T-Pain has enjoyed a special relationship with the state of Wisconsin ever since on his 2008 Lil Wayne collab “Can’t Believe It,” he gave the state a shout-out but pronounced it in his own special way (“Put you in a mansion, somewhere in Wiscansin”). It’s become an iconic line, and for the past few years, T-Pain has taken to the state to host his annual Wiscansin Festival.
The 2025 edition is coming right up, as the two-day event is set for June 13 and 14 in Milwaukee, it was announced today (March 13).
The first day, dubbed Wiscansin State Fear, goes down at the Milwaukee Mile and features open drifting (the thing where cars slide around), along with carnival rides, games, karaoke, and more.
Then there’s the second day, the Back To Wiscansin Fest. On the music lineup are Feid, Keyshia Cole, Pusha T, Wale, Jermaine Dupri, DJ Diesel (Shaq), NLE Choppa, Kash Doll, Prof, Duran Bernarr, Armani White, Djay Mando, and NilexNile, with more names to be revealed.
Fans can either buy a one-day pass for either event, or there’s a two-day pass that covers both. Either way, tickets go on sale starting March 14 at 10 a.m. local time. More information can be found on the Wiscansin website.
Each week our staff of film and television experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
15. Severance (Apple TV Plus)
Apple TV+
After a long, long break, one of the best shows on TV is back. Severance picks up where season 1 left off, with Mark (Adam Scott), Helly (Helly Riggs), Dylan (Dylan), and Irving (Irving Bailiff) trifling with the severance barrier, “leading them further down a path of woe,” according to the cryptic Apple TV Plus synopsis. There are so many mysteries left to answer: what’s the deal with Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman)? What’s the deal with Seth Milchick (series MVP Tramell Tillman)? And seriously, what’s the deal with the freaking goats?
Mike Judge and Greg Daniels have been attached to some of the best TV comedies of the last 30 years, including Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons, and The Office for Daniels and Beavis and Butt-Head and Silicon Valley for Judge. They also co-created King of the Hill. Their latest collaboration is producing Common Side Effects, a surreal Adult Swim animated series about the “world’s greatest medicine” from creators Joseph Bennett (Scavengers Reign) and Steve Hely (30 Rock). Episodes will stream the next day on Max.
The White Lotus returns with a new location (Thailand) and a new group of talented actors playing emotionally- and spiritually-empty rich folks. The cast includes Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Blackpink’s Lisa, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Aimee Lou Wood. “I do feel like the other seasons were a rehearsal for this one,” creator Mike White teased.
You know what time is it? It’s Reacher o’clock. In season 3, the big guy meets an even bigger guy. He also “hurtles into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise when trying to rescue an undercover DEA informant whose time is running out,” according to the Prime Video synopsis. “There, he finds a world of secrecy and violence and confronts some unfinished business from his own past.” Every episode is basically the same, which is to say, they’re all a lot of fun.
11. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Netflix)
Paramount
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is one of the most purely enjoyable big-budget movies of the 2020s. So I will never understand why it underperformed at the box office. The people weren’t ready for Chris Pine’s melting face, I guess. But hopefully enough people watch Honor Among Thieves on Netflix that a sequel gets the greenlight. Do it for Jarnathan.
The Gutter premiered at South By Southwest in 2024 to strong reviews. Now that the 2025 edition of the Austin-based festival is here, the bowling comedy directed by Yassir Lester lands on Hulu. The plot follows Walt (played by Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’s Shameik Moore), who lands a job at a bowling alley, and is soon pressured by former pro-bowler and current champion drinker Skunk (The Good Place‘s D’Arcy Carden) to accept his role as the greatest bowler ever put on this earth.
Hulu’s Deli Boys is a crime-comedy about a pair of pampered Pakistani-American brothers who lose everything following their father’s sudden death and are forced to reckon with his secret life of misdeeds as they try to take up his mantle in the underworld. The cast includes Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, and Poorna Jagannathan.
You know who rocks? Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Between Yellowjackets and Companion, Thatcher is everywhere all of a sudden (not a complaint), while East gave a “who is that and where can I see more of her”-level performance in The Fabelmans; she’s also reportedly in Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming movie. Together, you can see them in Heretic, where they play Mormon missionaries who attempt to convert a man (Hugh Grant!) who is more dangerous — and creepy — than he seems.
