There’s a good chance I’ve written this quick, at best marginally interesting story before, but I decided I don’t care so here it is again. The first Yorgos Lanthimos movie I ever saw was his first English language movie, The Lobster. I remember seeing it in 2015 (I seriously can’t believe it’s been that long, but also I can) at the Toronto International Film Festival because I like Colin Farrell movies and absolutely fell in love with it. Though, as you know if you’ve seen it, it’s a strange film, as most if not all Lanthimos’s movies fall into this category. As I walked out, a colleague and I started joking how that was a “meat and potatoes” kind of movie (again, it’s not). How it’s, “the kind of movie you watch with the family around the holidays,” (also a joke). You know, “It’s the kind of movie John Wayne used to make,” (maybe if he’d been tricked, and I’m fairly convinced he got tricked into doing The Searchers, so I’ll leave this one open).
I thought of these jokes after I saw The Killing of a Sacred Dear and The Favourite – a movie I like but strangely my least favorite of those three, even though it’s by far the most successful of the three and the most accessible. Anyway, I thought of all that again when I saw Poor Things, a movie I’m fairly sure I love, but I don’t like saying that so soon after I see something because I do think longevity matters with these sorts of things. There are a lot of movies I’ve loved over the years that I truly have never thought about again, which kind of proves I didn’t love them as much as I perhaps thought I did. Though Lanthimos’s movies do have a way of sticking with me long after I’ve seen them, so I feel slightly more comfortable making that claim here.
What’s interesting about Poor Things, as opposed to, say, The Lobster, is how Lanthimos weaves his absurd and macabre story into something that feels more like this entire world we are watching is absurd.
We first meet Bella (Emma Stone), fully grown, but acting like an infant. She’s the creation of Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), who found her body floating in a river after an apparent suicide. At the time Bella’s former self drowned, she was pregnant. Dr. Baxter, who, himself, had been experimented on endlessly as a child by his father, transplants the unborn baby’s brain into Bella, creating a grown adult with the mind of a child. Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) is hired by Dr. Baxter to document Bella’s progress, which is fast. Max then falls in love with Bella and Dr. Baxter suggests the two marry, with the stipulation Bella never leaves the premises. The lawyer reviewing this agreement, a cad named Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo, having the time of his life) convinces Bella to run off with him instead promising that he’s the greatest lover who’s ever lived. And off we go.
Most of the movie follows Bella’s physical journey from location to location, but also (as you’ve probably heard by now) her sexual journey. An interesting thing about Bella is her transformation from the behavior of an infant to, by the end, a very intelligent woman, is so gradual there’s never an “oh, there it is” moment. Every phase of Bella’s mental growth still has some traits of the previous one and some traits of the one to come, blending them all together where we, as an audience, really feel like we watched this person become fully developed over the course of 140 minutes.
Emma Stone gives the performance of a lifetime in this. The best word I can give here is “fearless.” She does a lot of things in this movie that a lot of actors would never do. Acting is hard! Especially in a role like this, while everyone in the cast crew is doing their job but also there observing. If there’s an ounce of doubt in Stone’s mind about the performance she’s giving, just a little bit of that self-conscious fear, there’s no possible way this works. Like, seriously … none. But she just goes for it and it’s a masterful thing to watch.
Though, at the aforementioned 140 minutes, there’s only so long a person, namely us, can stay in this world without it wearing out its welcome, and by the time Poor Things ended I was almost there, but not quite. Though I can certainly see someone not as high on Lanthimos’s aesthetics and quirks having a lower threshold. It’s a lot. But, personally, I’m glad it’s a lot. Poor Things does feel like a culmination, of sorts, of all the things that make Lanthimos’s movies unique and special. I, for one, am very pleased he’s still making what would be the opposite of these “meat and potatoes” movies.
