Spring is coming up, with the first official day of the new season being March 19. That means summer is coming, which means festival season is near. In recent months, fests have been unveiling their lineups, and we have another one today (February 20): Baja Beach Fest.
The 2024 edition of the annual event is set to go down from August 9 to 11 in Rosarito Beach, Mexico (which is barely across the border and just over a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, for reference). Headlining the three-day, 18-plus, reggaeton- and Latin-focused fest are Rauw Alejandro, Peso Pluma, Fuerza Regida, and Kali Uchis. Becky G, Yandel, Mora, Jhayco, Sech, Latin Mafia, Xavi, Jowell Y Randy, De La Ghetto, Alvaro Diaz, Snow The Product, and more.
When it comes to passes, prospective attendees can currently join a waitlist via the Baja Beach Fest website. Their are four tiers of three-day pass: 3-Day GA at $459, 3-Day GA+ at $629, 3-Day VIP at $959, and 3-Day La Playa at $2,059, with no hidden fees attached to any of those prices.
The beachside fest has a lot to offer beyond the music as a press release notes, “During the festival, the town comes alive with merchants, surfing, ATV riding, horseback riding, and other beach activities, street food, and more, creating a party atmosphere that extends for blocks in either direction.”
If you didn’t notice, the US is in the middle of yet another beer boom. There are currently nearly 10,000 breweries in the United States. That’s up from just under 3,500 only ten years ago. That’s a pretty massive change in only a decade. Myriad cities and states are leading the way in terms of number of breweries and quality of beer.
One of the best for both — and an OG in the whole craft beer scene — is Oregon. The Pacific Northwest state is home to more than 300 breweries. While there are a handful of states with more, it’s difficult to beat the overall appeal of the Beaver State for rabid beer fans. Not only does the state host breweries and brewhouses but it’s also known for its hop-growing prowess in the Willamette Valley and other areas. And, of course, it’s got an endless supply of beer lovers.
Not only is Portland’s Von Ebert Brewing an outstanding, award-winning brewery, but it’s also home to a restaurant — starring hand-tossed pizzas, smash burgers, and even house-made truffle parm chips.
Back to the beer — Von Ebert is well-known for its Northwest IPA, pilsner, and hazy IPA. On top of that, the brewery makes a trio of Italian-style pilsners and has myriad seasonal and limited-edition brews as well. While the OG location is in Portland’s famous downtown neighborhood “The Pearl,” there are four different Von Ebert locations in the metro area.
What to drink:
No trip to Von Ebert is complete without a pint of its award-winning Volatile Substance IPA. This 6.9% ABV banger boasts flavors like berries, citrus peels, and dank, resinous, pleasantly bitter pine.
When it comes to Oregon-based breweries, there are none more well-known than Deschutes. The Bend, Oregon-based brewery’s story began in 1988 when Gary Fish opened a small brewpub. He named it after the river that flows through the city. While there is a Portland location, if you’re going to get the real experience, you need to visit the Bend spot. At the Bend Public House, you’ll find all of your favorite Deschutes beers as well as limited-edition, seasonal, and Bend-only brews. You can also dine in small plates, soups, salads, and all of your favorite pub fare.
What to drink:
After you’ve enjoyed a Mirror Pond Pale Ale or Black Butter Porter on draft, we suggest trying something you can only get at the Deschutes Public House in Bend like Bachelor Bitter. This classic English-style bitter is known for its mix of caramel malts and British hops.
Located in the heart of Willamette Valley, Wolves & People is a farmhouse-style brewery that’s focused on wild, farmhouse, and wood-aged beer styles. If you’re a fan of a more rustic beer style, this brewery is a can’t-miss during your Oregon beer tour. There’s a beer garden when the weather is nice, but there are always snacks like uncured salami, Oregon chevre cheese, jerky, popcorn, and rosemary chips. There are also fifteen rotating taps featuring outstanding, complex beers.
What to drink:
If you visit Wolves & People, you must try one of its wild beers. We suggest Wild Queen, a 4.7% hoppy Saison known for its spicy, funky, floral flavors.
Opened in 2007, Double Mountain is both a brewery as well as a cidery. While its original location is Hood River, it has other locations in Woodstock and Overlook. Stop into the downtown Hood River brewery for their selection of appetized, sandwiches, and award-winning pizza paired with juicy IPAs, Kolsch-style beers, West Coast IPAs, pilsners, and other beer styles depending on the season.
On top of that, they also have a selection of ciders (if you’re into that sort of thing).
What to drink:
The way we see it, there’s no wrong time of year for a Kolsch-style beer. Double Mountain Kölsch is an unfiltered fruity, malty, crisp, lightly hoppy beer for all seasons.
You might know the name Tillamook because of the famous cheese that comes from this Oregon city. But maybe you should know the town because of de Garde Brewing. It’s one of the only breweries in the US to use spontaneous fermentation starring wild yeasts. This is the place to be if you enjoy wild ales. The beers from de Garde are oak-matured from between six months to more than five years. Stop into the tasting room for pints and bottles to go. It might not be as over-the-top as some of the other breweries, but for fans of traditional, funky, tart wild ales, this is a can’t-miss stop on your Oregon tour.
What to drink:
If you like wild ales, you can drink anything from de Garde and you’ll be more than happy. We suggest grabbing a bottle of its Petria Réserve. This fruity, tart, funky wild ale with made with Riesling grapes and matured for a full four years in oak casks.
Like Deschutes, Wayfinder Beer is fairly well-known in the craft beer world nationally. While some breweries are known for their IPA prowess, Wayfinder is all about the lagers. The brewery is centered on highlighting contemporary and traditional lager techniques to create award-winning beers. The pub has delicious foods like banh mi fries, a schnitzel sandwich, steak frites, and even a vegan sausage plate. Beer choices include pilsners, Vienna-style lagers, Czech-style black lagers, and more.
What to drink:
If you’re going to drink one beer at Wayfinder, make it one of its classic, European-style lagers. We suggest Hell, it’s Helles lagerbier. This award-winning beer is crisp, light, thirst-quenching, and filled with floral, earthy Noble hops.
You might know Astoria, Oregon as the setting for the 80s classic The Goonies, but it’s also home to one of the state’s best breweries. When you visit, you’ll be treated to a massive building featuring the Downstairs Pub, Upstairs, and the Lovell Taproom. All of this in a 1920s-era building that formerly held a Chevy dealership. Downstairs features a huge menu with everything from burgers to chicken sandwiches to albacore fish and chips to poutine.