Ben and Jen (Garner) are in the headlines, and there’s a new Daredevil project. What year is it, 2003? Daredevil: Born Again brings back Charlie Cox as blind crime-fighting lawyer Matt Murdock, as well as Vincent D’Onofrio as mob boss Wilson Fisk, who is pursuing his own political endeavors. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course. Get ready for a kick-ass one-shot fight scene.
Sorry, parents, but get ready to watch Moana 2 a million times. The sequel takes place three years after the original, and has Moana (voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho) reuniting with Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) to find a long-lost island. Lin-Manuel Miranda didn’t write the songs for Moana 2, like he did for Moana (“Shiny” is a banger), but at least Alan Tudyk is back as Heihei.
Sean Baker should have an Oscar for The Florida Project. And Red Rocket. Better late than never, I suppose. Baker actually won four Academy Awards for Anora (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing), while star Mikey Madison was named Best Actress for playing a Brooklyn-based stripper who hastily marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Unlike too many movies to list them all, Anora actually deserved to win Best Picture. It’s great.
Long Bright River is a suspense thriller about Philadelphia police officer Mickey (played by Amanda Seyfried), who patrols a part of the city that has been hard-hit by the opioid crisis. As per the logline: “When a series of murders hit the neighborhood, Mickey realizes that her personal history – her ongoing search for her missing younger sister – might be related to the case.” The subject material is a bit of a downer, so to cheer you up, here’s Mamma Mia 3 (?!) star Seyfried covering a Joni Mitchell song on the dulcimer. Delightful!
The guests for the first episode of John Mulaney’s weekly talk show Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney: Michael Keaton, Joan Baez, Fred Armisen, Jessica Roy, and musical guest Cypress Hill. Oh, and the GOAT himself, Richard Kind, is Mulaney’s sidekick and announcer. This is the definition of must-see TV.
It’s tough to pinpoint Netflix‘s most expensive movie, but don’t be surprised if it’s The Electric State. The film, which reunites the directors (Anthony and Joe Russo) and writers (Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, has a reported $320 million budget. That’s quite the chunk of change, but for Netflix, it’s money well spent if the retro-futuristic The Electric State — which stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, who team up to find her brother; also, there are robots — ends up being the level of hit it almost assuredly will be.
In 2018, Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers teamed up to form Boygenius, an indie supergroup that released the best song of 2018 (and, in my estimation, the best song of the 2010s). It seemed like a one-off collaboration at the time, but five years later, they reformed for The Record. Critical admiration, Nirvana homages, and Grammys followed. Then, following a sold-out tour, the Boys went on hiatus to focus on their solo careers.
Let’s catch up with Baker, Dacus, and Bridgers to see what they’re up to now in a post-Boygenius era.
Julien Baker
Julien Baker and Torres (real name: Mackenzie Scott) had a wild idea during COVID-era lockdown: what if they made a country album together? Unlike most projects that originated during quarantine, however, they saw it through: Send A Prayer My Way, which includes twangy singles “Sugar In The Tank” and “Tuesday,” comes out on April 18 via Matador Records.
Interestingly, despite The Record dropping in 2023, Send A Prayer My Way came first; a decision was made to “temporarily shelve” the album until Baker was finished with her Boygenius duties, otherwise the promotional cycle with Torres (including a spot on The Tonight Show) would have been rushed.
“It sucked because we were both chomping at the bit to get it out,” Baker told The Independent. “It would’ve felt really bad to start something and have an end date already in the future and to truncate it [because] it had to be done by the time I started doing Boygenius stuff. I’m glad we waited.”
You can catch Julien Baker & Torres on tour this spring.
Lucy Dacus
Lucy Dacus released her first three albums on indie stalwart Matador. But she signed with a major label (Geffen) for Forever Is A Feeling, which features contributions from both Baker and Bridgers, as well as Hozier, Bartees Strange, and Blake Mills.
“I think with this whole record, I wrote songs as things were happening,” Dacus told Dazed Digital about Forever Is A Feeling, which is due out March 28. “A lot of the time, it’s taken years before I can write about something, but this is the first time I felt like I needed to write about my current emotions, for my own well-being, to express to myself what’s going on.”
