Amazon and Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos recently sat with podcaster Lex Fridman for a rare, long-form interview. Over 2-plus hours, he discussed his thinking process, space exploration, Day 1 mentality, Amazon principles, morning routines and more.
During the conversation, Bezos shared some insights into his work philosophy and one big takeaway was his belief in always speaking last in meetings. The advice is helpful for anyone, whether they want to be a better leader or more persuasive in social situations.
The strategy makes a lot of sense for Bezos. As one of the most influential and successful business leaders in American history, it has to be hard to get an honest opinion from your team when you have such an incredible record of success.
When Bezos speaks first in a meeting, it can significantly affect the feedback he gets from his team.
“In every meeting I attend, I always speak last,” Bezos told Fridman. “I know, from experience, if I speak first, even very strong-willed, highly intelligent, high-judgment participants in that meeting will wonder, ‘If Jeff thinks that? I came into this meeting thinking one thing, but maybe I’m not right.’”
“If you’re the most senior person in the room, go last,” Bezos continued. “Let everyone else go first. Ideally, have the most junior person go first—try to go in order of seniority—so that you can hear everyone’s opinion in an unfiltered way. Someone you really respect says something? It makes you change your mind a little.”
Executive leadership coach Hortense Le Gentil, author of The Unlocked Leader, agrees with Bezo’s approach to leadership and believes that it allows people to become better listeners, which can help them in all facets of their lives.
“Leaders who keep practicing becoming better listeners develop deeper and stronger connections with their teams, which in turn contributes to boosting their engagement and performance,” Le Gentil writes for Fast Company.
Personal Grown Blogger Brian Walsh says that when we speak last, we give greater accountability to the people we communicate with, whether it’s family, a sports team, a community organization, or coworkers.
“Let’s say you have an idea that you think is best and that you want to be implemented,” Walsh writes at An Insight Into Life. “By speaking first, it may result in people feeling like they are being told what to do, removing them from the creation process. However, you wait until everyone else has spoken and find that someone else also has the same idea. Now by allowing them to suggest it and by agreeing with them, they feel like it is their own.”
“This can also be applied to our personal lives,” Walsh continues. “If you are arguing with someone, they often don’t hear what you are suggesting because their emotions have taken over, and you trying to correct them just adds fuel to the fire. Allow them to talk and keep your suggestions to yourself.”
Although Bezos framed his advice around choosing when to speak, the more important lesson may be deciding when to listen. Being a great listener is valuable because it’s a hard skill to develop. It’s not just about hearing what someone’s saying but understanding, empathizing and withholding judgment at the same time.
Being a good listener is the key to connecting with others, but it’s also a vital tool in personal growth. You can’t learn if you can’t listen.
Once upon a time, gift cards were seen as lazy, impersonal choices for Christmas presents. But nowadays, mindsets have shifted. In today’s more practically-focused, convenience-driven world, gift cards reign supreme. After all, when finances are tight, a free $20-$100 always offers the bonus gift of relief. It’s really no surprise that 29% of celebrators say they would actually prefer to receive gift cards or physical gifts according to Civic Science.
Over on TikTok, just type in hashtags like #GiftCardScam and #GiftCardScamAwareness, and you’ll find countless people sharing their own horror stories of being duped over what should have been a stress-free purchase.
One particular method used by scammers, as explained in a PSA below, is stealing cards in bulk, carefully opening the card envelope without damaging it, cutting off the tops of the cards with the vital information on it, then carefully placing the cut up card back into the envelope and resealing it.
The perp then returns the envelopes back to the store, and once an unsuspecting shopper purchases the gift card, they drain it for all its worth.
To avoid being bamboozled, shoppers are encouraged to feel for the entire card inside the envelope, or ask the store to remove the cards from their envelope at checkout.
Scammers can also might put a fake barcode on top of the card, or simply scratch off the barcode, after they’ve recorded it of course. That’s why it’s vital to check a gift card thoroughly before walking out of the store with it.
Of course, occasionally cashiers are the ones doing the gift card swaps, so it pays to keep a watchful eye.
More often than not though, gift card scams happen over the phone or online. A few examples below:
An imposter calls pretending to be from a well known company or government agency claiming you owe money, and—of course—that the only way to pay them is with gift cards.
This is just a huge NO. Even if whoever is on the other line can somehow whip up personal information (which they procured on the dark web) no actual company would only take payment in the form of gift cards.
This one is particularly sneaky, as almost everyone has the need to check their gift card’s remaining balance at some point. Your safest bet is to call the number on the back of your card to check the balance.
Fake profiles on dating sites that ask for gift cards as romantic gestures—a trip to see you, help with an emergency, etc. etc.
It’s a good general rule of thumb to never send any kid of money to a person you haven’t met. And to be aware of catfishing.
An “accidental” refund that requires to to pay back in gift cards.
This happened to a woman in Wisconsin June 2022—she received an email from Amazon alerting her to a “fraud” on her account. When she called the phones number listed, the supposed Amazon rep “accidentally” refunded her $10,000 and told her she had to pay it back in gift cards. Sadly she didn’t realize it was a scam until she had lost $11,500.
If a rep “accidentally” sends you a refund, that’s a red flag. And if they suddenly need it to be paid back in gift cards, that red flag turns bright crimson.