Upstairs is all about the pizza and, while every spot has taps, the Lovell Taproom is the place to try seasonal favorites and unique limited-edition brews.
What to drink:
We love a good West Coast pilsner. If you venture to Fort George, grab a pint of Scatter Plot featuring Mittlefruh, Mosaic, and Citra hops. It gets its sweet, malty backbone from the use of Rahr Pils, GW 2Row, and Weyermann Carafoam malt.
This popular central Oregon brewery is based on the idea that you can make contemporary beer using the same traditional brewing techniques mixed with Champagne and wine processes to create something truly unique. Its beers are all-natural, made with spontaneous fermentation using wild yeast, and are known for their funky, yeasty, tart, sour flavor profile.
Visit the on-site tap room to sample their naturally carbonated Saisons, golden ales, sour ales, and wild ales.
What to drink:
You can’t go wrong with anything from The Ale Apothecary, but we suggest trying Little Star. This Saison was fermented in stainless steel tanks before being barrel matured with heather and Brettanomyces before being can-conditioned with cane sugar.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of 20 truly tasty bourbons. These whiskeys are ones that everyone should try at least once. They’re palate expanders, unique small batches, special single barrels, one-off masterpieces, and so much more. That all said, they’re ranked according to how deep those tasting profiles go. Think of the ranking as going from “Wow, that’s great bourbon” to “Holy Shit! This is another level!”
Sound good? Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This is sourced from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee bourbons. The hand-selected barrels are sent to New York where they’re blended in small batches (no more than five barrels), proofed with New York limestone mine water, and bottled. What you’re paying for here is the exactness of a whiskey blender finding great barrels and knowing how to marry them to make something bigger and better.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Raw pancake batter opens this one on the nose with sweet yet spicy mulled red wine next to orange rinds, soft vanilla pudding, and light mint waxiness — almost like a fresh candle.
Palate: The taste has a mix of marzipan next to dark chocolate and real maple syrup on the front before descending into soft notes of creamed vanilla honey, cherry compote, and orange-spiced tobacco layered into soft old oak.
Finish: The finish adds some more sweet spicy stewed cherry to that dark chocolate with layers of woody birch water cut with soft winter spice barks and more of that oaky tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a great introduction to the wider world of Widow Jane’s amazing blends and single barrels. This is deep, delicious, and defining. This is a sipping whiskey that’ll reward you will new notes on every revisit. It also makes a hell of an old fashioned with all that cherry, chocolate, and orange.
19. Filibuster Distillery Bottled-in-Bond Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 5 Years
This Virginia whiskey is a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made from locally grown grains — 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley — and local spring water in the Shenandoah Valley. After five years of mellowing in Appalachia, a small bundle of barrels is batched and proofed to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a waft of old porch wicker next to floral honey, burnt orange, black tea leaves, and a classic sense of woody cherry and vanilla.
Palate: The palate creams the honey while adding in soft oak and cherry pie filling with a hint of vanilla malt next to mulled wine spices — heavy with star anise, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a pinch of mace or cardamom.
Finish: The end has a dark chocolate-covered espresso bean vibe that leads to a mild dried cranberry note next to a strawberry-rhubarb-walnut crumble with a scoop of vanilla malted ice cream that finished back at the old porch wicker braided with dark cherry tobacco and dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bourbons that sneaks up on you. It’s classic for a moment, offering deep hints of nostalgia, then it goes deep into woody spice, old coffee houses, and malted sweet treats that take this beyond your average whiskey. This is a stellar pour that deserves a little time and effort to enjoy fully as a slow sipper.
18. Bib & Tucker Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
Bib & Tucker is a classic example of what great blending can do with sourced whiskey. The Tennessee whiskey is a marriage of 10-year-old whiskeys aged in the lowest char barrels available, allowing more direct contact with dried wood sugars rather than black charcoal filtration. Those barrels are blended and then proofed down with soft Tennessee water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of vanilla bean (pod, seeds, essence) up top with hints of spicy chewy tobacco, dry oak (almost pine), and a distant note of fresh corn husks.
Palate: The palate really holds onto that velvety vanilla as the corn husks dry out and notes of orange-infused dark chocolate mingle with that spicy tobacco, which starts buzzing on your tongue.
Finish: The end is longish, has touches of that dry pine, and holds onto both the vanilla and dried corn husks.
Bottom Line:
This is the sweet spot for Bib & Tucker. This is lush whiskey that sips so nicely while delivering a fruity vanilla-forward profile. That means that you can sip this neat or fold it into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail with ease. However, I would focus on the former as Bib & Tucker’s 6-year products are more attuned to cocktail mixing.
17. Almost Old Bones Bourbon 9 Years Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Old Bones is known for their 10-year-old bourbon releases but changed it up a bit for this late 2023 drop. The whiskey is a sourced Kentucky bourbon from Bardstown with a 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley mash bill. The whiskey barrels were left alone for nine years before batching and bottling with a light kiss of water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is pure classic Kentucky bourbon with a deep vanilla presence layered with soft orchard fruits, stewed and spiced cherry, and old barrelhouse earthiness.
Palate: The palate leans into the sweet/spicy vibes with dark cherries dipped in cinnamon syrup and served with vanilla sauce and shaved dark chocolate cut with a hint of oily tobacco and cedar bark.
Finish: The end leans into the tobacco and cedar with a deep oakiness that highlights woody winter spices, stewed fruits, and soft vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This new(ish) drop came out of nowhere and delivered an essential bourbon-sipping experience. Everything that you’d ever want from a deep and delectable bourbon is present with that little extra oomph to take this beyond the ordinary. Sip it neat and enjoy the ride.
16. Blue Run Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Reflection I
This whiskey was distilled at Castle & Key back in 2018. 200 of those barrels were hand-picked for this release to take a look back at the past two years of Blue Run and “reflect” upon the trials they brought and the successes they’ve had in making tasty whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a distinct note of tart yet slightly sweet cherry on the nose with a supporting cast of butterscotch candies, mild firewood, and a hint of pancake batter.
Palate: That batter becomes a stack of pancakes with vanilla-laced butter, maple syrup, and a few nuts thrown in that lead to a herb garden full of rosemary bushes, fresh thyme, and a touch of sharp spearmint.