The early singles have been a terrific showcase for Dacus’ smoky voice and candid songwriting. She’s also a terrific person: Dacus gave away $10,000 in $500 increments to trans people looking to pay for gender-affirming surgeries.
After Boygenius announced their hiatus in early 2024, Bridgers has stayed mostly off the radar, other than performing with Sloppy Jane in Jane Schoenbrun’s must-see I Saw The TV Glow, producing collaborator Christian Lee Hutson’s album Paradise Pop. 10, and a Disneyland date with comedian and actor Bo Burnham.
Bridgers may have caught the acting bug herself, as she was recently spotted on the set of the Robert Pattinson-starring movie Primetime. The A24 film “follows a journalist who takes on an underworld of crime and ends up changing television forever,” according to Variety, and is said to be inspired by To Catch A Predator. Maybe Bridgers can get Pattinson to sing in a freaky lil’ voice on her next album, whenever it eventually comes out. Just a thought.
Shake Shack has a lot going on right now. There is the new spring-inspired shake trio (definitely try the cherry blossom flavor), the brand’s first discount combo meal (one of the most affordable and best-tasting chicken sandwich combos currently in fast food), and the fast casual chain just dropped a trio of new black truffle-infused cheeseburgers.
We dig that Shake Shack is giving people a mix of everything, from indulgent treats to affordable meals to the sort of elevated and luxurious takes on fast food that we’ve come to expect from the brand. We’re big fans of luxurious and decadent cheeseburgers, so when the Black Truffle menu was announced, we were already pretty hyped without even trying it. Now that we have, we’re even more psyched!
The Black Truffle trio, which consists of a Black Truffle Burger, the vegetarian-friendly Black Truffle ‘Shroom, and the gargantuan Black Truffle Shack Stack is available for a limited time at all Shake Shack locations nationwide. The time frame for this one is unspecified, but given how long Shake Shack’s limited-time burger options usually last, we’re pretty confident in saying this trio is sticking around until the start of summer at the earliest.
To help separate the good from the great, we tasted and ranked all three from least to most essential. Let’s dive in.
3. Black Truffle ‘Shroom
Shake Shack
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I’m sorry to the vegetarians out there but I’m naming the Black Truffle ‘Shroom as the least essential of the three sandwiches. That isn’t to say that this burger isn’t good though, and in fact it’s a sharp improvement over Shake Shack’s regular veggie burger, the veggie shack. The veggie shack, which features a patty made from a mix of mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots, farro, and quinoa, lacks the indulgent decadence of a juicy cheeseburger. The Black Truffle ‘Shroom remedies that, bringing big flavors into the veggie space.
The patty — if you want to call it that — consists of a portabello mushroom top filled with Muenster and cheddar cheese, breaded and fried, and topped with black truffle sauce, shredded lettuce, and served on a potato bun. Biting into this burger will treat your tastebuds to a burst (literally, this thing explodes when you bite into it) of rich umami flavors and melted creamy cheese notes. The black truffle sauce, with its pungent and umami-rich flavor, keeps the burger from coming across as too salty and cheesy, while the shredded lettuce adds some additional texture.
Generally I’m not a fan of shredded lettuce, but it works in this sandwich, allowing the burger to stay crisp and not come across as too soft and soggy.
The Bottom Line:
Shake Shack’s best veggie burger, but at the end of the day, still a veggie burger. So if you’re a hardcore carnivore, look elsewhere.
2. Black Truffle Burger
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
This isn’t the first time we’ve had the Black Truffle Burger, the burger hits the Shake Shack menu at least once a year, and every year we order it. It’s that good. The burger features an Angus beef patty (or two if you opt for the double), topped with a thick layer of melted Gruyère cheese, a generous handful of fried sweet onion, and a double layer of thick black truffle sauce.
Biting into this burger is an explosion of flavors. The sumptuous juiciness of the beef is elevated by the creamy and salty Gruyère, while the fried onions bring a delicate sweetness, a much-needed contrast to the intense umami flavor of the black truffle sauce.
