The commercials for Ridley Scott’s Napoleon play up the epic scale and action sequences of the film and I suppose that’s fair enough. All that stuff is here. If you want to see 19th century battles with horses and cannons, there will be plenty of that for you ahead in this movie with a runtime of just under 160 minutes, though moves like a movie much shorter. What isn’t being played up as much is the fact, well, Joaquin Phoenix’s Napoleon Bonaparte is … well he’s quite hilarious.
I cannot take credit for this observation, but a friend of mine who saw the movie said, “It’s like watching Tim Robinson play Napoleon,” and this is pretty dead on. Oh, make no mistake, this is by design. This is not my way of saying Napoleon is bad. It’s honestly now one of my favorite movies of the year – a movie that, before I saw it, looked a little too stoic and “important.” Instead, I probably laughed harder during this movie than I have during any new movie this year. And the laughs are genuine and intentional.
For example, anytime Napoleon wants to have sex with Josephine he starts making this goofy face while saying, “nom nom nom nom nom.” This is high comedy. There are around 100 times in this movie when someone will insult Napoleon to his face, or sleep with his wife, where in any other movie about an emperor the offending party would be immediately executed. Instead, Napoleon just screams something like, “Well be that as it may!” and continues on with his life. In a tense and standoffish negotiation with the English, Napoleon, very much being looked down upon, screams, “You think you’re so great because you have boats!!!” I applauded this scene.
There’s been mention Ridley Scott reunited with Phoenix after Phoenix’s performance as Joker, but Phoenix’s performance here as Napoleon has more in common with Alan Rickman’s Sheriff of Nottingham from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves than Joker. Napoleon isn’t going to shoot someone on live television, but he might scream at his staff to call off Christmas. I truly hope Phoenix gets an Oscar nomination for his portrayal because it’s inspired that he decided to make Napoleon interesting he had to make him funny. (A child starts questioning Napoleon’s claim he burned down Moscow and, in response, Napoleon starts throwing grapes at this child.)
Look, I’m not an expert on the history of Napoleon but I think there are some historical inaccuracies in this movie. And I don’t really care. As far as I’m concerned this is how it all went down now. But, yes, the film opens with Marie Antoinette facing the guillotine and a rising star in the military, Napoleon Bonaparte, seeing an opportunity. Napoleon leads his first major military victory and is promoted to general and gains a reputation as an expert in the art of battle. (Even in this scene, Napoleon’s horse he’s riding is blown up by a cannonball. As Napoleon is helped up he’s asked if he’s okay and answers in a very, “Yes I’m okay. Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be okay?” tone. I mean, maybe because your horse just blew up?
Napoleon meets Josephine (Vanessa Kirby) and it’s established pretty early that Josephine can be as terrible to Napoleon as she wants with little repercussions. Napoleon is portrayed as a love-sick fool who writes her letters every day from the front lines of battle while she carries on with a new lover. The local paper even has a cartoon making fun of all this happening under Napoleon’s nose, which he sees, and instead of revenge, he just temporarily puts her belongings on the front yard and screams. Even the man Josephine has an affair with seems to just go on with his life with no repercussions.
Speaking of funny, as Napoleon writes to Josephine, as his troops invade Russia during the winter, we hear his voiceover in the most cockily hilarious tone that victory awaits. Well, as we learned long ago, victory doesn’t await this time. We watch Napoleon lose power, then struggle once again to regain it, then make some more bad decisions.
In 2003, I went to the upper highlands of Scotland for a wedding. I found myself at some hole-in-the-wall pup in a town called Plockton. A couple of locals were sitting next to me and we started talking. Without anything to really offer, I asked, “So, do you guys like Braveheart?” One guy looked at me and said, “It’s an entertaining movie. It’s true they put William Wallace’s head up on the castle, but if you’re looking for historical accuracy it’s crap!” (He literally said “crap,” just like the Mike Meyers character.) So I’ll echo that here, if you’re looking to nitpick historical accuracy, Napoleon is going to drive you bonkers. But good gosh is it entertaining. And funny. Don’t forget funny. In fact, I got a text asking how Napoleon is and I responded quickly, “It’s hilarious,” right before I got on the subway. The response was, “What a surprising sentence.” If Ridley Scott wants to change the narrative around Napoleon to “blowhard buffoon,” with this movie he succeeds.
The end of 2023 is near. The past year offered some great music, which fans streamed in mass. And as this year comes to a close, music fans can’t wait to see a visual representation of their listening habits. Spotify users are waiting with bated breath for Spotify Wrapped, an annual interactive collection of gifs, playlists, and images designed to correspond to each user’s listening habits from the past year.
But Spotify users aren’t the only ones who get to have fun. Apple Music users can also look forward to seeing their Apple Music Replay. And thankfully, they won’t have to wait too long.
When does Apple Music Replay update?
