Rich Brian and Warren Hue are already teammates at 88rising, the management company and record label that graced Uproxx’s April 2022 cover. Now, alongside Zion. T, they’re deepening their bond with 1999 Write The Future, described in a press release as “a new media and artist collective” supported by Friday’s (October 13) single release, “World Stop Turning” via 88rising.
“The singer/rapper trio reminisce on former relationships, looking back on spurned lovers who won’t be missed when the world stops turning,” the press release also explained.
The accompanying video is a four-minute glimpse into how Brian, Hue, and Zion. T would ideally spend a Saturday afternoon. They drive casually around in the car, play basketball, and hit up the skate park.
At another point, a woman is singing along karaoke-style in her living room, and there seems to be some unspoken tension between Hue and his love interest in a bedroom. Hue sings, “Said, who’s gonna love you when the world stops turning? / When everything you thought you loved / Ends up burning you down, down / And I’m not around.” Hue and his lover hop out of bed abruptly once her parents surprisingly arrive back home, forcing Hue to escape out the window just in time, Rapunzel-style.
Then, it’s Brian’s turn. The tempo picks up to match Brian’s flow. He’s kicked back at the park while rapping, “I ain’t been on the road but I’m still paving / That last album was 2019, I’m still out here raking it They say your 20s are for f*ckin’ up, I’m out here celibate now.”
Zion. T’s smooth vocals bring it home. Dusk turns into night, and a party is forming on the streets as Zion. T sings, “Honey, just relax, you sound like Skrillex / Everything is fun, gonna need something like, SpaceX.” Right on the cue, at the mention of SpaceX, we’re abruptly sucked out into a view of Earth from outer space. “1999” lights up North America.
Earlier this year, frequent collaborators Skrillex and Fred Again.. welcomed UK artist Flowdan on “Rumble,” released in January with the video arriving in May. Skrillex and Flowdan are certainly ready to rumble in their latest single, “Pepper,” and this time, Lil Baby joined the party.
The Courtney Phillips-directed, London Alley-produced “Pepper” video opens with Francis Ngannou sparring with a rock before a fierce leopard arrives and flashes its fangs. Elsewhere Flowdan overlooks a city at night, rapping, “Take a walk with the full moon / We’re all button and zipped up / It’s all kickin’ off soon / Let’s stay real quick, bruv / I don’t know about your goons / ‘Round here, everything lift up / Whether it’s draw, win, or lose / None of my friend dem give up.”
Next, we find Lil Baby in a control room of sorts. That footage is spliced and juxtaposed with a motorcycle street race and a young man in a diner noticing news on the television, reading, “NGANNOU TRAINING IN SAUDI ARABIA.” Baby raps, “Told you you can’t f*ck with us, you shoulda knew it, yeah / We gon’ do the most, yes / Foot all on them throats, yes.”
As news of Ngannou’s fight with Tyson Fury spreads, the song briefly pauses so we can hear Cristiano Ronaldo’s prediction at a press conference: “Next question!” And then, Skrillex’s innovative and textured production takes over, with Flowdan’s grime flow soundtracking Ngannou sprinting through a desert and spars at the ocean floor. “Battle of the baddest, only one of us leavin,’” Flowdan says to punctuate it all, as the leopard growls and closes in on the camera.
Per press release, “The song links with the upcoming heavyweight exhibition boxing match between Cameroonian-French MMA fighter Francis Ngannou vs. WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury on October 28.”
The fear of needles—technically known as trypanophobia—is an extremely common fear that can range from “Eh, I’m not so comfy with the idea a needle going into my body” to full-on fainting at the sight of a syringe. For some, the idea of having blood drawn adds another layer to the fear of needles (“Wait, you mean you’re taking some of the life-sustaining blood OUT of my body?”) and can the fear can be so strong that it leads to people avoiding lab work altogether.
Perhaps that’s one reason a video of vets and/or vet techs dancing for a dog who was nervous while getting a blood draw is resonating with so many people.
The video, shared by Hawaii Kai Vet Clinic on Instagram, is delightful on its face—the music, the dancing, the commitment, the random woman in the background, the good doggo, all of it. But it’s the desire to have that kind of distraction as a human in a phlebotomist’s chair that really got people.
I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy a blood draw with this kind of entertainment?