The Bottom Line:
This used to be Shake Shack’s most decadent umami-rich burger, but now that honor goes to our number one pick. We’d still say this one is worth ordering, as the fried onions add a touch of sweetness that plays nicely with the rich and intense flavors of the black truffle.
1. Black Truffle Shack Stack
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
I’ve never had a burger quite as rich and — I know I keep throwing this word around in this ranking — decadent. This is flavor indulgence at its finest. The Black Truffle Shack Stack is essentially a combination of the Black Truffle ‘Shroom and Black Truffle Burger. What we loved about the latter was the balance between sweet and umami flavors, but Black Truffle Shack Stack throws balance out the window, instead doubling down on the umami flavor notes, resulting in a burger that is sumptuous, rich, ultra-meaty.
The burger features a lacy and crispy-edged beef patty topped with Gruyère, and a thick fried Muenster and cheddar cheese-stuffed portobello mushroom top. Biting into this burger is an explosion of meaty flavors and gooey cheesy textures, with a salty mushroom top note and finish. It’s messy in the best way, as cheese and burger juices explode in your mouth with every bite. This isn’t the sort of burger you order if your appetite is mild, instead this burger should be reserved for those looking for big rich flavors that’ll leave you in a heavy food coma by meal’s end.
Be warned though, you need a big mouth for this burger. Biting into it is truly a challenge.
The Bottom Line:
The richest, most decadent burger we’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. This burger is an absolute umami flavor bomb. If you love the meaty flavor of mushrooms, this burger does not disappoint.
FKA Twigs and ASAP Rocky have been pals for a long time, and now Twigs has reminisced about what it was like when they were roommates back in the early 2010.
In a new chat between Twigs and Playboi Carti for i-D, Twigs explained the living situation. Here’s the relevant excerpt:
Twigs: You know Rocky and I used to live together? I think it was 2012 or 2013. I used to live with ASAP Yams and Rocky in LA, and we had an apartment together. I would always cook for them because they would never eat. They were boys — they would never be able to cook for themselves. So they’d come back from the studio…
Carti: …coming in, got the munchies. Twigs over there going crazy. I’ve never met Yams a day in my life. I always just hear so many cool stories. You and Rocky and Yams in the crib? That’s fire.
Twigs: Yams was the best, and he was such a gentleman. He’d always let me sleep in his room. He’d sleep on the sofa, and I would take his bed.
Carti also said, “When I was coming up with Rocky, he always used to tell me, ‘Yo, Twigs is the one. I got to introduce you to Twigs.’ And when I met you, everything he said about you was true. Shorty from the other side of the world. She got me off the bat.”
As the NBA season enters its final month, there are a number of teams that have fully shifted their focus to the upcoming NBA Draft. The Jazz, Blazers, Wizards, Hornets, Nets, and Raptors were all expected to be in the mix for top lottery odds this season, while the Pelicans and Sixers have crashed the party as well after rather disastrous seasons.
The player that all of those teams are hoping they’ll have the chance to take in June’s NBA Draft is Cooper Flagg, as the outstanding freshman from Duke has separated himself at the top of this year’s Draft class with a sensational season in Durham. Flagg is not just the top freshman in the country, but has a chance to be named the nation’s best player, averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 49.4/37.7/83.0 shooting splits.
On Thursday, Flagg’s Blue Devils opened their ACC Tournament schedule with a game against Georgia Tech and got off to a disastrous start, falling behind to the 8-seed by double digits early and then saw things go from bad to worse when Flagg crumpled to the floor after turning his left ankle.
Flagg would be helped to the locker room and then taken to the evaluation room in a wheelchair, signaling concern about the severity of his injury. The freshman star would return to the Duke bench (with both shoes on), but was ruled out for the game by the team with an ankle injury and his status for the rest of the ACC Tournament (and, later, the NCAA Tournament) is still unknown.
For Duke fans, they will be very concerned about their ability to win an ACC Tournament title or make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament if they are without their young star forward — although they did come back to beat the Yellow Jackets and advance to the semifinals. From an NBA perspective, the injury shouldn’t impact his status as the presumptive No. 1 pick, but teams will certainly be monitoring his recovery as the lottery approaches.
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so there’s no better time to sip some amazing Irish whiskey!