Apple Music Replay updates every Sunday, according to users on the Apple community discussion board. And this doesn’t exclusively include Sunday that fall within the holiday season. Each Apple Music user’s Replay playlist updates year-round.
Though, during the holiday season, Apple Music user’s may receive a prompt to check their Apple Music Replay, which will direct them to gifs and interactive photos, similar to those of Spotify Wrapped. And while Spotify Wrapped’s playlists and stats are typically only available to view for the latter part of the respective year, and the earlier part of the following year, Apple Music users can see their Replay lists at any time, as well as lists from previous years.
Zach LaVine popping up in trade rumors is a near-annual occurrence, but with the Chicago Bulls scuffling out of the gates after trying to run it back one more time, there seems to be a bit more impetus from both sides to find a deal that moves the star guard somewhere else in this round of trade rumblings
As is always the case, the issue with moving LaVine is finding a trade partner that values him close to as much as the Bulls do and is offering pieces that fit in return. The same report about LaVine being available indicated the Bulls want to bring DeMar DeRozan back next offseason, meaning whoever comes back will need to be a fit with his game. Meanwhile, LaVine is on the second year of a 5-year, $215 million deal, accounting for just under 30 percent of the projected salary cap in each season moving forward. He’s also in the midst of the worst start to a season he’s had since his first year in Chicago, averaging 21.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and three assists per game on 40.9/30.9/87.9 shooting splits. That means the Bulls are shopping him when his active value is about as low as it’s been.
Teams will anticipate a rebound from LaVine in terms of shooting efficiency, as he has proven to be a high quality three-point shooter in his career, and there still will be plenty that believe in LaVine as a potential All-Star going forward. However, this early in the season, you’d be hard pressed to find too many teams desperate to make a major move to shake up their roster, particularly among contenders. While the Bulls have reason to want to shuffle their roster, most teams around the league are likely looking to take a more patient approach. That’s especially the case when you consider LaVine’s contract, as adding that kind of long-term money requires serious belief that his addition takes you to the next level.Even so, there are a few teams that would probably have at least some interest in LaVine right now, with the market opening up a bit more when the calendar flips to January and recently re-signed players can be moved.
All of this is to say, I really am not sure how to figure out LaVine’s market value right now, but I do think there are six teams that should at least look into the star guard and consider their options.
Orlando Magic
The Magic have a clear need in the backcourt and could use some consistent offensive firepower alongside Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, and it’s not too terribly difficult financially for them to bring a big contract on board right now because those two are still on their rookie deals. They also have some intriguing young players that could both fill immediate needs in Chicago, while providing some future upside should the Bulls end up needing to hit the reset button completely. Any combination of two of Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac, and Gary Harris along with either Jalen Suggs or Anthony Black would make the money work. It’s a matter of if that satiates the Bulls desired return for their star guard and if Orlando would be willing to part with picks to make it happen.
Toronto Raptors
With the emergence of Scottie Barnes this season, the Raptors might have some extra motivation to finally make a deal to build a more optimal roster around Barnes, and LaVine would make more sense as an offensive partner for Barnes than what’s currently in Toronto. A Pascal Siakam for Zach LaVine trade would work straight up, but the Bulls would then have a lot of the same spacing issues the Raptors do. Plus Siakam has made it known he’s not interested in an extension if traded and would likely choose to hit free agency this summer. OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. also would work for LaVine, but we know Toronto still holds Anunoby in high regard and might push for more than just LaVine in such a deal. It feels like the pathway to Toronto landing LaVine would be in a three-team trade — maybe Atlanta jumping back into the Siakam sweepstakes? — but I’m not holding my breath when it comes to the Raptors actually pulling the trigger on a big move.
New Orleans Pelicans
Things don’t seem great in New Orleans and they certainly look like a team that could use some added juice on offense. Maybe they just want to wait to see what they look like when fully healthy and have Trey Murphy III back, but they also might be coming to terms with the idea Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson aren’t the ideal pairing long-term. If that’s the case, they could potentially flip Ingram for LaVine and try to bring some more floor balance, if they are willing to buy in to Zion being the guy they want to build around. On the Bulls side, similar to the issue with a Siakam-LaVine swap, Ingram isn’t exactly a cozy fit next to DeRozan as they like to operate in the same areas. That, again, might bring in a third-team, but there would certainly be interest in Ingram to make that happen if he were to become available.
Utah Jazz
If we are talking about a reset for Chicago, they might want to go check in with the Utah Jazz. This would almost assuredly have to be a post-January deal, as including Jordan Clarkson’s deal is about the only pathway to making it work financially. That said, the Jazz have a ton of picks and could toss a couple firsts the Bulls way to bring LaVine in to provide some much-needed backcourt scoring and reunite Lauri Markkanen with his old teammate. Clarkson/Talen Horton-Tucker/Ochai Agbaji works financially and takes at least a little money off of Chicago’s long-term books while sending them a couple firsts to restock their draft cupboard.