For decades, the city of West Hollywood has been rooted in celebrating diversity, community and glamor as it resides in the entertainment capital of the world. It’s an epicenter of culture-making, a historically known LGBTQ+ destination, and one hell of a place to celebrate life. Last week, the always-lively neighborhood officially proved to be back and better than ever post-pandemic as it kicked off the return of the infamous West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval after a four-year hiatus.
VANESSA L. POWELL
This year especially, the celebration attracted partygoers from near and far for dancing, food trucks, buzzy bar hopping, and a myriad of self-expression through creative and culturally relevant costumes along a one-mile (shut down) stretch of Santa Monica Blvd. The energy was magnetic—as if the thousands of revelers were one big family reuniting in a safe and open space to dance together. The DJ played a variety of house mixes as dancers performed in the shadows to Rihanna and Miley Cyrus along with ‘90s club classics like “Jump Around.”
VANESSA L. POWELL
WeHo went all out and lined the streets with spooky decorations and rainbow lights giving revelers a festive stage to frolic on.
“Here in West Hollywood, Halloween is like gay Christmas,” Mayor Pro Tempore, John Erickson said as he addressed the crowd of disco queens, life-sized memes, goblins, and Swifties.
The return of the Halloween Carnaval represents the return of something bigger: the resilience of West Hollywood as a city. Small businesses and restaurants along Santa Monica Blvd have prevailed through a tough stretch, with historical mainstays like The Roxy Theater celebrating 50 years this fall. The Halloween Carnaval was only the beginning, as WeHo continues a newer celebration from November 3rd to November 12th: Eat and Drink Week. It’s 10 days of amazing food, creative cocktails, and special offers from the best restaurants in the neighborhood, celebrating culinary artistry, innovation, and the rich tapestry of flavors that make West Hollywood a unique hotspot.
VANESSA L. POWELL
Whether you live in the L.A. area or not, West Hollywood is and will always be an eclectic place to eat, drink, dance, and party. It boasts creativity, community, self-expression, and idealism. Stay tuned for more celebrations and city updates at www.visitwesthollywood.com
MORE PHOTOS FROM THE WEST HOLLYWOOD HALLOWEEN CARNAVAL:
VANESSA L. POWELLVANESSA L. POWELLVANESSA L. POWELLVANESSA L. POWELLVANESSA L. POWELLVANESSA L. POWELL
Hip-hop has had a misogyny problem almost as long as it has been around. And yes, it’s a reflection of the larger society around it, but it’s easier to see it when everyone in the genre has a microphone and a platform from which to blast some of their most wrongheaded ideas.
In recent years, plenty has improved. More women than ever are charting and making their voices heard, and many more overt examples of sexism are being called out. That’s what happened when Timbaland, the veteran super producer responsible for some of pop music’s biggest hits, overstepped his bounds as he addressed Britney Spears’ recent tell-all memoir.
During an onstage discussion at the Afrotech Conference in Austin, Texas this past weekend, Timbaland was asked by an attendee if he’d seen the headlines coming out about the book, especially in reference to his “Cry Me A River” collaborator Justin Timberlake. In response, Tim joked, “I wanted to call JT and say, ‘Man! You gotta put a muzzle on that girl.’”
Timbaland says Justin Timberlake should have put a “muzzle” on Britney Spears, following the release of her memoir:
“I wanted to call JT and say ‘Man! You should have put a muzzle on that girl.’”
While the crowd in attendance laughed — because, again, the society around us is still rooted in sexism — fans online didn’t appreciate his comment, calling him out in replies to viral reposts of the video of the response.
“Timbaland is the one who needs a muzzle,” wrote one fan. “We didn’t forget about his gross Aaliyah comments. He’s still upset Britney didn’t want to work with him. A nasty man.”
