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Humans may not always recognize greatness right away, but sometimes it’s so clear it simply can’t be denied.

You don’t have to be a dancer yourself to see when someone’s got moves, and a viral video from choreographer Phil Wright spotlights a kid who’s got moves. Like, wow.

Mariandrea Villegas may be tiny, but she packs a mighty amount of energy, skill, coordination and x-factor into her dancing. Oh and joy. Did I mention joy?

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Villegas, 13, danced alongside choreographer Phil Wright at The Dance Awards and holy moly. She snatched the stage right out from under him.

“I think I got smoked,” he wrote when he shared the video on his Instagram page. “I need to stop dancing with these kids. 😂 They’re low-key superheroes.”

If Villegas is any evidence, he’s right. Watch:

See on Instagram

Upworthy shared the video on Instagram as well, and people loved it.

“When you find your passion at a young age, it’s a beautiful thing to see,” wrote one commenter.

“And all with a smile on her face,” wrote another.

“This kid is an absolute star 🙌” shared another, echoing the sentiment of the copious fire emojis in the comments.

Keep on dancing with joy and passion, Mariandrea! We can’t wait to see more from you. (You can follow her on Instagram if you want to see what she’s done up to now. It’s impressive.)

This article originally appeared on 2.20.23

The expectation to put on an air of happy, fun, pleasant nonconfrontation through baring teeth, otherwise known as smiling, is something many, if not most, women know very well. What’s more, this pressure is often introduced to women at a very early age.

And obviously, while there’s nothing inherently wrong with naturally being a happy, smiling person, issues arise when kids are taught that being themselves, just as they are, isn’t acceptable.

That’s why people are so impressed with North Carolina-based photographer Brooke Light’s (@bdlighted on TikTok) hands-off approach when it comes to taking pictures of young girls.

Her philosophy is simple, but oh so poignant: Allow girls to show up, take up space, and perhaps most importantly, not smile if they don’t want to.

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Light posted a video showing some of her recent portraits, and truly, the work speaks for itself. Each of the girls’ distinct, unique personalities shine in these black-and-white images. Plus the lighting is moody and artsy and cool as hell. So much better than a forced, cheesy, smiling pic.

Take a look:

@bdlighted never underestimate the power of a photoshoot for your kids confidence #moodymini #kidsphotographer #childrensphotography #portraitphotographer #confidenceboost #kidsconfidence #familyphotoshootideas #familyphotoshoots #studiophotography #blackandwhitephoto #girlpower #girlempowerment #donttellmetosmile #momsofgirls #girlmom #greenscreen ♬ Little Girl Gone – CHINCHILLA

Comments began flooding in commending Light for how she authentically portrayed the girls as individuals, rather than producing cookie-cutter images of them.

“I love how they are not trying to be anything ‘extra’ just their own raw and savage selves,” one person wrote.

Another added, “I can feel their power through my phone.”

Light redirected the praise toward her clients, saying, “They are even more amazing in person! Like that vibe you feel is ALL THEM. I’m just there capturing it.”

For many women who had their own memories of being told to smile for photos, seeing the images had a profound effect.

“CHILLS! This healed something in me. Thank you.” one person commented.

“The Sears family photo trauma was REAL” wrote another.

And for the record, Light doesn’t make boys smile either. Here’s the proof in her follow-up video:

@bdlighted these mom’s got me blushing in my DMs 🫣📸 I’ve never had my creativity or my photography validated so much in my life. thank you for the outpouring of love on these photos this week. it’s meant more than you can ever know. #boymom #boymoms #moodymini #familyphotoshoots #familyphotoshootideas #portraitphotographer #studiophotography #kidsphotographer #kidsconfidence #childrensphotography #greenscreen ♬ Area Codes – Kali

In the post, Light shared how touched she was by the overwhelmingly positive response.

“I’ve never had my creativity or my photography validated so much in my life. Thank you for the outpouring of love on these photos this week. It’s meant more than you can ever know,” she wrote.

Imagine that…celebrating others for their authentic selves, then being celebrated yourself. Now that’s something worth smiling for.

This article originally appeared on 6.2.23

Molly, an adorable, affectionate 10-year-old pit bull, found herself tied to a tree after her owners had abandoned her.

According to The Dodo, Molly had “always been a loyal dog, but, unfortunately, her first family couldn’t reciprocate that same love back,” and so when the house was sold, neither Molly nor the family’s cat was chosen to move with them. While the cat was allowed to free roam outside, all Molly could do was sit and wait. Alone.

