Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape Tour is officially underway after kicking off on Saturday in Minneapolis at The Armory. It’ll continue tonight at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, with a setlist including both new songs like Pink Tape standouts “Just Wanna Rock” and “NFL” and fan favorites like “Money Longer,” “Neon Guts,” and of course, “XO TourLlif3.” You can find pictures of the tour merch here.
If you’re planning on checking out the show, you might want to get there earlier or extremely on time because the show reportedly starts promptly at 8 pm — although according to one Reddit user who apparently attended the show in Minneapolis, Uzi comes out at around 9 pm and aside from his DJ, does not have an opening act.
Check out the remaining tour dates below.
10/23/2023 — Chicago, IL @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
10/24/2023 — Cincinnati, OH @ The Andrew J Brady Music Center
10/25/2023 — Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
10/31/2023 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
11/02/2023 — Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
11/03/2023 — Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena
11/05/2023 — Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
11/06/2023 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy
11/08/2023 — Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
11/09/2023 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
11/10/2023 — Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall
11/13/2023 — Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
11/16/2023 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Kia Forum
11/18/2023 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/20/2023 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
11/22/2023 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Netflix’s latest mind-bending thriller, Bodies, has become something of a sleeper hit for the streaming platform thanks to its timeline-hopping murder mystery and twist-ending. Over the course of the show’s eight episodes, the British crime caper tells the story of three London detectives discovering the same man murdered in three separate decades. It’s a wild, physics-defying ride that keeps viewers guessing until its end.
But, where did the inspiration for the series come from? Who is the Si Spencer the show’s first episode is dedicated to? And will we be treated to more of this sci-fi thriller? Here’s everything we know about Netflix’s Bodies.
Is Bodies Based On A Book?
The main storyline in Bodies is based on a mini graphic novel written nearly 10 years ago. In the books, the killing of an unidentified man happens at the same place, in the same manner, across multiple eras. In 1890, Detective Alfred Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) finds a man’s naked body in London’s Longharvest Lane with a bullet hole through his eye. Detective Charles Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) finds the same man dead in 1941, while Detective Shahara Hasan (Amaka Okafor) finds the body in the present day. Each detective tries to solve the mystery of why John Doe was killed and by whom as an investigator from the future works to put the pieces together with the help of a time-traveling professor who may know more than he’s letting on.
It’s a trippy murder puzzle that showrunner Paul Tomalin said he was “scared sh*tless” to adapt. “At first I thought no one’s gonna commission this, it’s too wild, it’s just too mental to do it,” he told Yahoo. “There are big differences to the graphic novel, but the characters are the same, the themes are the same, and there’s enough psychedelic madness from the graphic novels. I’m pretty sure we did our best to nail it.”
Who Is Si Spencer?
As the show’s first episode fades to black, a dedication to a man named Si Spencer pops up on screen. Spencer was the author of the graphic novels on which the show is based. He wrote volumes for DC’s Judge Dredd and Hellblazer series while also working on British TV shows like EastEnders and the Doctor Who spinoff, Torchwood. Spencer passed away from heart failure in February 2022, just one year before his Bodies series would be picked up by Netflix.
Will There Be A Season 2 Of Bodies?
According to Tomalin, the show was always billed as a limited series meaning it’s unlikely fans will get another installment of this exact storyline with the same main characters. Tomalin said wrapping up the season-long mystery was his way of honoring fans of Spencer’s work.
“We went to Netflix like, ‘This is one series, this is a one and done, we wanna close this off’, because I think when you have such an amazing concept up front, you [expletive] your audience off if you don’t solve it,” he told Hello! “As the viewer, I hate it when you get this amazing thing. And at the end it’s like, ‘Duh, duh, duh’, and you’re like ‘Right so I’ve got to wait a year and a half’.”
While there are no plans to continue Spencer’s story as of now, the show still teased a futuristic plot point that might open things up for a spin-off of sorts later down the line.
“We really wanted you to feel that you’d seen the red curtain at the end,” he explained. “That being said, when you see the back end, there’s certainly a dot dot dot. But the premise that the show sets comes to an end.”