Timbaland is the one who needs a muzzle. We didn’t forget about his gross Aaliyah comments. He’s still upset Britney didn’t want to work with him. A nasty man.
she has been silent for long enough. yall expect women to stay silent and accept all the terrible things you do. it’s time to wake up and realize nobody cares about protecting you. https://t.co/ldjabpJy8d
We don’t talk about the time Jay-Z had an intervention to put a muzzle on Timbaland because he was addicted to painkillers consistently talking crazy. Since he wants to talk about reckless behavior, lets start there… https://t.co/9ZFKSfpegU
Getting a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle is no easy task. That task becomes exponentially harder when you take into consideration the age statement of the bottle that you want to get. Yes, a ten-year-old Old Rip Van Winkle is way easier to get (and far cheaper) than a 15-year-old.
Today, that opportunity arrives with a nice bonus of doing good. Former University of Oregon star and NFL quarterback Joey Harrington just launched his second annual charity raffle, the Bourbon Barrel Benefit. For a $100 entry fee, you’ll be in a raffle to win five bottles from the Buffalo Trace Distillery — one Pappy 20-Year and four Weller Full Proof Wheated Bourbons that Harrington (and I!) picked to benefit his charity.
That’s an incredible selection of Buffalo Trace whiskey for a mere $100 raffle ticket (you can buy as many tickets as you want!). The Pappy alone is worth thousands and similar barrel pick single barrel Weller Full Proofs go for $500 easily. The point is, this is rare stuff that everyone in the whiskey-drinking world wants.
Before I get into what’s in these bottles, let me break down what your $100 will actually go towards:
The charity offers students $5,000 per year and up to $20,000 per student to assist them in chasing their collegiate dreams.
The Harrington Family Foundation also offers mentorship to selected students throughout their college careers and leading into their working adult lives with mentors coming from the highest echelons of business, law, medicine, education, and more.
Rather than just picking straight-A students, the foundation actively seeks out multi-talented leaders who are eager to benefit their communities.
Very long story short, your $100 raffle ticket will be helping kids afford to go to college. And you might get an amazing bottle of Kentucky bourbon in return. Let’s dive into those bourbons right now!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This is the Pappy that made “Pappy” what it is today. The wheated bourbon rests for 20 long years in Buffalo Trace warehouses without any meddling. The barrels that actually make it to the 20-year mark are batched and that juice is then proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Moist and spicy Christmas cake brims with walnuts and pecans, dried fruit and candied fruits, and dark molasses sweetness next to woody cinnamon bark, clove berries, star anise, and a hint of salted black licorice as soft woody maple syrup hint at a sourdough pancake griddled with brown butter on the nose.
Palate: The palate adds a sweet sense of vanilla creaminess with soft apple pie filling before heavily roasted chocolate-covered espresso beans pop in with a touch of bitter orange.
Finish: The end combines all of that toward an old tobacco pipe that’s burnt a century’s worth of rich tobacco flavored with all of the above.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent bottle and hyped for a reason. There are few whiskeys out there at this age that taste this good. Pour it neat, over a rock, or make the best cocktail of your life with it. Whatever path you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Harrington Family Foundation Single Barrel Pick
This bottle is a single barrel pick of Weller Full Proof that Harrington and I picked back in April of 2023. That whiskey goes into the bottle at “full proof” which is not “barrel proof.” The “full proof” this refers to is the proof of the hot juice when it goes into the barrel for aging. That whiskey will come out of the barrel somewhere around 57% but not right at it. So there may be a little proofing water involved. Hence, it is always 114 proof and not 114.7 one year and 113.1 the next year or 115.9 the year after that.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Ripe and sour cherries lead the way with a thick vanilla underbelly, a hint of salted caramel, and woody cinnamon next to whole nutmeg bulbs on the nose with this slight echo of almost singed cherry bark.
Palate: The palate leans into the sharpness of the cinnamon and the lushness of the vanilla as a foundation as layers of buttery caramel cake frosting with a hint of sassafras and licorice next to dry cedar bark braids with a thin line of sweet grass and a whisper of sourdough fritters.
Finish: The end leans into creamy brandy butter cut with dark-chocolate-covered dried sour cherries sprinkled with salt and rolled in fresh tobacco leaves and stacked next to orange-laced marzipan in an old and slightly sweet cedar box.
