted near the mid-point of this ranking.
This is Jack’s bottled-in-bond expression. It started out as a yearly release for the travel market, meaning it’ll be a little harder to find outside of duty-free shops — though not impossible anymore. The juice is classic Jack from a single distilling season that’s then aged in a bonded rickhouse for at least four years under the government’s watchful eye.
Tasting Notes:
The oak really comes through with hints of vanilla, fruit, and buttery and sweet toffee. The palate leans into the vanilla and adds in plenty more oak with a full billow of pipe tobacco smoke cut by mild fruit. The end is enriched by spice, orange zest, and more of that toffee as the oak and vanilla fade through the tobacco smoke on the long end.
Bottom Line:
This is another example of less is more. The flavor profile on this one is very dialed to a “classic” vibe that’s all clear-cut and distinct. There’s nothing that’s going to challenge your palate, but sometimes that’s okay. Sometimes you need that easy-sipping whiskey you don’t have to overanalyze. This is that.
This expression is the same process as the Tennessee ryes above — 70 percent rye mash bill, cave water, sugar maple filtration, new charred oak barrels. The difference is that these bottles are pulled from barrels that were deemed perfect just the way they are and barely touched with water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich marrying of bright fruit (mildly banana and tropical) with rye spice that greets you on the nose alongside a subtle spicy tiki cocktail vibe. The vanilla is there to support the peppery rye as toasted oak edges in with a hint of cherry cough syrup. The spice leans into a Christmas cake spicy matrix with more of that subtle tropical fruit, candied citrus, nuts, and vanilla. The end is warming, peppery, and has just enough bright fruit to sweeten your senses.
Bottom Line:
This might be the best cocktail base on the list. It feels like it was made to make killer cocktails while also tasty damn fine neat or on the rocks. This is a good bottle to have open on your bar cart for any application, especially Manhattans and Sazeracs.
Where the Single Barrel Select is cut with soft limestone water to bring it down to proof, this is the straight juice from the barrel. These barrels are all hand-selected from the vast Jack Daniel’s rickhouses. What’s left from the angel’s share then goes straight into the bottle. That means the ABVs and tasting notes for this bottle will vary depending on which bottle you snag.
Tasting Notes:
Expect an experience that’s full of rich vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, next to a rush of cherry-spiked spice. The sip should have a mix of that vanilla, oak, and rich wintry spices with a nice dose of bright red fruits and a texture that’s more velvet than liquid. The end really holds onto that vibe as the mild spice, toasted oak, rich vanilla, and almost maple syrup sweetness slowly fade across your senses, leaving you with chewy cherry tobacco stuffed into an old cedar box.
Bottom Line:
This is another bottle you simply cannot go wrong with. It’s accessible, affordable, and makes a great addition to any bar cart. The high ABVs make it great on the rocks or in a cocktail. It’s deep, memorable, and kind of fun.
This limited edition, traveler’s exclusive is classic Jack Daniel’s at a much higher ABV. The mash is 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. That whiskey is then aged in Jack Daniel’s vast warehouses after going through the iconic Lincoln County Process of sugar maple charcoal filtration. The barrels are hand-picked by Master Distiller Chris Fletcher for their uniqueness and flavors that lean into what’s advertised on the label.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with a creamy mix of vanilla pudding drizzled with soft caramel, a dose of rain dampened oak, and a hint of sour cherry that slowly becomes Cherry Coke spritzed with tart lemon as you go back to the nose over and over again. The palate opens with a woodiness that’s almost almond shells that turn into Brazil nuts with a hint more of that cherry but now it’s tied to wood. The mid-palate really leans away from the heavier wood and nutty notes towards thin but dry wicker that’s dramatically smoothed out by a rush of vanilla creaminess on the finish. The very back end has this lingering sense of Brazil nut and almond shells and a slight Cherry Coke vibe that’s more like a soaked oak stave than drinking it from the actual can.
Bottom Line:
This feels like Jack Daniel’s at its best. These duty-free bottles are worth snagging the next time you’re flying internationally, as they really showcase how good Jack can be, especially when it’s not cut so far down with water.