One last tip regarding this, from Aura: Avoid installing remote access software, such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, since these are the tools scammers use to manipulate your screen and make it look like they’ve refunded you too much money.
A random text from a family member in “urgent” need of help.
It’s best to trust your instincts here. If a message doesn’t quite sound like your loved one, it probably isn’t them. But rather someone who hacked their email or phone number.
Fake text messages from a boss or colleague in need of, you guessed it, “urgent” help.
Usually when this happens, the fake boss or colleague will ask that you send photo of the cards with the card number and PIN easily visible. But bottom line:no boss should be asking their employees to purchase gift cards. That’s just weird.
Getting a notification that you’ve won a sweepstakes that you never entered, and that you have to pay certain fees with gift cards.
In this case—the “winner” is the loser. Basically, you can’t win sweepstakes you haven’t even entered. So if you get a notification saying otherwise, someone is trying to hoodwink you.
Discounted gift cards being sold on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.
Look, it’s no surprise that these online selling sites are pretty much the Wild Wild West. And when you’re in a lawless territories with very little projections, a good rule of thumb to live by is : if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
In this scenario, a three-way call to an automated line will be initiated between you, the seller and the marchant to “prove” the balance is on the card. But as you type in the card number and PIN, the scammers are able to reverse engineer that information using the key tones. Crazy, right?
There are, however, legitimate discounted gift card selling sites like CardCash or ClipKard if you’re looking to save, without being scammed.
No one deserves to have their holiday season ruined by a Scrooge. Hopefully this information helps make your Christmas shopping a little safer.
Devon Rodriguez has known he had a talent for drawing since the first grade, when he would spend his lunch period drawing whatever his classmates requested in their notebooks. That’s also when he learned he could make something from his art.
“l’d be like, ‘All right, you guys have to give me some some of your chicken nuggets, because at this point I need something for this,'” Rodriguez says.
Years later, in 2010, an art teacher gave him an assignment to draw a stranger on the subway to practice portrait drawing. That assignment, along with Rodriguez’s entrepreneurial spirit and the wisdom to leverage social media, would lead the artist to internet fame and the career he always dreamed of.
You may have seen viral videos of Rodriguez drawing gorgeous portraits of people on the New York subway and their stunned reactions when he gives them to people. Upworthy caught up with him after the Meta Sonic Listening Party during Miami Art Week, where Rodriguez stretched his creative muscles on the MetaQuest 3, learning to play the piano for the first time. The event was a part of Meta’s multi-year “It’s Your World” campaign—a call to action for the next generation to pave their path on their own terms—and Rodriguez shared how people can utilize new technologies to expand their skills and creativity.
(This interview has been lightly edited for space and clarity.)
UP: What’s the most memorable response you’ve had from one of your subway portraits?
DR: “There’s this one guy I drew and he had like all these face tattoos, and his eyes were tattooed and, you know, people would think he’s very scary looking. But when I gave him a drawing, he opened up and was so kind-hearted. It became my most viral video with like 170 million views, and It was because people were like, ‘I didn’t expect someone that I thought was scary…you, like, humanized him, and you took down the veil of my judgment, and you’re teaching me not to judge by a book by his cover.’ So things like that I really love because it’s meaningful beyond going viral, you know? It’s changing thoughts.”
UP: What’s the best part of drawing someone’s portrait?
DR: “I love everything about it. I can’t explain it, but even when I’m not drawing, I’m always staring at people. Like, sometimes I forget that I shouldn’t stare at people. I’ll look at their eyes or their ear and be like, ‘Oh, I wonder how I would draw that. That looks cool.
And then also, you know, just knowing—I don’t want to sound cocky, but—knowing that I’m good at it. It’s kind of like a party trick, getting people’s reactions, like, ‘Oh my God! It’s me and my face and my individual features!’ You know, they’re so impressed by it, so it’s fun.”
UP: When they see themselves the way you draw them, are they surprised by their own beauty?
DR: “Yeah, I think so. Don’t they say, when you look in the mirror, it’s not really a true portrayal of the person? And then when somebody else sees them, that’s how they truly look. So maybe there’s something like that, where they’re like, ‘Oh wow, this is the way other people see me.’ That different perspective.”
UP: Take us back to when you were younger, before you had millions of followers and people knew about you and your art. What did you dream about doing?
DR: “This is exactly what I dreamed. And it’s crazy—it’s actually beyond what I dreamed. My dream was to become a big artist, a famous artist—it’s cringe to admit that, but it’s just the truth. But there’s no real route or formula to become that. So. I just feel blessed that somehow I used whatever resources that were available to me, which was social media, to make it happen.
I’m always telling this story about how I took things into my own hands with like social media. Like with Instagram—I literally dropped out of college in 2015 for Instagram because I was like, why am I trying so hard for this art degree? I could just become an Instagram artist and then get clients from that instead of wasting my time and not knowing if I could make it. I feel like I have different choices than, let’s say, my parents did because social media wasn’t around.”
UP: How do you think art in general makes the world a better place?
DR: “I think it’s just one of the really positive sides of humanity—just creativity and seeing somebody create something with their hands that looks so beautiful, and it’s so profound, and you get this strong feeling from it. That’s, like, the light side of humanity, you know? It changes the world. When you watch somebody sing a beautiful song and you know they’ve been practicing for 20 years, it’s like, wow. It’s moving.”