The raunchy and weird animated series Big Mouthmight be coming to an end soon (ish), but the Netflix show still has a few surprises on deck. For the jam-packed seventh season, they added a whole slew of new voices into the game, including some high-profile favorites who now get to pretend to be 12. Hopefully being a teenager is more fun this time around.
In addition to the normal players (Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, and Jason Mantzoukas) season seven included Zazie Beetz as new student Danni, Megan Thee Stallion as her own Hormone Monster, Chloe Fineman as Timon, and Mark Duplass as Val, Jay’s brother. Another new character is Lulu, an older mean girl who bullies Jessi for existing. Don’t you miss those days?
Lulu is voiced by Stephanie Beatriz, who also portrays a detective (and sometimes bully) Rosa on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Beatriz is no stranger to voice acting as she starred in 2022’s Encanto as the main protagonist Mirabel. Beatriz has also appeared in Bob’s Burgers and Krapopolis, Dan Harmon’s long-awaited animated series which debuted earlier this year.
Season seven of Big Mouth is now streaming on Netflix, and the eighth and final season will hit debut sometime next year.
When the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals a year ago, LeBron James hinted that he was considering retirement. That came as a surprise to many, not because a 38-year-old considering retirement is shocking, but because James has made very clear in recent years that one of his last remaining goals (beyond trying to win more rings) is to play with his son, Bronny.
The question is when, and where, that would be a possibility. Bronny will be eligible for the NBA Draft next June, but is rehabbing after going into cardiac arrest while working out at USC this summer with the goal of joining the Trojans lineup this season. That would mean James needs to make it at least two more years to have that chance (with the added difficulty of getting Bronny to his team in the Draft), but after another offseason to get his body and mind back in tune for another season, LeBron seems to have his sights set on more than just making it to when Bronny comes into the league.
In a new Beats ad featuring James and Manchester City star Erling Haaland, the two listen to messages from very important people in their lives. For Haaland, it’s his father, while James listens to a message from his wife Savannah hyping him up for another season in the NBA. In it, there’s a line that piqued the interest of plenty of NBA fans, as she said: “Tell them you’re not done until you play with your son,” with a cut to Bronny, “and then do that again,” with a cut to Bryce James.
Bryce is a rising junior in high school this season, currently a 3-star on the 247 Composite, but has steadily seen his prospects rise as he’s grown into a 6’4 frame. To have a chance to play with both of his sons, LeBron would need to make it to at least the 2026-27 season when Bryce could be eligible after one year of college, which would make LeBron 41 (going on 42 during the season). That’s a long time to play in the NBA, but if anyone is going to do it and still play at a high enough level to make it work, you’d bet on it being LeBron.
Netflix just started streaming its latest comedy series, Neon, and if you’re curious about what the new series from reggaeton legend Daddy Yankee is all about, we got you covered.
Starring Tyler Dean Flores, Emma Ferreira, and Jordan Mendoza, Neon follows three friends as they try to break into the cutthroat music industry. Think Entourage, but instead of becoming a movie star, these three want to be the next big names in reggaeton.
Here’s what Uproxx‘s Aaron Williams said about the first season of Neon.
“What struck me most throughout my binge — all eight episodes are out this week, October 19 — was how authentic and true to the music and culture of reggaeton Neon strives to be,” Williams wrote. “Much of that can be credited to the original music created for the series by executive music producers Tainy & One Six (Lex Borrero and Ivan Rodriguez), who made efforts to make songs that not only enhanced the story of the show but could also live in the real world as legitimate reggaeton hits.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
From small-town Florida to the bustling beaches and bright lights of Miami, Neon follows three friends as they hustle their way to making it big in the world of reggaeton. The comedy captures not only the three besties’ larger-than-life dreams but also the harsh realities and funny mishaps of surviving the music industry. Together, they hope to make the biggest star in reggaeton — or at least pay their rent.
There’s an affinity out there for Chuck E. Cheese that’s a little … weird? Though, there’s a world where animatronic animals singing while people eat mediocre pizza seems somewhat appealing. (Though my parents lived near a ShowBiz Pizza, which was sort of like Chuck E. Cheese, only if I remember correctly it focused on a cartoon bear instead of a cartoon rat, which if nothing else seemed more sanitary. ShowBiz would later merge with Chuck E. Cheese.) Anyway, this is our setting for Emma Tammi’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, an abandoned Chuck E. Cheese-type place called Freddy’s Fazbear’s Pizza, only the animatronic animals are possessed and kill people.