Cleveland Cavaliers
This one is a bit wild and you don’t often see in-division star trades, but I think they should at least talk it out. If the Cavs really think Donovan Mitchell bolts after next year in free agency, LaVine would be a pretty good replacement in the Darius Garland co-star role, as I think he’s best working as a secondary ball-handler, and would provide a bit more stability with an extra year on his deal and probably would be more willing to work out an extension if things go well. For the Bulls, Mitchell would be a bit better on the ball than LaVine and would give them some immediate upside to try and make a playoff push this year. That would give you a pretty decent idea of whether this group can be anything more than it is now, and if not, you could look to move him next deadline or facilitate a sign-and-trade to get something in return in two summers.
Miami Heat
The Heat just kind of always get tossed into these conversations, and for good reason — the team is constantly looking for ways to add star players into its rotation, and as we saw during the Damian Lillard sweepstakes earlier this summer, Miami believes it has a hole in its backcourt that can be filled by a guard who can score in bunches. Now, it’s worth mentioning that Tyler Herro did a nice job earlier this season before going down with an ankle injury, and seeing as how he’s both younger and cheaper than LaVine, it’s worth wondering if the Heat would be better off just moving forward with Herro in the role that LaVine would essentially fill if he came to Miami, particularly because it stands to reason that Herro would be the centerpiece of a deal. But what if they could incentivize it a little further with a young player or draft compensation, and as a result, they were able to bring Alex Caruso to South Beach, too? The Heat love to try and make these sorts of big swings, so they’re very much worth mentioning here.
Oskar Blue/Sierra Nevada/North Coast/Boulevard/istock/Uproxx
We are firmly entrenched in stout season. The cooler (and sometimes unpleasantly cold) weather is perfect for the rich, robust roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee flavor notes everyone expects from the style. And while classic stouts are well and good, today we want to highlight something a little more potent and richer: the imperial stout.
For those unaware, an imperial stout is higher in alcohol content and has more noticeable roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, and smoky flavors than its non-imperial counterparts. Not surprisingly, they make great drinking as the holiday season starts to ramp up and the weather turns cold.
So which imperial stouts should you buy? Instead of picking hard-to-find beers that you’ll never get a chance to drink, we picked eight great choices that are all readily available at grocery stores and beer stores from Bangor to Bakersfield. Then we ranked them all, based on balance and overall flavor.
Keep reading to see if your favorite imperial stout made the list!
First released in 2022, Stone Imperial Stout is known for its pitch-black color and robust, rich flavor. It’s brewed with Magnum hops and roasted malts. Referred to by the brewery as “decedent as sin”, you can age this beer for years if you want to and it will only get better.
Tasting Notes:
A classic nose of dark chocolate, coffee, and caramel greets you before your first sip. The palate is loaded with vanilla, roasted malts, dark chocolate, and freshly brewed coffee. It’s creamy and velvety with a dry finish that leaves you wanting more. Well made, but a fairly straightforward flavor profile.
Bottom Line:
This is a great beer. It’s simple and easy to drink with rich, robust flavors. It’s a great choice for fans of traditional, no-frills imperial stouts.
This 9.7% ABV imperial stout is made with humble ingredients like barley, wheat, rye, and oats. It’s known for its dark obsidian hue and full-flavored, complex flavor profile of roasted malts, dried fruits, and floral, earthy noble German hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all freshly brewed coffee, vanilla beans, toffee, and brown sugar. Drinking it reveals notes of molasses, dried fruits, espresso, dark chocolate, light smoke, and a dry, sweet finish. It’s a classic imperial stout that has countless fans and for good reason.
Bottom Line:
This is a complex, rich imperial stout. It’s heavy on the coffee aspect so if that’s your jam, this stout is completely up your alley.
This year-round, 9.5% ABV imperial stout has won numerous awards over the years, including multiple medals from the Great American Beer Festival. It’s well-known for its balance, including a roasted malt backbone, sweet caramel flavors, and a nice kick of floral, earthy hops at the finish.
Tasting Notes:
Everything begins with a nose of roasted malts, chocolate, dried fruits, and some gentle floral hops. The palate continues this trend with notes of roasted malts, toffee, vanilla beans, chocolate, light spices, and more floral hops at the very end. The finish is dry and lightly bitter.
Bottom Line:
A well-balanced imperial stout, Great Divide Yeti is one for stout fans who enjoy myriad different flavors. Malty, sweet, and eventually bitter — this is a beer that evolves on the palate.
First brewed in 1989, you’d have a hard time finding an older Russian imperial stout brewed in the US. Crafted to spend extra time aging in your basement, it’s beloved for its flavor profile of roasted malts, chocolate, and fruit. At a bold 10.5% ABV, it’s sure to warm you up this fall and winter.
