Monday’s game between the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons did not arrive with great fanfare. After all, the Knicks began the day a whopping 30.5 games ahead of the Pistons in the Eastern Conference standings and, in general, there were more aesthetically appealing matchups during a 11-game slate in the league. However, Knicks guard Deuce McBride brought some entertainment late in the first quarter after the Knicks had already built a double-digit lead.
With 37.2 seconds remaining in the opening period, McBride took the ball out of bounds and, instead of finding a teammate with a more conventional pass, he tossed the ball off the back of Pistons guard Malachi Flynn to set himself up for a layup.
Of course, McBride is not the first play to use this strategy, but it is often effective. In this case, it was also executed perfectly, and Flynn was blissfully unaware of what was coming his way.
The Knicks led by 19 points at the end of the first quarter and, well, New York probably did not need the easy two points created by this play from McBride. Still, it was fun and cool to see, which is half the battle when it comes to NBA basketball during the month of March.
Even with these fun add-ons, one of the most popular offerings is Spotify Wrapped. The user data-specific feature allows individuals to reflect on their yearly musical consumption. According to reports, Spotify is working on allowing users access to that data on a micro level through its rumored Time Machine feature.
Continue below for more information.
What Is Spotify’s Time Machine Feature?
For clarity, Spotify hasn’t announced a “Time Machine” feature. However, on March 23, Pop Base took to their official X (formerly Twitter) and Threads accounts to fan the flames of the rumor.
The aggregator wrote: “Spotify is reportedly introducing a ‘time machine’ feature that will show users monthly statistics on their most streamed artists, songs, albums, and minutes.”
Spotify is reportedly introducing a ‘time machine’ feature that will show users monthly statistics on their most streamed artists, songs, albums and minutes. pic.twitter.com/9iNr2HHsdf
At the end of his YouTube video “Does Anyone Else Feel Like Everything Has Changed?” self-development influencer Stephen Antonioni makes a rather haunting observation: “In many ways, the world is a better place than it was yesterday, just judging by objective measures. But I can’t help share the feeling that something is off and perhaps terribly so. And therefore, I have to ask the question: Does anyone else feel like everything has changed?”
The most popular comment on the video, which was liked over 28,000 times was written by a YouTuber named Tracy Smith. Even though, at 57, she’s a Gen Xer, her thoughts have resonated with thousands of Millenials.
“I am 57. Not only does it feel like ‘something wicked this way comes’ but there is also this feeling that the whole world is holding its breath. Almost as though we are all waiting for some catalyst or sign or event that puts an end to this feeling of being put on hold,” Smith wrote. “This vague, unexplained unease we feel. Something terrible lurking just out of our field of vision but we all feel it closing in. I cannot count the number of people who have told me they wish that whatever is going to happen would just get on with it. That this waiting for the thing in the darkness is unbearable.”
The comment was shared on Reddit’s Millenials subforum, where many said it perfectly expressed how they feel about the future.
“I have never had someone put into words so accurately a feeling I didn’t even realize I was having. I am wondering if any of you feel this way? Like, I realized for the last few years I have been feeling like this. I don’t always think about it, but if I stop and think about this this feeling is always there in the background,” RedHeadRedeemed wrote.
“The current socioeconomic situation in the US is unsustainable. Something is going to give, and relatively soon,” NCRaineman replied. “I turned 21 and graduated college right around 9/11,” Seasonpositive6771 wrote. “My entire adult life has been a sense that the world is untrustworthy and unsafe to a certain degree.”
Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, have lived through a unique set of circumstances. Most were children when 9-11 happened, and many were just starting out as adults when the Great Recession hit. Once the world recovered from that financial catastrophe came the politically turbulent late ‘10s and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Millennials have also experienced a technological revolution with the advent of the Internet, social media, and smartphones and have lived under the specter of climate change.
The world can also seem more dangerous to Millenials because they’ve lived in an era where fear-mongering on the news and social media is rampant and can easily present a very skewed version of the world.
Even though the years that Millenials have been alive are among the safest in American history, it’s hard to feel that way when we are exposed to so many disturbing images in the media.
Even though many Millenials look towards the future with a sense of dread, for some perspective, previous generations have had it much worse.