Set in 2000, Josh Hutcherson plays Mike, a down-on-his-luck guy who is raising his younger sister while still haunted by the kidnapping and presumed murder of his younger brother when they were kids. With no job prospects, his career counselor (Matthew Lillard) offers Mike an overnight security gig at the abandoned Freddy’s Fazbear’s Pizza where past security guards either seem to quit or be murdered. But Mike has no problems and the movie ends with him successfully guarding the former restaurant without any issues whatsoever. That last sentence is a lie, a lot of weird things happen to Mike.
Ahead, we spoke to director Emma Tammi about striking the balance between a movie about the grief over a kidnapped sibling and possessed animatronic singing animals who murder people. Also, despite all the murder, Freddy’s Fazbear’s Pizza still looks kinda fun. I mean, it does have a working Centipede arcade game.
I know there are a lot of bad things happening at Freddy’s. I think would still hang out there.
I think I would, too.
There’s Centipede. There’s Asteroids.
Right? It’s worth it. The arcade alone.
The benefits outweigh the risks. That was my takeaway from this movie.
I love that.
Okay, so this is based on a video game. I don’t really know this game. Did you know this game?
I did once I started hearing about the project from Jason Blum. So I started playing it and doing my homework. But it was super fun. I played a lot of video games as a kid, but actually never, now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think I had ever played a horror video game before Five Nights. And, man, it’s such a cool premise and I immediately felt like what a brilliant idea for a film adaptation. And then once I became familiar with how big the fan base was, I was so excited about potentially being a part of this.
That’s a good point. I don’t think I played a lot of horror video games either. Castlevania, I guess that counts?
I don’t think it was much of a thing. I mean, for me, I was playing in the 90’s – late 80’s and early 90’s. And, yeah, I was paying Tetris and Bubble Bobble and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
Tetris isn’t very scary.
Yeah, it wasn’t scary.
Hey, but they made a movie about that too, somehow.
Yeah, true. But there is such incredible world-building now with games and the idea of getting scared while you’re playing them is such a no-brainer.
I won’t say what happens, but I do feel like the fans of the first Scream movie are going to like this.
Excellent. I hope so, too. And look, I think some of the fans, like you and I, of Scream are going to really, really get some references. And feel some things specifically with Matthew Lillard’s performance. And for some of the younger audiences less familiar with Scream, I think they’re going to equally just respond to Matthew Lillard’s performance, and this will be the new thing for them. This will be their introduction.
Chris Columbus was originally attached to direct this? Is that right?
Yeah, he was attached for a while.
I can’t even imagine his version. Does that make sense? I can’t imagine what his horror movie would look like.
I mean…
And I like his movies, don’t get me wrong, but…
Totally. I mean, I’m a huge fan of Chris Columbus and, obviously, his work speaks for itself and I don’t even need to say more good things about him. But I think the key to getting this movie on its feet was collaborating with Scott Cawthon on what the story was going to be. And I think different directors prior to me had maybe different takes on what that story should be. And Scott and I, for whatever reasons, were completely aligned on what the vision of this film was going to be. So I loved the story elements that he thought were important to include. And he really liked my take on how we were going to bring it to the screen and make the tone exactly right for the FNAF fan base and really hopefully make an excellent movie. We were just really in partnership on that, and I think that was important.
Were you a Chuck E. Cheese person or were you a ShowBiz Pizza person? I guess Chuck E. Cheese bought ShowBiz? Do I have this right?
Yeah, they’re connected. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a ShowBiz.
That’s what we had. We had ShowBiz.
Oh yeah, I grew up in New York City and my access to Chuck E. Cheese as a kid was Jersey. So yeah, there was something super nostalgic about it. I mean, it in and of itself is a completely unique world, very specific to it, but it evokes an era and the film is a period piece. So it evokes an era that I felt a very personal connection to.
Does it actually say in the movie when it’s set? I have a guess…
It does, but it’s not in your face and it’s easy to miss. Our present-day timeline is 2000.
Yeah, that was exactly my guess. When both DVDs and VHS tapes were both used.