It’s time to leave the basic stuff behind because today, we’re rounding up some of our absolute favorite bottles of Irish whiskey and conducting a blind taste test to determine the best of the best. For this clash of the Irish titans, we’ve got everything from brand-new releases to tried-and-true classics, and to spice things up, we’ve even included the oldest Irish single malt ever bottled!
Whether you’re into sherry finishes, malt-forward tipples, or rock-steady reliable releases, this blind taste test will showcase a bit of them all. It’s time to determine the very best Irish whiskey to buy right now, just in time for St. Paddy’s!
Woah! Right off the bat, this is a really beguiling whiskey with a silky, engrossing nose. There are apricots and vanilla pod notes, sure, but also date syrup, Brazil nuts, nutmeg, and bay leaves. On the palate, the date syrup note is a bit more pronounced, along with hints of raisins, nougat, apricots, and toffee.
I’m happy to have had this first because now my senses are awake! This will be tough to top, as it’s an eminently intriguing pour.
Taste 2
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
This one has a bit of creeping heat on the palate, which follows a summery nose led by citrus and floral tones. I’d be surprised if this were bottled at 80 proof because it drinks a bit hotter with touches of mouth-puckering astringency around the edges.
I appreciate that this drinks a bit hot, as that bite helps to put a bow on the lightly sweet bouquet of aromas and well-rounded baking spices on the tongue.
Taste 3
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
The ruby glints in this glass make me want to believe I’m eyeballing the Redbreast 27. With my nose making the initial descent, I’m able to gather a bouquet of red currants, vanilla custard, dark chocolate, and candied ginger. On the palate, crème brûlée and more nondescript red berries claim the stage, with citrus accents ranging from fresh oranges to lemon glaze also making an impression.
While the sweetness is borderline decadent and indeed inescapable, the depths of flavor in this pour are aided by black pepper, a sort of depleted, mature sweet oak, and coffee beans, which makes this a complete delight.
Taste 4
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
This one has a robust citrus, malt, and oak interplay on the nose, drawing your nose further into the glass. In search of flaws, I happily found none, so I transferred this whiskey to the palate, where it opens up with subtle hints of chocolate, pears, apricots, and dilute honey.
After a strong start to this tasting, I think I’ve found yet another delicious whiskey in the bunch. This is flat-out delightful.
Taste 5
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Clove and nutmeg notes grasp the nose at first before lush fruit tones leave an impression. On the palate, the texture is impressively slick, which makes me feel like it’s a tick above 40% ABV. Raisins and raspberries play nicely with a bit of cinnamon, honey, and vanilla wafer flavors.
This is a whiskey with a remarkably high floor, and though it doesn’t quite reach its ceiling, I’m very much impressed. I’d drink this again and again.
Taste 6
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
I think I can state outright that this is probably the Bushmills 46. It has the darkest color of any of these whiskeys by a laughable margin. Stout beer, orange wheels dipped in dark chocolate, and faint honeyed malt tones stand out on the nose, while a chalky dark chocolate note on the palate leads the way for toasted coconut, mulled wine, nutmeg-dusted hazelnut, citrus, marzipan, and allspice to follow.
This is a rich, complex whiskey that makes twin cases: one for hyper-aged Irish whiskey and another for blacked-out Glencairns when blind tasting.
Taste 7
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
This one has a lovely, fruit-driven nose that makes me think it’s finished. That’s not a knock, as it works with (what I assume are) the base liquid aromas. On the palate, it has some nuttiness and red berry sweetness that, again, makes it feel like a sherry-finished whiskey.
This is pleasant, if unremarkable, whiskey compared to the rest of the flock. However, this will probably end up in the middle of the pack because it doesn’t really stand out in any one way.
Taste 8
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is super interesting, with cooked dates and Brazil nuts syncing up with a bit of Worcestershire sauce, Golden Delicious apples, and sweet barley. It has a nice, semi-sticky mouthfeel, though it doesn’t at all come across as oily or thick.
All told this is one of the wilder flavor profiles of the bunch, but I’m impressed that it sticks the landing and manages to integrate its disparate parts so seamlessly.