“Distraction team ready!” they wrote. “Treats, head pats and even dancing can help keep the nervous fur babies from focusing on the treatments being done, we love doing our best to keep things fear free as much as we can.”
“Do you have to own a pet to see this performance live and where can I purchase tickets?” wrote one commenter.
“I’m hoping these kind people are available for my next Dr appointment,” wrote another.
“Can you guys come with me to MY doctor’s appointment next week?” added another.
Here’s to the vets and vet techs who go the extra mile to make their patients as comfortable as possible. Check out Hawaii Kai Vet Clinic on Instagram for more veterinary joy.
Singer-songwriter Paul Simon turned 82 on Friday, October 13. Even though he has suffered significant hearing loss in his left ear, he’s still recording new music. Earlier this year, he released “Seven Psalms,” an all-acoustic song cycle meant to be listened to from front to back.
To celebrate his birthday, some folks on X (formerly known as Twitter) celebrated by sharing a beautiful performance by Simon and ex-Beatle George Harrison of “Here Comes the Sun” on “Saturday Night Live” in 1976. The two traded verses on the song and displayed a natural harmony with their voices and finger-picking. Later that night, they would duet on Simon’s “Homeward Bound.”
“Here Comes the Sun” has grown in popularity since it was first released in 1969, and it’s become the most popular Beatles song on Spotify. Harrison, always seen as a third banana to the monstrously successful John Lennon and Paul McCartney songwriting partnership, would undoubtedly take great joy at besting his fellow Beatles on the charts.
On that night’s episode, SNL producer Lorne Michaels jokingly offered Harrison $3,000 to reunite The Beatles on the show, to which Harrison called the figure “chintzy.” Michaels then clarified that Harrison would only receive $750 of the pot because he’s only 1 of 4. Little did they know that when Michaels made the same joke on the show a few months earlier, Lennon and McCartney nearly took him up on the offer.
Paul Simon has had an illustrious career on SNL. He has appeared on the show 14 times, 4 times as the show’s host and another 5 times as the sole musical guest.
In May 2022, Young Thug and Gunna were among 28 YSL members arrested and “charged in a 56-count indictment,” including “charges of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, murder, armed robbery, participation in criminal street gang activity” (as reported by Micheal Seiden at the time).
Young Thug was denied bond yet again in July, and the YSL RICO case is ongoing, but none of that has gotten in the way of Thug’s relationship with Mariah The Scientist. In January 2022, Mariah The Scientist self-directed her “Walked In” video featuring Young Thug, and it oozed lust. In the video, Mariah walks into a strip club already occupied by Gunna and Thug. “Took you long enough to express interest, but it’s a good thing you did,” she sings, and next thing we know, we’re at their wedding in a living room (Gunna serves as best man).
Fast forward to August 2023: Mariah addressed the state of their relationship before performing “Walked In” at Outside Lands. “You know I got a man,” she told the crowd. “He locked up. Free my baby daddy! When I say ‘free,’ you say ‘Thug.’” Days later, Mariah acknowledged Young Thug’s 32nd birthday by posting a photo to her Instagram Story of his “kids standing in front of a billboard that featured him” (as per Rap-Up).
Fast forward (again) to this week. On Monday (October 9), TMZ asked Mariah The Scientist, “Do people think you should break up with Young Thug?” Mariah responded, “They probably do, but I don’t give a f*ck. But, no, I love him, and I won’t be doing that. We’re great. We’re great.” Come Thursday (October 12), Mariah and Young Thug provided evidence as to how “great” they’re doing by teasing complementary singles: Thug’s “From A Man” and Mariah’s “From A Woman.”
As per Fader, Mariah The Scientist doubled down on her unwavering commitment in a statement released alongside “From A Woman,” saying, “[Jeffery] is someone who supports and respects my vision wholeheartedly. There is a true balance in my femininity and his masculinity. He’s the yang to my yin in every way.”
The videos for “From A Man” and “From A Woman” arrived on Friday (October 13). Watch them below.
Gunna and Young Thug are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
When my oldest daughter was in the deepest throes of a clinical phobia, her fear overtook everything. She practically became a hermit at 16, afraid to go anywhere. Thankfully, we found an excellent therapist who taught her how to tame her fear, to gently manage it, to approach it in such a way that allowed it to dissipate instead of continuing to dominate her every thought.