This version is Jack’s essential Tennessee Rye Whiskey, also at a higher ABV. That whiskey has a mash bill of 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley. The spirit is then rested in those warehouses until it hits just the right mark to be bottled as the limited-edition “Bold & Spicy” rye.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is super subtle and you really have to dig in there to find notes of sassafras that turn into black Necco Wafers next to a light leather and the plastic wrap from a box of caramel candies. There’s a nice vanilla layer on the top of the glass when you nose it that adds a nice creamy element that’s almost like a pitcher of fresh, full-fat cream with the slightest hint of fresh butter. The palate starts off subtly as well, then explodes with flavors with dried dill leading towards dried mint that supports a savory note of what could be bison jerky with a slight dusting of white pepper. On the mid-palate, that vanilla leads towards a soft stewed peach with mild dark spices, an echo of nuttiness, a hint of whiskey-soaked applewood, and a very small whisper of black truffle on the very, very back end of the finish.
Bottom Line:
Jack knows how to make great rye and this proves it. The higher ABVs really let the whiskey shine with the full breadth of the flavor profile, which is easily findable in the glass and builds a bigger experience. While this is great for cocktails, it’s also a really easy sipper with a single rock or a little water to let it bloom.
6. Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Travelers’ Exclusive
This is classic Jack Daniel’s mash of 80 percent corn, 12 percent barley, and a scant eight percent rye. The difference is that these barrels are housed in a bonded warehouse where they rest a minimum of four years before they’re vatted and proofed down to only 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a distinct aroma of a Hostess Cherry Pie on the nose with a hint of wet oak, light eggnog spice, vanilla, soft leather, and orange candy. The taste is very fruity with a mix of banana pancakes with apple-cider-infused maple syrup next to drier oak and toffee candy plus a touch of almond crunch. That soft toffee drives the end and leads a long-ish finish toward a final note of dry reeds and the buttery end of that Hostess Cherry Pie.
Bottom Line:
I think what we’re learning, so far, is that the higher proof Jack Daniel’s is the better Jack Daniel’s. While this is standard Jack that’s simply not cut down in proof quite as far, you’re seemingly getting clearer and deeper flavor profiles. That’s a win. This also has a great price for what it is. That’s another win.
Overall, this is a great workhorse that shines as brightly in cocktails as it does on the rocks.
Frank Sinatra was one of Jack’s biggest fans. So much so that the crooner was buried with a bottle. The actual juice in this expression is a throwback to how Jack was made in Sinatra’s day. They use special “Sinatra Barrels” that have concentric grooves carved into the newly charred oak, giving the whiskey more surface area to do its thing. Once that’s aged, it’s blended with traditional Old No. 7 and proofed at 45 percent, as it also would have been back in Sinatra’s heydays.
Tasting Notes:
Peach cobbler, apple pie with a buttery crust and caramel drizzle, vanilla pods, old leather, and a hint of cherry tobacco inside an old wooden box build on the nose. The sip leans into the fruit next to woody spice and soft leather that mellows dramatically towards a soft vanilla cream along with a very distant echo of cherry tobacco chewiness. The mild spice (think nutmeg) arrives late and is tied to a cherry syrup vibe that just touches on dry wicker, faint almonds, and a touch more of that tobacco. Ultimately, the leather returns and builds towards a silken finish with just the right balance of woody apple, cherry tobacco, and oaky spice — all touched by the softest note of vanilla bean.
Bottom Line:
This is where we’re getting into splitting hairs in this ranking. This could have easily been number one based on how delicious it is in general. It’s a super fine sipper that only needs a rock or drop of water to let it bloom. This is a glass of whiskey that’s worth savoring.
4. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye (2020)
This special release of barrel-proof single barrels is very limited. 200 barrels were chosen for this program. Each one highlights the beauty of Tennessee rye and is released as-is without any cutting with water or fussing. Each batch/barrel ends up with an ABV between 62.5 and 70 percent, which is pretty damn high, all things considered.