“Relocate to 1915 and see how the punches can keep coming for real. Try WWI where daddy is killed or f**ked up in combat when you are a child. Then the depression beginning in’ 29 then WWII takes your kid. No wonder previous generations are rough they got it honest and did what they could to not ever be broke again. They did not comprehend the damage they were doing. They had been through hell and just wanted to be ok like everyone else,” InfamousOccasion wrote.
One of the commenters noted that this feeling of dread may stem from a form of collective PTSD caused by the pandemic. The American Psychological Association agrees, saying people are still healing from the 3-year ordeal that killed millions.
“The COVID-19 pandemic created a collective experience among Americans. While the early-pandemic lockdowns may seem like the distant past, the aftermath remains,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APA’s chief executive officer. “We cannot ignore the fact that we have been significantly changed by the loss of more than one million Americans, as well as the shift in our workplaces, school systems, and culture at large. To move toward posttraumatic growth, we must first identify and understand the psychological wounds that remain,” said Evans.
If the first step in recovering from the pandemic is recognizing the remaining psychological wounds, understanding Millenials’ sense of “impending doom” could be a key to collective healing.
Let’s face it, Hollywood has given Doberman’s a bad reputation. So often they are depicted as the canine henchman to the evil villain, that many people assume that’s their temperament in real life.
But the truth is: like just about every dog on the planet, Dobermans are sweet, loyal and affectionate canine companions. And, much like Pit Bulls, they are not nearly as inherently aggressive as pop culture makes them out to be—especially when properly trained.
I mean, just take a look at Atlas. This goodest of good bois recently went viral on TikTok while getting a nice, relaxing bathtime session. He proved that not only are Doberman’s capable of extreme levels of chill, they can have a deep felt appreciation for some good old fashioned pampering.
The clip, which was posted by @thegoodhype, a sibling group that rescues and fosters kill-list dogs, shows Atlas getting the star treatment, and loving every second of it.
Though many dogs flee at the mere mention of a b-a-t-h, Atlas is on doggie Cloud 9 as he’s sprayed, scrubbed, lathered, and massaged. He even got a rose quartz roller treatment and coconut oil teeth brushing before settling into a nap. Hope he leaves a good Yelp review!
Watch below. Be sure to have the sound on for some top notch pup-ified ASMR.
@thegoodhype joked that this was all part of her “scary foster dog’s bath routine,” implying that she posted the sweet video as a bit of counter-programming. Cause there is certainly nothing scary about Atlas.
And the really cool part is: the video actually did change some perceptions. One viewer wrote, “idk why but I’ve always been scared of Doberman dogs. But this really helps. Thanks for posting!”
Another added, “Never seen a Doberman in real life but I am convinced they’re just like this when they’re not trained to be security dogs.”
Others simply marveled at Atlas’s next-level beauty regime.
“This dog has better skincare than me. Lol,” one person wrote.
And while it’s rare for a dog to love baths as much as Atlas does, there are things you can do to make the process more enjoyable for everyone involved.
One website suggests opting for indoor baths for a sense of familiarity, and giving the tub something to make it less slippery. It also recommends giving your bathing pup a toy or puzzle to distract them from their anxiety. Plus, you can follow in @thegoodhype’s footsteps by using a handheld shower head to avoid spraying on your dog’s face. Plus, stick to lukewarm water temperature.
The key to bath time success, at least according to multipleonline resources, is doing your best to make bathtime a fun treat, rather than a punishment. Which is clearly what this foster dog mom did.
Just about every mother has experienced the feeling of being touched out. They may not know that’s what it’s called, or some may feel embarrassed to admit they’re feeling that way due to fear of judgement. But when you think about it, being touched out, especially when you have younger kids seems inevitable.
The sense of your body not belonging to only you can start during pregnancy. Everything you do directly affects your developing fetus, and once the baby is born, it needs a lot of physical contact for proper brain, social, and emotional development. So babies are held a lot outside of feedings. Those babies turn into toddlers who then turn into early school agers, all of whom rely very heavily on co-regulation of their emotions and being physically near their parent to feel safe.
It’s pretty much a constant state of being touched throughout much of the day. When psychologist, Dr. Raquel Martin reveals she too feels touched out in a video on Instagram, parents across the internet felt validated.
“Are you a mom who feels as though you are a monster because every time your child touches you, you want to crawl out of your skin? Well, this message is for you,” Martin opens the video. “I’m a licensed clinical psychologist, professor and scientist, and I’m here to tell you that you are likely experiencing feeling ‘touched out.’ Being touched out is incredibly normal.”