People who struggle with anxiety or fear, whether it stems from trauma or wonky brain wiring, understand how overwhelming it can be. Fear and anxiety can feel incapacitating at times, making you want to run far away or curl into the tiniest ball and disappear. But neither of those things actually helps. In fact, the first thing my daughter’s therapist told her is that avoidance always make anxiety worse.
Instead, she taught my daughter to approach that fearful voice in her head. After all, that voice was hers, and it desperately wanted to be heard and understood. Ignoring it, avoiding it, trying to distract it way simply made it yell louder. “Maybe you’re right,” she would say to that voice, even though it terrified her to do so. “Maybe you’re right, and maybe you’re wrong. Let’s just wait and see what happens”—that became her mantra to her own brain, and as counterintuitive as it seemed, it worked.
I could explain the science of the amygdala—the fight-or-flight center of the brain that acts on instinct—and why the “Maybe you’re right” approach helped retrain it not to overreact. But an artist has created a visual series that describes it in different terms that may resonate more with people who have experienced embracing fear.
Cécile Carre posted her series of paintings about fear on Facebook and they’ve been shared more than 12,000 times. As with any art, interpretations will naturally vary, but judging from the comments, people dealing with anxiety, fear, or unhealed trauma may find some truth in it.
The first image shows a girl curled in a fetal position with her back to a big, scary monster bearing down on her, with a word painted beneath it.
“Everyday…”
As the girl turns and faces the monster, it immediately looks less scary. Still big, still towering over her, but not terrifying.
“…Trying…”
As the girl walks toward the monster, she starts looking bigger. The monster transforms into a mirror image of herself, the terror of it literally melting away.
“…to watch…”
And then it becomes a child looking for comfort rushing into her arms. Even its color begins to blend with her own.
“…and embrace…”
And then a baby, purely in need of nurturing, wrapped lovingly in her arms.
“…my fear…”
And then…nothing. Just a simple, calm little diamond where the girl was.
“…until it disappears completely…”
The work of turning toward what you fear is not simple or easy, and it may take therapy, medication, or other methods to treat mental illness effectively. But this series of paintings shows what many experience when they stop avoiding and start approaching the roaring voice that tells them to be afraid. Though it’s thoroughly terrifying to make that initial turn—I saw it in my own daughter, and it took a lot of effort—seeing the beast shrink down and eventually disappear is an incredible gift.
Thank you, Cécile Carre, for illustrating that so beautifully. You can order her prints here.
On Friday night (October 13), Fred Again.. is performing his second of three sold-out shows at Forest Hills Stadium in Forest Hills, New York. After that, he will have precisely 10 dates left on this tour run — including eight shows at Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles — that began in June. Fitting, then, that Fred Again..’s latest song is called “Ten.”
The mesmerizing EDM soundscape — seamlessly fluctuating in tempo — is complemented beautifully by Jozzy’s vocals, as Jozzy described the song as “R&House” rather than full-blown R&B. Fred Again.. teased “Ten” last week, writing on Instagram, “Ten out in a weeeeeeeek 1. so if im honest I think this is probbbbably the main reason that this is the next song im putting out. Because timbo said its ‘got the timbo bounce’. So I mean that’s it really. @timbaland 2. ….. I mean …… 3. this is @jozzy . Who’s on the tune 4. This is @jim_legxacy. Who’s on the tune 5. Trying out the mix on the ally pally sound system. Its not really a club tune this but its soooo helpful hearin it on a system like this.”
Bad Bunny didn’t give people much runway to prepare for Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana, confirming the album on Monday (October 9) and unleashing it on Friday (October 13). J Balvin might have appreciated a heads-up.
Among the album’s 22 songs is “Thunder Y Lightning” featuring Eladio Carrión. The song ends with Bad Bunny rapping, “Thunder, lightning, yo soy un astro, Ricky Martin / Ustedes me han visto, to mis temas están charting / Ustedes me han visto, siempre ando con los mismo / Mientras ustedes son amigos de to el mundo como Balvin.” (“Thunder, lightning, I am a star, Ricky Martin / You’ve seen me, all my songs are charting / You’ve seen me, I always walk with the same people / While you are friends of the whole world like Balvin.”