Finish: That savory note mellows out through the mid-palate as a dusting of nutmeg rounds out the finish with hints of woody maple syrup and a final echo of that tart cherry.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that goes that extra step. The savory lush herbs and soft winter spices just work on the palate as the dessert vibes balance a hearty sweet breakfast with a digestif vibe. Pour this one after a big meal and let wash over you. It’ll work wonders.
15. Thomas S. Moore Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks
This release from Sazerac’s other distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery, has become a yearly standard release. The whiskey in the bottle is generally kept under wraps. We do know that the bourbon is finished in Cabernet Sauvignon casks for a spell before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Stone fruit and vanilla lead on the nose with hints of brown-butter sugar cookies, bright peach fresh off the tree, and old yet soft oakiness that’s sweet and just kissed with the dirt from an old cellar floor.
Palate: The palate leans into cherry bark with juicy plums, sharply spiced mulled wine, creamy vanilla, and woody sassafras that gently lean toward grape must and a hint of fruity yeasts.
Finish: The spice on the mid-palate leads to some old boot leather, more of that soft oak, and a hint of sweet potting soil with a plummy finish that’s lush and darkly sweet with a whisper of smudging sage lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
This is another sleeper hit. You do see these on shelves, but they’re often dusty. This is an excellent food-pairing whiskey or whiskey for a wine lover. There’s a wonderful balance of red wine that accents the bourbon in all the right ways. Again, this is a slow sipper, so don’t rush and take your time finding all the hidden nuances in the profile.
Once you’ve done that, you need to make a Manhattan with this one. It’ll be fantastic.
This bourbon starts as Penelope’s beloved and much-lauded four-grain bourbon. That whiskey is then re-barreled into Spanish Vino de Naranja casks from Valencia before small batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of burnt orange and cinnamon toast on the nose that leads to a hint of cherry vanilla cream soda with chocolate chip cookies cut with orange zest.
Palate: That orange zest turns into chunky orange marmalade on the palate over buttery southern biscuits, woody mulled wine spices, wet brown sugar, and oily vanilla pods.
Finish: The end has a nice bitterness to it tied to the orange rinds and seeds with a hint of orange blossom next to salted dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is a specialty pour that works. The orange presents so clearly. It’s vibrant and playful with a nice balance of bourbon classic notes amped up with the burst of orange. That also makes this a great option for mixing up orange-forward old fashioneds or just sipping over some rocks.
13. Garrison Brothers HoneyDew Straight Bourbon Whiskey Infused with Honey
This is technically a “flavored” bourbon but it’s nothing like any other flavored bourbon you’ve ever had. This is Garrison’s Small Batch Bourbon that’s been infused with Burleson’s Texas Wildflower Honey. That means that the bourbon was transferred to a steel tank for storage. In the meantime, those empty barrels were rebuilt into smaller wooden cubes and dipped into the honey until they were completely honey-laden. Those cubes were then put into the steel vats of bourbon to infuse the whiskey over seven long months. That makes the “flavoring” more akin to additional aging rather than adding a sugar syrup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with clear bourbon notes that worn leather, dry straw, and apple next to elderflower, ripe peaches and apricots, and a touch of raw honey.
Palate: That honey note creates a bridge to the palate which is full of wildflowers, orange oils, cinnamon buns with a little pecan, and a final honey drizzle that’s almost creamy.
Finish: The finish is a balance between the rich honey vibes and the clear sense of bourbon with cinnamon spice, dry pecans, and orange oils all slowly soaking into a pot full of honey.
Bottom Line:
This is perfectly balanced honeyed bourbon. It’s floral and almost light with a deep sense of dark and stormy bourbon underneath. Everything is singing in harmony in this pour, making it a great and fun sipper when you’re looking for a truly unique pour.
12. Laws Whiskey House Cognac Foeder Finished Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This Colorado four-grain bourbon starts with standard aging for two years in new American oak. The barrels that hit just the right mark are then batched and re-filled into cognac casks for additional mellowing. Once those barrels hit the right flavor profile, the whiskey is vatted into a 50-year-old French oak foeder (huge barrel, basically) where it rests for a spell before bottling. That foeder is never fully emptied, creating heritage to all the bourbon that passes through it year after year.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This season’s nose has a sense of Earl Grey tea leaves just touched with champagne next to stewed plums and apples with a sense of Saigon cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg, and ground allspice.
Palate: The palate is rich and lush with an apple butter thickness and spice next to singed cedar bark and apple bark over rum-raisin, creamy eggnog, and a whisper of pear.
Finish: The end has a creamy and lush vibe that leans into vanilla and nog with a whisper of holiday cake imbued tobacco rolled with cellar oak and rich caramel sauce.
Bottom Line:
This is another palate-expanding bourbon. There are lovely new and fresh notes going on with this pour that just work. This is one that you’ll want to take your time with though. Add water or ice, re-nose, and re-taste — this whiskey will always reward your patience and effort with greatness.
11. Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Tale of Two Islands
This new release from Barrell Craft Spirits is a unique one. The whiskey in the bottle is batched from Indiana bourbon (five, six, and nine-year-old barrels) with Maryland bourbon (five and six-year-old barrels). Once batched, the whiskey is re-barreled into rum casks and Islay whisky casks. Then those barrels are batched and the whiskey is bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with big notes of bananas foster, peach cobbler, and blackberry crumble next to roasting herbs, smoldering smudging sage, old cedar kindling, and rich vanilla-chocolate malted tobacco with a dash of Cherry Coke and Almond Joy.
Palate: Lushness dominates the palate with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, candied orange peels, candied almonds, black cherry soda, cream soda, plum pudding, and mincemeat pies dusted with powdered sugar before dark and lightly smoked oak arrives.
Finish: That smoky oak leads to pepper brisket fat and salted butter cut with cedar tobacco before veering toward blackberry pie and red currants swimming in dark chocolate with a faint whisper of fresh vanilla pods.
Bottom Line:
Keeping on the “palate expanding” train, this one is a must-have. The subtle notes of smoke that sneak into this one are just brilliant. It helps that the base whiskey is pretty amazing already but that finishing touch takes this from a 10/10 to an 11/10 easily. Sip it slowly and enjoy the ride over to Scotland via Kentucky.
10. Remus Repeal Reserve VII Straight Bourbon Whiskey
2023’s Remus Repeal Reserve is here! The Seventh edition is made from a lot of Indiana bourbons from Ross & Squibb — 6% is a 2007 21% rye bourbon, 26% is a 2013 21% rye bourbon, another 26% is a 2013 36% rye bourbon, 21% is a 2014 21% rye bourbon, and the final 21% is a 2014 36% rye bourbon. Once batched, the whiskey was just kissed with water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Pecan waffles covered in salted butter and fresh maple syrup pop on the nose next to candied cherry, rum raisin, and cinnamon-heavy apple cider with a kick of fresh pipe tobacco and silky vanilla cream.
