We Northern Hemisphere folks are almost at the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, when we flip from our days growing darker to gaining more and more sunlight.
The winter solstice is a good reminder that darkness is a temporary state. It’s also a good time to slow down, get cozy and embrace the season for what it is. Put up more twinkle lights. Make a cup of tea or cocoa and sip it under a blanket. Light some candles and get your hygge on.
Embracing simple joys make the dark days a little brighter, and we’ve got some simple joys to get you started right here.
Enjoy!
1. How fun are these Christmas Olympics game ideas?
The guy riffing the original can be seen here. This lip sync challenge was popularized early in the pandemic when we were trying to find ways to stay connected virtually, and she just absolutely nails this.
4. These kids on the bus cheering on Xavier, the ‘fasted kid alive’
Everyone needs this kind of cheering squad. Go Xavier, go!
4. People are sharing good things happening in America that are flying under the radar
The news may seem like nothing but doom and gloom, but there are good things happening all around us all the time. From huge leaps in disease treatments to threatened wildlife making a comeback to everyday people being awesome human beings, you can read about tons of good things happening here.
6. The beautiful thing that happens in Amsterdam if you die and have no one to attend your funeral
Leave it to the poets to find everyone’s humanity worth celebrating. The Lonely Funeral project enlists a poet to write a custom poem for people who don’t have any family or friends and read it at their funeral. The concept has now expanded to cities around the world. Read the full story of the Lonely Funeral project here.
7. Lonely baby camel, ‘Sir Camelot’ gets his very own best friend: A baby cow
Aw, Sir Camelot! Everyone needs a friend. Read the full story here.
8. The total and complete guilt on the face of these doggos
u201cOh no, we got caughtu201d ud83dude02
— (@)
That “save me” hug at the end, though. So hilarious.
9. The ‘last GenX playground’ has 40 and 50-somethings drowning in nostalgia
Last GenX Playground!❤️ #genx #genxtiktokers #over50 #bestgenerationever #genxkid
Welcome to our childhood, youngsters! The slide that became a thousand degrees in the sun. The spinning seesaw that made kids puke. The wooden teeter-totter that made you see stars when someone jumped off and your butt hit the ground. Ah, the good ol’ days!
10. Doggo loses his mind with joy when he finds out he’s going to visit Grandma and Grandpa
The other video got a “sensitive content warning” because of the end… but why?? 😂 #repost #dogsofttiktok #dogs #australiancattledog #blueheeler #acd #heeler #cattledog
The flop for the belly rubs at the end? So darn sweet.
Hope that added a few smiles to brighten your day! If you’d like to receive posts like this one in your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter, The Upworthiest, here.
In late October, Matthew Perry died of an apparent drowning at age 54. Six weeks later, the LA County Medial Examiner’s Office has revealed his full toxicology results, and drowning is now listed as a contributing factor in the Friends star’s fate. Additionally, the report lists “the acute effects of ketamine” as the primary cause along other contributing factors in his accidental death.
Matthew Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine,” according to the toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. Contributing factors in the “Friends” actor’s death included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder). The manner of death was ruled an accident.
TMZ follows up with additional context, which suggests that the ketamine dosage that caused Perry’s death was self-administered and outside of the therapeutic dosage that he had received days before he passed out in a hot tub at his home:
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office just released the toxicology report, concluding Perry had taken ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety a week-and-a-half before his death. The ketamine in his system at the time of his death, however, “could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.”
The chance to win, naturally, was high on the list, as the Dodgers are perennial contenders and part of the reason Ohtani deferred almost all of his contract was to ensure they could keep bolstering the roster around him. However, the Dodgers weren’t going to simply rely on their reputation as a contender and gobs of money to finish the deal, as they made a complete pitch to Ohtani to try and ensure he knew how important they viewed him as a potential L.A. sports icon.
To do so, they relied on a video they’d shot six years ago when Ohtani was making his decision on who to sign with as he left Japan, but its message was arguably more powerful in 2023. That’s because it was a video from Kobe Bryant, which Jeff Passan of ESPN reports was one of the “highlights” of the meeting for Ohtani and meant a lot to him.
Back in 2017, Bryant had filmed the clip as a favor to the team. Now, more than three years after his death in a helicopter crash, Bryant’s reputation as the ultimate competitor spans all sports, and his message to Ohtani registered the same posthumously in 2023 as it would have then: There’s no better place in the world to win than Los Angeles, and there’s no better team in baseball to win with than the Dodgers.
“That was one of the highlights of the whole meeting,” Ohtani told ESPN through his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. “I was really surprised to see it. It was a strong and touching message.”
When Bryant said Ohtani’s name, it took him aback. They never met, but Ohtani marveled at his commitment, to his craft, to his sport, to his team. Mizuhara, who is as much consigliere to Ohtani as the conduit for his words, grew up in Los Angeles and understood what it meant for Bryant to vouch for the Dodgers. A minute of his time, of the presence he still casts, felt like a wonderful eternity.
You never know exactly what is going to draw a player in during a free agency pitch, and Ohtani very well could’ve opted to join the Dodgers no matter what. However, having an ace in the hole in the form of a recruitment pitch from Kobe Bryant, vouching for the Dodgers organization and their commitment to winning, certainly didn’t hurt their cause in landing one of the greatest baseball players of all-time.
It’s brandy season! I mean… when is it not? But the holidays lean into the brandy vibes that little bit more than most times of the year. Although brandy can go by many names — cognac, calvados, Armagnac, weinbrand, eau de vie, grappa, applejack, brandy de Jerez, pisco — there’s something for everyone and every vibe, time, and feel. Moreover, since there is so much different brandy out there, there’s always some really good stuff for great prices.
To that end, we’re calling out 10 of our favorite brandies — across all styles — for under $60. The brandy bottles below are all affordable. Moreover, you should be able to find them fairly widely at any decent liquor store or online retailer. The throughline is that they’re all delicious… in their own ways. We’ve specifically cast a wide net to offer refined French spirits next to American crafty apple brandies next to murky and dark Spanish pours and more.