Balvin addressed his name being the final word uttered on the track during an Instagram Live on Friday, as captured by Pop Crave and Rolling Stone. Per Rolling Stone‘s Julyssa Lopez, Balvin said, “I think he’s an excellent artist. The person I know is a great person. We supported each other mutually, we made history, we also created a new story within music. I don’t understand what was going through his head but, well, the guy I know is a good person.”
J Balvin responds to Bad Bunny’s verse about him on his new album that says, “You guys have seen me with the same people while you all are friends with the whole world like Balvin”:
“I don’t understand what was going through his head but well, the guy I know is a good person.” pic.twitter.com/aR5YC1i0Tg
To be fair, Balvin is far from the lone name-drop. In the third verse, Benito and Carrión reference Aston Martin, Lionel Messi, Nas, Benjamin Franklin, and Luka Doncic. All of those names were used cleverly, however, while the line about Balvin feels a bit like a pointed barb. Elsewhere on the album, Bad Bunny addressed his mini controversy over throwing a fan’s phone in January.
Listen to “Thunder Y Lightning” above.
Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana is out now via Rimas. Find more information here.
On Thursday (October 12), Mariah and Thug each posted an Instagram tease for their respective singles that are clearly interconnected. First, Young Thug announced “From A Man” with the single’s cover art, showing a man — makes sense, given the title — wearing black dress shoes with white socks. Around the same time, Mariah The Scientist unveiled her “From A Woman” cover art that features a woman wearing red high heels and tights. Both songs arrived at midnight.
The bouncy “From A Man” finds Young Thug, semi-fresh off his Business Is Business album, flexing his self-esteem (“If I ain’t one of the greats, then tell me who it is”) despite what he’s facing (“I done turned to a felon, I done stacked me some cheddar / I done turned my profits up, now I gotta perform at Coachella”), and peppers in some bars presumably about Mariah (“Real love inside me, got me comin’ home nightly / I fell in love with your thongs most likely / A real redbone tryna come wife me”).
Meanwhile, Mariah The Scientist’s “From A Woman” is a romantic slow jam in every sense. Her unwavering to Thug is evident in her sultry vocal delivery and lines like, “Won’t call you Slime ’cause it don’t fit / I see you as more than this / I bought dreams not to mention / You pay me back and then some.”
Listen to “From A Man” and “From A Woman” below.
Young Thug is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Tequila is… in a weird place right now. Purists are rallying around additive-free tequilas while the masses are drinking the spirit more than ever and don’t seem to be all that bothered by additives. Toss those elements together and what you get is a whole lot of variation in quality, flavor, and feel across the genre in 2023. That’s especially true with any aged tequila, as coloring and added sugars/flavors help goose the color and taste of quickly made distillate to make it palatable to perceived tastes in various markets around the world.
What does that mean to the tequila in your hand? A lot.
To parse what’s going on with tequila taste and texture these days, I’m conducting a blind taste test of 10 reposado tequilas — both with and without additives. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, taste is paramount when talking about anything we eat or drink. If it doesn’t taste good, then what are we doing here? Two, additives aren’t always bad per se.
A ton of beloved Scotch whisky is colored before bottling. Let’s not even get into rum. Besides the word “additives” doesn’t always mean “chemicals” — herbs are additives that make gin what it is, for instance.
That said, over-using additives to create faux mouthfeel and overzealous flavor notes can often be offputting to people who truly appreciate good tequila. To less refined palates, it might be great — let’s not kid ourselves, some people like the tricks brands pull or those brands wouldn’t pull them. Moreover, “additive-free” isn’t some bullseye term that means that the tequila is somehow better automatically. There are plenty of mediocre additive-free tequilas too.
See? It’s all kind of a mess when you get into the weeds.
When setting up the tasting, the additive-free reposado tequilas that I chose were based around which I could verify. Tequila MatchMaker has started an official program for exactly this. It’s based on brands submitting for that verification, however — so it’s not a catchall. Of course, getting brands to admit that they use additives is also sticky. That said, there’s a really easy test you can do at home. Pour a touch of tequila into your hands and rub them like you’re using hand sanitizer. If your hands are dry at the end, it’s an additive-free tequila. If your hands are a tad sticky or feel soft and oiled, then there are additives like extra glycerin at play.