Taste 9
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Right away, I’m picking up some heat on this nose and a nice viscous texture that’s sticking to the glass. It has a nice, sturdy backbone of oranges and cloves, with some pronounced earthiness that throws it a bit off. After one sip, my high-proof suspicions are confirmed, as this has a density on the palate, unlike almost any other pour in this tasting.
Frankly, I like this quite a bit, but it’s the most imbalanced of the bunch, and as such, I’d score it towards the back of the pack.
Taste 10
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Now, we’re back! After the last pour, I was ready for anything, and I’m happy that this one is a marked improvement. Golden raisins, vanilla, and faint citrus undertones set the stage on the palate for more of the same, with accents of white pepper, cream soda, and candied ginger.
Not only is this an incredibly high note to end on, but I suspect this will also end up being one of the top choices overall.
Natterjack Irish Whiskey is a sourced whiskey that’s won a ton of awards. It’s pretty much a mainstay in the Irish whiskey world at this point. The juice is made from an atypical mash bill of 80% corn and 20% malted barley, which is triple distilled and then matured in ex-bourbon casks. Before bottling, the whiskey is finished in new American oak.
Bottom Line:
This is a fun, punchy whiskey that will definitely maintain a place in my bar at home. That said, it’s more of a mood pour, as the high-heat muddles a bit of the flavor and left me wanting a bit more finesse in this particular tasting.
Knappogue Castle draws its name from a castle originally built in the 15th century in County Clare, but the whiskey they’re sending to market comes from County Cork. With every single one of the brand’s expressions sporting an age statement, they’ve got their aim set on connoisseurs more than casual whiskey fans. This 16-year unseated expression spent 14 years aging in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in an Oloroso Sherry butt.
Bottom Line:
Knappogue Castle whiskeys are always a great option for people who are looking to take the next step on their Irish whiskey journey beyond your classic Jameson and Bushmills offerings. For our money, the 16-year is the sweet spot where enthusiasts and newcomers alike will find plenty to enjoy.
8. Teeling Single Pot Still Whiskey Wonders Of Wood Virgin Swedish Oak — Taste 2
For this expression, Teeling fully matures its whiskey in white Virgin Swedish Oak from the Nordic Region of Europe. It’s the third release in their Limited Edition series, Wonders of Wood, and made from 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley that was triple distilled in Teeling’s single pot still.
Bottom Line:
I’ve said in the past that this is an Irish whiskey that can win over American whiskey fans thanks to its slight astringency and ethanol punch, which texturally is a bit reminiscent of bourbon and rye. In this blind tasting, that textural curiosity stood out and helped this Virgin Swedish Oak expression hold its own.
7. Clonakilty Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey — Taste 4
This delicious pour is made with 100% locally-grown barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills by Clonakilty at their distillery in Cork. Aged in a blend of ex-Bourbon, Amontillado, and Oloroso sherry casks, this is designed to be a nuanced everyday sipper.
Bottom Line:
This is the one whiskey that I felt perfectly content with. Is it a world-beater? No. It isn’t exceptional in any one way, aside from the fact that it’s a pour without flaws, sure to make any whiskey enthusiast happy. What more could you ask for?
6. High n Wicked Singular Limited Release No.4 “Aeneas Coffey” Single Grain Irish Whiskey — Taste 8
Initially released in 2022, this single-grain Irish whiskey is unique because it was finished in ex-Tinta Negra Madeira casks. Also, this whiskey was non-chill filtered to preserve as much flavor as possible in the final product.
Bottom Line:
The finishing cask imparts a ton of expressive flavors into this whiskey, making it one of the more intriguing of the bunch. Ultimately, that complexity kept me returning to the glass — looking to unlock more layers in each sip.
This expression is the second limited offering from the Gold Spot series. Featuring a mingling of distillate aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks with a final maturation in Valpolicella Classica Italian wine casks for 16 months.
Bottom Line:
The Spot Whiskeys are all highly respected, but for many folks — myself included — the Gold Spot strikes the perfect balance. What this blind taste test showed is that it performed about as well as I expected, underscoring how consistent this high-quality Irish whiskey truly is.
Keeper’s Heart Whiskey is based in Minnesota, so it should be stating the obvious that this expression features sourced liquid. This one hails from Cooley Distillery and was subsequently finished in Tokaji barrels under the watchful eye of the legendary Brian Nation, former Master Distiller of Jameson Midleton Distillery.
