As per The Associated Press, some two weeks after the Trump team filed a motion to get Judge Tanya Chutkan to step down from the case, owing to what they saw as past impartial statements against him, she’s decided to keep on keepin’ on.
In the filing, Trump’s lawyers argued that while doling out a harsh sentence to one of the Jan. 6 rioters — something she did frequently — Chutkan had slipped in a clear Trump diss, noting the defendant’s “blind loyalty to one person,” who, she noted, “remains free to this day.” That, Trump lawyers’ said, clearly implied their client was “free, but should not be,” thereby constituting an “apparent prejudgment of guilt.”
But Chutkan called BS. “It bears noting that the court has never taken the position the defense ascribes to it: that former ‘President Trump should be prosecuted and imprisoned,’” Chutkan wrote in her refusal to step down. “And the defense does not cite any instance of the court ever uttering those words or anything similar.”
The Trump team’s attempt to get Chutkan to recuse herself had been seen by legal experts as a long shot, as the bar for recusal is a high one. And so Trump will have to contend with a judge with whom he’s already tussled. The trial is set to being on March 4, 2024 — right as the GOP primary season is set to pop off.
For months, the NBA world has been waiting for Damian Lillard to be traded, with the expectation being that the star would eventually end up in his preferred destination of Miami.
Instead, Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday in a stunning three-team blockbuster that sees Dame pair up with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the NBA’s new title favorite. In return, the Blazers bring in Jrue Holiday (who is expected to be rerouted via trade to a different team), Deandre Ayton from the Suns, an unprotected 2029 first round pick from Milwaukee, and unprotected pick swaps from the Bucks in 2028 and 2030.
As soon as the deal was made, there was one resounding question: Did the Blazers do better in this trade than they could’ve in a deal with the Heat?
What was most recently reported out of Miami, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, was that Miami had been pretty firm on the offer being Tyler Herro, two first round picks, and salary filler in the form of Duncan Robinson or Kyle Lowry. Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez could’ve entered the conversation, but pretty much that was what Miami could do and was willing to do, with guys like Caleb Martin never really being entertained. If that is what was in fact on the table, I do think the Bucks’ offer was better and my guess is they selected Milwaukee’s offer for a few reasons.
It starts with Herro, who was never going to factor into the Blazers long-term plans because they already have a glut of guards. I have to assume that if the Heat had a young forward or big man of the same talent level as Herro, this deal would’ve been done months ago. Instead, they were offering a centerpiece that was redundant on Portland’s roster, and moving him to a third team was likely going to be a bit difficult and not yield a huge secondary outcome.
Now, Holiday is likewise redundant in Portland but carries far more value to far more teams than Herro does. You’d be hard-pressed to find a contender (including, somewhat funny enough, the Miami Heat) that wouldn’t view adding Holiday as an upgrade. He’s a player they could seamlessly fit into their roster because he is an elite perimeter defender and a very solid on- or off-ball guard on offense who can fit next to most any backcourt player. Herro is maybe the better long-term prospect, but there aren’t a lot of teams clamoring to move assets for a score-first two guard at this very moment, meaning moving him requires you to narrow your focus considerably.
Beyond that, it’s clear the Blazers value Ayton pretty highly, and the Bucks deal allowed them to flip Jusuf Nurkic for Ayton because it allowed Portland to reroute Grayson Allen to Phoenix, who figures to bring helpful wing depth for the Suns. If the Suns valued Allen more than Robinson or Lowry and that was the way to get Ayton, that only adds to the Blazers reasoning to take Milwaukee’s offer over Miami’s. I admit to being among those who still believe in Ayton’s upside, while fully understanding why many folks are out on him particularly on his current contract. But given the roster Portland has, Ayton seems like a pretty good fit and gives them a center more closely aligned with their new timeline who should be better suited than Nurkic to play the tempo they want.
There was never a world in which the Blazers were going to trade Damian Lillard and get better as a team, or even get assets in return that were close to what should be the market value of a guy who averaged 32.2 points per game on insane efficiency a year ago. That is almost never out there for a star player, barring a very unique circumstance like when Oklahoma City got the haul it did for Paul George because it was the only way for the Clippers to get Kawhi Leonard as well. As such, the choice was what could they do to best maximize their return. Ayton is a guy they valued (reasonable people can disagree with that), while Holiday is the player they figured would be easiest to reroute to another team and fetch other stuff.