The psychologist explains that people don’t often talk about how much autonomy you lose when you become a parent. Being touched all the time, while being responsible for all other things that come along with parenting can cause parents to experience sensory overload. Martin reveals that when she’s feeling touched out, that it can sometimes feel like she wants to, “rip my face off.”
As you can see from the video, her face is still very much in tact. Maybe it has something to do with the tips she gives parents in the video and caption.
“1. Prevention is Key: Don’t wait until you’re running on empty. Keep your tank at least half-full by recognizing early signs of sensory overload.
2. Recognize Your Signs: Be aware of your personal indicators, like skin crawling, frustration, or irritability.
3. Incorporate Personal Space: Make intentional space in your routine, especially when support is available, to engage in activities that don’t require “parent brain.”
4. Solo Time vs. Social Time: Decide what rejuvenates you more – quiet alone time or catching up with friends.
5. Communicate Your Needs: Educate your partner or support system about what you’re experiencing and how they can help.”
Parents in the comments were thankful for the message of support and validation.
“The way this entire message validated my spirit! Whew Chile! Thank you,” one person says.
“Omg. I’m just so used to putting up with it if I don’t have my hubby to tag me out. Thank you for the tips to help for when I don’t have support available,” someone else writes.
“I have never felt more seen or understood as I did watching this video. Thank you for sharing your experience and feelings, and for validating my own. You continue to inspire,” another commenter reveals.
The validation and tips are extremely helpful in normalizing the feeling. Hopefully other parents find the video helpful in knowing what to do when feeling touched out.
According to a report by ESPN, a member of the Toronto Raptors is coming under fire due to strange activities on prop bets. The report indicates that Jontay Porter, a two-way frontcourt player and the younger brother of Denver Nuggets standout Michael Porter Jr., put up performances on Jan. 26 and March 20 that are under scrutiny.
On both of those nights, DraftKings Sportsbooks reported that prop bets involving Porter were extremely lucrative for bettors. With the game on Jan. 26, it was specifically Porter’s over/under on made threes — it was set at 0.5, and he did not attempt a single shot from deep in four minutes of work before he left the game due to the aggravation of an eye injury. On March 20, Porter had no points and two rebounds before leaving the game due to an illness, which meant the under hit on 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
While the initial game featured the top prop bet of the night for bettors, Porter’s performance in the second game made more money for bettors than anything else in the league on that evening, per ESPN.
Porter went undrafted in 2019 after attending the University of Missouri. He’s bounced around so far in his NBA career between the league and the G League, but this season, he’s carved out a role as a rotation player for the Raptors. In 26 games this year, Porter has averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 13.8 minutes a night.
Beyoncé is one of the most unpredictable active artists. Every image, online caption, and article of clothing the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer wears is a clue of sorts. The only problem is you never know what to look for until her business venture is announced (e.g., Cécred) or the project drops.
So, the Beyhive is always on high alert. With her forthcoming studio album, Cowboy Carter, expected to hit streaming platforms this Friday, March 29, many believe Beyoncé could be hitting the road yet again. Continue below for further speculation.
Will Beyoncé Go On Tour For ‘Cowboy Carter?’
Between May and October 2023, Beyoncé galavanted around the globe on her Renaissance World Tour. The tour was not only a chance to experience the Grammy Award-winning album live. But an event experience to let attendees and her stellar dancers (including daughter Blue Ivy) cast their worries behind. So, can fans expect an extension of the musical celebration for a Cowboy Carter tour? The answer is maybe.
If history serves as an indication, it is highly likely that Beyoncé will embark on another tour. In the past, she’s had a headlining tour for each of her solo albums (with the expectation of 2011’s 4 and 2019’s The Lion King: The Gift).
However, Beyoncé has never done tours this close together, the closest being 2013’s The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (which ended in 2014) and 2016’s The Formation World Tour. Beyoncé hasn’t officially announced anything, but that’s no solace for supporters’ wallets. A tour announcement could come right after Cowboy Carter is officially dropped.
For now, just be prepared to saddle up and kick off the yeehaw agenda from the comforts of your home via your favorite streaming platform.