Totally. And I think Abby and Mike, whose home we’re spending some time in, and nothing in their place is new. They’re probably getting everything secondhand. And so some of their technology is not the most up-to-date anyway. And certainly in the pizzeria, nothing is up to date. So we’re pulling from the ’90’s and ’80’s in terms of these heyday eras of the pizzeria.
Why 2000? Because that is an interesting year to set something in. Everyone still loves setting stuff in the ’80s…
We were hovering around the year 2000. Obviously, there was a lot going on with Y2K then, and so we didn’t want to be right on the cusp of that because that felt like such a big moment and that wasn’t the focus of our story in any way. But just over the hurdle of that and doing the math backwards from when generally the pizzeria would’ve opened and when it would’ve closed and when Mike’s brother would’ve been abducted. So, really, just piecing together a rough timeline landed us around the year 2000.
There are some grim themes in this movie, considering it’s about animatronic animals. Did anything seem too grim?
Sooooo grim. And I think what made it all really palatable, if you will, was how it was already incorporated into the lore of FNAF. Through not only the games, but the books and all of these other elements in the franchise. And the fan base has already digested so much of that…
But then there are people like me who aren’t in that fan base who are like, “Wow, this is grim. All right.”
Right. And I think for a lot of it, we were like, this is just part of the fabric of this and we are going to incorporate it in a way that still feels germane to our story and in a PG-13 tone. But we’re not going to shy away from any of it either because it is the DNA of this franchise. So it’s why Blumhouse was the perfect fit to produce this film. The deepest, darkest things are what they’re all about.
The way this movie ends I have a feeling in five years we’re going to be talking about Five Nights at Freddie Part V because this seems so set up for multiple movies.
Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated October 28, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.
10. Morgan Wallen — “Thinkin’ Bout Me”
“Thinkin’ Bout Me” had a huge week, climbing all the way from No. 25 and making its way back into the top 10. Actually, a lot of songs are returning to the top 10 this week, after Drake dominated last week’s Hot 100 with songs from his new album For All The Dogs.
9. Morgan Wallen — “Last Night”
Former No. 1 “Last Night” had a similar journey, rebounding from No. 19 to No. 9 this week.
8. Drake — “First Person Shooter” Feat. J. Cole
Drake didn’t depart the top 10 entirely, as he still has two songs in the region, including “First Person Shooter,” which was J. Cole’s first-ever No. 1 song.
7. Luke Combs — “Fast Car”
Combs never quite reached No. 1, but “Fast Car” has had some impressive longevity, hanging around the top 10 after spending eight weeks at its No. 2 peak.
“I Remember Everything” is all over the charts, as it’s currently No. 1 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts (for an eighth week) and the Hot Country Songs chart (for a fourth week).
5. Bad Bunny — “Monaco”
The biggest debut of the week goes to Bad Bunny, whose new Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana single “Monaco” enters the chart at No. 5 after its release and Saturday Night Live performance.
4. Drake — “IDGAF” Feat. Yeat
“IDGAF” debuted at No. 2 last week and the Yeat-featuring Drake hit had only a modest slide down to No. 4 this week.
3. SZA — “Snooze”
Another song that hasn’t quite hit No. 1 yet, “Snooze” is No. 3 on the Hot 100 but No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart for a third week.
2. Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”
“Paint The Town Red” has so far spent three non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, but it won’t add onto that tally this week, as it was kept out of the top spot by…
1. Taylor Swift — “Cruel Summer”
Swift recently decided to release the 2019 song “Cruel Summer” as a single here in 2023, and because she’s Taylor Swift, it was worked tremendously. “Cruel Summer” is now Swift’s milestone tenth No. 1 single. That’s puts her in historic company, as the only other artists with double-digit No. 1’s are Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson (10 each), Whitney Houston (11), The Supremes, Madonna (12 each), Michael Jackson, Drake (13 each), Rihanna (14), Mariah Carey (19), and The Beatles (20).
This week’s #Hot100 top 10 (chart dated Oct. 28, 2023).