Bottom Line:
Since this is a barrel-pick single-barrel product, there are only a few bottles out there. Winning four of them will be a huge boon for any whiskey collector’s vault.
After you’ve finished up your first run of Suits, you might be wondering which early-to-mid 2000s hour-long drama will be the next show to hold your attention. You’ve surely already seen and been haunted by every episode of Criminal Minds, and it’s too much of a time commitment to dive into all 400+ episodes of Grey’s Anatomy unless you began that journey over a decade ago and have no way out. So here comes Hulu deciding for you by adding all 177 episodes of House to the library! Have you seen House?! It might be time to watch House!
House stars Stuart Little’s Hugh Laurie as a grumpy doctor who is a major jerk but he’s good at saving lives so they keep him around. The show also had a star-studded cast, including Olivia Wilde, Jennifer Morrison, Kal Penn, Omar Epps, and Jesse Spencer. And Dave Matthews in one episode.
Every episode revolves around one medical mystery or a patient with confusing symptoms that Dr. House must try to dramatically cure. Laurie received six Emmy nominations for his ability to swap his British accent for a Central Jersey one, while also solving various ailments. Plus, every actor from the era has appeared on the show in some capacity, most of the time being very weird.
The series ran from 2004 to 2012 on Fox, or, if you were lucky, you could watch eights consecutive episodes on USA Network’s weekly Sunday marathons. The point is that it’s a good show…
Music is meant to be enjoyed with friends and family. This is the mission behind one of Apple Music’s newer features. Typically, near the end of the year, the focus is on year-end recap features. For Apple Music, that’s Replay, whereas Spotify has Wrapped. But if you plan to travel for the holiday season by car, Apple Music users will want to tap into Shareplay. So, what is Shareplay on Apple Music?
Similar to Apple Music Sing, Shareplay was invented as an interactive experience. Essentially, Shareplay, together with Apple Music, is a tool that allows multiple users to control the music in a capable vehicle. Instead of relying on one person, oftentimes the driver, to curate the tunes for a car ride, Shareplay grants several individuals the opportunity to contribute to what plays over the Soundsystem via Apple Play.
It is important to note that to access SharePlay within a vehicle, the driver that begins the music experience via their iPhone must be on the iOS 17 system or later. Also, you must have an active Apple Music subscription to host a SharePlay session.
However, according to Apple, for those joining an ongoing Shareplay session, you won’t need an Apple Music subscription to join a SharePlay session in the car. Find more information here.
The Los Angeles Lakers have not been happy with the officiating to start the season, particularly when it comes to the lack of calls LeBron James is receiving. James is averaging 5.7 free throw attempts per game, which is pretty much in line with what he’s averaged over the past five seasons, but the Lakers believe he’s getting contacted more often than it’s being called.
Tuesday’s game against the Miami Heat was apparently a breaking point for Darvin Ham, LeBron, and the Lakers, as Ham got T’d up for arguing a missed call, James voiced his frustration after the game, and according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers called the league office to voice a formal complaint, sending over videos of missed calls.
The Los Angeles Lakers contacted the NBA league office Tuesday about what they view as numerous missed foul calls in Monday’s 108-107 loss to the Miami Heat, sources told ESPN.
The Lakers’ main point of contention is how LeBron James was officiated, according to sources. The Lakers shared various clips showing what they believe to be clear illegal contact by Heat defenders against James that went unnoticed by the referees.
The other 29 fan bases, who all believe LeBron and the Lakers get preferential treatment from officials, will laugh at this, but what’s interesting is it highlights what seems to be an overall shift we’ve seen this season.
As a whole, free throw attempts are down among the stars that usually feast at the charity stripe. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, and Julius Randle were all top-10 in free throws attempted last year and all have seen their attempts per game from the stripe dip considerably this year. The only players from last year’s top 10 that have maintained or increased their attempts per game are Trae Young, Damian Lillard, and Paolo Banchero, indicating that calls are being let go more on the inside this year against bigger players.