Bottom Line:
Balance is the name of the game here, as Keeper’s Heart 21-Year Single Malt delivers sweet, atypical flavors while keeping them in check so they can slowly diffuse over your palate, sending a smile on the incline up your cheeks every step of the way.
3. Bushmills 46-Year-Old “Secrets Of The River Bush” Irish Whiskey — Taste 6
This instantly historic expression is now credited as the oldest Irish single malt ever bottled. The Secrets Of The River Bush was aged entirely in two 500-liter oloroso sherry European oak butts from the Antonio Paez Lobato Cooperage in Jerez, Spain, which, in addition to its age, accounts for its incredibly dark color. Having entered into that sherry cask in 1978 at 63.4% ABV, the angels had their fair share of this whiskey, limiting it to 300 bottles globally, with only 100 bottles available in the U.S.
Bottom Line:
Whether you consider it an advantage or a disadvantage that this one was easily discernible cast against the pack due to its color, there’s no denying that Bushmills 46 is downright delicious whiskey. You’d be hard-pressed to do any better for a complex, slightly brooding pour than this magnificently matured marvel.
2. Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy — Taste 10
Named after the legendary Master Distiller Barry Crockett, this premium single-pot still Irish whiskey was matured in ex-bourbon barrels. Triple-distilled and crafted from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, when it initially launched in 2011, this expression became only the second product from an Irish distillery that was named after a Master Distiller, following John Jameson’s lead.
Bottom Line:
I had my money on this whiskey to win the blind taste test, as it’s one of my favorite “sleeper” pours, but I’ll gladly take it in the number two slot. In short, this remarkable liquid forces you to sit down and savor it but also to lean forward and listen as it reveals all its secrets.
Matured for nearly three decades, this expression from Redbreast is the penultimate release in their premium lineup — bested only by the Dream Cask series. This release features the inclusion of port casks which bolsters the base of liquid matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks for added complexity and depth.
Bottom Line:
Elegance is the word that sums it up. Redbreast 27 is a rich, remarkably well-rounded Irish whiskey that mines a depth of flavor rarely found in expressions from any category. Its combination of patient primary maturation and complementary secondary maturation sends this one into the stratosphere as a learning opportunity for other distilleries and a source of joy for whiskey enthusiasts the world over.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
I can’t stress enough that there are no losers in this bunch, as each of these Irish whiskeys left me thoroughly impressed in vastly different ways. My first takeaway is that sure, expensive whiskey actually does taste pretty damn good. Whether or not it’s worth the extra money is a different conversation entirely, however, as this list shows, the margin between a $300 bottle and a $100 is razor thin, and the discernible difference between a $100 bottle and a $50 bottle is even thinner.
Whether you’re interested in splurging on high-end offerings or turning to more affordable options, one thing is clear. If you’re drinking Irish whiskey this month, you’ll find it damn difficult to be disappointed. Sláinte!
The Night Agent is switching courses again, and that’s probably for the best after a windy second season. The United Nations-connected plot with Noor (Arienne Mandi) and the bizarre lab scenes surrounding Operation Foxglove appeared to drag on for too long, and perhaps that was down to the show needing to fill ten episodes. In streaming terms, that’s rather long, especially considering that both Slow Horses and The Diplomat have honed tighter seasons that leave their audiences wanting more.
Still, viewers turned out, and the third The Night Agent season is already in the thick of filming, having already wrapped an episode in Istanbul before moving back to NYC. We already know that Peter accepted a new type of Night Action assignment, not that he had much of a choice as given by Catherine Weaver (Amanda Warren). He will now move onto double-agent status, but of course, there’s the question of who will be with him.
Who Will Return In The Night Agent Season 3?
Netflix
Surprisingly, Amanda Warren has not been explicitly confirmed to be back as Catherine Weaver, although she does seem essential to keep tabs on Peter’s comings and goings, especially given his vulnerable legal status.