Since there is something for everyone below, our advice is as follows. Read through our tasting notes, find the brandy that sparks your interest, and then hit those price links to get a bottle. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top Five Brandy Articles of the Last Six Months
Ol’ Henney Lo. This entry point to the wide world of Hennessy is a blend of over 40 brandies (or eau de vie) that were aged a minimum of two years. The grapes are exclusively Ungi Blanc and grown in the core regions of Cognac, France.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich chocolate and marzipan lead on the nose with a good line of ripe red fruits leaning toward black cherry and blackberry with a hint of the bramble.
Palate: The palate is lush but light with bright fruits leading toward a hint of cinnamon and clove wrapped in old leather with a twinge of oak in the background.
Finish: The end brings back the choco-marzipan vibe with a whisper of red berries sourness.
Bottom Line:
This is where most brandy journeys begin and it’s easy to see why. This is a great classic cognac that’s easy to drink while offering a signature brandy vibe. Overall, this is a great candidate for brandy cocktails or replacing whiskey in whiskey cocktails.
Germany’s Asbach is the closest you’ll get to “cognac” outside of France. The brandy was re-designated “weinbrand” (wine brandy) after the French dialed in their appellation designations for “cognac” and prohibited anyone outside the region from using that term back in 1892. The grape distillate is made from German-grown grapes but aged in French Limousin oak (like cognac) for up to three years. The result is a blend of two to three-year-old brandies.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Aspach starts with nice woody vanilla, buttery caramel, and notes of ripe and almost juicy apricot on the nose with a nice twinge of winter spice from the wood.
Palate: Warm pepper spiciness comes into play on the palate with a rush of dark sweet fruits, light and dry nuts, and a touch of light but acidic white wine.
Finish: The end is heavy on the vanilla and berry with a nice accent of woody spice that fades pretty quickly.
Bottom Line:
The classic highball to make with this is an ABC, which is an AsBach and Coke. It’s a delicious variation on the iconic Jack and Coke. From there, this is also a very good brandy to pair with chocolate, making it great for holiday sipping once you get into that box of chocolates from your favorite aunt.
PARK VS Cognac is a classic brandy that’s that little bit more refined than your average Henny or Remy. This brandy is made with a 50/50 blend of brandies made with Fins Bois and Petite Champagne grapes. The brandy then spends up to three years aging in Limousin oak before batching and proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a deep sense of buttery salted caramel apples cut with Luxardo cherries, a hint of woody winter spice, and a flutter of pear skin over white wildflowers.
Palate: Those white florals brighten on the palate as a sharp note of white pepper arrives with a return of the apple and cherry, now cut with bright orange zest.
Finish: The flowers take on a slight honeyed vibe late with a nice sharp woody spice on the finish that’s warming but not overpowering.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice sipper before a big meal. It’s light but offers flavors that are just deep enough to keep your attention. You can also stir up some nice brandy old fashioneds with this one.
This apple brandy is made in Indiana from mostly locally-grown apples from the Huber Farms. The on-site pressed juice is fermented and then distilled in an old 80-gallon copper pot still. That juice is then left to mellow in charred new American oak barrels until it’s just right.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one bursts with freshly picked sweet apples with a hint of woodiness, apple core, and apple stem next to bright summer flowers and a dash of honey sweetness.
Palate: The palate follows the same path while leaning into the essence of a fresh apple with a lovely sweetness and a hint of spiced apple butter over an English muffin with a bit of cinnamon butter.
Finish: That butter cinnamon and stewed apple drive the long finish with a nice dose of woody winter spice mix that brings about a hot apple cider vibe on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a deep and delicious apple brandy through and through and takes you on a journey from the tree to the warm mug of cider. Now, that’s the holidays in a glass!
This Spanish brandy is a throwback to centuries-old brandy making. The juice starts with Parellada and Ugni Blanc grapes that are fermented slowly. That wine is then distilled twice in old copper stills before it’s loaded into French Limousin barrels for a long 20-year rest.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is pure holiday cake on the nose with plenty of dark spices next to rich dried fruits, candied cherry, orange oils, and fatty nuts with a hint of creamy vanilla.
Palate: The palate delivers on those notes while folding in a light sense of musty cellar beams and the smoothest cinnamon and clove-spiked vanilla pudding you can imagine — it borders on light eggnog with a little water added.
Finish: The finish arrives with a subtle push towards the spice and dried fruit and leaves you with a dry sense of orange-infused tobacco and dry walnut shells.
Bottom Line:
From the holiday cake on the nose to the orange spice tobacco on the finish with a deep nuttiness, this is like Christmas in a glass. It’s such a delicate pour as well that’ll hook you instantly.
Château de Laubade is a vine-to-glass experience from Armagnac, France. The Maison uses primarily Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche grapes to make their spirit. The juice then goes into the barrels for six to 12 years. The barrels are then hand-selected and small-batched with no more than 20 barrels going into a single batch.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a creamy caramel and vanilla underbelly that leads toward bright and ripe cherries on the nose with a fleeting sense of warm florals and soft honey.
Palate: That cherry sweetness counterpoints notes of old oak and dark spice as the sweetness edges towards creamed honey on the palate with a silken overall mouthfeel that’s a delight.
Finish: Sweet dark stewed fruit lingers on the sense of the finish as a tart and spicy pear crumble with notes of clove, woodruff, and lavender mingle on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is just a nice and very easygoing sipping brandy. It’s clear and concise as a neat pour but gets nicely creamy with a single rock, adding a nutty depth that helps this one lean more into the winter vibes with all that stewed fruit and spice.
This was Jay-Z’s signature brand. The juice in the bottle goes way back to Baron Otard from the famed Château de Cognac. The new line was re-crafted to suit American palates and includes a blend of cognacs that are aged at the château for four to eight years before blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose starts with dark and rich chocolate and marzipan then carries on toward old soft leather and mild Christmas cake spices with a hint of vanilla and candied fruit.
Palate: The taste mingles soft vanilla pods with buttery toffee and woody spices as the fruitiness shines a ray of sunshine through the whole sip.
Finish: The end has a good sense of dark chocolate and almond with a hint of black tea bitterness rounding everything out.
Bottom Line:
This is an essential cognac sipper that also makes a killer cocktail, especially if you’re leaning into holiday flavors like nogs and Manhattans.