UP: What was the Meta Listening Party experience like for you?
DR: “The listening party was Meta introducing us to their new technologies, like the MetaQuest 3 and the Ray-Ban smart glasses. I own a MetaQuest, so I was already familiar with that. They have this graffiti game where you spray paint, and I was always so impressed by how realistic it is compared to real spray paint. Even when you move, it’s like subtle things that only an artist would know. Like when you spray paint and flick the can, how the flair would be exactly [right] and like the distance from the wall—so many little subtle things.
At the Meta party, they were showing us PianoVision, and they had a professional pianist, and he was talking about how close it is to reality. So it was just like a whole campaign showing us all their technology and how accessible it is for people to learn things. Instead of buying a whole piano or buying a whole art kit—let’s say you want to paint portraits or something—with the MetaQuest you have access to all of that.
Then I got to perform what I learned on the piano in front of all these people. I was a little nervous, but overall it was all fun.”
UP: As someone who works with traditional mediums, is it surprising to you how advanced technology has gotten? Or is there still a gap to bridge in terms of working with paper and pencil versus working with something totally digital?
DR: “Yeah, it’s actually very close. I feel like people don’t really realize it until you actually put it on. Like you have to try on the Quest and experience it for yourself, because it’s shocking how advanced it is.”
UP: What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
DR: “My advice is to just really find what you’re passionate about because then that’s gonna pull you—you’re not gonna need motivation, you’re just gonna want to do it. So like, don’t draw people on the subway just because you see me doing it and it works. Don’t do this because you see another guy doing it. Do something that you really love and then you’ll be the best at that, because no one’s gonna have to tell you to do it. You’ll have your own drive.”
DR: “Like three months ago, I started this series where I go up to strangers and I sit down on the street with them and talk to them about their life while I’m drawing them. And I did some traveling to Europe last year, so next year I want to pick 12 countries and go explore and film constantly, like exploring and learning about all these people and cultures while I’m drawing all of it. And then creating a whole series, and putting them into like a book of drawings of people from around the world. Yeah, so that’s my next plan.”
You can follow Devon Rodriguez on Instagram and learn more about the MetaQuest 3 here and the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses here.
The Empire Polo Club Grounds in Indio, California, has become one of the most popular locations for live music. This year alone, the inaugural rock festival Power Trip called it home. Next year, Stagecoach Festival will set up shop for its multi-day programming. But the most popular outdoor event held on the grounds is Coachella. With the extravagant two-weekend scheduled to take place in April, curious minds want to know who is headlining.
As of Monday, December 18, the headliners for both weekends, April 14 to 16 and 21 to 23, have not been announced. However, organizers are feeling the pressure based on this year’s atrocity of a set by Frank Ocean (who later dropped out of weekend two). Although Frank did not live up to the hype surrounding his festival return, fans are open to Justin Bieber filling the top slot.
Last year, Bieber postponed his Justice World Tourdue to his battle with health complications brought on by Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Now, it appears that he could be up to the big feat. Some are also theorizing that given the success of Taylor Swift’sThe Eras Tour, it would make sense for her to headline next year’s Coachella. Another name that has been bandied about is Olivia Rodrigo.
It appears ticketholders will have to hold out for just a few more weeks until the confirmed lineup is revealed.
George Santos may be gone from Capitol Hill, and yet he’s still lurking around. Days after being expelled from Congress, the former New York representative materialized on Cameo, where he raked in a bundle. He’s gotten into a fight with Jimmy Kimmel. He’s also already getting an HBO movie about his surreal rise and fall (and whatever you call where he is now). Alas, the attention-hungry Santos is a lot less happy about that than he is about scoring Cameo cash.
Per Entertainment Weekly, Santos sat down for a reliably messy chat with YouTube sensation Ziwe, in which he tried to give as good as he got. He talked trash (again) about his former House colleagues. He revealed he knows less about civil rights icons like James Baldwin and Harvey Milk than he does about Nicki Minaj. He had firmer footing when it came to the in-the-works HBO movie about him, which is based on a book that came out mere days before he was booted from Congress. (Whoops.)
“That movie’s not ever gonna happen,” Santos boldly predicted. “The book has no perspective of me or anybody close to me. It’s a f*cking fiction.”
Surely we can trust Santos, the guy who lied about his mother dying in the September 11th attacks, being a collegiate volleyball star, and producing a notorious Broadway flop, that the book is not on the level.
(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Power Book III: Raising Kanan episode will be found below.)
We’re nearing the halfway mark in the third season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan. As of the show’s third episode “Open For Business,” we’ve seen Kanan make some progress with his own business as he moved into the weed game. With help from Famous and some neighborhood boys, the two created a delivery service that was an instant success for them and their pockets. Elsewhere, Raq looked to steer clear from federal investigators, Detective Howard did everything possible to make sure that the investigation into Detective Burke’s death didn’t lead back to him, Jukebox prepared for a big audition, and Lou-Lou seemingly put his season-long bender to an end after a bar fight. So what should you expect in episode four?
When Will Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3, Episode 4 Come Out?