2018’s Aquaman made bank at the box office (it’s the only movie in the DC Extended Universe to make over $1 billion) because of how fun it is. But there’s nothing fun about the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding its sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
A recent Variety report claimed that actress Amber Heard was going to be fired until her former-boyfriend Elon Musk threatened to “burn the house down,” and that star Jason Momoa showed up to set “allegedly intoxicated” and dressed like Johnny Depp to needle Heard, among other allegations. It’s a big ol’ mess, not unlike the ocean once plastic Diet Coke bottles were created, but director James Wan contends the drama has been blown out of proportion.
“I’ve had to learn to be more Zen in dealing with all the noise around me, for sure,” he told Empire. “I’m a pretty private person. I don’t get on social media and have fights, but it’s difficult because this narrative has emerged that is not the reality. The noise is fun to write about, and it gets clicks, but people don’t know the truth.”
As for whether he’d return for a third Aquaman movie, assuming new DC Studios overlords James Gunn and Peter Safran are interested, Wan said, “I haven’t directed a third movie [in a series] before, so I’d be open to doing another if I got the same freedom I’ve had on these first two. I’m not sure what direction [Gunn and Safran] are going in, though, so who knows? I’ve learned to never say never.” And I’ll never give up hope for a Topo the octopus spinoff.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom opens in theaters on December 20.
Single-barrel expressions of any whiskey are meant to be refined, rewarding, and rare(ish). Single-barrel bourbons are often a brand’s prime example of the best of the best barrels they make. So naturally, it’s supposed to be delicious, high-level stuff. And it usually is.
That rarity and deliciousness mean that single-barrel whiskeys (bourbon or not) aren’t particularly cheap. But I assure you that there are some great single-barrel bourbons out there that won’t break the bank. I’m going to help you find those today — via a blind taste test of single-barrel bourbon whiskeys all under $100.
For this blind tasting, I grabbed eight single-barrel bourbons that I know taste good to find a true winner. They’re all under the $100 price tag. While I bumped right up against that ceiling on a couple of these bottles, I did keep it realistic. What does that mean? Well, a bottle of Blanton’s Single Barrel or E.H. Taylor Single Barrel which have MSRPs (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) of $50-$70 but actually cost the consumer hundreds of dollars more because of the aftermarket are not featured in this tasting. It just didn’t seem fair.
New Riff Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof
Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey Limited Series
Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel 1007 Proof 8 Years 1 Month
Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel
Shortbarrel Single Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Barrell Bourbon Single Barrel Cask Strength
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey
Green River Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Full Proof
After my lovely and very patient lady shuffled, poured, and cataloged these bourbon pours for me, I jumped in a blindly tasted them. After that tasting, I ranked these based on taste alone. Need more specifics? That’s a trifecta of depth, nuance, and overall enjoyment. Let’s jump right in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: The nose is soft, kind of like freshly baked rye bread, with notes of eggnog spices, slick vanilla flan, thin caramel sauce, and hints of spicy orange zest.
Palate: The palate amps everything up as the orange peel becomes candied and attaches to a moist holiday cake, dried cranberry and cherry, more dark spice, a touch of nuttiness, and plenty of that vanilla.
Finish: The end takes its time as the whole thing comes together like a rich and boozy fruit cake as little notes of leather and tobacco spice keep things interesting on the slow fade.
Initial Thoughts:
This is really nice. It was a little warm on the finish, but that’s nitpicking more than anything.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose presents with a light sense of orchard in full bloom with apple cores and peels next to honeyed walnuts, Graham Crackers, a touch of vanilla cream, and classic notes of spiced oak.
Palate: That honeyed walnut pops on the palate with more of that Graham Cracker graininess next to light notes of vanilla pudding, apple pie, and winter spice barks.
Finish: The end leans into the spice with a warming/buzzing heat next to a rich vanilla softness that just touches on eggnog and pound cake.
Initial Thoughts:
This was very nice too. The graininess gave away a slight craftiness, but it worked with the overall profile.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose leans toward old leather tobacco pouches before hitting a classic cherry vanilla cake vibe accented by green herbs and old sourdough bread crusts with a hint of caraway.
Palate: That cherry vanilla stays moist on the palate as sharp cinnamon, allspice, and clove drive the palate back toward green floral rye dill, caraway, and fennel with a sweet pear candy cider vibe.