Palate: That silkiness creates a lush palate full of more rum raisin, brandy-soaked cherries, old cinnamon sticks soaked in mulled wine, walnut-laden Christmas cakes, and soft oakiness with a sweet tobacco edge.
Finish: The cinnamon amps up on the warm finish with more of that creamy vanilla veering toward eggnog with a dusting of nutmeg and drizzled with salted caramel before a whisper of peppermint candy cane arrives with an underlying sense of old oak cellars.
Bottom Line:
This is an essential bottle of bourbon to have on hand. It’s so deep, interesting, and fanciful. This is truly everything (and more) that you could want from an American whiskey. Sip it slow or mix it into one of the best whiskey cocktails money can buy.
9. Redwood Empire Devils Tower High Rye Bourbon Whiskey
This new release from Redwood Empire out in California is a very small batch — only 25 barrels — of good straight bourbon. The mash is super unique with only 51% corn supported by 45% rye, 2% malted barley, and 2% wheat. Those barrels rested until just right for batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a delicate blend of stewed red fruits with a deep and woody spice mix completed by soft leather, cedar bark, and soft pipe tobacco with a hint of cherry syrup.
Palate: The taste leans into the cherry with a deep clove, allspice, and cinnamon vibe before hitting a touch of grassy rye and buttery grits all rolled into an old leather tobacco pouch and placed in an old humidor that’s scented with brandied cherries.
Finish: The end has a subtle and well-rounded sense of classic bourbon with a warming touch of woody spice, dark and stewed red fruit, and deep vanilla creaminess with a hint of nutshell and tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Redwood Empire has always been on their game when it comes to releases. But last, say six months, they’ve started hitting dingers out of the ballpark nonstop. This is just great all-around bourbon that goes well beyond classic into something bigger and bolder while still feeling comforting. It’s kind of like coming home again to a house that’s been remodeled in all the right ways.
Use this one as a slow sipper on a slow day and you’ll be all set.
8. Bainbridge Whiskey Forty Saloon Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch Organic Bottled In Bond
Bainbridge Organic has been making seriously great whiskey up in Washington for years now. This whiskey is their first foray into bourbon. The mash bill is a unique recipe of 60% heirloom corn, 25% old variety Triticale (a rye-wheat hybrid), and 15% soft white wheat mix. The whiskey is left alone for five years and six months before batching and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of old corn husks that gives way to salted caramel candies dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with dried lavender and burnt orange on the nose.
Palate: The caramel and chocolate sweetness drive the palate toward vanilla-cherry ice cream with a super creamy feel next to mild hints of grassy spices and new oak barrels fresh off the assembly line (think sweet and freshly toasted wood).
Finish: The grassy spice and toasted sweet oak dry the finish out as more cherry-vanilla creaminess balances out the finish with a hint of marmalade and cedar-infused scone on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a true hidden gem. You’ll probably have to be in the Pacific Northwest to source this. That said, it’s 100% worth seeking out as it’s perfectly balanced and delicious while offering a sense of place (that moment of cedar at the end will transport you). Just make sure to sip this one slowly and add water along the journey to let it bloom in the glass.
7. Peerless Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This whiskey from Kentucky Peerless is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. That final barrel is bottled at cask strength, as-is, allowing all that beautiful bourbon and oak aging to shine brightly.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a nose full of salted butter next to hints of very soft leather, light notes of vanilla bean, a touch of toffee sweetness, and freshly cracked walnuts with a dry edge.
Palate: The taste leans into that oak barrel with dashes of woody spices (think allspice berries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks), dry cherry tobacco leaves, salted caramel, and more of that super soft leather.
Finish: That leads towards a mid-palate of dark red fruits stewed in mulled wine spices and cut with a dollop of fresh honey before the (long) finish dries out towards an old wicker chair, a very distinct hint of a cellar funk, and a touch of dried mint.
Bottom Line:
This is Peerless’ highwater mark from their line. It’s a delectable bourbon that takes the idea of “double oak” to another level without washing the whiskey out with just “wood”. It’s a warmer pour, so make sure to use water and ice to open this one up when sipping. As a side note, this whiskey will make a mean whiskey-forward cocktail too, especially a Sazerac.
6. Wilderness Trail High Rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Wilderness Trail is the whiskey nerd’s whiskey. Their High Rye Bourbon is a mash of 64% corn, 24% rye, and 12% barley grains fermented with a proprietary Wildness Trail yeast using the sweet mash process. The whiskey then spends four years and nine months aging before it’s bottled without any filtration and barely proofed.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a mild holiday cake vibe with brown spice, fatty nuts, and dried fruit mingling with touches of sweet oak, chocolate-covered berries, and buttermilk biscuits on the nose.
Palate: The taste has a buttered-biscuit-smothered-with-berry-jam vibe that’s touched with winter spice, a note of sweetened vanilla, and soft chewing tobacco just kissed with winter mint while a whisper of smudging sage lurks in the background.
Finish: The end is long and warm while leaning back into the dark jammy fruits as the vanilla and spice create a silken mouthfeel.
Bottom Line:
This is a berry-forward whiskey that works wonders as a palate enticer. You’ll want to go back for more of this one. Sipping it slowly and adding water will reveal more buttery creaminess, salted caramel, and a cafe mocha vibe that sings with dark jammy berries.
This contract-distilled wheated bourbon — 68% corn, 18% wheat, and 14% malted barley — is very reminiscent of wheated bourbons from the iconic Heaven Hill. The whiskey spends an undisclosed amount of years aging before it goes into only 15 Casknolia Pedro Ximenez sherry casks per batch (a truly small batch of bourbon). Those barrels are then blended and touched with that soft Kentucky limestone water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fruit shines through on the nose with fresh raspberries mingling with strawberry jam, Bing cherries, and dried plums and apricots with a hint of leather and winter spice baking that fruit up.
Palate: The palate really embraces those fruits with a tart and sour vibe to the cherries and red berries while the leather leans raw and the spices lean toward cinnamon and tobacco with a caramel mid-palate.
Finish: The sweetness fades quickly as the finish continues with berries and spice while the cherry attaches to the tobacco and soft cedar on the end.