The fourth episode of Power Book III: Raising Kanan season three, titled “In Sheep’s Clothing,” will arrive on December 22. The Santa Sierra-directed episode will be available on Friday on the STARZ app starting at midnight EST/PST. The episode will later air on the STARZ TV channel at 8 pm ET/PT. Here’s a synopsis for “In Sheep’s Clothing”:
New business ventures take shape for the Thomas family, but the outlook is bleaker for the Mathis brothers as Ronnie’s patience runs out. Raq makes a risky move for Kanan’s obedience.
New episodes of ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ are available on the STARZ app on Fridays at 12:00 am ET/PT and on the STARZ TV channel at 8:00 pm ET/PT.
Remember when Donald Trump was found guilty of defamation, ran his mouth, then got sued for defamation again by the same person? Apparently Rudy Giuliani thought that was a smart move. Last week the extremely former “America’s Mayor” was ordered to pay $148 million in damages to two election workers he’d defamed. Now, like the pal who left him to rot, he’s getting sued again, because he can’t stop defaming.
Per NBC News, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, who worked Georgia’s election in 2020 and who Giuliani falsely accused of malfeasance, filed a new lawsuit against him after he blabbed some more about them after the damning verdict was dropped.
After the trial ended, Giuliani told reporters that his claims — that the two were caught on camera passing a USB drive, debunked as actually being a ginger mint — nonetheless “were supportable and are supportable today.” Giuliani also went on Newsmax and claimed “he was in possession of video evidence demonstrating the truth of his allegations.”
Because of this, Freeman and Moss’ new suit are seeking that a court order to block him “from persisting in his defamatory campaign.”
“Before filing this lawsuit, Plaintiffs’ counsel asked Defendant Giuliani to enter into an agreement to stop publishing these and any similar false claims about Plaintiffs. Defendant Giuliani refused,” the filing reads. “Defendant Giuliani’s statements, coupled with his refusal to agree to refrain from continuing to make such statements, make clear that he intends to persist in his campaign of targeted defamation and harassment. It must stop.”
The new suit doesn’t mention any monetary damages. Instead it simply asks that a “targeted injunction barring Defendant Giuliani from continuing to repeat the very falsehoods about Plaintiffs that have already been found and held, conclusively, to be defamatory.”
That should be a relief to Giuliani, who’s reportedly so broke he can’t even afford a new car. SNL’s Colin Jost joked that the amount he already owes Freeman and Moss is “hilarious,” because any amount would be too much for the poor guy.
The 20 Scotch whiskies below are all winners. What sets them apart is their flavor profiles. Each of these whiskies was selected as a great option to sip thanks to both being amazingly smooth and holiday flavor forward. These whiskies all elicit those warm and fuzzy holiday vibes without overwhelming your palate with harsh flavor notes or burning proof points.
While all of these whiskies are A-grade spirits, I did rank them for your sipping pleasure. Some of these whiskies are reminiscent of holiday flavor notes if you want to find those notes amongst a broader profile — these are the lower-ranked whiskies. Some of these whiskies are like Christmas and New Year’s Eve in a freaking glass — those are ranked higher. Sound good? Let’s jump in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This award-winning Scotch blend comes from Outlander star Sam Heughan. The whisky’s recipe is under wraps so there’s not much more to say besides that Sam Heughan is not simply slapping his name on a bottle. He’s fully involved in the process as a deeply caring whisky fan who wants to put something special on the shelf.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lemon drops and Almond Joys drive the nose with a hint of honey, bourbon vanilla, and dried apricot with a nice sense of mild winter spice barks just kissed with smoldering smoke.
Palate: That apricot gets leathery on the palate as the malts arrive with plenty of honey and cinnamon-forward spice next to a hint of eggnog nutmeg.
Finish: The finish is concise with a little cinnamon, honey, and almond rounding things out with a lush and creamy foundation.
Bottom Line:
Dried fruits, nuts, sweet candies, and winter spice all make this a nice sipper this holiday season. While this works over a few rocks, try it in a classic highball with really good fizzy water, a nice spice bark garnish, and good ice. Those creamy nutty and winter spice flavors will surface even more and create a super smooth sipping experience.
19. Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
This single malt hails from a tiny yet beloved Speyside distillery. The actual whisky is also made on their smallest still, nicknamed “Wee Witchie.” That juice then goes into ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 12 years. Finally, those whiskies are married, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is subtle yet engaging with a nose of almost burnt toffee next to bright red berries, mild spice, hints of oak, and a bit of cedar.
Palate: The palate leans into the berries by becoming jammy with more of that toffee and a mild sense of spicy tobacco arriving late.
Finish: The end is long-ish with a plummy chew next to that tobacco and malty spice.
Bottom Line:
This is like digging into a toffee and chocolate-covered berry box of holiday candies in whisky form. Again, try this is a good highball with excellent mineral water to get a nice creaminess to the toffee (even more smoothness) and spiciness to the malt that turns fruitcake forward. Throw in some brandied cherries as a garnish and you’ll be all set!
18. Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
Glenfarclas is a bit of an outlier. The whisky is distilled with old-school fire-heated stills to this day (most stills use steam), imbuing a hint of smokiness to the hot distillate. The whisky is then aged exclusively in ex-sherry casks for 12 long years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a rumminess to the nose that touches on molasses, prunes, nuts, and jam that’s all just touched with a thin line of smoke, kind of like an old sweater after a backyard campfire.