Tasting Notes:
Dark chocolate, butterscotch, raisins, brown sugar, and roasted malts make for a very inviting nose. Sipping it brings notes of molasses, dark chocolate, toffee, roasted malts, and dried fruits, The finish is perfectly dry and gently bitter.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason this beer has been made the same way since 1989. It’s well-balanced and highly drinkable — get some extra bottles and save them for cellaring.
A narwhal is an arctic whale known for its unicorn-like tusk (that’s really a canine tooth). It’s wild and bold which is why Sierra Nevada decided to name its imperial stout after this majestic creature. Brewed with Carafa, Caramelized, Chocolate, Estate Pale, and Honey malts as well as ale yeast and Cascade and Ekuanot hops, it’s known for its indulgent chocolate, roasted malt, and lightly smoky flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is made up of aromas of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and licorice. The palate follows suit with a velvety smooth mouthfeel and a slew of flavors including dark chocolate, roasted malts, molasses, raisins, and coffee. It’s a perfectly balanced mix of roasty malts flavors, sweetness, bitterness, and just a kiss of smoke.
Bottom Line:
Sierra Narwhal is as complex as the whale it’s named for. It has everything an imperial stout fan could look for and it will take multiple samplings to find all the many aromas and flavors.
This award-winning imperial stout doesn’t mess around. At a potent 12% ABV, it’s on the same level as some of its bourbon barrel-aged counterparts. This beer is known for its mix of caramel, chocolate, roasted malts, and dried dark fruits. But it’s the addition of locally sourced roasted coffee beans that truly elevates this brew.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of dark chocolate, roasted malts, floral hops, and freshly brewed coffee greet you before your first sip. The palate is a symphony of dried fruits, toffee, molasses, vanilla beans, dark chocolate, roasted malts, and a nice wallop of freshly brewed coffee. The finish is a gentle mix of sweetness and bitterness with a warming, boozy kick.
Bottom Line:
Alesmith Speedway Stout is a popular imperial stout for many reasons. It’s big, bold, boozy, flavorful, and filled with coffee goodness.
Named for Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin, an influential Russian mystic in the late 1800s and early 1900s, North Coast Old Rasputin is a Russian imperial stout is a 9% ABV warming brew made in the style of the 18th-century English brewers who made the beer for Catherine the Great. It’s known for its rich, roasted malt, chocolate-centric flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find notes of caramel, semisweet chocolate, brown sugar, roasted malts, and dried fruits. After that inviting nose, the palate is loaded with nutty sweetness, dark chocolate, bold roasted malts, and freshly brewed coffee. The mouthfeel is creamy and indulgent with a bit of pleasing bitterness at the finish.
Bottom Line:
Overall, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of North Coast Old Rasputin. There’s a reason it’s won so many awards over the years.
Few beers are so on the nose with their name. But Oskar Blues Ten Fidy is called “Ten Fidy” because it’s literally 10.5% ABV. This popular imperial stout is brewed with two-row and chocolate malts as well as roasted barley, flaked oats, and specially selected hops. The result is a unique, bold imperial stout you won’t soon forget.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all roasted malts, dark chocolate, coffee beans, raisins, butterscotch, and candied nuts. Taking a sip will transport you to a world of cacao, vanilla beans, roasted malts, coffee beans, dried fruits, caramel candy, and just a hint of floral hops. The finish is perfectly dry and semisweet. It’s a very memorable beer.
Bottom Line:
If you only try one beer on this list, make it Oskar Blues Ten Fidy. It’s big, bold, rich, and sublimely well-balanced for such a high-ABV beer.
It looks like there may have been a miscommunication between Lil Uzi Vert and their management regarding their appearance on the Rolling Loud California lineup for 2024 because Uzi appears confused. “I never said I was doing Rolling Loud,” they wrote on Instagram over a repost of the event’s flyer in Stories. “Don’t understand why my name is on here.”
Lil Uzi Vert reacts to news he’s headlining Rolling Loud 2024:
“I never said I was doing Rolling Loud don’t understand why my name is on here.” pic.twitter.com/yLh0DFbpwL
While miscues like this do occasionally happen in the entertainment industry (actually, they happen all the time, just rarely at this scale), it’s unusual that Lil Uzi Vert wouldn’t want to do Rolling Loud. They’ve been a mainstay at the festival since it began to rise to prominence a few years ago, appearing on the roster most years since at least 2017.
However, Uzi has been insinuating lately that they’re fed up with the music business, hinting at retirement and personal issues including a possible breakup with City Girls’ JT. Anyone hoping that their Grammy nomination for Pink Tape would salve those psychic wounds might end up disappointed.
This isn’t the first time a big-name festival announced its lineup before the artists involved were informed by their respective teams. In 2020, the Lovers And Friends Festival lineup was disputed by both Mase and Lil Kim before they figured things out. Despite those checks eventually clearing, though, the festival was postponed due to COVID-19, eventually taking place at a later date.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has understandably led to high emotions. Covering it requires a delicate touch. That’s why Fox News brought on a well-known expert on geopolitics: Fabio. On Tuesday the world’s most famous romance novel cover model went on-air to speak with Neil Cavuto about the pro-Israel demonstration that took place in D.C., as well as the pro-Palestinian protests that have erupted over the nation. It was more surreal than informative.