Bottom Line:
The fruitness of this whiskey is so succinct and inviting that it makes this a great all-around sipper. The depth just keeps going and will reward revisits and judicious mixing into whiskey-forward cocktails.
4. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Pineau des Charentes Barrels
This whiskey from craft-distilling darling Starlight in Indiana is a masterpiece of distilling and aging. The juice is made from a high-corn mash with a touch of rye and malted barley in the mix alongside local water. The hot spirit goes into new white oak Canton barrels for about four years before it is refilled into hand-picked Pineau des Charentes casks from France (that’s a light grape-forward fortified wine) for a final maturation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a soft sense of sultanas soaked in brandy with an echo of an old cheese cellar oak beams, vanilla wafers with floral honey pressed between them, almond crescent cookies, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, and orange and clove marmalade with a hint of savory scone.
Palate: The palate builds on the nose with layers of dark berry fruit leather, spiced holiday cakes with dates, allspice, and plenty of almond (and maybe some walnut) next to chestnut chutney cut with orange, pear, sultana, and a good dollop of winter spices with a hint of caramelized dark ale lurking underneath it all.
Finish: The end is a supple landing in softly spiced and dark fruity bourbon notes by way of a luxurious holiday cake soaked in brandy.
Bottom Line:
This is sold out for the moment. Hopefully, we’ll see another batch soon. If you can find a pour (likely at a great whiskey bar), get a double. This is so freaking tasty and delightful as a sipper that it could easily be ranked number one (that basically means that I’m really splitting hairs from this point on in the ranking).
This whiskey — a revival of a centuries-old dead brand — is from the new company founded by Heaven Hill’s Andrew Shapira with partners Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky, based around the Rare Character Whiskey shingle. The whiskey in the bottle is rendered from six barrels of six-year-old whiskey that’s expertly batched and bottled with just a touch of local Kentucky water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a beautiful sense of fresh orange blossom and nasturtiums on the nose with a lush honeycomb vibe next to stewed plums with hints of clove and allspice.
Palate: The palate is luxurious with a sense of salted caramel, cherry Dr. Pepper, and sticky toffee pudding with plenty of winter spice, salted toffee, orange zest, brandy butter, and black-tea-soaked dates.
Finish: The end has a sense of plum pudding with burnt sugars and orange tobacco kissed with anise and clove and rolled up with wild sage and cedar bark and wrapped in old leather pouches.
Bottom Line:
I’m going to have to use the “q” word, folks. This is quintessential Kentucky bourbon from top to bottom. If you’re looking for the perfect pour/sipper of KY whiskey, this is the bottle you stock at home. It makes a perfect slow sipper and cocktail base. You can’t lose with this bottle.
2. Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is a high water mark of what standard Wild Turkey can achieve. The Russells select the “honey barrels” (those special barrels that are as much magic as craft) from their rickhouses for single barrel bottling. The resulting whiskey is non-chill filtered but is cut down slightly to proof with that soft Kentucky water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Vanilla cream spiked with orange oils and sprinkled with toasted coconut mingle with spicy oak and buttery cake on the nose with an underpinning of winter spices by way of a sour mulled wine.
Palate: The palate opens with easy notes of marzipan, subtle dried roses, vanilla pods, more winter spices, and singed cherry bark.
Finish: The end arrives with a sense of Almond Joy next to cherry tobacco dipped in chili-infused dark chocolate with a flake of salt and a pinch of cedar dust and old leather saddles.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that’s just everything you want from a Kentucky bourbon. It’s so approachable without sacrificing depth or nuance. This over a single big rock is an amazing slow-sipping whiskey.
1. Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 2
Jack Daniel’s 12-year Batch 2 is here! The mash at the base of this whiskey is a mix of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye. Those grains are milled in-house and mixed with cave water pulled from an on-site spring and Jack Daniel’s own yeast and lactobacillus that they also make/cultivate on-site. Once fermented, the mash is distilled twice in huge column stills. The hot spirit is then filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal that’s also made at the distillery. Finally, the filtered whiskey is loaded into charred new American oak barrels and left alone in the warehouse. After 12 years, a handful of barrels were ready; so they were batched, barely proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose bursts forth with soft and bright fruits — kind of like a package of Starbursts — before leaning into a luscious sense of stewed prunes and figs next to mulled wine spices and brandy-soaked vanilla cookies dipped in salted caramel chewing tobacco.
Palate: That Starburst vibe explodes on the palate with all the colors of the fruity sweet rainbow before a thick and creamy vanilla creaminess drives the palate toward burnt orange and vanilla wafers just kissed with Nutella and tobacco stems.
Finish: That tobacco takes on the creamy vanilla with nice layers of dark chocolate, an old barrel house, and soft and smoldering fall leaves wrapped in apple-smoked tobacco leaves bunched into an old cedar box.
Bottom Line:
Yes, this is going to cost more than the MSRP price listed above if you don’t act quickly. This whiskey is getting released in the next weeks and will be on shelves for this price. And then it’ll skyrocket up to around $500 per bottle.
This whiskey is worth standing in line for. This is the best Jack Daniel’s release/age statement whiskey of the modern era. It’s so good that it’s already a contender for bourbon of the year. If you can, buy two as we won’t see these again until 2025.
Gillis’ controversial remarks were made on his podcast, which to the surprise of no one, has not improved in the five years since Gillis was ousted at SNL. In fact, according to a new report from Seth Simons, Gillis has routinely featured two guests, Matt McCusker and Andrew Pacella, who have a documented history of denying the Holocaust. And their controversial views don’t stop there.
McCusker and Pacella have dedicated their podcasting career to exploring conspiracy theories, of which they subscribe to quite a few. They are Sandy Hook truthers, arguing in two separate episodes of Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast that the slaughter never happened. They are 9/11 truthers who believe, per Pacella, that “the Israelis” knew about the attacks in advance and may have orchestrated them “to take over our media and destroy our country.” They believe in Pizzagate, the conspiracy theory that inspired a gunman to fire three shots at Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C., pizza shop. In 2021, Pacella and McCusker walked their listeners through a lengthy document that argues Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis—who they said may be “a bastard Rothschild”—trafficked and perhaps even murdered children.
While they’re clearly no strangers to every wacko conspiracy theory under the sun, denying the Holocaust appears to be McCusker and Pacella’s main wheelhouse on their WarMode podcast.