Palate: The taste holds onto that vibe to the point of having an almost spiced rum sweetness and clear notes of holiday spices, plenty of dried fruit, and a roasted almond element.
Finish: The end is long and spicy, leaving you with a warming Speyside hug that hints at smoked plums and apricots with a dash of old honey sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is like bundling up in your favorite wool sweater, sitting next to a backyard fire, and eating handfuls of dried fruit and nuts with a rummy mulled wine simmering nearby. In fact, it’s a good idea to cut your nog, mulled wine, or hot apple cider with this one — the dried fruit and nuttiness work perfectly in those applications. The lushness really comes through on the finish with a warming hug countered by creamy honey.
17. Highland Park Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This yearly drop has become a cornerstone of the Orkney Island distillery. The whisky is a blend of single malts that are aged exclusively in old American oak that previously held sherry. The barrels are married and bottled as is, to assure you’re getting all the nuance and flavor of their malts meeting that oak.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of wildflowers on the nose with a rich vanilla husk that leads towards a touch of peaty-smoldering nori, soft vanilla cakes, and rich and vibrant caramel.
Palate: The taste is silken with rich and buttery toffee next to honeysuckle, eggnog spices and creaminess, and a small dose of orange zest with a supporting act of salted caramel, apple pie tobacco, and a whisper of pine dank.
Finish: The end holds onto the creaminess and spices as the peat just edges in with a whisper of resinous pine smoke, soft caramels, and dark chocolate pie sprinkled with dried berries, pears, and citrus rinds.
Bottom Line:
This has no business being as smooth and accessible as a sipper as it is with that high ABV. Yes, it’s warming but it never burns. This also is one of those whiskies that’s Christmas in a glass. The orange, apple, marzipan, eggnog, dried fruits — they all add up to holiday vibes. The only reason this is a tad lower is that those ABVs are bold, so pour this over a big rock to calm it down and let it bloom toward a creamy delight in the glass.
This new peated malt from Islay’s bespoke Kilchoman Distillery is a masterpiece of blending. The whisky is hewn from 22 casks: eight 2013 barrels, six 2014 barrels, and eight 2015 barrels with a mix of European and American oak. The vatted whisky is just touched with local spring water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Black Forest cake with a moist sponge and spiced black cherry compote drives the nose with a lush vanilla that feels like it was smoked in the husk before baking into the cake.
Palate: Fire-roasted hazelnut arrives with very dark and salty chocolate next to smoked plums and dates with a whisper of old brisket smoker lurking in the background.
Finish: The salinity from the chocolate acts up on the finish with the dark red fruits taking on more smoke and a twinge of creamy vanilla custard with hints of poppy seed and pipe tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskies that pulls off a magic trick by making Black Forest cake (a wonderful winter treat that exudes smoothness) and smoked meats work wonders together on the palate. This is kind of like the whole big family meal in a glass from soup to nuts if you will. It’s also incredibly smooth and lush, meaning that you can sip this neat all day if you want.
15. Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2013 Aged 10 Years Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This year’s Bere Barley 2013 is a 10-year-old malt made from very specific Scottish grains. The ancient varietal of barley is grown specifically for this whisky and is long fermented to highlight fruity and floral notes in the end whisky, which is aged in ex-bourbon barrels right on the sea in Islay.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied oranges and peach pie drive the nose toward a sense of malted pound cake with plenty of vanilla, poppies, and streusel next to creamed lemon curd, old fudge, and a whisper of marzipan with some pear brandy.
Palate: Malty barley biscuits greet you on the plate with plenty of wet brown sugar, Cream of Wheat cut with butter and pancake syrup, and apricot jam next to soft honeydew, more candied orange, and a sense of toasted coconut next to brandy-soaked marzipan with a hint of rose water.
Finish: A hint of milk chocolate arrives late with vanilla custard over fresh mago, more toasted coconut, rose water, and candied orange marzipan dipped in creamed honey with a whisper of lavender.
Bottom Line:
This is pure dessert in a glass. The whisky has cake and pie vibes that lock into the flavors of right now perfectly. Serve this after a big meal over a single large rock and you’ll be in for a sweet and ultra-smooth whisky treat.
14. Glenkinchie Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillers Edition
This limited edition expression from Diageo’s Distillers Editions is expertly crafted Lowland whisky. The malt is finished in a specially made barrel that is constructed from used and new American oak that’s then filled with Amontillado sherry for a month. Once that fortified wine is dumped, the whisky goes in for its final maturation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a soft mix of cedar, red berry, and vanilla pods next to a bowl of fruity candy with a hint of caramel and raisin.
Palate: The palate starts mineral-forward but then explodes with flavor — black pepper, brie rinds, sour candy, a dirt cellar floor, smooth malts, and a hint of sour apple tobacco all make appearances.
Finish: The finish continues to build with a cheese cellar vibe next to fresh cream touched with winter spices, dried red fruits, soft cedar, and vanilla on the back end.
Bottom Line:
This is a perfect pairing whisky for a great cheese platter with dried nuts and fruits. Pour this neat and it’ll match wonderfully with bold, funky, creamy, and nutty cheese. It’s also the smoothest drams from the Diageo Distillers Editions by a country mile.