Per The Daily Beast, Fabio (full-name Fabio Lanzoni) spent most of his interview slamming President Joe Biden and hatching conspiracy theories about who was really behind the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. (Hint: It was Hamas.) After calling Biden the “weakest president in the history of the United States,” the former “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” spokesperson went on to throw out some ideas about the roots of the conflict, which one would arrive at “if you really do your research,” of course.
“Israel was closing a deal with Saudi Arabia… so that they could ship all the oil to Europe—and, of course, most of the oil comes from Russia—and to Asia,” Fabio speculated. “So, of course, who was selling the oil to Asia? Iran. That is why Iran, all of a sudden, attacked Israel. That’s the real reason.”
Is it, though? Cavuto, who called the Exorcist III bit player a “great student of history,” seemed to think so.
Cavuto also asked Fabio about all the support Palestine has received during the deadly bombings, which have left thousands of civilians dead, including children. Fabio slammed those who would defend “people who want to blow themselves up so they can be with 72 virgins.” He also argued Israel’s response is appropriate.
“Israel is just trying to defend itself,” Fabio said. “If anything would have happened in the United States like it happened on Oct. 7, the United States would have nuked the border country.”
If you’re surprised Fox News was asking Fabio for his opinions on the news, you shouldn’t be. Back on 2018, Tucker Carlson earned jeers when he brought him on to talk about Los Angeles, which he compared to Sodom and Gomorrah. Amazingly, the largest city in California is still mostly doing just fine.
Following ten episodes that aired over the last two months, Power Book IV: Forceseason two came to an end in dramatic fashion, which is typical for shows in the Power Universe. Now, next up is Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Unlike Power Book II: Ghost and Power Book IV: Force, which depict the events that take place after the original Power series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan jumps back to the past. So with season three set to pick up where season two’s chaotic ending left off, when will fans be able to watch the new season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan?
When Does Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3 Come Out?
Season three of Power Book III: Raising Kanan debuts on STARZ on December 1. The first episode in season three will be available to watch on the STARZ app starting on December 1 at midnight ET/PT and it will then air on the STARZ TV channel at 8pm ET/PT.
You can read the official synopsis for season three below:
Over the last two seasons of “Raising Kanan,” Kanan Stark has slowly learned the truth about not only his mother, but also himself. It has been a tortuous journey for him and everyone around him. With each new revelation, Kanan has been forced to confront his family’s seemingly never-ending web of secrets and lies. He has spent much of this time in a state of denial, but now, Kanan’s blinders are finally off, and he doesn’t like what he sees.
In season three, Kanan finds himself grappling with the very notions of right and wrong. Good and evil. Fidelity and disloyalty. And he’s not alone. Every member of the Thomas family must confront an existential crisis that challenges their very identity. Whether it’s Marvin, who’s still trying to redeem himself, or Raq, who’s finally coming clean, or Lou, who’s wrestling with his own evil, or Jukebox, who’s simply trying to break free from her family’s pathology, they are all attempting to redefine and reinvent themselves.
They won’t all be able to complete this intensely personal quest, but for those who do, the destination may reveal the most terrifying secret of all. There is no right and wrong or good and evil. There are no absolutes. In the end, there’s just you.
‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ will return to STARZ for season three on December 1.
Before I dive in, let’s get some technicalities out of the way. “Rare” does not mean expensive or exclusive. Rare simply means “thinly distributed” or “occurring far apart in time.” Sure, that can mean that those “thinly distributed” items gain popularity that inflates prices, but that’s not crucial or defining for “rare” at all. Hell, rare doesn’t even mean good or special.
Look, I get it, people out there conflate “rare” with special or better or expensive. But that’s just not always the case.
Today, I’ve chosen bourbons that are mostly single barrel picks because that means there are 200 bottles or less of that expression — and there never will be any more of that specific release, ever. Yes, you might see another barrel pick from that brand out there but don’t expect it to taste anything like the last one you saw. I’ve also included highly allocated bourbons that are damn near impossible to get unless you know where to look (but not impossible if you’re willing to pay far above MSRP). The first covers the “occurring far apart in time” and the latter covers the “thinly distributed”.
That makes our lineup today the following rare bourbons:
Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Warehouse PN Barrel No. 86-3E
Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey Single Barrel Aged At Least 15 Years
Shortbarrel Single Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Hirsch Selected Whiskeys The Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Double Oak
Rare Character Single Barrel Select Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength
Doc Swinson’s Hand Selected Exploratory Cask Series Rare Release Aged 15 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon
After the blind tasting, I ranked these bourbons based on taste alone. And ho boy, these were some magnificent whiskeys. Still, some had more depth, nuance, and balance than others so it wasn’t that hard. Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy with a vanilla underbelly on the nose.