When Joe Cronin meets with the media to discuss this trade, he absolutely has the cover to talk about getting the best possible deal and believe he did so. I also won’t discount the role spite probably played in this to find a trade that sends Lillard somewhere other than the Heat, particularly because it is one that Lillard cannot be publicly upset with. Toronto or Chicago, two teams linked with him in recent days, would not have provided the same opportunity for Lillard, and would’ve absolutely looked like a move to spite the Heat.
But Dame’s stated goal is to win a title, and he’s now on a team that becomes the betting favorites with him. He wanted to play with complementary stars in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and he now has a similarly snug fit with Giannis, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez. There isn’t a basketball reason for Lillard to be upset about this, which made it even easier for Cronin and the Blazers to make this move happen and be able to honestly say they wanted to give Lillard a chance to compete for a title, while assuredly being delighted that they found a way to send him somewhere other than Miami.
Molly Burch hasn’t ever been afraid of being vulnerable in her music. But on her fourth studio album (fifth if you include last year’s Christmas album), the singer is leading with her sensitivity. “I’m so fragile it’s not even funny,” she sings on “Made Of Glass,” the opening to her triumphant Daydreamer.
The album itself came together in a time of change and nostalgia. Burch moved back to her Los Angeles hometown and began drafting lyrics after finding her old diaries from childhood. As a result, Daydreamer is an intimate look at Burch’s identity and self-image through the lens of vibrant synth-pop ballads. “I decided, through songwriting, to look back at formative life moments, to connect with the reasons why I’ve dedicated my life to music and also try to heal old and still open wounds,” Burch said in a statement. “This album is dedicated not only to my thirteen year-old self, but the thirteen year-old selves that still linger within all of us.”
Ahead of Daydreamer, Burch sat down with Uproxx to talk Fiona Apple, Billie Holiday, and Sex and the Cityin our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Romantic, relatable, vulnerable, and dramatic.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I would want people to remember it fondly and feel nostalgic when they listen to it.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
I would say Fiona Apple. When I first started learning how to sing I would sing along to her songs and was obsessed with her voice. I also love that she is a homebody and likes to watch a lot of TV — I relate to this heavily. And she’s a baddie.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?
I’m gonna shout out a hometown spot — it’s called Pie n Burger and it’s in Pasadena, CA. It’s so cute inside and has the nicest staff — I feel like a kid at summer camp in there even though I never went to summer camp. I get my all-time favorite meal which is a cheeseburger, fries, and a Coca-Cola. They have amazing pie — my favorite is the boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream.
Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.
This is an easy one. My senior year of high school my dad got us tickets to a Hal Ashby tribute screening of Harold and Maude and Cat Stevens played. It was an out-of-body experience for me. To watch him play in a movie theater! So intimate and we were so close. It feels like a dream.
What song never fails to make you emotional?
“I’ll Be Seeing You” Billie Holiday.
What’s the last thing you Googled?
Omg what an embarrassing question but I will answer honestly. In the middle of the night I googled “what foods make your body inflamed” and then directly after that I googled “olive garden menu”.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
This question is giving PTSD. One time on our very first tour a friend of a friend put us up in his practice space where metal music was blasting and there was a mattress on the floor with blood on it. We did get out of there but I was so broke at the time we almost stayed.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?
My ultimate dream is to play in Japan. I truly love performing in LA (where I’m from and where I live now). I also love playing in Paris.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Stop tweezing your eyebrows so thin!
What’s one of your hidden talents?
Very useless but I know the series Sex and the City like the back of my hand and can recite the dialogue to any episode.
If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?
Homelessness because it breaks my heart and I wish everyone on earth could live a nice life and not have to suffer.
What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?
Pass! Too scary. Blocking it out as long as I can.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.
So fun. I’m feeling upstate NY, cozy fall vibes. I’d want Fiona Apple, Lauryn Hill, Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, and Kacey Musgraves.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?
@sagestudioatx on Instagram. They are a non-profit art studio and gallery for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Austin, TX. I volunteered there last year when I still lived in Austin and following them helps me still feel connected to the artists and the wonderful women who run it. Seeing what they create makes me happy.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I have a song on Daydreamer called “Tattoo” which is about this. My first and only tattoo is a symbol that means “no fear but god” and it’s on my sternum. I got it for my friend who passed away — she had the same tattoo in the same place. I was in Wilmington, NC with one of my best friends from college and we just impulsively walked into a tattoo parlor in the middle of the day and both got tattoos on our chests haha. It was a really funny experience, my mom was there holding our hands. It was sweet and I’ve never regretted getting it.