This Spanish brandy has some serious pedigree. The juice is made from Airen grapes grown in Jerez, Spain. The distillate then goes into former Pedro Ximenez sherry casks where it rests for 15 long years. The result is a deeply flavorful snifter that’s second to none.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted nuts, orange-infused dark chocolate, espresso beans, and brown bread greet you on the nose.
Palate: The sip embraces the oak, nuts, and coffee as the body of the brandy feels like sharp beams of golden light flooding through darkly colored stained glass.
Finish: The fruit is fairly dried and plummy and the sweetness edges ever-so-slightly toward molasses. The end is dry, bold, and leaves you warmed to your soul.
Bottom Line:
This is a deep and dark sipping brandy that’s brimming with holiday vibes. Seriously, this is Christmas in a glass. Pour this in a big balloon after a big holiday meal and you’ll be all set. This also rules in eggnog or brandy Alexanders.
This Norman French apple brandy is built from hundreds of acres of apple trees in northern France. The actual apple farm in the Pays d’Auge district was officially designated as the source of the best apples in all of Normandy by the French, so there’s that. The actual brandy is made from several varieties of apples plucked from those famed orchards and pressed before long fermentation and distilling. The brandy then rested for four to 10 years before small batching and proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich and fresh apples — sweet, tart, woody, and soft — bloom on the nose as a rich oily vanilla offers a lush sense of breezy brandy cut with sunshine and oakiness.
Palate: The apple takes on a lightly stewed vibe on the early palate as the rich vanilla from the French oak peaks with a sense of luxurious mouthfeel next to soft buttery bread smeared with apple butter and a hint of apricot jam cut with orange zest.
Finish: The vanilla layers into the buttered bread as the apples break down into a spiced sauce before adding more butter, creating a fatty apple cider vibe with tons of vanilla, winter spice, and tart red berries adding counterbalance.
Bottom Line:
This turns into a rich and buttery winter apple cider on the palate that’s sort of magical. Take it slowly with this sipper and enjoy the fall vibes leading into deep winter ones. Then go back for more.
1. Cognac Ferrand 10 Generations Grande Champagne Cognac
This is a “Grande Champagne” blend, which is the height of cognac making. The cognacs in the batch are five to 25 years old with 20% of the barrels going through a finishing rest in used Sauternes wine casks before the final batching and proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich and fresh honey greets you on the nose with ripe apricot, soft sultana, and rich salted caramel vibe before a deep fruit cake spiced with ginger, nutmeg, and clove and cut with rose water and orange oils leads to a deep nuttiness.
Palate: The apricot dries out on the palate along with stewed pear, crushed grapes, and brandy-soaked pineapple and mango with a hint of nasturtiums next to fatty walnuts and menthol pipe tobacco.
Finish: The honey marries the florals on the finish as the minty tobacco takes on a spiced almost peppermint with hints of that nutty fruit cake popping back up with a touch of powdered sugar frosting cut with vanilla, almond, and orange oils.
Bottom Line:
Peppermint tobacco and wintry fruitcake are about as holiday-forward as you can get. Pour this neat and let it warm you next to a crackling fireplace.
It’s the season of seemingly non-stop holiday parties and gift-giving. There’s a pretty good chance that over the next few weekends, you’ll end up at a holiday shindig and need to bring a bottle of something to add to the table. Why not bring a delicious bottle of bourbon for merry-making, mixing, and sipping?
Below, we’re calling out 20 bourbons that are all under $60. Most of these bourbons will be very easy to find at any good liquor store. A few of them are a little more niche and may only be available in select markets or direct from the distiller — but you can still nab them. The point of this list is to give options for very good bourbon that will please your crew, family, and co-workers this holiday party season.
We did rank these bourbons. All of these bourbons are well-made but some offer more delectable sipability while others work wonders in cocktails. It’s all great, but the best of the best — at this price point — is ranked at the top of the pack. So find the tasting notes that feel right for your vibe, hit those price links, and snag a great bourbon for holiday sipping.
This whiskey is made from Jack’s classic mash of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye before it’s twice distilled and run through Jack’s long Lincoln County sugar maple charcoal filtration process. The spirit then goes into the barrel for at least four years — per bonded law — before it’s batched, cut down with a little water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with Cherry Jolly Ranchers next to sweet cedar bark braided with old strands of leather and orange-laced tobacco leaves with a hint of vanilla wafer and general “health food store” vibes underneath it all.
Palate: The palate feels like warm apple pie on a sunny day with the best vanilla ice cream on top as layers of eggnog nutmeg and creaminess move toward a Cream of Wheat vibe.
Finish: Some apple wood chips for a smoker and a hint of almond shells pop on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is the essential mixing bourbon on the list. You’ll want to mix up good highballs (think Jack and Coke, Jack and Ginger, or a good mineral water highball with a nice garnish) or cocktails (think citrus-forward or noggy).
This new release from Bib & Tucker starts as a six-year-old Tennessee whiskey aged in new oak. Those barrels are batched and re-barreled into heavily charred and smoked new oak barrels for an additional five-month rest. Finally, those barrels are batched and then the whiskey is proofed and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smoldering apple and cherrywood drive the nose toward creamy vanilla sauce and cake with sharp cinnamon, allspice, and clove spiciness.
Palate: Freshly fried maple bars and roasted corn are accented by salted butter and smoldering cinnamon sticks with a light sense of vanilla pods.
Finish: Those vanilla pods get a tad smoky on the end as toasted oak and old winter spice barks lead to a warm finish with hints of maple and cherry.
Bottom Line:
This is another great bottle to have on hand for mixing up woody spice-forward winter cocktails. Pour this into a maple old fashioned or chocolate-infused Manhattan and you’ll be all set.
This is classic (sourced) Bulleit Bourbon that’s aged up to 10 years before it’s blended and bottled. The barrels are hand-selected to really amplify those classic “Bulleit” flavors that make this brand so damn accessible (and beloved) in the first place.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A lot is going on with butter and spicy stewed apples, maple syrup, Christmas cakes full of nuts and dried fruit, and a hint of savory herbs all pinging through your nose.
Palate: The palate brings about smooth and creamy vanilla with plenty of butter toffee, sourdough crust, more X-mas spice, cedar bark, and a hint of dried roses.