Luckily, the young couple that bought the house agreed to take the animals in as part of their closing agreement, and as soon as the papers were signed, they rushed over to check in.

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In a TikTok video, April Parker, the new homeowner, walks up to Molly, who is visibly crestfallen with teary eyes. But as soon as Parker begins cooing, “Baby girl…you’re gonna get a new home,” the pitty instantly perks up—all smiles and tail wagging.

“We are going to make her life so good,” Parker wrote in the video’s caption. “She will never be left all alone tied to a tree.”

@geaux75 The people that sold our house to us left behind their 10yr old dog they had since it was a puppy. I was so stressed we wouldnt get the house and something bad would happeb to her. We are going to maje her life so good. She will never be left all alone tied to a tree. 😭😢@roodytoots ♬ Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) [2018 Remaster] – Kate Bush

The video has been seen upwards of 4 million times. Countless people commented on how enraging it was to see a dog treated so carelessly.

“I’ve had my dog since she was 7 weeks old. She just turned 10 a few days ago. I literally cannot imagine doing this,” one person wrote.”

Another added: “The tears in her eyes…she doesn’t understand why they could just leave her, it breaks my heart. People like that shouldn’t be allowed to be pet owners.”

Subsequent videos show Parker freeing Molly from her leash and introducing the sweet pup to her husband, with whom she was instantly smitten. It’s clear that this doggo was both relieved and elated to be taken in by her new family.

Since being rescued, Molly has accompanied her new mom and dad everywhere.

@geaux75 Replying to @ohitscourtney ♬ Lucky Girl – Carlina

“She’s sticking to our side,” Parker wrote. “She won’t stop following us around. It’s so sweet.”

Parker has created an entire TikTok channel documenting her newfound pet’s journey, aptly named “Molly’s New Life,” showing Molly enjoying warm baths, plenty of treats, cuddles…all the finer things in life.

But what Molly seems to enjoy most of all is car rides:

@geaux75 Taking Molly to get a treat! Stay tuned!! #mollysnewlife #goodgollymissmolly ♬ original sound – Mollysnewlife 🐾🐕💗

And in case you’re wondering, the kitty is doing well, too, though it still prefers to stay outdoors.

Molly also has two indoor cat siblings who instantly welcomed her into the family. The video below shows one of them, Joofus, comforting a trembling Molly with kisses during a thunderstorm.

@geaux75 We had a big storm this morning and Molly was having a hard time. Joofus got on the bed and started comforting her. It was the sweetest thing. They got snuggled up and Molly went to sleep. Animals are amazing. #mollysnewlife #petsarefamily ♬ I Won’t Let Go – Rascal Flatts

It seems that Molly has gotten the safe, loving home she’s deserved all along.

We know that animal abandonment is fairly common. According to The Zebra, almost 4 million dogs are either given up to shelters or abandoned each year. And still, it’s really hard to fathom how humans can treat such innocent creatures with such blatant disregard when they provide so much pure joy.

Thankfully, there are folks out there like the Parkers who know that taking care of animals like Molly is one of life’s most precious offerings.

Stay up-to-date with the rest of Molly’s journey by following her on TikTok.

This article originally appeared on 5.31.23

Remember Stanley from “The Office”? The hilariously cantankerous sales rep at Dunder Mifflin who could send you into a laughing fit with just one deadpan look to camera? The guy whose unbridled enthusiasm for Pretzel Day still reminds us to savor life’s simple pleasures?

Well, it turns out that this fan favorite character very nearly got his own spin-off.

Back in 2020, Leslie David Baker, who played Stanley, launched a viral Kickstarter campaign for an independent series titled “Uncle Stan,” which would show the no-nonsense crossword aficionado being thrust out of retirement in Florida to help his nephew with his struggling motorcycle/flower shop business. Cue ho-hum hijinks.

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Depending on the donation, investors would receive Stanley-themed “perks,” such as exclusive t-shirts and posters, a copy of the show’s theme song, a customized thank-you video, etc.

Thousands of backers collectively pledged $336,450 to bring the project to life, exceeding the campaign’s original $300,000 goal to create a pilot episode.

However, in an Instagram post created on Aug 1, Baker said that he would be returning $110,629.81 to the donation backers, which he explained was the actual amount of money donated (as some backers lowered or dropped their pledge amounts).

In other words, the campaign was indeed fully refunded. And Baker no doubt posted this clarification partially as a result of some social media backlash accusing the actor of “scamming” people out of money with a promised series that was never intended to see the light of day.