“Prove to me that it happened,” Pacella said on a March 2020 episode. “Show me, historians. Why are they lying, dude? Why are all these so-called survivors making up stories, then? It was a hallucination. OK, man. How about the actual footage of the showers, bro?”
As Simons argues for The Daily Beast, Gillis is about to boost his public profile by hosting SNL this weekend, which will undoubtedly lead people to his Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast where McCusker and Pacella are routine guests even after Gillis told them to pull back on their antisemitism. They did not.
If you appreciate a great bottle of tequila — savoring the flavor notes the way we like to — you’ve probably winced at hearing a house guest exclaim “Let’s take shots!” Especially when they see it after seeing your curated collection of high-quality bottles. Because while you might know what separates a great bottle from a good one, that doesn’t mean your friends do. Yes, the best bottles take us on a journey featuring flavors that bloom, shift, and change as they greet the palate but not everyone drinks tequila like that.
For some people, drinking is merely a means to get a nice head change, to celebrate a moment, or to toast to something big or small. And you can’t fault them for that without being a jerk.
In those situations, you don’t have to waste your best bottles, though. Every bar cart should have a high-end sipper, a great tequila for an elevated cocktail, and — the subject of this article — a great bottle for shots.
When I say “great,” I don’t mean in the same way your Fortaleza Winter Blend is a great bottle. In this case, I mean something cheap(ish!) but tasty enough that it doesn’t totally burn your esophagus or make you feel like you’re drinking jet fuel. To help you find those picks, we’re shouting out our favorite bottles for shots and ranking them. Let’s drink!
Nosotros is produced at one of the more crowded distilleries, NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila, and uses a mix of lowland and highland agave, giving it a nice mix of fruity, earthy and herbaceous flavors.
The tequila has taken home Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright green grass on the nose. There is a warm quality to this tequila that singes the nostrils a bit.
Palate: Celery and asparagus dominate with a hint of cool mint and herbs.
Finish: Surprisingly floral cut with a bit of citrus
The Bottom Line:
Very green-tasting and herbaceous but it lacks a kick. That’s a winner for a lot of shot-takers but we like a little more punch.
Tequila snobs are going to get all worked up I’m including this one and I get it. Casamigos is a celebrity tequila (even though Clooney and Gerber sold it 7 years ago) and isn’t additive-free, making it supremely smooth and easy to drink, and, well, that’s exactly why I’m including it.
When you’re taking shots you want a smooth experience, something that isn’t going to burn your throat and ideally something that will taste pleasing to the palate. Casamigos gives you that. It’s a people-pleaser tequila, it’s not for the tequila snob, it’s for the casual drinker.
. Tasting Notes:
Nose: The vanilla is present right on the nose but it’s mixed with a lot of earthiness as well, giving it a nice balance. I’m getting earth, fresh cut grass, roasted agave, and rich vanilla.
Palate: On the palate, Casamigos leans vegetal and green with some hints of asparagus, and bright citrus. Those notes are counterbalanced by black pepper notes which give this tequila a subtle burn.
Finish: Black pepper on the finish and those famous vanilla notes.
The Bottom Line:
Casamigos is one of the best-selling tequila brands in the world, and that’s not because of Clooney. It’s because this tequila is easy to drink. A real people pleaser and a perfect tequila for taking shots.
This of Don Julio as a leveled-up version of Casamigos. It has that sweet people-pleasing character but is a bit more complex in its flavor profile. This tequila is made from agave cooked in stone brick ovens, is roller mill extracted, and fermented in stainless steel tanks at NOM 1449.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Warm and inviting roasted agave and vanilla. A deep breath will reveal notes of cinnamon.
Palate: Lush chocolate with a bit of spice, soft green tea bitterness, and crisp green pepper.
Finish: A lot of pepper on the finish, a mix of celery and citrus. There is a juicy quality to this that brings you in for more.
The Bottom Line:
Easy drinkability with a bit of spice and sweetness.
Tres Agaves is seriously overlooked, and I sort of get it. It doesn’t have the most beautiful label design, and at under $30 it could be easy to write this tequila off before you even try it. That would be a mistake, as this is a fantastic tequila in this price range.
This additive-free tequila is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, using agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave. Once cooked the juices are extracted via a roller mill and bottled right after distillation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A two-note hit of zesty orange peel and roasted agave.
Palate: Bright citrus with juicy pear flavors and a twist of sweet carmelized agave.
Finish: A nice subtle peppery burn. Not enough to be considered harsh but strong enough to feel.
The Bottom Line:
An affordable additive-free tequila that is heavy on the agave character.
Of all the tequilas in this ranking, Arette is the one I have the least experience drinking (I only got my hands on a bottle last month) but it continues to impress. Arette is an additive-free tequila produced at NOM 1107, Tequila Arette de Jalisco, and is made from agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, is roller mill extracted, and fermented in stainless steel pots with copper coils.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A wet earthy quality leads the way before blooming into warm and comforting agave notes.
Palate: A bit salty with a mix of citrus and vegetal flavors. There is a very natural quality to this tequila with a nice green grass and wet soil flavor.
Finish: Spicy, earthy and dry.
The Bottom Line:
A surprisingly natural-tasting agave-forward blanco tequila in this price range. It doesn’t have a whole lot of depth, but everything here is pleasing. That’s the “shots” sweet spot.
Of all the expressions in the El Tequileño roster, the blanco would be my last choice. Not because it’s not good, but rather because I find it less complex and interesting than the repo or añejo. This makes it a great for shots.
El Tequileño is the only brand in production at NOM 1108, Jorge Salles Cuervo y Sucesores. The agave is cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, fermented in a cement tank, twice distilled, and bottled completely additive-free.
Nose: Roasted agave and citrus with just a bit of nostril-burning ethanol.
Palate: A nice juicy orange character mixed with caramelized agave and a hint of baking spices.
Finish: Smooth with a touch of vanilla and a strong burn.
For under $30, you’re getting a lot out of Cimarron’s reposado. This bottle is additive-free and made using estate-grown agave that is slow-cooked in an autoclave, roller mill extracted, and rested for three to six months in American white oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spicy cinnamon, roasted agave, and just a bit of oak. There is a very mellow and pleasing quality to this inviting tequila.
Palate: The smell translates directly to the palate. Agave and cinnamon dominate with some caramel notes, a bit of brown sugar molasses, and some of that barrel.
Finish: Floral with a mix of vanilla and dry oak.
The Bottom Line:
Cimarron punches way above its weight. An affordable additive-free mellow reposado.