Finish: The end holds onto the fruit candy as a rush of soft nutmeg eggnog arrives and is countered by a slow warmth from Hot Tamale candy-laced tobacco.
Initial Thoughts:
This is nice and funky. It’s an outlier for sure but works as a sipper with a nice sweet/hot spicy finish.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re met with creamy depths of vanilla next to pound cake, spicy tobacco, sweet oak, and a clear hit of orange oil.
Palate: That vanilla really amps up as hints of rose water-forward marzipan lead towards cedar, more vanilla, and a dash of Christmas spices.
Finish: On the finish, a really deep dark chocolate smoothness arrives with a more nutty almond that’s reminiscent of an Almond Joy straight from a special candy shop.
Initial Thoughts:
This is quintessential bourbon.
Taste 5
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 good, classic, and tasty bourbon. It didn’t quite have the depth of some of the other pours though.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rummy spice and fruit open the nose with a sense of nutty winter cakes, caramel sauce, and soft kindling with a light whisper of tobacco just kissed with chili chocolate.
Palate: The palate leans into the chili-chocolate vibes with plenty of winter spice barks, rich marzipan, soft vanilla lusciousness, and a good dose of mincemeat pie.
Finish: Stewed plums and dates drive the finish toward sharp spice barks, more tobacco, and a whisper of walnut bread.
Initial Thoughts:
A lot is going on with this pour and I felt like I needed another 30 minutes, some water, and maybe an ice cube to really get into it.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright fruit notes — cherry, apple/pear, peach, banana, mango — pop on the nose with a clear sense of toasted oak, dark cherry jam, apple tobacco, and a hint of molasses.
Palate: That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild winter spice barks, and plenty of oily vanilla beans that are all countered by a soft cherry soda with a whisper of clove.
Finish: The sweet banana fruit is there on the end and marries well to a peppery spice, cherry gum, and mulled wine that amps up as the end draws near with plenty of that toasted wood lingering the longest.
Initial Thoughts:
This is so bright and, dare I say, fun. It’s light and airy at first and then takes a deep dive into ideal bourbon notes. This was a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cream soda and honeycomb greet you on the nose with a light sense of spiced holiday cakes, vanilla sheet cake, soft-dried chili, and old woody spice.
Palate: The honey and vanilla bond on the palate to create a luscious mouthfeel that leads to balanced notes of sharp dried chili spice, soft worn leather, pipe tobacco, and rich walnut bread with plenty of butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Finish: The end leans toward the leather and tobacco with a chili-choco vibe that’s accented by soft walnut and even softer vanilla.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a deeply hewn and very exemplary bourbon. This had depth and was still a little fun and playful.
Part 2 — The Single Barrel Bourbon Ranking
Zach Johnston
8. Shortbarrel Single Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon — Taste 5
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 was perfectly good bourbon with a nice profile. The only drawback was the lack of depth. But that can be easily fixed by using this to build a solid whiskey-forward cocktail.
7. Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel 1007 Proof 8 Years 1 Month — Taste 3
Baker’s is pulled from single barrels in specific warehouses and ricks across the Beam facility in Clermont, Kentucky. The bourbon is always at least seven years old. In this case, it was aged eight years and one month before bottling as-is.
Bottom Line:
This wasn’t the biggest outlier on the list, but it was close. This is an acquired taste bourbon that leans more toward rye whiskey notes than classic bourbon ones. That said, if you’re in the mood for something different that’s also really tasty, this is the bottle to grab.
6. New Riff Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof — Taste 1
The juice in the bottle is New Riff’s standard bourbon mash of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. The spirit is aged for at least four years before they’re bottled individually without cutting or filtration.
Bottom Line:
This is another solid bourbon. Sip it neat, pour it over ice, or mix a cocktail with it. You won’t be disappointed. The only reason that it’s a little lower on this ranking is that it was a tad warm on the mid-palate and finish — basically, it was asking for ice.
5. Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey Limited Series — Taste 2
Southern Star Paragon has been racking up the awards over the last couple of years. This new limited edition bottle (just released in October 2023) is a single-barrel version of their beloved whiskey. The wheated bourbon (70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley) was left to age for just over five years before a single barrel was chosen and bottled 100% as-is at barrel proof. The whiskey was then branded to commemorate the Carolina Panthers’ 2003 NFC Championship NFL run — their hometown heroes.