Shohei Ohtani has made headlines over the last week for something other than his once-in-a-lifetime abilities on the baseball field. A recent piece by ESPN indicated that the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, after it was discovered that at least $4.5 million made its way from Ohtani’s bank account to a bookmaker in California, one of the few remaining states where gambling remains illegal.
On Monday, Ohtani finally spoke to the media regarding the saga, as he read a prepared statement but did not take questions from the media.
Shohei Ohtani states he has never bet on baseball or any other sport, and publicly accuses former translator Ippei Mizuhara of stealing from him and lying pic.twitter.com/zjapF6o07K
“I never bet on baseball or any other sports, or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “And I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports … Up until a couple days ago, I didn’t know that this was happening … In conclusion, Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies.”
The reigning AL MVP, Ohtani left the Los Angeles Angels this offseason to sign a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. Prior to the release of the ESPN story on Mizuhara’s gambling problems, Mizuhara sat down with ESPN for a 90-minute interview in which he “laid out his account in great detail,” while a spokesperson for Ohtani said he floated the money to cover his gambling debts. This telling of the events was, just prior to publication, “disavowed” by the spokesperson, while a statement was released via Ohtani’s legal representation.
“In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft, and we are turning the matter over to the authorities,” the statement read.
Spring has sprung! Or at least that’s what we keep telling ourselves, as states around the country begin to welcome in warmer days with lingering sunlight.
A new season brings a new perspective to all things travel. If you’re keen on starting your spring season chasing a cold IPA, heading out to this season’s hottest destination in Mesa, Arizona, or hitting one of the world’s coolest parties, we’ve got you covered. We’ve scouted all the major booking sites and aggregators to secure the cheapest nonstop flights out of nine major cities in the United States.
No one will blame you for doing a spit-take when you see a bottle of bourbon costs $200. It’s a lot. That said, it’s also… not that crazy. Bourbon is a commodity that gets rarer with age — and rarity drives prices up. Still… asking someone to pay two bills for a single bottle of bourbon feels like a thing — which means that the bourbon in that bottle had better be f*cking amazing.
You’re in luck. There are a lot of great bourbons out there that costs between $150 and $200 that are freaking great, live up to the price, and even deserve the hype. Below, we’ll be listing 12 of them.
The thing about bourbon at this price point is that there’s a lot of variation. We’re talking about bourbons with very unique oak finishes, special single barrels, high-age statements, special batches, and one-offs. The flavor profiles can be polar opposites on some of these, so I did rank them. While all of these bourbons slap, some are transcendent.
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This new release is a masterful blend of whiskeys from the core of America’s distillery region. The blend in the bottle is a batch of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee whiskeys that are balanced to highlight classic bourbon notes at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Peach cobbler with a big scoop of malted vanilla ice cream pops on the nose with a light sense of rye bread crusts, caramel pie, and mild orange zest cut with oaky tobacco.
Palate: Apricot jam over buttermilk biscuits leads the taste toward white pepper spiciness, winter spice barks, and a bright burst of grapefruit pith before this mild sense of white grape juice and almost savory melon arrives.
Finish: That melon goes full honeydew on the finish with a bit more of that orange before black peppercorns and smoldering smudging sage drive the end toward woody tobacco boxes wrapped in old leather.
Bottom Line:
This is a very fruit-forward bourbon blend. That fruit manifests more as stewed summer fruits in a nostalgic way — think one of your grandparent’s peach cobblers with a big ol’ scoop of vanilla ice cream. Classic woody spice notes, tobacco, and light citrus bitterness nicely balance that fruit. It’s a complex whiskey that’s amazingly approachable, and delicious in a whiskey cobbler cocktail.
11. Old Carter Straight Bourbon Whiskey Very Small Batch 3-KY
Old Carter is a hidden-away bottler right off Whiskey Row in Louisville. It’s still very insider. Their process is all about finding great barrels of whiskey, blending them, and bottling them for whiskey lovers in the know. In this case, that was a very small batch blend that yielded only 1,116 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A thickness comes through on the nose with a creamy vanilla and maple syrup vibe with a buttery underbelly accented by old corn husks, woody cinnamon, allspice, and lush nutmeg with a hint of hazelnut.
Palate: Thick salted caramel sauce vibes with a black-tea-soaked date feel as cinnamon syrup and smoldering orchard wood leads to a big mid-palate Kentucky hug.