In truth, the project had initially been delayed because of the COVID-19 lockdown and is stalled now again due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Baker noted that while he and the “Uncle Stan” team plan to resume work on the series once an agreement has been reached, “in light of the current economic situation, we felt that this was the best course of action.”

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Those who did donate will not only receive a refund but will also still receive their perks.

“You will receive a message notifying you of your refund as soon as it is issued, and you can expect to receive it over the following weeks. We will also be contacting Kickstarter to facilitate expediting this matter. We have remained in constant communication with our backers via direct messaging, and rewards have continued to be fulfilled during this time,” Baker wrote.

The news is definitely a bummer to Stanley fans, but it was a thoughtful move on Baker’s part. Kickstarter is not required to offer refunds, making them entirely at the discretion of the project creator. Granted, Baker being a recognizable face might have made the need for recompense a little greater, but he’s clearly showing appreciation for those who donated by continuing to honor their reward fulfillment.

While his character’s catchphrase might be “DO NOT CARE,” it at least doesn’t seem to be the case in real life.

When you’re the non-birthing parent in a delivery room, your job is to be strong and supportive. It’s not to faint while your significant other is going through one of the most painful experiences of her life.

Cody Johnson, the husband of new mom Corianne, failed on all fronts.

A viral video on TikTok with 13 million views shows Cody passed out on the delivery room floor while his wife prepares to give birth. After regaining consciousness, he was given a spot on the couch and a juice box, like a small child, to recuperate. All while his wife was hard at work bringing a child into this world.

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“I knew he was going to pass out. I regret not betting money on it!” Corianne, 26, told Today.com. “He can’t handle needles. He didn’t even see the needle go into my back — he just saw the needle and that was it. He went down.”

@coriannejohnson22

He tried his best! 😂

Cody should take solace in the fact that it’s fairly common for men to faint in delivery rooms. Father Resource says it’s usually due to low blood sugar or dad getting squeamish at the sight of blood. So, if you’re going to be in the delivery room any time soon, remember to eat well and drink plenty of water.

The video has over 57,000 comments, many of which are people making fun of Cody for falling on the job.

“I would have laughed so hard the baby would have just came right out,” Jenny Bean, said after watching the video.

“Are we allowed to ask nurses to ignore them if they do this? You are not taking my moment away,” mimikyuuuuuu36 joked.

But Cody has a good sense of humor about the viral post. “They’re savage. We’ve just been laughing at them,” Corianne said.

There are few beer styles that feel more like “summer” than a Saison or a farmhouse ale. These Belgian beers are most often known for their complex, fruity, and sometimes spicy flavor that’s often accented by funky, grassy, yeasty, and barnyard flavors. There’s something about that combination that just feels like the end of summer so here we are.

Before we dive in, let’s get a little footing on what we’re talking about. All Saisons are farmhouse ales, but not all farmhouse ales are Saisons. In fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a “farmhouse ale” in Belgium (and Europe in general) since they prefer the term “artisanal ale,” which muddies the water a little more. Basically, Saison is a single type of Belgian farmhouse ale specifically from Wallonia in Belgium. And then there are a ton of other farmhouse ales from all over as well.

Still, the styles are very similar since both Saisons and (most) farmhouses ales are brewed with local grains and hops with wild yeast strains that float in on the air from the farmlands surrounding the breweries along with some (good) bacteria here and there while being left to mellow in barrels before bottling. That makes these beers especially funky and fresh — think fresh-cut grass or dry hay, walking around a farm, and a sweet malted base all in one beer. All in all, it’s a great summer beer.

Since it’s so widely popular in Europe, it’s no surprise that American brewers love this style too. That’s why we asked a few brewers, craft beer experts, and brewing professionals to tell us their favorite Saisons and farmhouse ales to drink as summer winds down. Keep scrolling to see them all.

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Brewery Ommegang Hennepin

Brian Wendt, brewer at Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Waitsfield, Vermont

ABV: 7.7%

Average Price: $13 for a four-pack

The Beer:

Ommegang’s Hennepin is one of my favorites. It’s a Belgian-style farmhouse style ale spiced with coriander, ginger, orange peel, and grains of paradise that bridges the gap between American and European Saisons.

Tasting Notes:

Hennepin’s classic flavors include orange peel, yeast, ginger, coriander, and fruity sweetness. It’s spicy, sweet, and perfect for a late summer day.

Keeping Together Everything Glistened And Sparkled

Tim White, Director of Marketing at Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago

ABV: 6%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

I’m partial to the Saisons from Keeping Together. In particular, Everything Glistened and Sparkled is wonderful. As summer Saisons go, it’s difficult to beat this beer.