What is your pre-show ritual?
I really enjoy putting on makeup because that’s usually one of the very few times I have some alone time on tour. I find it very meditative actually. I wish I was a better vocalist and said I do vocal warmups but I really don’t.
Who was your first celebrity crush?
Chris Farley.
You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?
My gut is Disneyland, really do it up big. But a month seems long lol. I’ve always wanted to go to Mexico City with my boyfriend Dailey and we’d bring our recently rescued dog Monty. Or Hawaii.
What is your biggest fear?
Heights, death, and that people are mad at me!
Daydreamer is out 9/29 via Captured Tracks. Find more information here.
You’re probably familiar with the literary classic “Moby-Dick.”
But in case you’re not, here’s the gist: Moby Dick is the name of a huge albino sperm whale.
(Get your mind outta the gutter.)
There’s this dude named Captain Ahab who really really hates the whale, and he goes absolutely bonkers in his quest to hunt and kill it, and then everything is awful and we all die unsatisfied with our shared sad existence and — oops, spoilers!
OK, technically, the narrator Ishmael survives. So it’s actually a happy ending (kind of)!
Basically, it’s a famous book about revenge and obsession that was published back in 1851, and it’s really, really long.
It’s chock-full of beautiful passages and dense symbolism and deep thematic resonance and all those good things that earned it a top spot in the musty canon of important literature.
There’s also a lot of mundane descriptions about the whaling trade as well (like, a lot). That’s because it came out back when commercial whaling was still a thing we did.
In fact, humans used to hunt more than 50,000 whales each year to use for oil, meat, baleen, and oil. (Yes, I wrote oil twice.) Then, in 1946, the International Whaling Commission stepped in and said “Hey, wait a minute, guys. There’s only a few handful of these majestic creatures left in the entire world, so maybe we should try to not kill them anymore?”
And even then, commercial whaling was still legal in some parts of the world until as recently as 1986.
And yet by some miracle, there are whales who were born before “Moby-Dick” was published that are still alive today.
What are the odds of that? Honestly it’s hard to calculate since we can’t exactly swim up to a bowhead and say, “Hey, how old are you?” and expect a response. (Also that’s a rude question — jeez.)
Thanks to some thoughtful collaboration between researchers and traditional Inupiat whalers (who are still allowed to hunt for survival), scientists have used amino acids in the eyes of whales and harpoon fragments lodged in their carcasses to determine the age of these enormous animals — and they found at least three bowhead whales who were living prior to 1850.
Granted those are bowheads, not sperm whales like the fictional Moby Dick, (and none of them are albino, I think), but still. Pretty amazing, huh?
This is a particularly remarkable feat considering that the entire species was dwindling near extinction.
Unfortunately, just as things are looking up, these wonderful whales are in trouble once again.
We might not need to worry our real-life Captain Ahabs anymore, but our big aquatic buddies are still being threatened by industrialization — namely, from oil drilling in the Arctic and the Great Australian Bight.
This influx of industrialization also affects their migratory patterns — threatening not only the humans who depend on them, but also the entire marine ecosystem.
And I mean, c’mon — who would want to hurt this adorable face?
Whales might be large and long-living. But they still need our help to survive.
If you want another whale to make it to his two-hundred-and-eleventy-first birthday (which you should because I hear they throw great parties), then sign this petition to protect the waters from Big Oil and other industrial threats.
The 17-year-old was the victim of a horrific bullying incident.
A group of girls threw boiling water on her, leaving her badly burned and covered in scars and discoloration.
She thought the physical scars would be with her forever — until she met Basma Hameed. Basma Hameed runs a tattoo shop, of sorts — but her tattoo artistry doesn’t look like you’d expect. Basma is a paramedical tattoo specialist. Instead of tattooing vibrant, colorful designs, she uses special pigments that match the skin in order to conceal scars.
It looks like this:
With Basma’s help, patients like Samira can see a dramatic decrease in their scar visibility and discoloration after a few treatments. She even offers free procedures for patients who are unable to afford treatment. That’s because Basma knows firsthand just how life-changing her work can be for those coping with painful scars left behind.
Check out the video below to find out more about Basma’s practice, including how she became her very first patient.
The WGA strike officially ended at midnight Wednesday. Huzzah! That doesn’t mean Hollywood is fully back in action; the SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing. But it does mean studios, networks, and streamers can at least start pre-production before the AMPTP gets right with the actors guild. And guess what their main priority is? Bringing back all those shows and movie franchises people love so darn much.