What will be interesting to see is whether this continues, as it seems there’s a bit more lenience being granted to defenders for contact inside this year. We’ve seen points of emphasis for officials in the past often fade away as the season wears on, and if there is a directive to allow a bit more contact this year to improve game flow, we’ll have to see if officials and the league are willing to put up with the complaints from their highest profile stars to continue that as the season continues.
Spending a lot on a bottle of whiskey is no small ask — so let me help you find some great limited-edition bourbons that are worth the coin. To do that, I’m conducting a blind taste test of new limited-edition bourbons. Most of these were released in the last few weeks with a few coming in in the past month or so. They cover everything from special cask finishes to barrel entry-proof releases to bold craft whiskeys alongside some of the best small batches coming out of Kentucky right now.
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse “Camp Nelson F” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Straight Bourbon Whiskey
After blind tasting each of these bourbons, I went ahead and ranked them based on taste. But taste is more than just “yum, that’s good!” I’m also looking at the depth of the profile, how balanced and complex it was, and how powerful those ABVs were. It’s a complex look at complex whiskey — let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Part 1 — The Limited Edition Bourbon Blind Tasting
Zach Johnston
Taste 1
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Freshly ground cinnamon drives the nose toward grilled peaches and pineapple before deep and oily vanilla arrives with a sense of fresh plums dusted with a hint of salt.
Palate: Those plums stay fresh on the palate as the vanilla really kicks up with a nice balance of old oak, a hint of leatheriness, and old tobacco dipped into mulled wine.
Finish: That mulled wine takes on an oakiness with more leathery tobacco on the finish as the plums are just stewed with winter spice barks and then folded into berry pie.
Initial Thoughts:
This has a great nose, a good body, and a cognac-like finish. I like this a lot but it’s very unique.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Your grandma’s caramel candies draw you in on the nose with a light sense of vanilla malts topped with whipped cream and cherry before the oak arrives with a sense of sweetness and light mocha espresso vibes.
Palate: The dark cherry takes on a mild cola feel before it drives toward rich vanilla buttercream cut with poppyseeds and nutmeg next to a hint of that sweet oak dipped in salted caramel.
Finish: Rich tobacco leaves wrap themselves around that caramel oak before a whisper of apple blossom and maybe some brandy-soaked pear round out the finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This opens with a soft nose that then gives way to a bold and very hot mid-palate with a warming end. A lot is going on with this profile and it feels like it needs a rock or some time to air before sipping more.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Tart cherries and rich toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped in salted dark chocolate drive the nose toward cinnamon spice cakes with a hint of dried cranberry, plummy sauce, and rich tobacco.
Palate: The taste leans into caramel-covered peanuts with a hint of red fruit leather, old spice barks, and a whisper of orange rinds next to a touch of Cherry Coke, old leather tobacco pouches, and the old beams from a whiskey barrel house.
Finish: The end leans into a lush vanilla buttercream with notes of old back porch wicker, almost sweet cedar kindling, smudging sage, and cinnamon bark soaked in cherry brandy with a touch of chili-cut dark chocolate.
Initial Thoughts:
This opens beautifully and then just gets more luscious as you go. This is a winner and it’s delicious.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a rush of sharp cinnamon bark wrapped up with old saddle leather, freshly fried apple fritters, walnuts, old cedar bark braids twisted up with dried wild sage, and a hint of dried yellow mustard flowers with an underlying sense of maple syrup over pecan waffles.
Palate: The palate leans into the spice with a hint of allspice and ginger next to apple pie filling with walnuts, brandy-soaked raisins, and plenty of brown sugar next to spiced Christmas cake dipped in dark chocolate sauce.