Tasting Notes:

There are orange and cranberry aromas with summer fruits like tangerine and plums. There’s also a bit of toasted bread and vanilla.

Jester King Americaine

Fal Allen, Brewmaster at Anderson Valley Brewing Co. in Boonville, California

ABV: 5.2%

Average Price: $18 for a 22-ounce bottle

The Beer:

Jester Kings Saison Americaine is super crisp and refreshing with delicate and tight carbonation. It’s packed with flavors from several months in a foudre with mixed culture fermentation. And at only 5.2% ABV, it is very a sessionable beer indeed.

Tasting Notes:

Hoppy, slightly tart, and subtly sour, this is a unique and refreshing beer well-suited for the end of summer.

Blackberry Farms Anniversary Saison

Ryan Pachmayer, Head Brewer at Yak and Yeti Brewpub & Restaurant in Arvada, Colorado

ABV: 6.3%

Average Price: $18 for a 750ml bottle

The Beer:

Blackberry Farms Saisons is fantastic. It’s usually available in Colorado where I live, and it’s a go-to that I don’t have to worry about being incredibly old or in rough shape from a journey overseas filled with questionable storage and transportation temperatures. That said, every Saison I’ve had from the brewery has been good. A few, like the 40th anniversary Saison, have been unforgettable. With Saison, it’s really all about the yeast, and the Blackberry Farm’s strain is one of my absolute favorites.

Tasting Notes:

That 40th-anniversary beer had a yeast-forward flavor that melded very well with the additional alcohol of the 8% ABV beer. Hops were subtle and balancing. The other part about Saisons is that they can vary quite a bit, from dry, yeasty, and hop-forward. Blackberry Farms has carved out its own unique offering and deserves to be mentioned among the greats.

Saison Dupont

George Hummel, Grain Master of My Local Brew Works in Philadelphia

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: $13 for a six-pack

The Beer:

Let’s face it, every time I brew a Saison or sample someone else’s, I compare it to Saison Dupont. Why? Because it’s the most widely distributed archetypal version of the style from the land where it originated. Add to that, it’s a damn good beer.

Tasting Notes:

It’s dry, peppery, spritzy, and quenching. The only negative is it can drink a little too easily for its ABV.

Speciation Artisan Ales Genetic Drift

Zach Fowle, Head of Marketing at Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, Arizona

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Speciation was founded by Whitney Ermatinger and her husband Mitch, who once brewed at Denver’s Former Future Brewing Company and helped create a few of the wild ales produced at Black Project (RIP). Genetic Drift is dry-hopped with Mosaic and Saaz hops.

Tasting Notes:

This “wild Saison” intertwines classic ground white pepper and pear aromas with mint-sprinkled strawberries, mown grass, and coriander. Green apple skin and dried mint float above the palate upfront. The swallow is like a bite of pear dusted with grains of paradise and wiped clean with wet hay. The yeast character is crazy expressive, vacillating between dried fruits and pepper while allowing neither to completely take over, while the beer’s body is like a silk kimono for the tongue.

Oxbow Farmhouse Pale

Matthew Steinberg, co-founder and Head Brewer of Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company in Framingham, Massachusetts

ABV: 6%

Average Price: $18 for a four-pack

The Beer:

Oxbow Farmhouse Pale is always my go-to for this style. It steers clear of trying to be a traditional Saison or farmhouse ale. It is in its own lane and stays there shining bright. Just to hammer the point, this beer is one of the finest within the style and in the modern beer world. It defines the style of modern Farmhouse Ales in my opinion.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of wheat, citrus peels, and ripe bananas moves into a palate of tart, funk, cloves, and more citrus fruit.

Hacienda Smallish

Garth Beyer, Certified Cicerone and owner of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin

ABV: 4%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Smallish is a petite barrel fermented Saison by Hacienda. It’s so delicate but at the same time complex. The low ABV, tight tartness, and stone fruit finish make it the perfect summer beer.

Tasting Notes:

You get slight oaky notes, tannin-forward white wine sweetness, and a deep cherry bitterness from the funky fermentation.

Honest Weight Gate 37

Frederic Yarm, USBG bartender at Josephine in Somerville, Massachusetts

ABV: 4.8%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Beer:

Gate 37 from Honest Weight is one of my go-to farmhouse ales that is rather flavorful yet light enough for summer.

Tasting Notes:

As a grisette, there is a delightful contribution from the grain aspect including a cracker malt elevated with elegance from the buckwheat. The yeast conjures up honey, floral, grassy, floral, fruity, and clove flavors that work so well with the season.