Palate: The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together.
Finish: A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.
Initial Thoughts:
This is delicious whiskey. It’s nuanced and deep with a bourbon vibe that goes well beyond classic to something much more.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of vanilla pods and orange next to old saddle leather and cedar bark with cinnamon and caramel apple fritters.
Palate: The palate feels like a cream soda float with malted vanilla ice cream cut with cherries, dark chocolate chips, and espresso flakes next to cinnamon cherry bark tobacco on the mid-palate.
Finish: The end dives toward a thick braid of cedar bark, sage, and blackberry tobacco with a thin line of sweetgrass and vanilla pods woven in there.
Initial Thoughts:
This ended a little thin overall. It was classic bourbon but didn’t slap.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is all about the cherry pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream next to a slight apple-tobacco vibe with a clear multi-vitamin chalkiness that leads to a deep cedar woody spice with a rich tobacco feel.
Palate: Red berries lead toward a cherry-choco soda pop, more vanilla cream, and a light touch of bourbon-soaked oakiness on the taste with a sense of woody winter spices and cedar bark braided with sweetgrass and smudging sage.
Finish: That woodiness leans into a musty corner of a cellar as a spicy cherry tobacco finish leaves you with a dry, almost chalky, yet sweet mouthfeel.
Initial Thoughts:
Well, hello Dickel. This is really good bourbon — Dickel or not. It’s so easy to sip as a neat pour. It’s distinct though and has a vibe all its own.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of fresh orange zest and dark cherry on the nose with a hint of winter spice, old dried prunes, and a hint of black tea.
Palate: The winter spice leads to creamy vanilla and eggnog on the taste as a peach cobbler with fresh vanilla whipped cream leads to warming tobacco spices and hints of old oak.
Finish: Marmalade and leathery dried apricot counter the vanilla creaminess with a light sense of winter spice barks rolled up with soft pipe tobacco leaves and dipped in black cherry soda.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another really good pour that leans very classic. I’m not sure if there’s more here though.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich cherries soaked in maple syrup mingle with a light sense of cedar cigar humidors, apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, and cloves buried in orange peels with a hint of marzipan lurking in the background.
Palate: That cinnamon and clove blend with eggnog and nutmeg as the palate leans into mincemeat pie, vanilla cake, and a hint of toasted marshmallow dipped in dark chocolate.
Finish: The end gets a little dry as white pepper and old boot leather mingle with rich maple syrup over blueberry pancakes with a light sense of vanilla sugar cookies.
Initial Thoughts:
This pour starts as a stone-cold classic Kentucky bourbon and then dives so much deeper. The heat amps up on the end pretty significantly but never overpowers the overall experience (for me anyway).
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic notes of dark cherry cola, cinnamon barks, and rich pipe tobacco dance with lightly buttered whole wheat toast, roasted marshmallows, and a whisper of pecan waffles on the nose.
Palate: Those pecan waffles take on more butter and rich and sweet maple syrup on the front of the palate as rum raisin and sticky marshmallow lead to soft grits cut with brown sugar and winter spices.
Finish: The end gets lush with caramel and dark chocolate over brandied cherries with a nice layer of tobacco-stained leather rounding things out.
Initial Thoughts:
This nails classic bourbon. It’s super easy to drink but doesn’t go beyond the ordinary.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rips of winter spice barks and clove-studded oranges pop on the nose next to oily toasted vanilla beans, perfectly roasted marshmallows, cherry cotton candy, a whisper of caraway seed on rye bread crusts, and pine-y honey tobacco packed into an old humidor.
Palate: That rich vanilla takes on a deep creaminess with eggnog spices and sweetness on the front of the tongue as sharp marmalade over buttermilk biscuits lead to shark cinnamon-laced apple cider and warm vanilla buttercream.
Finish: The cinnamon, clove, and allspice really amp up on the finish as dry tobacco and smudging sage braid with cedar bark before dank dried chili pepper and sharp cinnamon bark add some serious heat to the very end.
Initial Thoughts:
This is outstanding bourbon. If I had to nitpick, it’d be the heat at the end of the sip. By the end, it was begging for a drop of water or a single ice cube.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich notes of sweet and spice oak mingle with old leather tobacco pouches on the nose before a deep sense of winter spice cakes brimming with roasted nuts, candied citrus and dark fruits, and dark chocolate notes combine with brandied pear and ribbon candy with a fleeting sense of dried spearmint layered into caramel candy.
Palate: That leathery tobacco pouch gets a little chewy on the front of the taste as dark Christmas puddings and mincemeat pies drive the taste toward brandied fruits, candied citrus, and toasted nuts before a deep dark salted chocolate arrives with a hint of espresso oils and vanilla syrup all countered by a dank and musty barrelhouse.