Per Variety, instead of brand-spanking new fare, Hollywood is fast-tracking big shows, like House of the Dragon and Abbott Elementary and The Last of Us, and big movies, like Superman: Legacy and the sequel to The Batman and the movie take on the ‘90s computer game Minecraft. “The priorities seem to be things that were all but greenlit but stopped because of the strike,” one insider said. “They need to figure out how they finish what they started.”
Also in the fast lane are, of course, movies that had to shut down mid-production when the WGA began their strike:
As soon as SAG-AFTRA’s work stoppage ends, production can resume on several major movies, including the sequel to “Gladiator,” which was more than halfway done filming when cameras stopped rolling in Malta in July as the actors started picketing. There’s “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two,” a globe-spanning adventure that still had some scenes to shoot, as well as “Beetlejuice 2,” Clint Eastwood’s “Juror No. 2,” and “Deadpool 3,” which, in some cases, only had a few days of work remaining. Also stalled was “Twisters,” a sequel to the 1996 tornado thriller, starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones as storm chasers. That project was roughly a week into production in Oklahoma before it shut down.
There’s one big problem, though: With so many productions going back to work at the same, there’s bound to be logistical nightmares. Each will be fighting for soundstages, for crew, for big stars, etc.
“As soon as the strikes are over, everybody is going to want to go after the same five directors and four stars,” one production chief explained. “It becomes a supply-and-demand question. And whereas before the strike the shooting schedule was staggered, everybody is going to be putting a ton of movies and shows into production at exactly the same time.”
In the meantime, networks still need to put stuff on-air. J.D. Connor, an associate professor of cinema and media studies at USC, speculates some will try out “wild little experiments,” as CBS did when they recently aired Yellowstone re-runs, to massive ratings.
As for movie theaters, which have already been starving for new releases after the height of the pandemic: well, it doesn’t look like Hollywood has figured that one out just yet. Maybe they’ll just do a redo of “Barbenheimer.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo made headlines at the end of August when he said he wouldn’t sign an extension with the Milwaukee Bucks unless he felt assured that everyone in the organization was committed to competing for championships. Four weeks later, the Bucks have pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason, acquiring Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers for Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, an unprotected future first round pick, and two unprotected pick swaps.
It is a definitive statement from GM Jon Horst and the Bucks ownership that they are committed to keeping the championship window open around Antetokounmpo as long as possible, giving Antetokounmpo the best player he’s ever called a teammate. (That, of course, can also be said for Lillard, who has never played with anyone as good as the two-time NBA MVP.) In the immediate aftermath of the trade, the Bucks jumped up to the top of the odds sheet to win the NBA title, and there’s good reason for the excitement around what Lillard can bring to Milwaukee.
What the Bucks lose in trading Holiday absolutely should be acknowledged. The Bucks were an elite defensive team in no small part to Holiday’s point of attack prowess and his strength and versatility as a perimeter defender. In the regular season, Holiday was a terrific offensive player as well, averaging 18.5 points and 6.8 assists per game on strong efficiency in his three seasons with the Bucks, providing a steady hand to run the offense and get Giannis and Khris Middleton the ball in their spots. How they navigate the drop-off on the defensive end from Holiday to Lillard will be something to watch, but they do have two of the best rim protectors in the NBA in Giannis and Brook Lopez to help mitigate the loss in point of attack defense.
What they gain in this trade is immense, as they get an All-NBA caliber point guard who is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career. Lillard’s performance in 2022-23 was a bit overlooked because of the Blazers struggles and how he was eventually shut down for another tank effort to end the year, but he averaged 32.2 points and 7.3 assists on 46.3/37.1/91.4 shooting splits in the 58 games he appeared in. His ability to control the game and to take over on offense is something the Bucks have never had from a perimeter player during Giannis’ tenure, and for a team that has had its share of playoff flameouts specifically because they did not have someone who could simply create a bucket at any given time, that is gigantic.
Holiday had a particularly stark drop-off in his shooting efficiency from the regular season to the playoffs in his three years with the Bucks, and for all of the positives he provided on the defensive end, they were lessened by his shooting woes on offense and how that only further condensed the floor on Giannis. The Bucks offense had a tendency to grind to a halt in the postseason, struggling to create quality looks, particularly when they faced a team capable of building a wall against Giannis like we saw in the first round against the Heat last year.