Jester King Gotlandsdricka

Wim Bens, president and founder of Lakewood Brewing in Dallas

ABV: 6.6%

Average Price: $12 for a 750ml bottle

The Beer:

Gotlandsdricka from Jester King is my pick. Most of the farmhouse ales they release are bangers and this one is no exception. Based on Scandinavian farmhouse ales, it’s brewed with smoked malt, juniper, and myrica gale.

Tasting Notes:

The Juniper really comes through, lending a nice pop of freshness. There’s also a unique hint of the smoked malt coming through.

Ron DeSantis has made another drastic move to salvage his flailing campaign that continues to trail significantly behind Donald Trump.

Despite the former president now facing his third indictment for the January 6 attack, DeSantis has yet to make up ground. The Florida governor has been in the midst of a “reset,” which involved firing a sizable chunk of his campaign staff and assuring major donors that he does have a plan for beating Trump. According to a new report, that plan will involve DeSantis ditching his old campaign manager.

The Messenger reports that DeSantis has replaced former campaign manager Generra Peck. However, DeSantis isn’t bringing in an outsider to help right his campaign. Instead, he’s tapped his gubernatorial chief of staff James Uthmeier to take over the position.

Right out of the gate, Uthmeier has already adapted DeSantis’ new tough-talking approach and let it be known that his hiring is not a “reboot.” It’s a “reload” because why not add gun talk into the mix. Republicans love gun talk.

Via The Messenger:

“People have written Governor DeSantis’s obituary many times,” Uthmeier said in a written statement to The Messenger. “From his race against establishment primary candidate Adam Putnam, to his victory over legacy media-favored candidate Andrew Gillum [in 2018], to his twenty point win over Charlie Crist [in 2022], Governor DeSantis has proven that he knows how to win. He’s breaking records on fundraising and has a supporting super PAC with $100 million in the bank and an incredible ground game. Get ready.”

Peck, who will reportedly stay on the campaign as “chief strategist,” which sounds a heck of lot like his old job, had nothing but praise for Uthmeier.

“Our organization welcomes the best of the best and James is one of my closest colleagues and friends,” Peck said. “We are better for his joining and providing day to day leadership. This team is built to last and built to win.”

(Via The Messenger)

Limited-edition bourbons are often considered the “good stuff” by whiskey fans. For one, they’re rare — it’s right there in the name. That makes them more desirable whether what’s in the bottle is good, great, or just okay. More often than not, what’s in the bottle is actually special. Limited edition bourbons tend to be smaller releases of the whiskey that the distillers and blenders think are truly special barrels of whiskey that deserve a little extra recognition. That specialness deserves our attention, so I’m going to blindly taste some new limited-edition bourbons below.

For this exercise, I’m blindly tasting limited edition bourbons that came out very recently for the first time ever or limited edition bourbons that recently released their 2023 batches of their limited editions. All told every whiskey on this blind-tasting panel is about rarity.

That makes our lineup of limited edition bourbons the following bottles of whiskey:

• Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Straight Tennessee Whiskey Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels
• Rabbit Hole Dareringer Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Limited Edition Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks
• Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof 13 Years Old
• Lost Lantern Blend Series Far-Flung Bourbon Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies from Nevada, Ohio, Colorado, & Texas
• Lost Lantern Single Distillery Series Soaring Spice Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Kentucky Senator Bourbon Release #4: John Sherman Cooper Very Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 8 Years Old
• Kentucky Owl Confiscated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2023 Batch
• Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Batch #035
• Jefferson’s Reserve Twin Oak Custom Barrel Very Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Booker’s “Apprentice Batch” Batch No. 2023-02 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

After the blind tasting, I’m ranking each of these bottles based on taste and depth. While all of these whiskeys are rare limited editions, they’re not all created equal and some slap more than others.

Before we do dive in, there’s one thing that should be addressed. While all of these whiskeys are available for a price, they’re not going to be cheap or easy to find. We’re talking about rare whiskey here that may already be sold out on its first retail run, meaning that the aftermarket or a whiskey bar is the only play to get some of these. Thems just the breaks, folks. Let’s dive in!

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Part 1 — The Limited Edition Bourbon Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a light sense of old leather that gives way to dried chili spices on the nose with a sense of burnt orange, old oak staves, and light tobacco spiciness.

Palate: There’s a hint of peppery agave on the palate with soft apple butter, walnut bread, and old oak staves with a hint of winter spice and fruit orchard bark wrapped in leather.