Finish: The finish is long, warming, and really embraces the toffee and spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a good multi-use bourbon. You can pour this over some rocks and sip it as slowly or quickly as you like. You can also make a mean cocktail or highball with this one and everyone will be happy around the holiday table.
This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history — especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark maple syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and a leatheriness that’s just punctuated by dark burnt orange.
Palate: The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon — next to a hint of tart berries, a whisper of dark chocolate, and a dash of sweetly spiced oak.
Finish: The end is long and lush and slowly fades back through the dark citrus and berries with a lively spiced finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another great option if you’re focusing on cocktails. This is an essential whiskey-forward cocktail base that’ll shine in any application. The lower ABVs mean that you can also shoot this one if you’re so inclined.
16. Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years
This is Jim Beam’s small batch entry point into the wider world of Knob Creek. The juice is the low-rye mash that’s aged for nine years in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses. The right barrels are then mingled and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this feels classic with a bold sense of rich vanilla pods, cinnamon sharpness, buttered and salted popcorn, and a good dose of cherry syrup with a hint of cotton candy.
Palate: The palate mixes almond, orange, and vanilla into cinnamon sticky buns with a hint of sour cherry soda that leads to a nice Kentucky hug on the mid-palate.
Finish: That warm hug fades toward black cherry root beer, old leather boots, porch wicker, and a sense of dried cherry/cinnamon tobacco packed into an old pine box.
Bottom Line:
This is classic Kentucky bourbon through and through and makes excellent cocktails. Try it in whiskey sours, boozy nogs, and refined old fashioneds. Or use it as a slow sipper over some ice. It’ll work!
15. Barrell Foundation Bourbon Aged 5 Years A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
Barrell Craft Spirits have cornered the market on cask-strength single barrels and batched blends of bourbon, rye, and American whiskey. Now, they’re finally releasing a non-cask-strength bourbon for the masses. This whiskey is a batch of bourbons from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Maryland that is proofed down to 100-proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied cherries and cranberry sauce drive the nose toward hints of dark chocolate, brown butter, and cardamon cake.
Palate: Pecan waffles dripping with brown butter and maple syrup lead on the palate with a sense of rye fennel and anise notes next to lemon poppyseed cake, a note of cinnamon cookie, and maybe a touch of eggnog-spiked lattes.
Finish: That creaminess leads back to the rich vanilla and woody spice barks with a sense of toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped in salted dark chocolate before a rich pipe tobacco rolled with old saddle leather arrives.
Bottom Line:
This is another nice slow sipper over some ice, which lets it open up to a lot of unique flavor notes. Still, this is designed for good cocktail making so use it accordingly.
14. Heaven’s Door Revival Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This new re-design of Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon is a minimum of six years old. Those barrels are left in single-story rickhouses in Tennessee where cool air dominates and you never get the extremely high temps of crow’s nests on high floors. Once just right, the barrels are batched, the whiskey is proofed, and the bourbon is bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich vanilla and caramel lead the nose toward crafty sweet grain porridge, old firewood, and a mild sense of chocolate malt milkshakes just kissed with winter spice.
Palate: That winter spice amps up through the palate with a sweet sense of eggnog and cinnamon toast with a hint of toffee and earthiness tied back to the old firewood on the nose.
Finish: That woodiness drives the warm finish with plenty of spice accented by creamy cinnamon honey.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and very classic sipper, especially on the rocks. You can also easily mix this into simple cocktails and enjoy the flow.
13. Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Each of these Jim Beam bottlings is pulled from single barrels that hit just the right spot of taste, texture, and drinkability, according to the master distillers at Beam. That means this juice is pulled from less than one percent of all barrels in Beam’s warehouses, making this a very special bottle at a bafflingly affordable price.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with classic notes of vanilla sheet cake, salted caramel, wintry mulled wine spices, and a sense of cherry pie in a lard crust next to a hint of dried corn husk, old broom bristle, and dark chocolate pipe tobacco.
Palate: The palate layers in floral honey and orange zest next to sticky toffee pudding, old leather, and cherry tobacco layered with the dark chocolate with this lingering sense of coconut cream pie lurking somewhere in the background.
Finish: The finish leans into more woody winter spices (especially cinnamon bark and nutmeg) with rich toffee and cherry-chocolate tobacco braided with dry sweetgrass and cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is the best-value bottle on the list by far. This will also be the best bottle to buy for Jim Beam fans who want something a little special this holiday season. Once you open the bottle, make some great old fashioneds with a holiday twist.
12. FEW Spirits Alice in Chains “All Secrets Known” Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tequila Barrels
FEW Spirits just dropped their second Alice in Chains collab and it’s a doozy. The whiskey in the bottle is made with FEW’s award-winning bourbon that’s been re-barreled into ex-tequila casks for another six months of maturation. Those barrels were batched and then the whiskey was just kissed with local water before bottling. Finally, a special label was created by creative artist Justin Helton, who worked with the band on the artwork.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey draws you in with a classic sense of spiced cherries over vanilla pound cake with plenty of deep and rich oak, caramel, and winter spices with a hint of apple orchards full of falling leaves.
Palate: Those falling leaves and hints of smoldering smudging sage lead back to the dark cherries soaked in brandy and dipped in dark chocolate with a flake of salt before a rich and creamy caramel arrives.
Finish: That caramel binds with lush vanilla on the finish next to moments of apple orchards, cherry pie, and dry bales of straw next to piles of cedar-laced tobacco in leather pouches.
Bottom Line:
This is a little more niche of a bottle but a great one for a hard rock crew this holiday season. Spin some grunge, pour this over ice, and let the evening’s festivities roll.
11. Green River Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey
This new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Green River distillery is a wheated classic. The whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash bill (recipe) of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted 6-Row barley. That whiskey then spends four to six years mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This pops on the nose with rich caramel next to soft roasted peach and apricot, cinnamon bark and nutmeg with a creamy vibe, and a hint of Cream of Wheat cut with maple syrup.
Palate: Toffee drives the palate toward Nutella and honey over buttermilk biscuits with an apple/pear tobacco aura that leads to a soft orange.
Finish: The end is rich and full of stewed fruits — peach, pear, orange, raisins — and a mild sense of oaky spice and a mild graininess.