Finish: That warmth fades quickly as hints of dried cranberry tobacco and cedar braids filled with wicker and sweetgrass end the sip on a dry note with a touch of floral honey lurking underneath it all.
Bottom Line:
Old Carter has been sourcing and bottling stellar whiskey over the years. While you might not be able to find this exact bottle (very little makes it out of Kentucky), try any bourbon from them. You should be able to find these at really good whiskey bars. Buy a pour and take it slow, this is great slow-sipping whiskey.
10. Chicken Cock Red Stave Petite Sirah Barrel Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Chicken Cock is great at dropping big limited releases every year. 2023’s big bourbon was a “Red Stave” Kentucky straight bourbon made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. That whiskey is left to age for an undisclosed amount of time before being re-barrelled into select J. Wilkes Petite Sirah barrels for a final mellowing run.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sweet mulled wine cut with piney honey, plenty of spice barks, and hints of dried red berries before veering toward creamy toffee and vanilla beans.
Palate: Wild berry jam and bold winter spices mingle with rich dark chocolate, creamed honey, and vanilla lattes on the palate before the mulled wine spices start sneaking in and building.
Finish: The mulled wine-soaked red berries and raisins drive the finish toward a lush toffee and vanilla cream with a bold warming winter spice layered into a rich pipe tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Bourbon and red wine-soaked oak just works (for this whiskey critic anyway). There’s a nice sense of dark and dank red fruit that accents the warming spiced bourbon wonderfully. There’s also a nice whisper of pine dank in there that takes this one to a new level. I’d recommend pairing this as a neat pour with a dessert course or putting it into a funky Manhattan with some dark red fruit vibes.
9. Blackened x Rabbit Hole A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Distilled in Tennessee & Kentucky Finished in Calvados Casks Cask Strength
This collaboration between Metallica’s Blackened and Rabbit Hole is masterful whiskey. The blend is a 13-year-old Tennessee high-rye bourbon batched with Rabbit Hole Heigold High-Rye Double Malt Bourbon (with malted rye and malted barley). Once batched, the whiskey was re-barreled into Calvados casks (an apple brandy) for a final rest before 100% as-is bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice sense of chili pepper warmth on the nose with a hint of macadamia cookie nuttiness, honey Graham Crackers, light summer florals, and a whisper of darkly stewed apple.
Palate: Cinnamon-infused pear brandy sparks on the palate with a sense of clover honey, walnut loaf, and this thin line of smoked applewood with a good sense of barrel warmth.
Finish: The honey and walnut drive the finish toward a soft warmth that leaves the gentlest numbness on the senses.
Bottom Line:
This is just a really nice sipper, folks. It’s deep and balanced with a classic sense of bourbon that then goes beyond the ordinary with a nice nuttiness, honeyed sweetness, and subtle warmth. Sip it over a big rock while you listen to your favorite Metallica album. You can’t go wrong.
8. Hardin’s Creek ‘Frankfort’ Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is the same 17-year-old Beam bourbon aged at the Frankfort, Kentucky campus. This set of warehouses is more easterly in the state where the humidity gets bold in the summer and the foothills of Appalachia start to roll in. The actual buildings are also tighter with less ventilation, creating a more enclosed hot box vibe for the ricks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft woody notes pop on the nose with a sense of old tobacco in a cedar humidor next to toasted marshmallows over a smoldering campfire with rum raisin, bespoke cherry soda pop, and salted caramel that’s cut with molasses leads to a medley of sugar cookies cut with almond and lemon oils next to spiced nut cakes.
Palate: The caramel gets dark and salted on the tip of the tongue as the palate leans into mincemeat pies and dark mulled wine with a sense of brandy-soaked fruit cake, rich marzipan, and soft pipe tobacco with a sense of floral honey backing everything up.
Finish: The end takes on a woody vanilla pod vibe over soft notes of winter spice barks, soft cedar, and old saddle leather shined with cherry wax and honeycomb before a malty chocolate shake arrives with a lush and silky finish full of holiday spices and dry smudging sage piled up in an old rickhouse on a warm but musty day.
Bottom Line:
First, 17-year-old Beam whiskey is pretty freaking amazing. Add in a delicately balanced batch from a specific location and you have a great bourbon. This one rewards you for taking your time, nosing, adding water, going back and forth, and really digging in. There’s so much going on and it’s all good.