Finish: White pepper just peaks in on the finish as apple and pear bread with cinnamon and walnut vibes with soft leathery tobacco and a whisper of clove and nutmeg rumminess with a light end.

Initial Thoughts:

A lot of chili pepper and light almost airiness drives this pour. It’s refreshingly different and very tasty. The end is a little light, but it doesn’t take anything away from the over vibe.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Thick vanilla custard and walnut cake drive the nose toward musty sherry oak still in the cellar next to dark raw sugar syrup over a spiced fruit cake.

Palate: The dark winter spices from the nut cakes drive the palate toward large stretches of cinnamon bark, old oak staves, and dark cherry with a hint of Meyer lemon and tart currants.

Finish: Mulled wine and salted toffee round out the finish with a return to the walnut cake and plenty of sherry-soaked old oak.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a deeply quintessential Kentucky bourbon. It delivers everything you want plus so much more. It also feels like Christmas in a glass. This is a winner.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet and dried fruits invite you on the nose as a touch of fresh, creamy, and dark Black Forest cake mingles with mild holiday spices, dried almonds, and a sense of rich pipe tobacco just kissed with sultanas.

Palate: That dark chocolate and cherry fruit drive the palate as a hint of charred cedar lead towards vanilla tobacco with more of that dark chocolate and a small touch of honey, orange blossom, and a whisper of dried chili flake.

Finish: That honey leads back to the warmth and spice with a thin line of cherry bark smoke lurking on the very backend with more bitter chocolate, buttery vanilla, nutty marzipan, and dark cherry all combining into chewy tobacco packed into an old pine box and wrapped up with worn leather thread.

Initial Thoughts:

Holy Shit! This is amazing.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Ancho chili spiked dark hot chocolate opens the nose with a sense of dried ginger candies, old oak staves, and sweet cornmeal cut with buttery toffee.

Palate: That spicy dark chocolate creates a lush palate with a sense of clove-studded orange, soft vanilla cakes, and rich winter spice barks with a pipe tobacco edge.

Finish: The tobacco takes on some Ancho chili and salted dark chocolate vibes as espresso beans, oily vanilla, and woody spice draw out the hot finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This is really good too. I didn’t write “amazing” in my notes like I did for the last pour, but this is up there. It’s so deep and satisfying.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Spicy holiday cakes dominate the nose before focusing on allspice berries, cardamon pods, and eggnog-heavy nutmeg creaminess with a hint of orange rind and vanilla as well.

Palate: The palate is very winter nut cake with a lot of pecan, almond, and walnut next to rum raisin, brandy-soaked berries, and tons of dark winter spice with a touch of buttery toffee.

Finish: The end is warm and leans into the winter spice barks with a sense of hot chewing tobacco and chili-spiced chocolate sauce.

Initial Thoughts:

This is very good too but falls more “classic” than “quintessential” as a sipper.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Soft spiced stewed cherry cut with orange oils and covered in salted caramel and vanilla crumble mingles with soft oak on the nose with this fleeting sense of Cherry Dr. Pepper and cedar kindling.

Palate: Walnut bread with a whisper of orange and banana drives the palate toward dried cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate and piled high on a pecan waffle with salted caramel drizzle and whipped buttercream before a hint of white pepper sneaks in.

Finish: Orange-cinnamon syrup drives the finish toward leathery tobacco rolled with cedar bark and smudging sage on the slow and warm finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This is also pretty goddamn delicious.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The sip draws you in with a slight note of anise and maybe even licorice next to old cellar oak, vanilla cream, and a touch of ripe cherry.

Palate: The taste warms on the tongue with dark spices, more of that old oak, and a touch of raw leather.

Finish: The end is long and touches back on those spices, building a real buzzing on your senses, and hitting back towards that oak and leather, with just a hint of cherry tobacco.

Initial Thoughts:

This is good and complex but, dare I say, average. It’s good bourbon. It’s just not that interesting.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old fruit leather and plum jam drive the nose toward zucchini bread, orange oils, and Sioux City Sasparilla with a hint of old dark chocolate bars stacked with cedar bark, dry pipe tobacco, and rum raisin.

Palate: Orange-infused hot chocolate with a touch of dried red chili mingles with anise and port on the palate as eggnog and buttercream smooth everything out toward pine-driven earthiness.

Finish: Hazelnut ice cream and Almond Joys arrive on the finish with a sense of rainwater, old rye bread crusts, and soft winter spice barks with a hint of Cherry Coke.

Initial Thoughts:

This is all over the place. It’s tasty but I feel like I need a good 30 minutes to figure it all out.