With Lillard’s ability to stretch defenses well beyond the three-point line, Giannis is going to see space he’s never encountered on the court. It figures to be a terrifying proposition for opposing defenses deciding whether to stay attached to Dame all the way out to the range he’s capable of knocking down shots from, or to try and sink back and show as many bodies as possible at Giannis, which has long been the coverage plan against him. Aiding in the transition will be Lillard’s former head coach Terry Stotts, who joined new Bucks coach Adrian Griffin’s staff as an assistant this summer, and will know exactly how to deploy Dame in the best ways as they look to craft a new offensive approach around their two dynamic stars.
Many of the same things that were so tantalizing about the Lillard/Jimmy Butler/Bam Adebayo trio in Miami remain true in Milwaukee, as the Bucks have the kind of wing and frontcourt defenders that should make Lillard’s life easier on that end. There’s less concern about Lillard being a below-average defender when Brook Lopez and Giannis protect the back line. If Middleton is healthier than he was last year, he’s a solid wing defender as well. The Bucks could opt to try and hide Lillard on defense, but even when that’s not possible, he’ll have the kind of support he needs to mitigate the problems that come when he gets attacked over and over.
Lopez’s abilities as a drop defender, in particular, should help Lillard tremendously in pick-and-roll coverage, as Lopez has the unique ability to slow down both the ball-handler and a rolling big man all at once while his guard recovers. For Lillard, who isn’t a great screen navigator, that should help him considerably, and playing with Lopez will provide more cover than he got from Jusuf Nurkic. There do figure to be some adjustments Milwaukee will need to make defensively, as they’ll need to be more proactive in providing that support and help on the perimeter with Lillard out there than they had to with Holiday. That will shift responsibilities some and it’ll be incumbent on Griffin to craft the best coverage scheme to provide that assistance for Lillard while also not giving up the principles that have made Milwaukee so dominant on that end for years.
Still, this is undoubtedly an upgrade, and while there will be a learning curve on both ends of the floor in terms of maximizing this partnership, the ceiling of this team is absolutely a championship squad. Lillard and Giannis can make a very good case for being the best duo in the NBA, particularly when factoring how they complement each other, and watching them work should be as much fun for Bucks fans and impartial NBA observers as it is a nightmare for opponents tasked with slowing them down.
Giannis’ message was heard loud and clear by the Bucks organization, and they answered emphatically with the acquisition of Lillard. A championship is the expectation, and Dame and Giannis have been given everything they could’ve possibly wanted in terms of an on-court co-star. Now it’s on those two superstars to make the most of their pairing and deliver on the potential.
When Will Nicki Minaj Release The New Song She Performed At The VMAS?
Unfortunately, we don’t know when Nicki’s next song is due, but thanks to a new post on Twitter (which I’m never calling “X”), we know a bit more about what it’s going to sound like. While the live version of the stripped-down track made the beat a little bit harder to hear, in the sample Nicki shared on Twitter, the beat comes through more clearly. She’s shared snippets of the song before, leading to some listeners criticizing her for referring to having shooters as her husband was sentenced to house arrest for making threats against Offset.
While we don’t know when the track is due, we do have a release date for Nicki’s fifth studio album. Pink Friday 2 is due 11/17 on Young Money and Republic Records.
Rootin’ tootin’ Lauren Boebert is looking for a helping hand. Oh no.
The Beetlejuice groper‘s ability to accidentally remind everyone of her ongoing scandal really has gotten out of hand this week, and now, an apparent job listing for her congressional office is doing her no favors.
This is happening following Boebert’s own ill-advised references to “joy” and “encounters at the Southern border,” along with a messy declaration about a “theater.” Boebert then deflected by making anti-trans statements, and I’m not sure if she thought that would make everyone forget about Beetlejuice (or the drag show hosted by Democrat Bar Guy‘s cocktail joint), but no dice.
Also, there is no telling whether Daybook, a political and non-profit job-posting platform, fully intended to phrase this announcement in this manner, but wow. “Job Opportunity!” read the corresponding tweet. “Congresswoman Lauren Boebert seeks a Digital Director based in Washington D.C.”
Job Opportunity!
Congresswoman Lauren Boebert seeks a Digital Director based in Washington D.C. https://t.co/ANUDYo4yqZ
If one follows the link, the subject matter appears to be very serious stuff, but that doesn’t make the terminology any less embarrassing.
Presumably, this position will be hands on with all digits, and yes, everyone is thinking the same thing, fairly or not. I’m guessing that there will be a lot of responses to this listing, although they might not be the kind that Boebert’s office was expecting. As you can tell from these replies, people really can’t help themselves at this point.