7. Frank August Case Study 2: XO PX Brandy Cask Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This Kentucky bourbon is all about time … and old-world oak. The whiskey was batched and then re-barreled into a 1992 cask that held PX brandy for 17 years. Another portion of the whiskey went into an XO PX brandy cask from 1948. The barrels were still wet when they arrived in Kentucky and re-filled with this bourbon, adding to the depth of that final aging of the final batch.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This starts with a deep sense of old-world oak before diving into dark prunes and dates with stewed apricots, soft dark chocolate, spicy mulled wine, and brandy-soaked pears rolled with rose-water-soaked marzipan with a hint of soft buttery toffee underneath it all.
Palate: Those dark fruits and murky spices drive the palate toward brown sugar, rum raisin, more of that brandied pear, old oak staves from an older cellar, soft reminiscent notes of cognac and Norman cider, and this fleeting sense of stewed prunes with a whisper of birch smoke.
Finish: The end goes full cognac with bright orchard fruits and berries with a hint of floral honey, soft vanilla oils, and sharp marmalade next to soft scones bespeckled with rum raisin and smeared with softly whipped salted butter over a plate made from dessert-wine-soaked oak staves.
Bottom Line:
This is a fantastic sipper. I’d highly recommend pairing this with a big East and/or Southeast Asian meal. There’s something about the honey, orange, plums, and pears that speaks to those flavor profiles.
6. Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 18 Years
This is a super rare limited release for fall 2023. The whiskey in the bottle is Beam’s standard mash bill that’s distilled at a slightly different temperature and treated with a little more care during aging by placing barrels in very specific locations throughout their vast warehouses. After 18 long years, the best of the best barrels are small batched, and just proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark molasses and pecan clusters with salted dark chocolate lead to brown butter, old figs, and salted caramel with a woody sense of cherry and apple bark next to cinnamon-laced cedar sticks with burnt orange.
Palate: The palate is full of lush vanilla notes next to singed cherry bark and apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, star anise, salted black licorice, and dark chocolate-covered espresso beans with a hint of dried red chili spice turning up the heat on the mid-palate.
Finish: The end has a floral honey sweetness that balances everything toward orange blossoms and bruised peaches, cherry tobacco, and clove tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Speaking of old Beam whiskey, this is another masterpiece. The beauty of this one is that it never feels “over-oaked” — or too woody. It’s soft and delicate with a luxurious mouthfeel that highlights soft sweetness, dark fruit, and warming spice. Pour it neat and enjoy the ride.
This is a four-year-old single-barrel version of Rabbit Hole’s beloved Heigold expression. That’s the brand’s double malt (malted rye and malted barley) that has a high-rye bourbon mash bill (70/25/5 corn/malted rye/malted barley). Prime barrels are bottled as-is at cask strength to highlight the beauty of Rabbit Hole’s spirit.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is lush with deep layers of maple syrup over pecan waffles with a good hit of salted butter (really good butter) next to dark chocolate chips, old boot leather, smudging sage that’s just smoldering, and a fleeting sense of old rickhouses on a crisp fall day.
Palate: The palate follows the nose’s path with caramelized pecans finished with floral honey and dusted with candied orange peels, ground pear chips, and very dark chocolate with a pinch of salt and apple blossom before the sharp and woody winter spice kicks in.
Finish: The end leans into the dryness of the winter spice mix before silky marzipan and maple syrup creamed with butter creates a luscious finish that slowly fades from warm to comforting.
Bottom Line:
This is a lush sipper. It’s so deep and fun with a sense of quintessential Kentucky bourbon vibes. While the price makes this feel like a celebratory sipper, this is the sort of bourbon that you’ll want to enjoy every day.
4. Augusta Distillery Buckner’s Aged 13 Years Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is a very niche brand out in rural Kentucky that’s sourcing old barrels. The whiskey in the bottle is a Kentucky straight bourbon that rested for 13 years before it was bottled completely as-is both unfiltered and at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of old barrel houses full of sweet and spice bourbon next to a gentle moment of creamy vanilla honey with old corn husks stuffed in the honey which is poured over spiced winter nut breads with a hint of butteriness and earthy nutshells.
Palate: The clove, allspice, and anise of the nut bread amp up the buttery palate with a sense of Earl Grey tea leaves, salted caramel, and mocha-heavy espresso beans next to a light marzipan moistness and hints of burnt orange next to old dry black cherry bark.