Tom Power/Netflix
First season veteran Fola Evans-Akingbola will be back (now as a regular) as Chelsea Arrington. As showrunner Shawn Ryan previously declared, he really adored Fola’s performance, and “[I]t really pained me to have to call her between seasons one and two, and say, hey, the writers had been working for a few weeks, and we’re gravitating towards stories that I don’t think we have a role for you in… I’m sorry … if there’s a chance to get you back on the show at some point, I would love to do it.” Now, it’s happening.
Netflix
The return of Rose (Luciane Buchanan) is unconfirmed and not looking great. If I had to guess, my gut is saying that the series could give Rose a break and bring her back, as with Chelsea. Or Rose could be a focus of those spin offs that are surely in discussions after word that Shawn Ryan inked an overall deal to make more TV for Netflix and possibly expand The Night Agent universe.
Luciane Buchanan has admitted about Rose, “I have no idea” about a comeback. She further pointed out that Rose (even though Peter told her to forget him) “does whatever she wants,” so who knows? Yet Shawn Ryan suggested that he didn’t want to bring Rose and Peter back together just because, which could seem “artificial,” and “[t]he last thing we would do is manufacture crisis after crisis season after season that feel artificial to keep them together.”
Who else?
Gabriel Basso will obviously be back as the one and only Peter Sutherland. Deadline reported that he will be accompanied by series veterans Evans-Akingbola (as Chelsea), Albert Jones (as Deputy Director Aidan Mosely), and Ward Horton (as Governor Richard Hagan).
New characters will also be portrayed by Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Genesis Rodriguez (Lioness), Callum Vinson (Long Bright River), Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi), and David Lyons (Safe Haven).
Lizzo has launched a full-blown comeback in recent weeks, starting with the song “Love In Real Life” last month. That’s also the title of her upcoming album, and now we’ve gotten another taste of it via today’s (March 13) new song, “Still Bad.”
Lizzo told Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe that while the song is funk- and disco-sounding now, it actually started as a country song:
“Recording ‘Still Bad’ was interesting because it started off as a country song and it was like, ‘I don’t need them, I need a drink.’ I think this song is so interesting because like it was just… the sentiment was more important than the sound. The lyrics had to come from that, ‘I lost my dog, I need some whiskey,’ kind of deep sadness or country kind of rhetoric.
Then finding the sound was so long and tedious. I’m telling you, if I could do an album of just versions of ‘Still Bad,’ I’d have like a 10-track album. We had like a super indie sleaze version. We had like a super Coachella, Blood Orange, 2016 version. We had the country version. We had a super fast, like almost punk version. This song has had so many iterations because… We had like a Franz Ferdinand kind of version where we wanted to like change the tempo. So I think finding this sound I’m so proud of, but we had to like really dig for this song, for this record, for the music.”
She also said of her album, “I think that real life is the only place that love exists. It’s [called] Love In Real Life because I think that I have mistaken the sort of gratification that you get from social media as love. Because there was a time that in real life I wasn’t reaching out to the people who were closest to me or I was in isolation. The internet was the only place I felt seen and appreciated. I would post a lot on Instagram, or Twitter, or on TikTok, and I would get my emotions off, and it felt like a friend, and it felt like a therapist. I think it was a safe space for me until it wasn’t.”
Rookies in the NBA always have to be on the lookout for a prank, especially when it comes to their car, but typically the concern for a young player is that they’ll leave their keys in their locker and come back to the parking lot to find it’s been filled with popcorn.
The San Antonio Spurs decided to up the ante on car pranks with rookie Stephon Castle, as the Rookie of the Year contender went out to his car on Wednesday night after a win over the Mavs and found that his car was on blocks after his teammates stole all four wheels off of his Toyota Supra.
Taking the wheels is truly a wild prank and Castle was ready to scrap when he turned the corner to see his car on blocks. While he wasn’t pleased, his teammates found the whole thing very funny, unsurprisingly. In his presser after the game, De’Aaron Fox explained why he didn’t feel bad for Castle, noting he doesn’t do any of the typical rookie duties of carrying bags or bringing food for everyone on the team plane. Even so, Fox also noted that he’s never seen someone’s wheels get taken and thought that was pretty crazy. I will say, as long as there wasn’t any damage done when setting the car on the blocks, this is a much easier and cheaper prank to come back from than getting popcorned, as that’s a pricey detailing charge and this just makes you work on your pit crew skills.
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