Taste 9

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Oak comes through with moments of firewood, cedar, and woody winter spice accented by vanilla pods, old pipe tobacco, and boot leather.

Palate: That oak stays bright and toasted on the palate as woody apples and unripe peaches lead to woody braids of cedar, tobacco, and sweetgrass are accented by soft vanilla and caramel sauce.

Finish: That cedar, tobacco, and sweetgrass braid starts to smolder on the finish as the toasted oak takes on a cellar earthiness late on the finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This is pretty oaky but very deep and easygoing.

Taste 10

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with brandy-soaked holiday cake with a deep layer of rich vanilla, candied orange, candied cherry, stewed pear, and deeply sharp winter spices.

Palate: The taste is winter nut bread forward and spiced with real clove, allspice, and nutmeg next to apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, eggnog creaminess, and floral honey.

Finish: The end really amps up those spices with a very barky vibe as the orange turns to marmalade and just keeps going and going until the heat overtakes everything and then crashes down, leaving your tongue buzzing.

Initial Thoughts:

This is hot but very tasty. I need little water or a rock to really let it open up to judge it better. There’s a lot of good in this glass though.

Part 2 — The Limited Edition Bourbon Ranking

10. Kentucky Owl Confiscated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2023 Batch — Taste 7

ABV: 48.2%

Average Price: $175

The Whiskey:

Kentucky Owl is another resurrection brand by Master Blender Dixon Dedman, the great-great-grandson of the shingle’s original founder. Yes, this is sourced juice from an undisclosed distillery in Kentucky, meaning we don’t know a whole lot of what’s in the bottle, but that leaves the family story and the taste of the whiskey as our only touchstones.

Bottom Line:

This is perfectly good standard bourbon. It’ll make a nice whiskey-forward cocktail or on the rocks slow sipper. This is a good “I don’t have to think about it” bourbon pour.

9. Jefferson’s Reserve Twin Oak Custom Barrel Very Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 9

ABV: 45.1%

Average Price: $110

The Whiskey:

This special single barrel from ReserveBar and Jefferson’s takes their classic bourbon and re-barrels it in a custom-designed “wave barrel” for a final maturation run. The “wave barrel” is toasted and then heavily grooved with wavy grooves to create more surface space for the whiskey to interact with the wood.

Bottom Line:

This leaned a little oaky but had some nice depth overall. I’d likely mix this into cocktails to calm down that woody nature.

8. Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Batch #035 — Taste 8

ABV: 58.75%

Average Price: $84

The Whiskey:

This brand-new blend of bourbons from Barrell Craft Spirits is a masterclass in blending. The mix starts off with six, seven, and eight-year-old Indiana bourbons and then adds in seven and 13-year-old Tennessee whiskeys alongside an eight-year-old Kentucky bourbon. That blend is then bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.

Bottom Line:

This simply needs time and water to enjoy fully — there’s just so much going on. It’s excellent whiskey but does feel a little like homework.

7. Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Straight Tennessee Whiskey Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels — Taste 1

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $41 (375ml bottle)

The Whiskey:

This new edition of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series (number 11) is a classic Tennessee whiskey with a special finish. Classic Jack was re-barreled into añejo tequila barrels for a finishing run for this limited release. Those finishing barrels were originally new oak that the Jack Daniel’s was aged in that were sent down to Mexico to age tequila and then sent back to Tennessee to finish this whiskey.

Bottom Line:

This is fresh and different and I really like it for that. The only reason it’s lower on this list is that the end is a tad light — but that’s me really reaching for something to nitpick. Overall, this is a great whiskey to reach for if you’re in the mood for something fresh and new.

6. Booker’s “Apprentice Batch” Batch No. 2023-02 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 10

ABV: 62.75%

Average Price: $249

The Whiskey:

The second batch of Booker’s has arrived. This batch is named after the relationship between Booker Noe (who helped define Beam in the 20th century) and his mentor, Carl Beam, back in the 1950s. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of a lot of barrels from prime spots in several warehouses across the Beam campus. The end blend ended up being 7+-year-old bourbon that’s bottled completely as-is without proofing or filtering.

Bottom Line:

This simply needed a rock. It would probably be a top-three pour if it was cut a little with water to really let it open up. That said, this has a great depth that’s hard not to enjoy. You just need a machete to get there.