Finish: That dank and dusty barrel house leads to dried tobacco leaves just kissed with black cherry and pear brandy before echos of Christmas treats and nogs create a lush and vibrantly spiced sweet finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This is phenomenal whiskey. It does so far beyond average or classic and delivers a truly deep and delicious experience when sipped neat. Even now, I want to make the best Manhattan ever with this after slowly sipping some after a huge holiday meal … next to a crackling fire … on a snowy morning … with a dog sleeping at my feet.
The point is that this is deeply experiential, rewarding, and exciting bourbon.
Part 2 — The Rare Bourbon Ranking
Zach Johnston
8. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 2
This non-age-statement bourbon is still called “Old Weller Antique” (OWA) by those who love the old-school vibes of the expression’s previous iteration. The ripple with this wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace’s Weller line is the higher proof. The barrels are vatted and barely proofed down to 107-proof before bottling (the entry proof is 114).
Bottom Line:
This felt like a pretty average bourbon overall. It was made for mixing cocktails back in the day and still sort of is. The rarity of the release (it’s highly allocated in most states) kind of programs newbies into thinking this is something special. It’s really not. This is just a really good cocktail bourbon. Ignore the hype and treat it as one.
7. Hirsch Selected Whiskeys The Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Double Oak — Taste 6
Only 30 barrels were released of these Hirsch bourbons this year. That’s rare. The whiskey in those barrels was a blend of eight and three-year-old Kentucky bourbons. Once those whiskeys were batched, the bourbon was re-filled into a lightly toasted used finishing barrel for a final rest before someone picked a single barrel for cask-strength bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is really good classic bourbon. It doesn’t go beyond that and that’s just fine. Is it worth the $99 price tag? Sure. Again, this is good stuff and super rare. That said, you can get two Wild Turkey Rare Breeds for basically the same price. Maybe do that because that expression goes beyond classic into something much more.
6. George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey Single Barrel Aged At Least 15 Years — Taste 3
This is a very old whiskey for a great price. The whiskey is from single barrels — “aged 15 years or more” — and the proof varies accordingly (sometimes it’s cut with water, too). This actual whisky is made from an 84% corn mash and stored in Dickel’s famed single-story warehouse. In this rare case, the whisky that ended up in the bottle is from a barrel that was 17 years and 7 months old when bottled this year.
That’s incredibly old Tennessee whisky.
Bottom Line:
This is excellent Dickel bourbon. It’s so nuanced and delicate while still offering a clear sense of Tennessee whisky vibes. And that’s the only reason this is a little lower in the ranking, it’s very locked into classic yet delicious TN whisky and doesn’t go deeper.
That all said, this is also an excellent deal. Dickel’s own 18-year expression (basically only months off being the exact same thing) costs $300 per bottle. Look at the price link again. You know what to do.
5. Shortbarrel Single Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon — Taste 4
These Shortbarrel Single Barrel releases are all over four years old and sourced either from Green River Distilling in Kentucky or MGP in Indiana. In this case, the whiskey was made in Kentucky and bottled in Georgia.
Bottom Line:
This is just good sipping bourbon. It goes beyond classic bourbon notes to something a little more nuanced and deep. You kind of can’t go wrong getting a bottle of this if you want something that’s just damn good bourbon.
This barrel pick from ReserveBar is a masterpiece bourbon. The whiskey in the bottle is a nine-year-old barrel made with Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash bill (78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley). The barrel rested in Heaven Hill’s famed warehouse KK for all nine of those years before it was bottled for this special release.
Bottom Line:
This is where we get into the spectacular stuff. Single Barrel Barrel Proof Elijah Craig is like finding a four-leaf clover. Hell, regular Barrel Proof Elijah Craig is getting harder and harder to find.
Rarity aside, this is great bourbon. It delivers all the Kentucky notes you want and then takes you deeper. It’s a great sipper neat or on a rock. And oddly, right now it’s easier to buy than a mainstream Barrel Proof Elijah Craig. Just hit that price link above and get some! And then when you go to your bottle share and someone excitedly busts out their Barrel Proof EC, you can bust this out and really wow the crowd.
3. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Warehouse PN Barrel No. 86-3E — Taste 1
This Single Barrel Four Roses is a slightly proofed version of their famed OBSV recipe. That’s a bourbon recipe with delicate fruit yeast and a high-rye mash bill. A single barrel of that was picked from the north side of Warehouse P (a beloved position for Four Roses’ single barrel fans — yes, barrel position and warehouses make a big difference).
Bottom Line:
This was damn near number one today. It’s so freaking good — by that, I mean amazingly well-built whiskey that delivers layer after layer of depth and nuance that takes it well beyond the ordinary.
If you’re looking for a great yet kind of fun and fresh Kentucky bourbon sipper, get this ASAP.