Bottom Line:
This might be the best old fashioned base on the list. It just works so well with that simple and classic flavor profile. You might even want to batch your old fashioned with this one.
10. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
This special release from Maker’s Mark is their classic wheated bourbon turned up a few notches. The batch is made from no more than 19 barrels of whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey goes into the barrel at cask strength with no filtering, just pure whiskey-from-the-barrel vibes.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Burnt caramel candies and lush vanilla lead the way on the nose with hints of dry straw, sour cherry pie, and spiced apple cider with a touch of eggnog lushness.
Palate: The palate has a sense of spicy caramel with a vanilla base that leads to apricot jam, southern biscuits, and a flake of salt with a soft mocha creaminess.
Finish: The end is all about the buzzy tobacco spiciness with a soft vanilla underbelly and a hint of cherry syrup.
Bottom Line:
This is Maker’s Mark turned up to max volume and it’s a delight. If you’re into making Manhattans, use this for a punchy version that leans into the sweet spice.
9. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Botted-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This brand-new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is 100% their own whiskey. The juice is made from a wheated bourbon mash bill — 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley — down in Bardstown, Kentucky. The whiskey spends about six years mellowing before it’s just kissed with local water and bottled at 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of orange Jolly Ranchers, powdered cacao, and stewed peaches with classic bourbon vanilla and an oaky vibe.
Palate: The palate is a mix of apricot jam, pear cores, and red berries with a mix of spiced orange candy tobacco wrapped around dry wicker and cedar bark.
Finish: The end leans into the sweet and spiced orange while the tobacco slowly fades through sweet caramel and vanilla buttercream toward a silky finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another great bourbon for versatility. While this works wonders in any cocktail combo, you can easily sip this over some rocks and be very happy about it.
8. George Dickel Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky Fall 2008 Aged 13 Years
Master Distiller Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This release is a whiskey that was warehoused in the fall of 2008. 13 years later, the whiskey was bottled at 100 proof (as per the bottled-in-bond law) and left to rest. Last fall, new releases of that Tennessee whiskey were sent out to much acclaim.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sour cherries, maple syrup, and pecan waffles mingle with dried apple chips, old leather boots, and winter spice with a hint of vanilla wafers on the nose.
Palate: The taste leans toward spicy apple pie filling with walnuts, plenty of cinnamon, and some raisins before malted vanilla milkshakes, blueberry cotton candy, and dark chocolate milk arrive on the mid-palate and lead toward a moist oatmeal cookie dipped in salted caramel.
Finish: The end has a dry woody spiciness with star anise, cinnamon, and allspice mingling with marzipan and cherry/cinnamon tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a bottle that has no business still costing so little. Wow your crew it this super refined sipper and then make a killer cocktail with it!
This expression takes standard Woodford Bourbon and gives it a finishing touch. The six to eight-year-old bourbon is blended and moved into new barrels that have been double-toasted but only lightly charred. The whiskey spends a final nine months resting in those barrels before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a welcoming aroma of butterscotch, blackberry, toffee, and fresh honey next to a real sense of pitchy, dry firewood.
Palate: The taste drills down on those notes as the sweet marzipan becomes more choco-hazelnut, the berries become increasingly dried and apple-y, the toffee becomes almost burnt, and the wood softens to a cedar bark.
Finish: A rich spicy and chewy tobacco arrives late as the vanilla gets super creamy and the fruit and honey combine on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
This will be among the easiest bottles to find. It’s also a hell of a cocktail base or slow sipper over some nice ice. Add a dried orange garnish or some dried honeycomb to really help it pop.
6. Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled In Bond Fall 2018 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The latest seasonal drop from Tennessee’s Chattanooga Whiskey is another great. The whiskey is a blend of four of their mash bills. 30% comes from mash bill SB091, which is a mix of yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley. Another 30% comes from mash bill B002, which has yellow corn, hardwood smoked malted barley (smoked with beech, mesquite, apple, or cherry), caramel malted barley, caramel malted, and honey malted barley. The next 20% is mash bill B005, which is yellow corn, malted wheat, oak smoked malted wheat, and caramel malted wheat. And the last 20% is from mash bill R18098, which is yellow corn, pale malted barley, naked malted oats, double roasted caramel malted barley, peated malted barley, cherrywood smoked malted barley, chocolate malt, and de-husked chocolate malt.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cinnamon, butter brown sugar, walnut, and raisins meld on the nose with some vanilla to create a moist oatmeal cookie next to buckwheat pancakes griddled in brown butter and topped with apple butter, and maybe some apricot jam with a dash of nutmeg, dark chocolate shavings, and creamy vanilla whipped cream.
Palate: The palate leans into cherry hand pies and vanilla wafers with a counter of dried wild sage, orchard tree bark, and meaty dates.
Finish: The end has a sharp turn into dried red chili pepper cut with pipe tobacco, dark chocolate bars, cedar bark, burnt orange, and lime leaves with this whisper of cinnamon cookies at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is the bottle you bring when you want to show off your crafty whiskey acumen. This is a great sipper or cocktail base that’s 100% its own vibe but is just familiar enough to be a crowd-pleaser.
It’s a very “Oh, that’s nice!” sort of whiskey pour.
5. Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This expression uses six of Four Rose’s ten whiskeys. The blend employs OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESV, OESK, and OESF (see what that all means here) all aged six to seven years before batching, much lighter proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This nose is enticing with a mix of dark berries and cloves with a yeasty doughnut filled with dark fruit and covered in powdered sugar next to a thin line of berry brambles — stems, thorns, dirt, leaves, everything.
Palate: The palate is lush with a balance of dark berry pie filling next to winter spices, mincemeat pies, nutshells, and brandy butter vanilla sauce.
Finish: The finish arrives with a rush of fresh mint next to wet cedar, blackberry Hostess Pies, and nutmeg-heavy eggnog all leading to a final note of that dark berry bramble black dirt.
Bottom Line:
This is the Four Roses that you get when you want a slow sipper neat or over a big rock. Then once everyone gets into it, you can make a killer Manhattan with this whiskey that’ll close out the night on a high note.
4. Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Michter’s means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this is very fruity with a mix of bruised peach, red berries (almost like in a cream soda), and apple wood next to a plate of waffles with brown butter and a good pour of maple syrup that leads to a hint of cotton candy.