Suerte is produced at NOM 1530, Tequilera Simbolo, where it is the only brand in production. The agave is harvested from a single estate and cooked low and slow in stone ovens before being extracted via a tahona, fermented in open-air stainless steel tanks, and aged in American ex-bourbon barrels for seven months to reach the repo state.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The oak character wafts from the glass backed with caramelized agave and butterscotch candies.
Palate: A strong emphasis on the caramel here backed with agave, some citrus, cinnamon, and a hint of earthy cracked black pepper.
Finish: Agave and oak, it echoes the nose surprisingly well with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel.
The Bottom Line:
This tequila leans sweet and spicy (think baking spices, not chili) but still has a prominent agave flavor.
Just before we take a deeper dive into Tapatio I want to say that this tequila came neck and neck with our number one choice. I consider them tied, and could’ve gone back and forth about which deserves the top spot but I’m putting my foot down and saying Tapatio comes in second because it has a licorice quality to it that I’m not completely into.
Produced at NOM 1129, La Alteña, Tapatio’s blanco is made from agave that is harvested at peak maturity and slow-cooked in masonry ovens. The juice is roller mill extracted and fermented in open-air wood vats for 72-96 hours before being distilled in copper pots.
Tapatio is completely additive-free.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The usual suspects are here: roasted agave and a hint of citrus, but those aromas are joined by a bit of wet grass and a twist of juicy key lime.
Palate: A bouquet of citrus notes, tang from tangerine, a bit of bitterness from grapefruit, and a juicy quality ala orange joined with the slightest hint of licorice.
Finish: Black pepper that lives on the palate long after you’ve swallowed. If you like a flavor that sticks around, Tapatio is going to give that to you.
The Bottom Line:
A lot of flavor and character to latch on to here, even while shooting. Surprisingly complex flavors that you don’t even have to savor to appreciate.
What I love about Tequila Ocho is its versatility. Yes, you can sip this unaged additive-free tequila and be taken on a journey of complex and deep flavors. But, the tequila is in the perfect price point to mix in a cocktail without fear of diluting that complexity and even shooting it doesn’t feel like a complete waste (though we recommend low-key sipping it while the rest of your friends knock it back).
Made from agave harvested between 7-10 years slow cooked in brick ovens for 48 hours. The cooked agave is rested for an additional 24 hours before being crushed by a roller mill. The resulting juice is fermented in wood vats and twice distilled in a copper pot.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A perfect mix between zesty orange peel character and warm roasted agave.
Palate: More zest on the palate coupled with earthy slightly floral black pepper and fresh herbs. There is a cilantro-like quality here, so if that’s not your thing, you might be better served by our number two pick.
Finish: More pepper on the aftertaste with a light hint of mint and a pleasing burning aftertaste.
The Bottom Line:
Zesty and agave forward with a nice peppery bite. The perfect shooter.
Adrianne Lenker’s forthcoming album, Bright Future, is due out next month. Ahead of its release, the Big Thief leader has shared a slew of singles from the project, including “Ruined.” Today (February 20), Lenker unveiled yet another song, “Fool.”
Just sharing the audio of the retrospective look at love wasn’t enough for Lenker. So, she tapped the creative expertise of her brother, Noah Lenker, to direct its official video. In the visual, Lenker and friends put their silly personalities on full display, re-imagining a cross-species and non-gendered Western film. The fantasy is fulfilled with dogs dressed in tutus and Lenker in her country’s best, making for an interesting viewing.
In a note posted to Lenker’s personal Instagram page, she discussed the inspiration behind the record. “‘Fool’ is a buoyant questioning of creaturey loopiness,” she wrote.
As for the creative process behind the track, producer Philip Weinrobe shared his perspective in a press release. “I feel like I can hear her laughing and smiling when I listen back to this song,” he said. “The joy is palpable. The fireplace was ripping, Oso was barking, and the vibe was just right. After we captured this one, I knew we were gonna make a special record.”
Watch Lenker’s new video for “Fool” above.
Bright Future is out 3/22 via 4AD. Find more information here.
Now, Netflix might have done the same for Loudermilk, the former Audience Network series that ran for three seasons and then presumably died with Audience Network. The very funny show about Ron Livingston’s recovering alcoholic/grumpy a-hole character has been hitting Nielsen charts since debuting in January on Netflix, even reaching their second highest TV slot (in terms of streaming minutes). So, that has of course produced whispers about whether the show will be resurrected and where that could happen. Yes, of course, one of the co-creators has a plot in mind, so let’s talk it out.
Plot
Created by Peter Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber) and Bobby Mort (The Colbert Report), Loudermilk follows ex-music critic Sam Loudermilk, who hates the world and would likely feel even more anger-bear-ish in 2024. He’s sober and sarcastic as hell, but somehow, this show never wore out that mood’s “welcome” within three seasons. Instead, it’s a wholehearted little jaunt that revolves around spectacularly drawn characters.
Could the show truly return? Farrelly is all for it. There’s been zero confirmation thus far from any streaming service, but Farrelly recently told Deadline that he’s always had a fourth season story in his back pocket and “can easily pull the entire cast back together.” Oh, do tell:
“Loudermilk sells his book, finally, and now we cut back three-four years later, his book has come out. That takes a year. It’s a huge hit, and now Loudermilk’s on top of again. Loudermilk is back to being Loudermilk, and yet, he has to deal with these same guys, his group.”
“So, he’s got one foot in this celebrity world again, and he’s having lunch with Neil Young, and by the end, he has to rush back to see these guys, and it’s like how do you make that work? And it’s also the slippery slope of stardom, and it becomes Loudermilk meets Larry Sanders because you got real celebrities in there and real rock stars, and it really gets fun,” Farrelly explains.
Farrelly further suggested that he will start floating his ideas to various streaming services, but his “dream” destination is Netflix: “It’s got a home there.” He’s not joking.
Cast
There shall be no Loudermilk without Ron Livingston’s grump face. From there, ideally, any future seasons will include Laura Mennell (as neighbor/love girlfriend Allison Montgomery), Will Sasso (as roommate/sobriety sponsor Ben Burns), and Anja Savcic (as Claire Wilkes).
Release Date
No answer can feasibly exist here until Netflix gives a fourth season the greenlight. However, you can bet that Farrelly would pull things together fast when it happens. Let’s put 2025 in our collective mind’s eye.