Our lineup today features the following bottles of reposado tequila:
Espolon Tequila Reposado — Unverified
Casa Noble Tequila Reposado — No Additives
La Historia de Nosotros Tequila Reposado — No Additives
Valor Tequila Reposado — No Additives
Tequila El Tequileño Reposado — No Additives
Tres Generaciones Tequila Reposado — No Additives
Tequila Mi Campo Reposado — Yes Additives
El Bandido Yankee Tequila Reposado — No Additives
Casamigos Tequila Reposado — Contains Additives
Familia Camarena Tequila Reposado — Contains Additives
After I went through the blind tasting, I ranked each of the reposado tequila based on taste, overall depth, and nuances. I’m an international spirits judge and cover tequila at every competition I adjudicate, so you’re getting my professional tasting notes here. Read through, find something that speaks to you, and go from there. Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Tequila Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: The nose is light with a hint of roasted agave and white pepper with some pineapple skins and maybe a little vanilla bean.
Palate: The palate is light as well with a clear roasted agave that gives way to a hint of white pepper, vanilla cookies, brown baking spices, and general “tropical” fruits that lean citrus and tart and then a touch savory.
Finish: The end leans into the spice and vanilla but only barely before fading away pretty quickly.
Initial Thoughts:
This is fine. It felt like an average tequila that you mix with.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a touch of minerality on the nose with warm floral notes, plenty of classic agave, and a hint of banana.
Aromas of vanilla and floral notes are balanced by flavors of sweet cooked agave, pepper, roasted coffee beans, and a touch of banana
Palate: The banana takes on an overripe vibe on the palate with oily coffee beans accented by vanilla, baking spice, and very mild sweet agave.
Finish: The end mixed agave candy sweetness with white pepper powder and a touch of woody spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This was pretty average overall. It’s an aged tequila and that’s about it.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Butterscotch sweetness drives the nose with a hint of leathery fruit and roasted agave on the nose before mild layers of black pepper, clove, and anise arrive with a grassy edge.
Palate: There’s a caramelized agave richness on the palate next to almond oils and more of that black peppery spice.
Finish: The almond dries out on the finish as woody spice barks, more dark fruit leather, and soft caramelized agave balance the finish out.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty tasty. The almond note on the mid-palate takes this somewhere interesting while adding extra depth.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a classic mix of black pepper, fire-roasted agave, cinnamon bark, and floral apple notes with a hint of fresh mint and salinity.
Palate: There’s a spicy sweet vibe on the nose — kind of like black pepper cut with caramel — bext to wet parsley, fresh aloe, and soft creamy notes that lean toward buttermilk cut with freshly cracked black pepper.
Finish: The spices dry out towards woody barks at the end as the black pepper and caramel agave round out a soft and smooth finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty tasty tequila. It’s deep, fun, and nuanced in a way that draws me back for more.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Very basic notes of agave are accented by vanilla and “spice” on the nose.
Palate: More agave notes drive the palate towards mild hints of brown spice, caramel sweetness, and vanilla oils.
Finish: The end is sweet with caramel accented by macadamia nuts (and maybe white chocolate?) next to basic senses of agave and spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very non-descript and basic. I really had to strain to find any distinguishable notes.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a mix of grassy agave and white pepper next to fresh green herbs and a twinge of aged oak from a musty cellar.
Palate: Fresh agave juices and white pepper accent the palate with a sense of caramelized agave and woody spices before the white pepper comes back and really takes over the mid-palate.
Finish: That white pepper dominates the dry finish with more spice barks and roasted agave next to oakiness.
Initial Thoughts:
This was a pepper bomb. That’s not a bad thing, but it does veer toward “one-note” a tad.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is floral and fruity with a hint of banana and apple next to a rich vanilla latte and maybe some savory squash cut with pumpkin spice.
Palate: Creamy chocolate and more pumpkin spice drive the palate with a honey sweetness that leans into vanilla.
Finish: The end veers wildly toward dry spice barks and old oak staves with a dry grass agave vibe on the very end.
Initial Thoughts:
This was sort of all over the place but kind of worked in the end.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a deep mix of roasted agave and dry oak next to dry roasting herbs, soft caramelized dark fruits, and soft black peppercorns next to a whisper of vanilla.
Palate: The palate remains classically layers with rich fruitiness, woody spices, and soft caramelized agave next to sharp pepper and gentle creaminess.