Palate: The sweetness ebbs on the palate as vanilla frosting leads to grilled peaches with a crack of black pepper next to singed marshmallows.
Finish: The end is plummy and full of rich toffee next to a dash of cedar bark and vanilla tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is the best all-around cocktail whiskey on the list. You can make any great cocktail with this whiskey and it’ll shine. It also works perfectly well over some rocks as a sipper as well.
3. Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee draw you in on the nose before a sense of old fallow fruit orchards with falling leaves hints at old brick barrelhouses in the distance with a whisper of dried apple.
Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce before deep and earthy barrel warehouse vibes arrive with a sense of the cobwebs, mold, and ancient wood takes over.
Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar wrapped with smudging sage, old fall leaves, and bourbon-soaked oak stave from decades ago.
Bottom Line:
Pour this over a big rock and you’ll be set for all the holiday sipping this season. Or make a dope classic old fashioned with it.
This bottle from Beam Suntory marries Kentucky bourbon, California wine, and Japanese whisky blending in one bottle. Legent is classic Kentucky bourbon made by bourbon legend Fred Noe at Beam that’s finished in both French oak that held red wine and Spanish sherry casks. The whiskey is then blended by whisky-blending legend Shinji Fukuyo at Suntory.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plummy puddings with hints of nuts mingle with vinous berries, oaky spice, and a good dose of vanilla and toffee on the nose.
Palate: The palate expands on the spice with more barky cinnamon and dusting of nutmeg while the oak becomes sweeter and the fruit becomes dried and sweet.
Finish: The finish is jammy yet light with plenty of fruit, spice, and oak lingering on the senses before a lush mulled wine and holiday cake vibe rounds out the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a great pairing whiskey for a big holiday meal thanks to all that spiced wine / holiday cake energy.
This is the mountaintop of what the main line of Wild Turkey can achieve (this is easily found on liquor store shelves for the most part). This is a blend of the prime barrels that are married and bottled untouched. That means no filtering and no cutting with water. This is a classic Turkey bourbon with nowhere to hide.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens like a dessert table during the holidays with crème brûlée next to a big sticky toffee pudding with orange zest sprinkled over the top next to a bushel of fresh mint.
Palate: The palate hits an early note of pine resin as the orange kicks up towards a bold wintry spice, soft vanilla cream, and a hint of honeyed cherry tobacco.
Finish: The end keeps the winter spices front and center as a lush pound cake feeling leads to soft notes of cherry-spiced tobacco leaves folded into an old cedar box with a whisper of old vanilla pods lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
This is the best all-around bourbon at this price point. This is an excellent sipper neat or over a single rock. Plus, this will make an excellent whiskey-forward cocktail that’s either classic or holiday-themed. This bottle will be empty by the end of the night, is what we’re getting at.
(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Power Book IV: Force season will be found below.)
The second season of Power Book IV: Force ended a little over a month ago with a dramatic season finale that saw the takedown of Claudia Flynn while Tommy Egan and Diamond successfully neutralized Vic Flynn’s power and forced Miguel Garcia to share Chicago with CBI. There’s a whole lot in store for a possible season three and that includes what the futures of Vic and Tommy’s new love interest Mireya Garcia will look like. All of that will be seen in the series’ third season, well, if it gets renewed.
Did Power Book IV: Force Get Renewed For Season 3?
Today, STARZ announced that the series had indeed been renewed for a third season. “The fan response to this action-packed season of Force has been incredible,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Programming for STARZ. “They’ve made it clear that they need more Tommy and we’re thrilled to deliver. Christmas has indeed come early!”
Busby’s comments come after Joseph Sikora, who plays Tommy Egan, hinted at what could be expected in the show’s third season during an interview with Uproxx for the season two finale. “I can tell you this: there are going to be twists and turns and appearances from people who you may not be expecting to pop up in season three,” he said. “I’m as excited as you are.”
‘Power Book IV: Force’ season two is now available to stream on STARZ.
With Wonka now playing in theaters and delighting critics, fans of the musical prequel starring Timothée Chalamet and Hugh Grant are already curious about the locales used for the charming cinematic tale. Directed by Paul King of Paddington fame, much of the filming took place in the U.K. and we’ve got the details on each location.
According to Glamour, the majority of Wonka was filmed in Bath, which was transformed into a snowy wonderland for Chalamet’s chocolatier during October 2021. The iconic Colonnades are prominently seen in the film along with Bath Abbey, Parade Gardens, and Orange Grove, which locals will no doubt recognize.
Another significant portion of the film was shot in Oxford at well-known landmarks like the Bodleian Library and the Hertford Bridge a.k.a. the Bridge of Sighs. Glamour reports that production designer Nathan Crowley used the city as a “connective tissue” for Wonka.
Other locations include Lyme Regis where Chalamet’s Wonka is first seen early in the film, St. Albans, Berkshire, and of course, London.
Here’s the official synopsis:
From Paul King, writer/director of the Paddington films, David Heyman, producer of Harry Potter, Gravity, Fantastic Beasts, and Paddington, and producers Alexandra Derbyshire (the Paddington films, Jurassic World: Dominion) and Luke Kelly (Roald Dahl’s The Witches), comes an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humor. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.
We’re deep in eggnog season. The cocktail is the cornerstone of holiday boozing and has been for centuries. And while it’s easy to go to the grocery store and get a pre-made nog from the diary aisle and add your own spirit to get the party started, making an eggnog cocktail at home is super easy. And far more flavorful.
Look, there are a million different recipes to make eggnog out there. A lot of them are valid, especially the batched versions. But sometimes you don’t need an entire gallon of nog. Sometimes you just need a nice cocktail version to get your drink on as the snow falls and the presents pile up. That’s what I’m breaking down below.
The eggnog recipe we’re sharing today is a single-serving version that slaps. Yes, it’s adaptable. I like using a touch of hazelnut syrup in place of plain simple syrup as the sweetener. It adds a nutty depth that good nog needs. I’ve also toyed with peppermint syrup as well, adding a nice sharpness to the drink. Vanilla, gingerbread, or orange syrups are always good options too.
The base always stays the same — egg, cream, brown booze (brandy, whiskey, or rum), and nutmeg. From that base, you can build your eggnog empire — so let’s get shaking!
Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of the Last Six Months
All of these ingredients are easily gettable at any grocery store or liquor store. I’m using Knob Creek 9-Year Bourbon as it’s a great mixing whiskey. You can use your favorite dark rum or brandy as well or a mix of all of the above.
I like a little more winter spice in mine, but the ground clove and allspice are 100% optional. You will need that nutmeg for the garnish though, it’s crucial to the overall eggnog vibe.
Zach Johnston
What You’ll Need:
Large rocks glass
Cocktail shaker
Cocktail strainer
Jigger
Zach Johnston
Method:
Fill the rocks glass with fresh ice (I used one large cube).
Add the bourbon, cream, egg, syrup, and pinch of spices to the cocktail shaker.
Add a handful of ice, affix the lid, and shake very vigorously for about 20 seconds. You want to emulsify the egg, cream, and booze and start to froth the egg white. Take a break and shake for another 15 or so seconds.
Remove the lid and strain the cocktail into the waiting glass.
Garnish with a dash of nutmeg and serve.
Bottom Line:
Zach Johnston
There’s something wonderful that happens when you shake this up. That rich and heavy cream gets light and airy thanks to the egg white frothing up. The consistency is much closer to full-fat milk than heavy cream — well, maybe closer to half and half. The point is that this becomes an airy and almost light eggnog that’s freaking delicious and still silky as can be.
The spices come through ever so slightly with a deep nuttiness thanks to the hazelnut. The sweetness is there but not overly so (like so many store-bought nogs). The nutmeg gives the cocktail that iconic eggnog-spiced vibe. It’s vibrant.
Overall, this is a drink that you’re going to fall in love with and start shaking up daily as the end of the year nears. Hell, you may never go back to the store-bought nogs once you taste this and see how easy it is to prep.
It may not be Timothee Chalamet’s mother’s favorite movie, but Wonka is officially in theaters. Or maybe it is her favorite, it’s unclear. Chalamet makes his debut as Willy in Wonka, the prequel which also doubles as a cautionary tale for people who don’t know how to read.
Wonka follows Chalamet as a much younger version of the chocolatier who is aiming to open up his big shop. But, like many small businesses, he is faced with ongoing challenges and eventually befriends a girl named noodle (really) and the two form a nice little bond. There’s also a chocolate cartel but that comes later. The most important part is no doubt a tiny version of Hugh Grant, who reluctantly stars as an Oompa Loompa.
The movie clocks in at 1 hour and 56 minutes, which is just the right amount of time before all of that purple probably starts making you dizzy. It’s also a nice break from all of those 3 hour long movies that have become too common thanks to Maritn Scorsese.
Even though the film is technically a prequel, you don’t have to watch the other movies before heading out to the theater. Director Paul King recently told EW, “What I wanted this movie to be was like a companion piece to that movie. If you imagine those people in that world 25 years earlier, that was my starting process. Eventually, he would grow into that person and that factory.” And eventually, he will learn to read.
This year’s Uproxx Gift Guides are brought to you by Sirius XM. Check out their site to find all the holiday music and content you need to get into the giving spirit.
Your chance to order a gift online is winding down. Many sites have their “drop dead” order day listed as today, the 15th. Others extend as far as the 19th with certain Amazon items available as late as the 22nd. But the fact remains: your time is ticking. Time to pick something special for those special someones.
Assuming that’s your aim — you clicked on a gift guide, after all — Uproxx has you laced up. Check out our run of 2023 guides below:
Today, with your ordering windows waning, we’re running down a list of the best travel and adventure gifts we tested this year. Everything included here has proven up to snuff by our skilled team. We vouch for it and promise that giving one of these gifts will make a big impact on your favorite thru-hikers, vagabonds, adventurers, and explorers.
Priority Current
Priority Bicycles
Price: $3,299
Oh, this bike! What a gift this would be!
I bought mine for myself and I still think of it as a gift. It’s the perfect commuter vehicle and great for urban adventurers, with a belt-drive transmission that rides so much differently than other e-bikes I’ve tested. In many ways, it’s more like a belt-driven exercise bike — with each pedal push creating propulsion and no crunching gears.
I rode this bike to 20 different venues around the state of Oregon for my recent book tour and do you know how many problems I had?
Zero. Not one hitch. Even though I am not the best planner on earth and an “e-bike book tour in Oregon in October” mostly means “getting rained on while riding for 20 days straight.”
Everything about the bike is smooth — from how you shift to how you break to the propulsion itself. Even when you’re tearing along at 20mph without breaking a sweat, it feels like it’s all you because the transmission is so cleanly synced.
I love e-bikes, generally speaking. I own three. But if I was recommending one as a day-in and day-out rider that feels like traditional bike riding but doesn’t require that level of effort and charges rapidly while holding enough charge to traverse large cities… I would highlight this bike every time. It’s awesome, I promise. Let it transport you to cool hiking spots and nearby beaches and beyond!
BUY IT FOR:
The person who fancies themselves as a biker but is just a tad too lazy to ride a push pedal on their wide-ranging urban explorations. They will freaking flip over this bike. Use the discount code HOLIDAY15 for 15% off and delivery before Christmas!
The cooler industry seems bifurcated these days. Either your cooler is built like Fort Knox with giant clamps so that your ice won’t melt for seventeen months or it’s a hipster throwback that incorporates modern insulation improvements. I typically opt for the latter. But that’s mostly because I like the look of the vintage-feeling coolers and don’t love lugging giant fishing coolers around just for a weekend in the woods.
This is the cooler I use and, yes, I use it in part because it looks dope. But also, it’s a great cooler. It locks, it has a bottle opener, and it’s well insulated. The handles never pinch your hands. Sure, opting for metal is a tad heavier than 80s-era plastic coolers, but as Butch Cassidy once said, “That’s a small price to pay for beauty.”
The truth is that storytelling is a part of adventuring and always has been. It’s fun to have a cool-looking cooler and, if we’re being honest, a great vibe is probably more important to most of us than “what can keep things cold the longest.” Though again, this cooler does that too!
BUY IT FOR:
The adventurer who balances style with functionality.
If money permitted, I would buy ten pairs of these. I love them. They’re my dream travel pants because they feature:
Zippered pockets.