This is a classic Chivas that has finally arrived in the U.S. The whisky is classic Chivas blended whisky (made from malt and grain whiskies) that was left to age for 15 long years before the whisky is moved into French cognac casks for a final rest. Finally, that whisky is vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Orange marmalade on wheat toast is accented by freshly ground cinnamon, a touch of clove, and mincemeat pies iced with a thin layer of powdered sugar icing.
Palate: Dark dried fruits — think prunes, sultanas, and dates — drive the palate toward soft berries, rich butterscotch, and a touch of caramel-laced toffees dipped in roasted almonds.
Finish: The end is lush and creamy with a hint of vanilla kissed with more mincemeat pie, brandy-soaked dates, and a dark Christmas pudding swimming in brandy butter.
Bottom Line:
Pour this over ice and it’ll be Christmas in a glass. Read those flavor notes again, see what I mean?
12. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Coast Series Pineau Des Charentes Wine Cask Matured
This limited edition expression is all about seaside aging. The whiskey is left in old American oak casks for years, right next to the sea. Those casks are vatted and re-barreled into hand-made ex-Pineau des Charentes casks from France. Once those barrels are just right, they’re vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a classic malted honey vibe on the nose that’s accented by a whisper of bourbon vanilla before apricot jam over buttery scones leads to rum raisin, white pepper, and smoldering winter spice barks.
Palate: Candied almonds and pecan pie lead to Nutella spread over malted honey cakes that turn toward rain on a rocky beach with a whisp of smoked nori floating on the air.
Finish: The Nutella leans into espresso beans as the spices get soft and powdery on the end with a sense of sea salt-flaked dark chocolate-covered orange closing things out.
Bottom Line:
Malty sweet spice cakes, orange chocolate, and pecan pie? That’s smooth holidays in the glass right there. Moreover, this is a great whisky to pair with either a big dessert course or a really good box of chocolates with all the styles of chocolates in it. Think those fancy and big See’s Candy boxes with just as much dried fruit, nuts, and toffee in them as chocolate.
11. Cragganmore 2023 Distillers Edition Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Cragganmore is an iconic Scottish distillery. This yearly whisky release is matured in sherry casks for 12 years. It’s then transferred into port-seasoned American oak casks for a final maturation phase before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fennel leads to dried fruits — sultanas, prunes, dried fig — and fresh apples on the nose with a hint of tartness and skin next to savory (almost oily) herb branches and leaves.
Palate: The taste, on the other hand, leans into sweet oak, pear candies, fresh figs, and a softness that’s almost hard to believe while this medley of caraway, fresh fennel, and sweet cardamom dance together on your palate.
Finish: The end is full of sweet fruits — think ripe pears, green tomatoes, and star fruit — and has just the right touches of soft oak, oily vanilla, and savory green herbs as it fades towards a final note of wet wicker right after a rain storm.
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect hot apple cider pour. It also works as a pairing for a big piece of roasted meat thanks to the herbal vibe — while that doesn’t sound smooth, it still has a luxurious body that feels that way. It’s versatile and shines the brightest when poured neat.
10. Glenglassaugh Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky “Sandend”
This whiskey is a seaside-matured Highland whisky. The unpeated malt rests on the beach on Sandend Bay in a mix of ex-bourbon, sherry, and Manzanilla casks until just right. Those barrels are vatted and then just kissed with water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Malted vanilla full-fat ice cream opens the nose toward hints of mango, pineapple, and star fruit with a sense of salted dark chocolate-covered cherries soaked in brandy with a touch of sea breeze.
Palate: Rich salted caramel drizzles over grilled pineapple and those chocolate-covered cherries on the palate as bright grapefruit oils and malted cracked, heavy with sea salt, round out the taste.
Finish: Dark cherries and mango skins dance with driftwood and rum-forward citrus cocktails with plenty of brown spices on the malted vanilla finish with a hint of leatheriness.
Bottom Line:
This is fruit and chocolate to the nth degree. It’s like a big fruit basket peppered with creamy dark chocolates that will work wonders in a cocktail or as an on-the-rocks ripper this holiday season.
9. Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky Solera Aged 15 Years
This unique Glenfiddich has its own vibe. The whisky was aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 15 years. Those barrels are then vatted in a special large-format solera barrel that’s never fully emptied as new whisky goes in. The whisky from that vat is proofed down and then bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark dried red fruit mixes with old vanilla on the nose with a hint of orange and some light winter spice that gives way to mincemeat pies with powdered sugar icing.
Palate: Soft plummy fruit mingles with marzipan and vanilla with a light oaky spiciness that’s part spicy mulled wine and part mincemeat pie.
Finish: The holiday sweetness drives the finish with a sense of raisins, marzipan, and gingerbread cookies.
Bottom Line:
Again, this is a luscious winter dessert in a glass. Pour it neat or over some rocks and you’ll be set. But don’t sleep on using this one in your favorite whisky-forward cocktails either. It makes a mean old fashioned.
8. Torabhaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky Allt Gleann
The Torabhaig Distillery is the new kid on the block on the Isle of Skye. This whisky is made from heavily peated malts and blended to highlight the seaside vibe of that northern island. The whisky was made back in 2018 from two bespoke barley varieties. It then went into first-fill and re-fill ex-bourbon casks before a touch of water for proofing and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one is subtly maritime with a hint of sea spray on cold grey rocks mingling with soft nutmeg, lemon and vanilla-laced shortbread, oyster shells, and a hint of burnt ends from a slow-smoked pork butt.
Palate: The palate leans into smoked salmon skins with a thick line of belly fat still attached as woody spices and dried apple skins lead to a sweet fruit throughline.
Finish: The finish has a hint of fennel and rye next to more sea spray, pepperiness, and a minor note of red fruit.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent food pairing whisky for big holiday meals that lean into seafood and roasted meat. Pour this with your oysters as an appetizer (whisky oyster shooters!) and it’ll shine luxuriously. Pair this with the big dinner and it’ll shine too. You can’t miss with this one.
This no-age-statement whisky has an interesting aging process. The whisky is aged in a combination of used barrels and re-charred barrels. Basically, they take old barrels, strip the charring, rebuild those barrels, and then re-char them to Talisker’s standards. The process adds a new layer of depth by rejuvenating the staves. The whisky from those barrels is then blended into a darker, smokier, and deeper single malt.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This sip amps up the peat a tad while bringing in the brine next to a clear caramel maltiness, honey-stewed pears, and a touch of charred beach driftwood.
Palate: The smoke at play here is more akin seaside campfire while the brininess is reminiscent of oyster liquor with a dry chili spice lurking in the background that’s just kissed with salted plum preserves.
Finish: There’s a hint of the bright berry leftover from the Talisker 10 with a touch more peppery spice by the end that leans towards a salted toffee that’s laced with faint campfire smoke and charred oyster shells.
Bottom Line:
This is another great pairing whisky, especially for a seafood feast. It’s also a great candidate if you’re spending this holiday near the sea — it’ll just fit the vibe in every way thanks to that ultra-svelte oyster liqueur vibe throughout.
6. Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years
Glenmorangie’s 14-year expression spends 10 years resting in used American oak casks. Those barrels are vatted and the whisky is re-barreled into Quinta Ruban port wine casks from Portugal for another four years of mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of burnt orange layered into dark chocolate and then melted over a singed marshmallow with a hint of malted vanilla cookie tying it all together.
Palate: That dark chocolate drives the palate with a hint of waxiness and woody winter spice next to whole black peppercorns, fresh tangerine, and a whisper of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Finish: The dark chocolate, woody spice, bright orange, and sharp spearmint all collide on the finish with a sense of soft malted sweetness and faint old oak staves.
Bottom Line:
This might be the best overall sipper for both price and accessibility right now. It’s delicious and oozes with smooth holiday flavor notes from top to bottom. Lastly, this is a great cocktail base for Manhattans, old fashioneds, boulevardiers, and Sazeracs.
5. Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Offerman Charred Oak Cask Aged 11 Years
This new release is the third collaboration between Lagavulin and Nick Offerman. This time around, the team at Lagavulin took 11-year-old malt and finished it in heavily charred casks that used to hold bourbon and red wine. Those barrels were then batched and built around flavor notes that pair perfectly with a steak dinner.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a rich peatiness that’s tied to pecan chocolate clusters and dried cranberries with a dusting of sea salt, burnt orange zest, and fine nutmeg.
Palate: The palate dips those red tart berries in dark salted chocolate with cinnamon bark and clove buds next to espresso cream and a whisper of malty vanilla wafers with fresh honey in between.
Finish: The end has this enigmatic mix of smoked toffee, salted black licorice, and brandied cherries wrapped in cinnamon-laced tobacco and folded into an old cedar box.
Bottom Line:
If you like your winter desserts with a flake or two of salt, this is going to be your jam. You can sip this neat with dessert or pour it into your favorite smooth wintry cocktail. Either way, you’ll be in good hands with this whisky.
4. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Aged 14 Years
The Balvenie is renowned for doing everything in-house from grain to glass and for being the distillery that spearheaded the whole “finishing whisky in a different cask” movement. In this case, the juice spends 14 years maturing in ex-bourbon barrels. The whisky is then batched and transferred to barrels that The Balvenie aged their blend of West Indies rum.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a welcoming rush of buttery toffee up top with hints of brown spices, bright red berries, and a touch of sweet malts next to floral malts and deep holiday vibes.
Palate: The palate brings around creamy vanilla dotted with sweet and slightly tart red berries next to a very soft winter spice barks, marzipan, and whispers of tobacco.
Finish: The finish is full of softwood, vanilla cream, and a touch of that winter spice with hints of leather and cedar-twinged tobacco.
The Bottom Line:
This whisky is great for sitting by a crackling fire in a pub, apres ski, or just at home. It’s winter in a glass and runs deep on dark fruit and rummy vibes, making it as good of a smooth sipper as it is a lush cocktail base.
3. The GlenDronach Revival Aged 15 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Revival 15 takes its sherried nature very seriously. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 long years. Those casks are married and this whisky is brought down to a very easy-drinking 92 proof with that soft Highland water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark berry brambles with tart and sweet fruit, stems, thorns, and even a little black dirt draw you in on the nose with a hint of walnut shell and cherry pie.