Tasting Notes:
High ABVs aside, this whiskey has a very soft nose full of cherry syrup, wintry spices, dry cedar bark, vanilla husks, rum-raisin, and spicy stewed plums. A hint of boozy bananas foster sneaks in early on the palate as those winter spices really amp up and marry with the cherry towards a mulled wine vibe. The mid-palate’s sweetness is immediately countered by woody spices and allspice berries as a thin line of old wicker leads to chewy spicy cherry tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This stuff is pretty great. It’s a nice sipper, especially with a rock or a little water in the glass. That’ll help calm down those ABVs too. But, those ABVs are already pretty well hidden amongst the deeply hewn layers of this whiskey. It’s silky and loveable from top to bottom.
This whiskey from Jack Daniel’s is a pretty special offering. First, the barrels were heated/charred using a special method of very slow heating to achieve a richer toast before going off to be charred with fire. Those barrels were then filled with 100 proof distillate and placed in the highest rungs of warehouses on Coy Hill on the JD campus. 100 barrels hit the mark and each was released as a single barrel, 100 proof offering.
Tasting Notes:
A hint of dry cedar and pine kindling comes through on the nose with the support of cherry pie with a lard crust, vanilla tobacco chew, and a hint of zucchini bread with walnuts, clove, cinnamon, and powdered ginger. The palate leans into those spices and adds a hint of dried red peppercorns that’s countered by a rich vanilla ice cream speckled with dry cherries and dark chocolate. The mid-palate sweetness fades back towards that kindling pile as a cinnamon/cherry tobacco chewiness leaves you warmed and wanting more.
Bottom Line:
Okay, for real, this and the next two could have all been tied for number one. This is a super svelte sipper that has no errors. It’s just damn fine sipping whiskey with a unique vibe and story.
This new age statement released from Jack Daniel’s feels like a throwback to a bygone era in Tennessee Whiskey. The whiskey is aged for at least ten years. During that time, the barrels spend time in the “Buzzard’s Roost” at the top of the rickhouse. Once they hit the right flavor profile, those barrels are moved to the bottom floors of other warehouses to slow the aging down. Finally, the whiskey is vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rich matrix of cherry syrup, apple cores, sticky toffee, vanilla ice cream, and a thin line of wet and sweet wood. The palate opens up towards the dark fruit but dries it out and married it to a sticky and spicy tobacco leaf while toasted cedar soaked in salted caramel vibes with dry corn husks that are just singed. The finish really takes its time as the cherry attaches to an old cinnamon stick and the tobacco takes on a sticky chewiness with a mild savory fruit edge.
Bottom Line:
This expression is helping redefine Jack Daniel’s in the 2020s. It’s so damn refined while maintaining that JD accessibility. This is the sort of slow sipping whiskey that you can sip on all day and never get tired of it.
1. Coy Hill High Proof Single Barrel Special Release (2021 Edition)
The whiskey in the bottle is the classic Jack Daniel’s mash of 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and eight percent rye. The Tennessee whiskey was filtered through Jack’s drip-drop sugar maple charcoal system before barreling and aging at the very top — where the air is dry and warm — of rickhouses number eight and number 13. The whiskey is bottled straight from the barrel with no other fussing.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is … soft. There’s a whiff of classic Jack Daniel’s dark fruit that feels very much like a deep and dark cherry cordial with a dry, woody cinnamon stick dipped inside — then you licked the cherry cordial off the stick and put it under your nose. A touch of worn library leather is also lurking on the nose, with a hint of dry pecan shells and rich, almost smoked butterfat. The taste embraces the sweetness with a wet brown sugar vibe that’s married to a touch of dried apple cores next to a holiday cake full of dark spices, brandied fruits, and fat nuts that are all then soaked with fiery whiskey. That butter returns as the mid-palate sweetness ebbs and turns more towards almost burnt toffee touched with a flake of salt as a soft but old leather pouch full of sticky tobacco arrives to round everything out. The last feeling you get is this slow step upwards towards an embracing warmth in your neck and chest as those ABVs finally make themselves known.
Bottom Line:
It’s wild how well the ABVs on this hazmat whiskey are hidden. It’s almost like a magic trick. The deepness of the flavor profile is never overwhelmed by alcohol heat. Instead, you’re greeted with a nuanced and wonderful flavor profile that’ll leave you reaching for another pour almost immediately.
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