2. Rare Character Single Barrel Select Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength Helix Liquor — Taste 7
This rare release was distilled all the way back in May of 2016 in Indiana. That barrel was then sent over the Ohio River to Kentucky to age for six long years. Finally, the barrel was bottled 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is beyond good and is more transcendent as a pour of bourbon. There’s just so much going on that you need to really take your time, add water, go back and forth, and you’ll be deeply rewarded for your effort. The only reason it’s not number one is that the end is really hot and there’s no getting around that fact. You can easily adjust that with a little water or a single rock. And then this whiskey will bloom even more, offering a wild ride. But I tasted this one neat against other neat pours so here we are.
1. Doc Swinson’s Hand Selected Exploratory Cask Series Rare Release Aged 15 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Release No. 008 — Taste 8
This rare whiskey was distilled in Kentucky from a unique mash of 78.5% corn, 13% rye, and 8.5% malted barley. 27 of those barrels rested in Kentucky for 15 long years before heading to Washington state for blending and bottling 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is a “F*ck, that’s delicious!” bourbon. It’s so deep and funky and fun. The pour gives you this layer of classic and dark bourbon and then just keeps going into new corners and nuances and they all make sense until you have a palate that’s filled with pleasure.
Yes, this is an expensive and rare bottle of bourbon. Hell, you probably can’t even get this batch anymore without paying a massively marked-up secondary price tag. I don’t care. This is one of the best bourbons out there right now.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Rare Bourbons
Zach Johnston
Obviously, rare bourbons can be special, unique, and expensive. Like I said above, that’s just not the basis for what makes them rare. The specialness comes from the people behind those rare bourbons taking the time to release something truly special that goes beyond the average, and I think there are plenty of examples of that above.
In the end, rare doesn’t automatically mean good or even special. Moreover, special or expensive doesn’t automatically mean rare either.
When it comes to this panel of whiskeys, you can’t really go wrong with any of them. Still, the top four are where you want to focus your time and money. And if you’re in Washington State, go your ass over to Doc Swinson’s right now and get yourself some of that 15-year-old juice before it’s all gone forever.
In a relatively short time, Cash App has become one of the most indispensable tools of the 21st century. In addition to letting users send and receive money and pay for goods without credit cards or cash, it’s also now the best way to buy tickets for shows thanks to a special presale for Drake and J. Cole’s upcoming It’s All A Blur — Big As The What Tour. Cash App Cardholders will have access to a special presale on November 15, giving them a chance to secure the coveted tickets before anyone else.
How To Use Cash App To Buy It’s All A Blur Tour Tickets
Starting at 11 am local time on November 15, Cash App Card users can visit the main tour site (drakerelated.com) and enter the first 9 digits of your Cash Card into the passcode box on the event page. Checkout using your Cash App Card, and that’s it. You must use the Cash App Card to take advantage, with a limit of 6 tickets per order. The presale ends at 10 pm on November 16, and only a limited number of tickets will be made available. For more information, you can visit Cash App’s event website here.
What Are Drake And J. Cole’s It’s All A Blur Tour — Big As The What? Tour Dates?
Check out the tour dates below:
01/18/2024 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena +
01/19/2024 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
01/22/2024 — San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center
01/25/2024 — Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
01/29/2024 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center +
01/30/2024 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
02/02/2024 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
02/07/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena +
02/08/2024 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena +
02/12/2024 — St. Louis, MO @ Enterprise Center
02/16/2024 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
02/20/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center +
02/21/2024 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center
02/24/2024 — Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
02/27/2024 — Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center
03/02/2024 — Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center
03/05/2024 — Memphis, TN @ FedExForum
03/10/2024 — Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
03/14/2024 — Belmont Park, NY @ UBS Arena ~
03/18/2024 — State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center ~
03/23/2024 — Sunrise, FL @ Amerant Bank Arena ~
03/27/2024 — Birmingham, AL @ The Legacy Arena at BJCC ~
While some hip-hop fans remain skeptical of Ice Spice’s stardom, her core fans love her more by the day. A big fan of the turn-of-the-millennium aesthetic, she gave fans something to look forward to with a cheeky photo of a very 2000s lower back tattoo teasing what might just be a new project.
Ice Spice-related tattoos seem to be the theme of the day, as another tattoo photo cropped up on social media. As it turns out, this one was posted by a tattoo artist but the ink itself was drawn by Ice Spice herself. In a video, the Bronx rapper can be heard saying, “Did my first tat, y’all,” while showing off her handiwork, a tattoo on the artist’s wrist reading “Ice was here.”
The tattoo artist, @crybabyhunter, certainly appears to be enjoying his bragging rights, posting a photo of Ice actually doing the tattoo on his Instagram.
Perhaps he’s hoping that as Ice’s star continues to rise, he’ll experience a little bit of a halo effect. The rapper was recently nominated for four Grammys for next year’s 66th annual awards ceremony, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Barbie World” with Nicki Minaj, and Best Pop Duo or Group for “Karma” with Taylor Swift.
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