Fleece lining at the shins (not at the thighs where it causes friction and leaves you sweaty).
The ability to look buttoned up and casual in a way that few pants can pull off.
One more thing worth mentioning: These are sturdy. I wore them a whole lot on the bike-based book tour mentioned above and I didn’t develop so much as a loose seam. If I were going on a 12-month world trip right now, these are the pants I’d buy.
BUY THEM FOR:
The vagabond who loves the intersection of form and function in their fashion.
I bought this for my lady and then asked her to review it. She texted the following:
Steve Bramucci
That pretty much sums it up. It’s funny how few jackets are cozy these days. I swear that all the brands got Gore-Tex mania and forgot that most adventurers would prefer a jacket that is cozy to one that has 17 different zippers and four strips of reflective fabric sewn in.
I haven’t worn this but I did buy and (horribly) wrap it so I saw the metal zippers and other marks of quality. Plus, I like that Aviator Nation has a subtle logo instead of something obtrusive. And that this sinches at that waist instead of falling loose.
BUY IT FOR:
The adventurer who appreciates the joys of being comfy before, during, and after a big outing.
The reason I love these boots is because of how balanced they are. They’re proper work boots — tough enough to travel around the world in while working odd jobs. But with a few dabs of water and a little rubdown with a washcloth, you can have them looking hotel lobby or restaurant ready.
Apparently, they were created for the “vineyard or the tasting room” and that tracks. Having worn my pair a fair few times, I will tell you that they look even better after some wear, that they’re more comfortable than traditional workboots, and (let’s be honest about our vanity here) they make me stand a full inch taller.
The perfect all-rounder for hiking, tramping, and going out.
BUY THEM FOR:
The person who wants one boot for hiking, working, walking, and looking presentable in public.
You know Beats Studio Pro. They’re the most ubiquitous over-ear headphones on the market. But I don’t see them reviewed often so let’s talk about where they excel:
These have the best battery life of any headphones in their price range (any that I’ve tested up to $500).
The noise cancelling is superb.
The ear cushions are comfortable for long-term use.
The look is sleek and stylish.
They fold exceedingly easily.
Never a brand to sit on its laurels, Beats has improved the distortion and created a spacial audio feature that tracks with the movement of your head. The result? This is the best Beats has ever been and the head of the class at this price point!
BUY THEM FOR:
The long-term vagabond who can appreciate the truly impressive battery life.
First and foremost, I like these glasses because… they look so cool. Style comes first in sunglasses. Period.
You have to have one pair of acetate glasses in your repertoire and while Ray Ban’s are most people’s go-to, I like these better. The wood inlays class them up but they fit the face well and won’t be constantly sliding off your nose. The hinge is ultra-sturdy which is, in truth, the first thing I look for in sunglasses after style.
Not for nothing, but I love the case for these. It’s made out of recycled cardboard but it’s so stiff and sturdy that when you find the case buried in the bottom of your bag you don’t cringe thinking that maybe your glasses are ruined. The fact that I’m from Portland and all the Shwood pairs are named for spots in Oregon is just a happy accident. I would have loved these regardless.
BUY THEM FOR:
The traveler who needs glasses that are sturdy and stylish in equal measure.
If you park in any National Park parking lot, you’ll be lost in a sea of Subaru Outbacks with this exact Thule roof box rigged on top. Why? Because Thule is the Kleenex of roof boxes. At least out in the Pacific Northwest, we don’t even call them roof boxes. We call them Thules.
So what makes a Thule worth having? If you’ve ever been the friend who forgot to call shotgun and got stuck in the backseat with a leaking grocery bag in your lap and a rogue tent pole poking you in the side, you know the stakes of an overly packed car. A roof box is a road trip no-brainer. Because road-tripping and car camping aren’t about roughing it with freeze-dried meals and no pillow. It’s about finding epic places to do epic things with all the toys and comforts to heighten the experience.
And if you’re going to spend hours in a car to find the magic, you might as well be comfortable.
This Thule is generally easy to use, though, like any roof box, you’ll be awkwardly balancing on the backseats to reach everything inside of it. Most importantly, it fits a ton of stuff. 16 cubic feet in volume. That means all your ski gear in the winter. Your camping gear in the summer. All your stuff as you move from apartment to apartment throughout your life. The only downfall is how hard roof boxes are to store, but for the year-round adventurer, it’ll live on top of your car anyway.
— Julianne Sato
BUY IT FOR:
The adventurous sort who loves a good road trip, gear-heavy adventure sports, or a car camping weekend.
If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with a clunky suitcase while trying to catch a flight or struggling to fit all your essentials into a bag that seems to defy the laws of spatial logic, it might be time to upgrade your travel gear. If so, we have a clear winner: Away Suitcases. We know that Away suitcases have been the luggage darling of the Internet, but I was unconvinced they were worth the hype until I tried them for myself.
Reader, they’re worth the hype.
I travel often, dragging heavy, cloth suitcases my family has had since the 90s all over the world, twisting my wrists and busting open zippers at the most inopportune moments. But I never saw the point of spending money on a nice suitcase. As long as it kept all the contents inside the bag, who needed anything fancier?
But it’s not about a fancy-looking suitcase. Sure, Away suitcases do look stylish, striking the perfect blend of minimal and modern with the beautiful spectrum of trendy colors. But for me, it’s about a suitcase that makes the chaos of travel more convenient.
I especially loved the Bigger Carry On suitcase. The interior design of this suitcase is filled with thoughtful compartments and a compression system to maximize space, so you can get away with not paying for that checked bag when you fly on budget airlines. The hard shells are durable and water-resistant. They’re also extremely lightweight, which we all know matters when you’re getting charged $50 for a bag that’s two pounds overweight.
The best part is how well they move. Away suitcases have 350-degree spinner wheels that make maneuvering through tight spaces or sprinting to catch that connecting flight ever so slightly less stressful. You can pull them like a normal wheeling suitcase, but you can also gently push them and they’ll glide along next to you. If you’re chronically late to the airport, these suitcases are your best bet against missing your flight. — Julianne Sato
BUY IT FOR:
Anyone who travels enough for convenience to matter, Away Suitcases will make your travel life easier.
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