Finish: The end lingers for a while as the marzipan and orchard barks fade toward sharp eggnog spices and soft creaminess before the vanilla creamed honey slathers old oak staves with a good dose of earthy fall vibes kind of like a forest floor on a frosty day.
Bottom Line:
This is bold bourbon that’s balanced and subtle. It’s soft in all the right places and engagingly brash as a counterbalance. This will widen your eyes and then comfort you with that iconic Kentucky hug by the end.
3. Hardin’s Creek ‘Boston’ Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is part three of the Hardin’s Creek 2023 releases. This whiskey is a 17-year-old bourbon made with Beam’s classic mash bill. The whiskey spent all 17 of those years in rickhouses on the Boston, Kentucky campus (a little further south of the Bardstown area). Those warehouses are in a flatter area (instead of tucked away in hollers or perched atop hills). So the actual buildings had more access to bathing warm sunlight, wind, and rain — all of which slightly shifted the aging process of the barrels in those warehouses.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a classic medley of wet brown sugar cut with rich vanilla buttercream, cinnamon bark, and dark cherry cola just kissed with dark chocolate and salt.
Palate: The taste leans nutty (more almond shell than marzipan) with a deep sense of salted dark chocolate-covered espresso beans next to sticky toffee pudding, salted caramel sauce cut with orange zest, and a hint of coffee cake dipped in black tea with a fleeting sense of old rickhouses floors and dry tobacco.
Finish: That dry tobacco and earthiness amp up the finish as the spice barks sharpen toward a warming finish full of Kentucky hugs, vanilla beans, and soft spiced brandied cherries dipped in dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of how much the place a whiskey is aged can affect the final product. This has a depth that’s dark and almost murky with heavy chocolate and coffee oils that feel real with a sense of essential Beam flavor notes subtly layered in. It’s a dream to sip.
2. 15 STARS Fine Aged Spirits Sherry Cask Finish A Select Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in Sherry Casks
This 2023 release from 15 STARS was made from a blend of 10 and 13-year-old Kentucky and Indiana bourbons. Those barrels were batched by the 15 STARS crew and then the whiskey was re-barreled in sherry casks for a final touch of maturation. That whiskey was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plums, dates, and figs come through on the nose with deep marzipan cut with pear brandy and dipped in salted dark chocolate next to eggnog spices and creaminess with a good dose of Christmas nut cakes.
Palate: The eggnog lusciousness leads the palate toward soft vanilla cookies, salted caramel chews, and a hint of spiced plum jam next to buttermilk waffles studded with pecans before old cellar oak adds an earthen layer.
Finish: The sweetness of the leathery dried fruits drives the finish toward winter spice barks and berries with a sense of old pipe tobacco braided with smudging sage and a whisper of dried mint next to cedar and fall leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is an award-winning bourbon that lives up to the hype. It’s one of those bourbons that as soon as you sip, you’ll know why it’s so special. It’s straight-up delicious.
1. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Barrels
This new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is a collaboration with Chicago’s Goose Island’s iconic Bourbon County Stout. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of six- and seven-year-old Kentucky bourbons that are batched and then re-barreled into Bourbon County stout barrels. 12 months later, the whiskey is blended with another 9-year-old Kentucky bourbon, barely proofed, and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A moment of honey draws you in on the nose before veering toward rich and very dark chocolate with a deeply stewed cherry cut with oily vanilla, mulled wine spices, and pear brandy-soaked marzipan with a hint of candied orange zest, dry espresso beans, and moist tobacco leaves.
Palate: There’s a moment of malted chocolate shakes on the taste that leads to a rich spiced Christmas cake brimming with walnuts, sultanas, candied cherry, candied lemon rinds, and leathery dates that lead to moments of creamy and very boozy eggnog poured over a Black Forest Cake.
Finish: The Christmas spices, fruit cake, dried fruit, and eggnog all combine on the finish to create a rich and sumptuous finish full of luscious textures and just the right amount of spiced whiskey warmth.
Bottom Line:
This was one of my favorite pours of 2023. It’s rich, lush, and brings all the right depth while holding onto a silky texture. This is also a great pairing whiskey for big meals with big flavors — it can stand up and will accentuate anything (try it with wild game, trust us).
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