Finish: The end takes its time and meanders through salted caramel, stewed plums with star anise and sharp cinnamon, a hint of vanilla Dr. Pepper, and a mild sense of chocolate-cinnamon-spiced chewing tobacco buzziness with a warming Texas hug that’s part Hot Tamales and part chili-spiced green tea.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a big crafty Texas whiskey (the color is a dead giveaway). It’s very good but also extremely hot. This needs ice ASAP.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Perfectly toasted marshmallow gives way to cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven with a sense of real-deal sasparilla cut with vanilla ice cream and a hint of mint before an almost savory fruitiness arrives that’s part sandy pear and part yellow melon.
Palate: The vanilla takes on a lemon chocolate vibe (a very underrated combination) before the mint shocks the palate toward rich and chewy tobacco dipped in honey.
Finish: Sharp cherry cola drives the finish toward fresh honeycombs with a hint of nutmeg sprinkled in next to vanilla pound cake cut with poppyseeds and almond oils.
Initial Thoughts:
This was very light comparatively. There’s a lot of good stuff going on the profile but there’s no wow factor.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark brown sugar and cask warmth pops on the nose with a sense of deep and very real vanilla under a heat lamp and lashing the air with deep vanilla smells as caramel sweetens the rest of the air with bourbon-y vibes of oak, leather, and tobacco.
Palate: That deep and warm vanilla drives the palate toward a Kentucky hug from a grizzly bear as the ABVs warm toward sharp winter spice barks, dark cherry cola, and marzipan cut with dark chocolate and more dark cherry before the old oakiness arrives with a hint of warehouse floor.
Finish: The grizzly bear Kentucky hug only gets sharper and hotter on the finish as the brown sugar, dark cherry, and old oak lead to a creamy lush vanilla finish that’s just kissed with eggnog, marzipan, and spiced holiday cookies.
Initial Thoughts:
This is classic with a bold AF Kentucky hug. Again, this is begging for a big ol’ rock.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Roasted vanilla beans and pan-toasted winter spices (nutmeg, clove, allspice, and cinnamon) mingle with lush and butter caramel sauce, brown-sugar rock candy, and a whisper of old wicker furniture with a hint of pipe tobacco.
Palate: That brown-sugar sweetness drives the palate toward woody and warm winter spices that create a nice buzz alongside a creamy eggnog edge next to vanilla sheet cake sprinkled with toffee chards and dried orchard fruits.
Finish: The end dries out a tad as the warm spices ramp up toward a holiday cake made with plenty of vanilla, brown sugar, buttercream, and toasted woody spices before being kissed with fresh pipe tobacco that was left in a cedar box for a spell.
Initial Thoughts:
This is nice and balanced with a very lovely (approachable) flavor profile. I like this one.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Deep and dark candied black cherry mingles with dry cedar bark, molasses, real vanilla beans, nutty brown butter, and old leather rolled in pipe tobacco and just kissed with smoldering sage and dry chili pepper flakes.
Palate: The palate opens with a full blast of ABVs, making the front of your tongue tingle, as floral honey, cherry cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream, and brown butter streusel cut with nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove lead to a hint of dry orange tobacco.
Finish: Cinnamon sticks and clove buds floating in maple syrup arrive on the finish with a sense of old leather boots, the oak in an old rickhouse, orchard barks, and soft notes of vanilla and cherry cake.
Initial Thoughts:
This has a beautiful nose, palate, and finish. It’s warm but not hot. It’s pretty much a perfect pour of bourbon that actually goes beyond classic and into bourbon glory.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Wild Turkey’s iconic spiced cherry vibe is present in spades on the nose with a deep and dark cherry cut with anise, clove, allspice, and cinnamon next to rum-soaked raisins, black tea-soaked dates, and a rich and lush vanilla foundation.
Palate: The clove attaches to dried orange rinds as salted rich caramel drives the taste toward more dates, plum sauce, and leathery prunes with a deep winter spice bark vibe next to a dash of powdery white pepper.