Finish: The creaminess gives way to a quiet dryness on the finish as soft pepper, roasted agave, and a whisper of vanilla woodiness round things out.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a nice and subtle tequila that feels balanced and tastes pretty damn good.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is an unabashed vanilla bomb on the nose. It’s so vanilla-heavy that it’s hard to find anything else. Maybe there’s some caramel and wood spice in there somewhere.
Palate: A hint of roasted agave is washed out by massive waves of vanilla extract just accented with raisins and baking spice.
Finish: The end gets peppery as the vanilla fades a tad.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a massive vanilla bomb. Is this made for baking?
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spiced oranges and preserved lemons lead the way on the nose next to slow-roasted agave, soft black peppercorn spice, and a touch of buttery caramel that’s just kissed with vanilla bean.
Palate: The vanilla amps up on the palate as the agave stays warm and peppered with a hint of grilled pineapple and mango skin drizzled with caramel sauce.
Finish: The caramel and vanilla take over on the finish as the agave and pepper take a back seat.
This valley tequila is made pretty quickly all things considered. Once distilled, the tequila rests in American oak for three before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was the most blank tequila on the list. There were some faint notes but you’ll really need to strain to find them. This is a pretty easy skip.
Known mostly as George Clooney’s tequila, which is specifically made for the American palate/market, Casamigos remains massively popular. The tequila in this bottle spends seven months resting in American oak that held “premium-aged whiskeys” before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is a massive vanilla bomb (so at least it tasted of something). It’s so vanilla-forward that I can see using this baking.
This tequila starts off low and slow with stone ovens and milling. Once distilled, the tequila rests for three months in French oak from Napa Valley before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was very average. The pumpkin spice and vanilla are easy-going enough but didn’t really offer any deep classic tequila vibe that you want from a good reposado.
This tequila Southern Highland tequila is all about the used American whiskey barrels. After two months of resting, the tequila is batched, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This used to be an additive-free tequila but that’s very less clear now. That aside, this was also very average. It feels like it was made for mixing highballs like a Paloma and not much else.
This Southern Highland tequila spends 60 days resting in oak before batching, proofing with deep well water, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was clearly sweetened and vanilla-forward but still delivered a classic reposado tequila depth and profile. So if you’re looking for a sweeter tequila experience, then this might be a good place to start.
This tequila is all about the low and slow processes in stone ovens and mills. Once the tequila is distilled, it’s left in French oak for 364 (a day less than an añejo by law) before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was pretty good overall. It wasn’t a “wow” by any stretch but got the job done. I can see using it cocktails.
Beam Suntory’s tequila is made fast and hard but then triple distilled to really refine the spirit. Then the tequila is rested in used American whiskey oak barrels for at least four months before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is also pretty tasty overall. It feels like an easy sipper over some ice (maybe with a squeeze of lime) or a solid base for a cocktail.
3. La Historia de Nosotros Tequila Reposado — Taste 3
La Historia de Nosotros is an old-school style tequila, cooked low and slow. Once distilled, the tequila is loaded into French oak wherein it rests for 11 long months before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This delivered a deep and classic repo tequila profile while going a little further. The dark and leathery fruitiness with the woody spices and roasted agave vibes all sang together nicely, creating an easy choice for on the rocks sipping or cocktail making.
Valor is a Lowland Valley tequila. The tequila rests in ex-whiskey American white oak barrels for up to four months before batching, proofing (though it’s proofed a tad less than most tequilas), and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This just tasted good. It drank like a classic repo with good depth and balance while delivering everything you wanted from a lightly aged tequila sip.
El Bandido Yankee is a low-and-slow additive-free Highland tequila. The hot juice rests in used American oak whiskey barrels that have been stripped and re-charred in Mexico before the tequila goes in. Once rested to the exact right moment, the tequila is batched, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This delivered the most nuanced and depth by far. It was classic, sure, but felt like you were drinking a tequila people cared about. I can see sipping this over rocks all day and/or making a great cocktail with it.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Reposado Tequilas
Zach Johnston
There was a lot of green between the top five and bottom five on this list. Even then, I’d really only focus on the top three, with the El Bandido Yankee Reposado being the sole one to buy. That said, there is some variation in the flavor profiles that work in those top four-ish tequilas. So buy what speaks to you.
When it comes to the additives, I think it’s pretty clear the top tequila were all made with confidence. And without additives. I didn’t rig it, it was all blind — do with that info what you will.
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