American Single malt whiskey is hitting a stride. Much of that is thanks to a few smart master distillers who had the foresight to lay down barrels about a decade ago. Those barrels are coming of age now. That means that there are some serious American single malts hitting shelves this season.
It’s an exciting time for the category, to be sure. Which means that it’s time for a blind taste test of some super smooth new American single malt whiskeys.
Let’s get a little background. American single malt, like single malt Scotch (or any other single malt made in any region in the world), is always made with 100% malted barley. That’s where the similarities end though. The climates in various regions of the United States mean that American single malt can be drastically different from single malt aged in the cool temps of Scotland, Ireland, or Japan. What can take 20 years to accomplish with oak aging in the cool Scottish Highlands may only take 10 or even six years to accomplish in Kentucky or Texas or California. It’s just a different game — so don’t come into American single malt expecting a carbon copy of what’s going in Scotland or Japan just because “single malt” is in the name.
For this exercise, I grabbed 10 new bottles of American single malt whiskey that have popped off this year with tons of accolades and followers. These are the bottles that people in the whiskey world are talking about, sharing, and enjoying. That makes our lineup today the following American single malt whiskeys:
Lost Lantern Single Cask Series Andalusia Whiskey Co. Triple Distilled Texas Single Malt
Root Shoot Whiskey American Single Malt Bottled in Bond Aged 4 Years
Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt Oloroso Sherry Cask
Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey
Westward American Single Malt Whiskey Single Barrel Reserve Grand Cru Sauternes Cask
Brother Justus American Single Malt Cold-Peated Whiskey
Virginia Distillery Co. American Single Malt Whisky Courage & Conviction Double Cask Reserve
Wolves The Malted Barley Series California Single Malt Whiskey Lot No. 2
Boulder Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey 2023 Limited Edition The 10 Essentials
Clermont Steep American Single Malt Whiskey
After my patient wife shuffled, poured, and cataloged these for a blind tasting, I tasted through and ranked them. I was looking for overall taste, balance, and depth. Most of these were pretty damn good with a few that might need a little more time to find the sweet spot (which is a problem with this relatively young category still). Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX American Single Malt Whiskey Posts Of The Last Six Months
Part 1 — The American Single Malt Whiskey Blind Tasting
Zach Johnston
Taste 1
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of fresh chili pepper and leathery spiced fruit drive the nose with hints of stroopwafel (those honey waffle cookies from The Netherlands) and candy cane.
Palate: That candy cane turns to pure peppermint on the palate as subtle notes of clove and allspice mingle with creamy eggnog ice cream and malted honey crackers.
Finish: The finish is nice with a sweet spiciness akin to moist dark Christmas cookies with a touch of malted vanilla.
Initial Thoughts:
This is pretty nice overall. It was very reminiscent of the holiday season and felt very well-balanced from start to finish.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a fresh honey-laced granola bar with a hint of nuttiness and chocolate next to earthy cherry bark, old cinnamon sticks, and whispers of clove (maybe even anise).
Palate: Poppy seed danishes and mocha lattes drive the palate with a sense of wildflowers and apple orchards while a flutter of old leather tobacco pouches and old whiskey cellars sneak in.
Finish: The end leans into the woodiness of the tobacco and oak with a nice touch of malted spice cakes and orchard fruit.
Initial Thoughts:
This was good too. It had a nice depth overall and felt like well-rounded whiskey. It didn’t wow, but it got the job done.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of plums, dates, and figs swimming in brandy next to toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped into dark chocolate with a hint of spiced wine cut with molasses and fresh green chili pepper.
Palate: The dark chocolate attaches to the black-tea-soaked dates with plenty of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice next to malted chocolate spiced holiday cakes and a nice flourish of marzipan just kissed with pear oils.
Finish: The end has an almost woody dark chocolate vibe with the green chili making a comeback with a deep leatheriness and nice maltiness.
Initial Thoughts:
This rocks. It’s deep and vibrant. It goes to interesting places with a fun vibe. It also feels like a fully-rounded pour of whiskey.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a subtle balance of brisk desert smoke next to olive brine umami on the nose and then hints of rich and sweet marzipan arrive with white chocolate fattiness and whispers of vanilla blossoms.
Palate: The taste opens with a hint of smoked plums next to a strawberry rhubarb cobbler with a scoop of malted vanilla ice cream before a thin line of mesquite smoke sneaks in.
Finish: That berry fruit feel carries on into the mellow finish as the smoke dissipates.