Finish: Honeyed tobacco mingles with sticky toffee pudding, mincemeat pies, and sweet oak mixed with richly spiced tobacco rolled with cedar bark, sage, and old wicker porch furniture.
Initial Thoughts:
This is both classic and delicious. There’s a serious depth that shines brightly on quintessential Kentucky bourbon flavor notes.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts.
Palate: A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and funk.
Finish: A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.
Initial Thoughts:
This is really nice bourbon. It’s kind of funky and fresh with a killer essential foundation of bourbon iconography on the profile.
Part 2 — The Limited Edition Bourbon Ranking
Zach Johnston
10. Widow Jane The Vaults Aged 15 Years A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys — Taste 5
This year’s Widow Jane The Vaults takes the age statement up to 15 years. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of Tennessee and Indiana bourbons that rested for 15 years before batching and re-filling into Chinquapin oak casks for another three months of mellowing in Widow Jane’s Red Hook warehouse.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty good but was the lightest pour of the panel. It felt more like a base for a cocktail than a sipper today.
This year’s Cowboy Bourbon from Garrison Brothers is a blend of only 118 barrels of six-year-old Texas bourbon. 1,000 bottles of the crafty Texas whiskey will be available in mid-September at the distillery with an additional 8,600 bottles going out nationwide the first week of October.
Bottom Line:
Ah, that ABV is a lot. This presented as a hazmat whiskey and it was hard to get into the flavor profile with all of that heat. That said, this over some ice is usually magical.
8. Booker’s Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2023-03 “Mighty Fine Batch” — Taste 6
This new batch from the Beam team honors Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe’s old favorite phrase when a batch of bourbon worked out just right. The cask-strength batch of bourbon was pulled from prime barrels from prime spots across the Beam warehouses in Clermont, Kentucky. Once batched, the whiskey was bottled 100% as-is at barrel strength.
Bottom Line:
Again, this was so hot that sampling it neat was a lot to deal with. That said, I’ve been drinking this over a big ice cube and it’s fantastic. You know what to do.
7. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Limited Release Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey Finished in a Second Oak Barrel French Oak — Taste 2
This is a four-year-old Starlight bourbon that was aged in French oak casks from the jump. Then that same whiskey was refilled into new French oak casks for a final maturation before batching and bottling to help with prostrate cancer research via bottle sales this year.
Bottom Line:
This is another really good bourbon that needs a touch of water or ice to let it bloom and cool a tad.
The latest Distillery Series from Woodford leans into the California oak. In this case, the whiskey in the bottle was made from barrels of bourbon finished in Sonoma County Pinot Noir, brandy, and red wine bourbon barrels. Those barrels were then batched and just proofed down before bottling for this special release.
Bottom Line:
Okay, now we’re into the easy-going sippers with solid depth. If you’re looking for a killer red wine pairing whiskey for a big dinner party, this is the bottle to have on hand.
5. Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 10
This sourced bourbon is built from 11 and 18-year-old bourbon barrels. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks before vatting and bottling as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is just nice AF bourbon that’s so easy to drink while giving you a deep and fun profile. It’s not classic and sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed to change things up.
4. Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse “Camp Nelson F” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 9
The second release from Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Collection moves to the Camp Nelson campus in Kentucky to highlight the terroir and aging happening in Rickhouse F. The whiskey barrels were pulled from the center cut of the warehouse — floors four and five (out of seven). Once batched, the whiskey was bottled 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that’s just excellent. Pour it over a big ice cube and you’re good to go.
3. Maker’s Mark 2023 Limited Release BEP Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Finished With 10 Virgin Oak Staves — Taste 7
This is the final chapter of Maker’s Mark “Wood Finish Series” before the next set starts dropping. The whiskey in the bottle is made from classic Maker’s that’s batched at barrel entry proof (BEP), which is 110-proof. Next, the whiskey is finished with ten bespoke wooden staves inside the barrel, all made from new (or “virgin”) oak. Those barrels are then batched and bottled without any proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a great digestif whiskey pour after a big holiday meal. Pour it neat or on a big rock and you’ll be set.
2. Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Series #11 — Taste 3
The latest release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is a full-on Kentucky bourbon blend. The whiskey is made with 73% 13-year-old Kentucky bourbon, 21% 10-year-old Kentucky bourbon, and 6% of Bardstown’s own six-year-old Kentucky bourbon. Once batched, the whiskey mellows before bottling 100% as-is at cask strength.
This is Buffalo Trace’s classic wheated bourbon. This year’s Weller BTAC was distilled back in the spring of 2011 and left to rest in warehouses C, L, M, and N for 12 long years. Those barrels were batched and this whiskey was bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is a hallmark bourbon. If you want to get sneaky with it, use it for a Manhattan to really take your cocktail game to the next level.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Limited Edition Bourbons
Zach Johnston
Cards on the table, all of these are pretty great bourbons. They all offer something unique. Find the tasting notes that speak to you and the price that fits your budget and away you go! You’ll be in for a treat.
If you want to go all in on the best bourbons right now, anything from the top four or five are stellar choices. But as with all limited edition anything, they’re going to be hard to find and likely pretty expensive. Consider yourself warned.
Apple Music has rolled out a bunch of new features. However, nothing beats the gift of music. And now, Apple Music users can share their favorite music in new ways.
Back in June, Apple Music launched collaborative playlists, which allows two or more Apple Music users to collaborate on a playlist. However, as the feature is relatively new, some Apple Music users are still a bit fuzzy on how to create the collaborative playlists.
Not to worry. Uproxx has put together a step-by-step guide on how to create collaborative playlists between you and your music-loving friends.
First, open the Apple Music app on your phone. Secondly, go to the Library tab and select Playlists. You can then create a new playlist or open an existing one. After you’ve selected the playlist you wish to share — or created it — you can select the three-dot menu in the upper-righthand corner of the screen. From there, select To Collaborate. You can then activate the option Start Collaborating and tap Start Collaboration. According to Gear Rice, if you disable this option, anyone can join without approval.
Once ready, you can share a collaboration link with anyone from your contacts. Collaborators can then add new music to the playlist, change the sequencing, as well as the name and cover art.
It’s no secret that the MCU has found itself in a difficult place, which is predicted to reflect in the The Marvelsbox-office this upcoming weekend. The DCU isn’t doing splendidly either in that department, although James Gunn is striving to turn things around, and if anyone can do so, it’s the Guardians of the Galaxy maestro. Thinking about that trilogy harkens back to a simpler time, before the MCU became so complicated that it arguably began to wear out moviegoers with different timelines and a zillion references (or “homework”) that virtually required watching several TV shows before a new movie.
Don’t expect that to happen with The Boys and Gen V.
The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke discussed when The BoysSeason 4 takes place, and there’s excellent news on the way for those who appreciate a straightforward approach to telling a kickass story. Long story short: he and other producers see what’s going on in some comic book universes, and they won’t go there. So, after the Gen V finale when Homelander (appropriately for him) steals the show, and we find out that Billy Butcher (in a credits scene) is aware of the Supe virus shenanigans, only a few days will pass before Season 4 begins. Via Variety:
“In our minds, it’s only a couple of days after whatever the events are of ‘Gen V.’ We try to keep the timeline super simple because all that folding-in-on-itself timeline stuff that I think other comic book universes find themselves having to do is just bewildering for me as a viewer. So it’s all very modular. It’s like there’s Season 3 of ‘The Boys,’ and then after that ‘Gen V’ takes place, and then after that ‘The Boys’ Season 4 takes place. And then after that, ‘Gen V’ Season 2 takes place. It’s all more like cars on a train than it is a plate of spaghetti.”
Spaghetti (or angel hair) rules, yes, but not so much as a cinematic narrative. And it’s wonderful to know that The Boys and Gen V viewers can look forward to continued complexity in characters while not stressing about timelines. Whew.
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