Bottom Line:
I mean, if you’re a fan of the Carolina Panthers, this is a no-brainer buy. I would argue though that this is also a no-brainer to give you a taste of the great work Southern Distilling is doing down in North Carolina right now. This is a very good bourbon after all.
4. Barrell Bourbon Single Barrel Cask Strength — Taste 6
This single-barrel pick from ReserveBar is a very unique bourbon. The whiskey in the bottle is made from 99% corn and 1% rye Indiana bourbon. The team at ReserveBar picked one special eight-year-old barrel of that whiskey and bottled it 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent whiskey that goes deep. Almost too deep, maybe. The whiskey just keeps giving you flavor notes from classic to new to deep to light and so on. If you’re looking for a bit of homework and palate extending, give this one a try.
Jimmy and Eddie Russell — Wild Turkey’s Master Distillers — hand-select these barrels from their vast warehouses for just the right bourbon flavor. The bourbon is bottled with a touch of water added to highlight the beauty of Wild Turkey’s multi-generational whiskey-making prowess.
Bottom Line:
This is the bottle to buy if you’re looking for a stone-cold classic bottle of bourbon that hits every single note perfectly. Pour this over some rocks or build it into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail and you’ll be all set.
2. Green River Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Full Proof — Taste 8
The latest addition to the core Green River lineup is a doozy. The Kentucky whiskey is a rye-forward single-barrel bourbon. The mash bill is 70% Kentucky-grown corn with 21% rye and 9% malted barley. That whiskey rests for at least five years before water is added to bring the proof back down to entry proof, hence “full proof”. The whiskey is then bottled directly from the barrel as-is.
Bottom Line:
This pour went beyond the classic and offered a little bit more depth to help it stand out from the crowd. That said, this still feels like a perfect mid-week sipper or solid cocktail base for your favorite cocktail more than anything else. It’s the perfect balance of straightforward yet deep.
1. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey — Taste 7
This single-barrel product from Jack Daniel’s was first introduced in 1997. The whiskey is hand-selected (usually by retailers, bars, and restaurants) from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the single-barrel whiskey to shine.
Bottom Line:
As I mentioned above, this was a ray of sunshine. It’s so bright and fun while still delivering a truly deep and ideal profile. It’s complex but in a playful way. It’s deep and you never get lost in it. It’s just really nice sipping whiskey.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Single Barrel Bourbons
Zach Johnston
Look, all of these whiskeys are very drinkable and very good. They all offer something different though. I would go back through and find the tasting notes that really speak to your palate and then find that bottle. Then I’d go through and find the tasting notes that challenge your palate and try that whiskey too!
The Minnesota Timberwolves have high hopes for the 2023-24 season. That’s in large part due to Anthony Edwards’ continued leap into superstardom, alongside Karl-Anthony Towns being actually healthy and in good spirits coming into the season. However, to achieve their goals of being a top-6 squad in the West this year, they’ll need more than just good seasons from their top stars.
One of the players the Wolves are particularly high on is Jaden McDaniels, who had a tremendous 2022-23 season, emerging as one of the NBA’s best wing defenders before missing the playoffs with a broken hand after punching a wall at the end of the regular season. On offense, McDaniels became a reliable knockdown shooter as well (39.8 percent from three), and his ability to space the floor and provide high-end defense is something every team in the league is looking for. As such, on Monday, the Timberwolves agreed to a hefty contract extension to keep him in Minnesota long-term, inking him to a 5-year, $136 million deal.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels has agreed to a five-year, $136M contract extension, his agents Nima Namakian of @InnovateSports and Bill Duffy of @WME_Sports tell me and @JonKrawczynski.
That’s a big contract, but for a Wolves team without a lot of options to add high level talent from the outside, they have to lock up their best players when they can. With McDaniels signed, they now have four players making $30+ million, which will put plenty of pressure on the Wolves to be a contender in the West this season, as they’re set to hit the luxury tax for the first time in two decades next year. You can bet ownership will want the team to be in the hunt for a top-4 spot in the West, which is a very difficult level to reach given the talent throughout the conference.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