Initial Thoughts:
This starts off so boldly but sort of disappears at the finish. I feel like a rock or just more time (exposure to air) would have opened this up a bit more.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a deep nose that takes you on a journey through sweet grains, soft caramel, burnt orange peels, grilled peaches, and summer flowers.
Palate: There’s a sharp cherry soda on the palate with a hint of grapefruit, pineapple, and ripe peach next to bright ginger, soft coconut, and a hint of honeyed malt with a whisper of nuttiness.
Finish: That orange comes back on the finish with a soft fresh floral edge next to light cedar bark braided with chewy fresh tobacco dipped in honey and dusted with citrus zest.
Initial Thoughts:
This is boldly grain-forward but balances it with deep woody whiskey notes.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is interesting — dried shitakes, forest moss, and spiced oak staves lead the way with a light sense of maple syrup cookies.
Palate: That maple turns into caramel on the palate as more earthiness nudges in with potting soil and wet wicker play with vanilla and orchard fruit.
Finish: The end fades quickly, leaving you with a sense of umami earthiness, caramel, and wood spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This was a little all over the place.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with deep honey and candied orange next to apricot jam over scones with a hint of malted spice and brandy-soaked oak staves.
Palate: Black Forest cake by way of honey-pear-floral malted crackers drives the palate toward winter spice barks, soft milk chocolate sauce, and a dash of lemon malt meringue.
Finish: Fresh gingerbread and soft oak round out the finish with a nice dose of spice, chocolate, and malt.
Initial Thoughts:
This feels the most like a Scotch. That aside, this is really good.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Nostalgia drips from the nose with oatmeal raisin cookies, old wicker porch furniture, lemon pepper, and dried red fruit leather next to spicy oak and soft apple cider.
Palate: Soft salted caramel and bruised apricot drive the palate with a sense of honeyed oats, old tobacco pouches, and rich malted vibes.
Finish: The end leans into the malted chocolate with a dried fruit feel with brandied pears and old oak staves leading to soft pipe tobacco and hints of floral honey.
Initial Thoughts:
This is really good stuff. The nuance and journey this sip takes you on are just great.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a medley of pear and apricot (both dried and candied) with spicy forest honey, old leather, and malty Graham Crackers dipped in dark chocolate and just flaked with sea salt.
Palate: The palate is lush with a sense of eggnog spices and creaminess that gives way to pear brandy-laced marzipan and more of that forest honey next to warm maltiness.
Finish: The warmth leans into fresh green chili, nuttiness, and dark chocolate on the end (almost getting into mole territory) before leaning back toward spiced malts with a woody tobacco finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a great pour right here. It has everything while feeling dialed and nuanced.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a toasted caramel maltiness that’s super grainy with salted toffee syrup and a nice dollop of butter with a hint of chocolate-covered caramels in the background.
Palate: The palate is light with a Kentucky winter spice bark vibe next to a bowl of Cream of Wheat with a hint of honey and nasturtium as a counterbalance.
Finish: The end really leans into the Kentucky wood spice with a hint of pear orchards and soft chewing tobacco just kissed with chili pepper spice.
Initial Thoughts:
This is very, very grainy.
Part 2 — The American Single Malt Whiskey Ranking
Zach Johnston
10. Clermont Steep American Single Malt Whiskey — Taste 10
This new release from James B. Beam in Clermont, Kentucky is Jim Beam’s foray into the world of American single malt whiskey. The juice was crafted from 100% American malted barley and fermented with Beam’s proprietary yeast strain. That whiskey was left for five years to mellow in toasted barrels that were barely charred. The final product was batched and proofed down before bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was just too grainy today. It feels like it needs another year in the barrel to calm that grain down and let the rest shine a little more brightly. I’d wait for next year’s batch.
9. Brother Justus American Single Malt Cold-Peated Whiskey — Taste 6
This Minnesota whiskey is all about 100% Minnesota malted barley. It’s also about a cold peat malting process called the “Atkin County Process” wherein Minnesota peat is used to malt Minnesota barley without fire. Hence the name, “Cold-Peated”.
Bottom Line:
This was fine but was missing real depth. I’d pass for now.
8. Westward American Single Malt Whiskey Single Barrel Reserve Grand Cru Sauternes Cask — Taste 5
This is Portland’s classic American single malt taken up a level. After years of resting, a single barrel was re-barreled in a sauternes cask from France’s Grand Cru Classé estate. 14 months later, Westward bottled that whiskey with a kiss of local water.