Trailer
Oh, c’mon. Until a trailer materializes, you’ll have to make do with the first three seasons of the show, or watch this clip where Loudermilk can’t let a clichéd analogy pass without comment. Good for him.
It seems 2024 is going to even be a bigger deal for Nourished By Time, as he announced his upcoming EP, Catching Chickens. The first glimpse of the project is his new song, “Hand On Me,” which focuses on a relationship being destroyed by a lack of trust.
It also received a music video, which was directed by Josh Renaut. “The video is about being reminded that you’re an angel by other angels, featuring a surrealist commentary on celebrity culture,” Nourished By Time shared in a statement.
As for what fans can expect from other tracks on the EP, “Had Ya Called” finds himself struggling after a friendship grows apart, and “Hell Of A Ride” will focus on “the fall of the American empire and late-stage capitalism loneliness,” per a press release.
Throughout last year, Nourished By Time gained traction for his album, Erotic Probiotic 2, and his collaboration with Yaeji on her With A Hammer track, “Happy.”
Check out “Hand On Me” above. Continue scrolling to view the Catching Chickens cover art and tracklist.
Nourished By Time’s Catching Chickens EP Artwork
XL Recordings
Nourished By Time’s Catching Chickens EP Tracklist
1. “Hell Of A Ride”
2. “Hand On Me”
3. “Poison-Soaked”
4. “Had Ya Called”
5. “Romance In Me”
Catching Chickens is out 3/22 via XL Recordings. Find more information here.
Goldenvoice is a dominant force in the festival space, as they’re the company behind events like Coachella, Stagecoach, and a handful of other beloved fests. Now their empire continues to grow with today’s (February 20) news: Goldenvoice’s latest new fest is called No Values, and it’s a punk-focused event that’s set to go down on June 8 at Pomona, California’s Fairplex.
The biggest names on the poster are Misfits, Social Distortion, Iggy Pop, Turnstile, Bad Religion, and Sublime. Notably, the fest will also feature the return of Power Trip, following the death of singer Riley Gale in 2020. As the band announced on social media, they’ll be joined by Seth Gilmore, singer of the bands Fugitive and Skourge.
Tickets go on sale starting February 23 at 11 a.m. PT. GA tickets start at $199, while VIP goes for $399 (neither price includes fees, although all passes include free parking). Learn more at the No Values website.
Check out the full No Values lineup below.
No Values Festival 2024 Lineup
The Adicts
The Adolescents
Agent Orange
The Aquabats
Bad Religion
Black Flag
The Bronx
Ceremony
Cro-Mags
The Damned
The Dead Milkmen
The Dickies
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Exploited
Fear
Fidlar
Fishbone
Hepcat
Iggy Pop
Jello Biafra (DJ Set)
The Jesus Lizard
Joyce Manor
L7
The Lawrence Arms
Misfits
Mourning Noise
MSPAINT
Power Trip
Scowl
The Selecter
Shattered Faith
The Skeletones
Social Distortion
Soul Glo
Steve Ignorant
Sublime
Suicidal Tendencies
T.S.O.L.
Turnstile
Untouchables
The Vandals
Viagra Boys
No Values Festival 2024 Lineup Poster
Goldenvoice
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
For Black clubgoers, attending a music festival or exploring nightlife will more than likely lead to a feeling of isolation from a lack of other Black attendees combined with the absence of Black music. If you’ve found yourself aimlessly pacing back and forth on a crowded, primarily-white dance floor wondering when you’ll hear a familiar artist, you’re not alone.
At Dweller, an annual electronic music festival in New York City, this isn’t an issue. Black DJs and producers are behind the turntables, the talent is curated by a Black woman, and you’ll have a moment to boogie on the utopic dance floor with fellow Black ravers until four in the morning.
For Frankie Decaiza Hutchinson, Dweller’s founder, booking Black artists at Bushwick techno club Bossa Nova Civic Club led her to co-founding Discwoman in 2014. The collective for women and nonbinary DJs and producers has recently transitioned into a talent agency, but the mission of Discwoman and Dweller remain the same: to welcome more of us into the room.
The purpose of Dweller’s six-day string of events is “to draw attention to [the] lack of spaces in dance music for Black folks, seeing as house and techno was pioneered by Black folks in Chicago and Detroit respectively,” Hutchinson said.
Since 2019, the festival has occurred during Black History Month to showcase Black artists throughout various clubs and venues in Brooklyn and Queens. House, techno, and other electronic dance genres like drum-n-bass, jungle, and disco have roots in Black American culture, and Dweller’s lineup reflects that with artists like R&B artist Liv.e, Bronx producer Kush Jones, and techno legend Robert Hood.
According to Dweller’s blog, their mission is to remain a “Black lighthouse” amid the “isolating whitewaters” of electronic music. “At this time, the authorities controlling this current seek to drown the voices and new structures that can reverse the flow of power back into our hands. We must be vigilant towards persisting as to not just speak for ourselves but redistribute resource, equity, and justice in a space that has long made its worth on the backs of the silenced.”
This year’s six-night run from February 20-25 begins with live performances in Queens at MoMA PS1, a contemporary art institution that frequently hosts community-driven events. And a weeknight isn’t stopping any of the fun. Activities begin on Wednesday night with an educational discussion at Ridgewood club and bar Nowadays on “themes of light, sight, sound, and echolocation as means of organized navigation” followed by an opening performance where it all began: Bossa Nova Civic Club.
Although the winter might keep some folks indoors, at least four of Dweller’s 21 events have sold out and are projected to host hundreds of attendees. From Park Slope’s Public Records to Bushwick’s Paragon, the dimly-lit dance floors are an ideal place to hear an extensive range of music, such as dubstep, jungle, and ghettotech.
But if you’re waiting until the weekend to booty bounce, you may end up at Nowadays during their nonstop party that lasts 24 hours. Whether you’re leaving a late work shift, celebrating after Sunday service, or looking to dance at an unconventional hour, the party will be there. According to Hutchinson, there’s no pressure to stay for the entire duration of the party, but “to get a healthy changeover of [the] crowd which curates a really vibrant fluid environment.”
If you’re not located in New York, you can somewhat enjoy the Dweller experience at home with “Radical Dreams, Underground Sounds,” a collection of 13 films curated by Dweller in collaboration with the Criterion Channel. The recommended feature films and shorts “explore Black musical technology and imagination, and salute the dance floor as a site of Black joy, protest, personal transformation, and ecstatic communal liberation.” For more information, check out their website.
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