Palate: The palate is a creamy yet bitter dark chocolate orange that leads toward a semi-savory fig countered by a ripe apricot that feels like a dark and boozy fruitcake with a scoop of vanilla malt.
Finish: The chocolate comes back with cinnamon spice and more dark berries and walnuts at the end with a sense of sticky toffee pudding with a rich caramel sauce cut with salt and orange oils.
Bottom Line:
This is where we’re squarely in “Christmas in a glass” territory. Pour this neat, into an old fashioned, or over a rock and you’ll practically hear Christmas music start playing thanks to the amazingly plush vibe.
2. Aberlour A’bunadh Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
A’bunadh (ah-boon-arh) means “the original” in Gaelic and the whisky in this Speyside bottle represents that idea for Aberlour. The whisky is matured in old Oloroso sherry casks exclusively. The whisky then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That sherry plumminess is evident right up top, with hints of bright orange oils, clumps of dark chocolate, honey, and nuts, and a hint of oak.
Palate: The taste shines with notes of dark, ripe cherries, prunes, more bright orange zest, dark chocolate, and a good measure of svelte vanilla.
Finish: The slow finish leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel next to bitter chocolate next to sweet cherries and plums, all of which lead towards a warming spice on the tongue at the end.
Bottom Line:
Again, this is Christmas in a glass. It’s lush and dark with just the right balance of dark fruits, spices, and creamy nuttiness. This is a great sipper that makes a killer whiskey-forward cocktail with winter vibes.
1. Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years
Johnnie Walker’s Green Label is a solidly crafted whisky that highlights Diageo’s fine stable of distilleries across Scotland. The whisky is a pure malt or blended malt, meaning that only single malt whisky is in the mix (no grain whisky). In this case, the primary whiskies are a minimum of 15 years old, from Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft notes of cedar dance with hints of black pepper, vanilla pods, and bright fruit — think red berries, fresh pear, and nectarines — with a wisp of singed green grass in the background.
Palate: The palate delivers on that soft cedar woodiness while edging towards a spice-laden tropical fruit brightness with grilled peaches covered in salted caramel, honey malt biscuits, and bitter yet sweet marmalade with a dash of winter spiciness.
Finish: The finish is dialed in with hints of soft cedar bark, singed wild sage, bark-forward winter spice, and stewed stonefruit leading toward a briny billow of smoke at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is the best overall smooth whisky that has deep holiday vibes on the list. This works so well as an easy-going straight sipper with winter notes while also killing it as a wintry cocktail base with the perfect hint of fruity smoke.
Pope Francis has made a radical shift in Catholic Church doctrine by allowing priests to bless same-sex couples. The Vatican announced the change on Monday, December 18, in a document that outlined the new policy.
The change is one of Francis’ most dramatic in his 10 years as pope.
However, even though the document feels like a softening of discriminatory policies within the Church, it’s also a clear statement that it still believes marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman. The policy also states that although priests can now bless same-sex couples, they must not be tied to any specific Catholic celebration or religious service or seen as a civil union ceremony.
The blessings may not involve clothing, gestures, or rituals that belong in a wedding.
The document is a reversal of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s 2021 statement that the Church cannot bless same-sex unions because “God cannot bless sin.”
The Pope’s rationale for the change in doctrine is his belief that requesting a blessing, regardless of one’s lifestyle, shows an openness to a relationship with God, so it shouldn’t be denied.
“One should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing,” the document from the Vatican’s doctrine office says.
“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” the document continues. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.”
“Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it,” the document said.
The Pope’s decision to allow priests to bless same-sex relationships is another bold move in a papacy defined by greater LGBTQ inclusivity. A few months into his papacy, when approached about a priest’s sexuality, Pope Francis asked, “Who am I to judge?” Earlier this year, in an interview with the Associated Press, the Pope said “Being homosexual isn’t a crime.” Last month, the Vatican said trans people can be baptized as godparents.
The decision has caused debate among leaders in the Catholic Church.
“The significance of this news cannot be overstated,” Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which supports LGBTQ+ Catholics, said, according to NBC News. “It is one thing to formally approve same-gender blessings, which he had already pastorally permitted, but to say that people should not be subjected to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive God’s love and mercy is an even more significant step.”
However, the news is troubling to some conservative Catholics.
“The Vatican’s statement is, in my view, the most unfortunate public announcement in decades,” University of Notre Dame theologian Ulrich Lehner said in a statement. “Moreover, some bishops will use it as a pretext to do what the document explicitly forbids, especially since the Vatican has not stopped them before. It is—and I hate to say it—an invitation to schism.”
The film is also expected to keep rolling pretty well throughout the Christmas and New Year’s holidays as families head to the multiplex as they enjoy more together time but do need to get out of the house. If you aren’t feeling like hitting the theater, however, and you’d prefer to enjoy this musical in your own living room (where you can sing along with only your pets and family to judge you), then when can you do so?
For now, that magic day is a secret, although the film is expected to eventually be part of the HBO Max streaming library. In all likelihood, this will happen after a 90-day theatrical window, meaning that tiny, furious Hugh Grant could be on your TV or other streaming device by early-to-mid March. Can you wait that long? If not, here’s a video of Hugh dancing in 2003’s Love Actually, and he doesn’t even seem to be mad. Or have green hair, for that matter.
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