Bottom Line:
This was also very grain-forward on today’s panel. The whiskey did go well beyond the grains into a balanced overall pour. But … it took time to find all of that. So if you’re looking for a grain-forward malt with good depth, this is the play.
7. Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey — Taste 4
Colkegan is a combination of the Scottish Highlands and New Mexico’s ingredients. Instead of smoking their barley malts with peat, Santa Fe Spirits uses local mesquite logs in the kilning process, giving the base of this whiskey a clear New Mexico vibe. The juice is then aged at 7,000 feet above sea level in a climate-controlled warehouse that drops the temperatures to near freezing before amping them up extremely high while also lowering and heightening the humidity in the room.
Bottom Line:
This is where we get into the “this is pretty nice” territory. There’s nothing wrong with this pour. It’s a solid “B” through and through. My recommendation is to try it when you’re in New Mexico.
6. Root Shoot Whiskey American Single Malt Bottled in Bond Aged 4 Years — Taste 2
This whiskey is made from barley grown, harvested, and malted on a 5th generation family farm in Colorado. The whiskey is aged in new American oak for four years before batching and bottling at 100 proof.
Bottom Line:
Again, this is a perfectly nice whiskey. If you’re into good single malt and in Colorado, pick up a bottle.
5. Lost Lantern Single Cask Series Andalusia Whiskey Co. Triple Distilled Texas Single Malt — Taste 1
This single cask from Lost Lantern’s Fall 2023 series is a three-year-old single malt from a very new Texas distillery. The whiskey in this case is made with 100% 2-row malted barley and triple distilled a la Irish whiskey. A single honey barrel was picked by the Lost Lantern team and bottled 100% as-is, yielding only 177 bottles.
Bottom Line:
This is where we get into the really nice stuff. I like this as a slow sipper that isn’t going to make me think. This is an end-of-day pour if there ever was one.
4. Virginia Distillery Co. American Single Malt Whisky Courage & Conviction Double Cask Reserve — Taste 7
This new fall release from Virginia Distillery Co. features double asking. That means that the whiskey was aged a minimum of five years in first-fill bourbon casks and European red wine Cuvée casks before slow batching with a touch of water.
Bottom Line:
This is the close to a nice 15- or 18-year-old Scotch single malt that you can get on this list. It’s that good. If you’re looking for that Scotch whisky vibe from an American producer, get this bottle.
3. Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt Oloroso Sherry Cask — Taste 3
Jack Daniel’s has been toying with American single malt for over a year and has finally pulled the trigger on a permanent expression for retail shelves (albeit just on travel retail shelves for now). The whiskey in the bottle is a 100% malted barley juice (that’s charcoal filtered) that was aged in new oak for over half a decade before being transferred into huge Oloroso sherry casks (from Tonelería Páez Lobato) for even more mellowing.
Bottom Line:
This is just good whiskey, malt or not. It’s deep, delicious, and lush. It’s also great neat. Though, I imagine a rock or some water would make it super creamy. The next time you’re at duty-free at the airport, get yourself a bottle or two.
2. Wolves The Malted Barley Series California Single Malt Whiskey Lot No. 2 — Taste 8
Lot 2 of this California Single malt just dropped. The whiskey was made with imported Irish malts that were fermented with California ale yeasts. That juice was aged for 11 years before very small batching, which yielded only 2,010 bottles.
Bottom Line:
This is American single malt at its best. It’s balanced, nuanced, and freaking tasty. I know it’s pricey, so try it at a good whiskey bar first then commit to a bottle.
1. Boulder Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey 2023 Limited Edition The 10 Essentials — Taste 9
This new limited release from Colorado’s Boulder is a blend of five single malt casks. Former armagnac, tawny port, PX sherry, and new American oak were batched for this release after five to 6.5 years of aging. The whiskey was then cut with El Dorado spring water for bottling.
Bottom Line:
This is great neat. I want to go back to it with a single rock and really take my time digging into the deeper layers that are here (but I didn’t have time for in a blind tasting). This is the good stuff, folks!
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the American Single Malt Whiskeys
Zach Johnston
This was a fun and pretty delicious panel of American single malt whiskeys. Overall, anything in the top five or so is going to be a great play if you’re looking to get into the style.
If you’re looking to go deep, then any of the top three are great candidates as they’re just really good whiskeys overall.
Brass tacks? The top two really are tied. So go back and re-read my tasting notes. Find the one that really touches your soul and go with that.
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.
this 