5. Lost Lantern Single Distillery Series Soaring Spice Frey Ranch Distillery Nevada Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 5

ABV: 63.8%

Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

This new drop from Lost Lantarn celebrates a single distillery in a special small batch release. In this case, that’s a four-grain Frey Ranch bourbon. The mash is made with Frey Ranch-grown corn, barley, rye, and wheat. The hot juice spends four years aging in Nevada before Lost Lantern batched and bottled 900 bottles at cask strength.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the really good stuff all on its own. This is very good whiskey. It’s classic through and through and will likely make an amazing whiskey-forward cocktail too.

4. Kentucky Senator Bourbon Release #4: John Sherman Cooper Very Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 8 Years Old — Taste 6

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $134

The Whiskey:

That latest edition of Kentucky Senator honors one of Kentucky’s biggest names in the Senate in the 20th century. Senator Cooper was a dear friend of JFK and served as everything from a judge to foreign ambassador. The whiskey in the bottle is a Bardstown bourbon made with 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. That hot juice was aged for eight years before six barrels were chosen for this small batch. Once batched, the whiskey was just touched with water before bottling, yielding only 1,000 bottles.

Bottom Line:

This is better than just classic bourbon. It’s excellent. It has real depth while providing a wonderful sense memory with every profile note. This is the good stuff, folks. Drink it however you like to drink your whiskey.

3. Rabbit Hole Dareringer Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Limited Edition Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks — Taste 2

ABV: 51.9%

Average Price: $312

The Whiskey:

This new Founder’s Collection release from Rabbit Hole is a doozy. The whiskey in the bottle is made from wheated bourbon, aged in well-charred Pedro Ximenez sherry casks from Spain’s renowned Casknolia Cooperage. Just 15 barrels were selected for this tiny small batch offering and bottled 100% as-is.

Bottom Line:

This is another excellent bourbon. It’ll truly take you on a journey as you nose and taste this one. It’s a great ride.

2. Lost Lantern Blend Series Far-Flung Bourbon Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies from Nevada, Ohio, Colorado, & Texas — Taste 4

ABV: 68.4%

Average Price: $110

The Whiskey:

This new series from Lost Lantern highlights whiskeys from all over the American craft scene in one small batch release. The whiskeys in this batch are from Nevada’s Frey Ranch, Ohio’s Watershed, Colorado’s Boulder Spirits, and Texas’ Still Austin. All the barrels were three to seven years old and were all straight bourbons. Finally, once batched the whiskey was bottled as-is at cask strength.

Bottom Line:

This is another excellent whiskey. It’s so deep and rewarding from top to bottom. I can also see this making one hell of a Manhattan.

1. Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof 13 Years Old — Taste 3

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $173

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was made by Eddie Russell to celebrate his 40th year of distilling whiskey with his dad, Jimmy Russell. The blend is a collection of a minimum of 13-year-old barrels that Eddie Russell hand-picked. Those barrels were married and then bottled as-is with no proofing or filtration.

Bottom Line:

This was miles above the rest of the pack — and there were some killers on this panel. This just exploded from the pack and offered a profile and experience that was singular and exceedingly delectable. This is a desert island bourbon, folks.

Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Limited Edition Bourbons

Brass tacks, I wouldn’t skip any whiskey on this list. Each bourbon offers its own vibe and that’s okay. I would probably skip the Kentucky Owl just based on price. That said, it’s in no way an inferior product. If you’re looking for a good standard Kentucky classic, by all means, go with it.

That said, the top five of this ranking are all stone-cold killers. You cannot go wrong getting any of them.

In the end, we’re here for more than that, aren’t we? If you want to be blown away, then track down that Russell’s Reserve 13-year. It’s a true masterpiece.

USA Basketball had quite the tune-up on Monday night ahead of its appearance at the FIBA World Cup. After a less-than-stellar first half where the team took a 50-43 lead into the locker room against Puerto Rico, the American turned on the jets in the second half, picking up an emphatic 117-74 win in Las Vegas.

Seven Americans scored in double-figures, with Jalen Brunson leading the team in rebounds (12) and Tyrese Haliburton coming off the bench to lead them in assists (11). Those two were involved in an extremely fun incident after the game, as Brunson forgot his wallet in the locker room, Haliburton found it, and did what anyone in this situation would do: ran to the nearest vending machine and got some snacks for himself and Brandon Ingram.

It appears that Haliburton got himself a bag of Funyuns, while Ingram got a bag of Ruffles and a cinnamon roll. Whether or not that Gatorade was part of his haul or something he grabbed in the locker room remains to be seen.

Based on my knowledge of how vending machines work, there is no way that this cost more than, like, $7, and last offseason, Brunson joined the New York Knicks on a 4-year deal worth $104 million. As such, I can very confidently say that he was able to foot the bill on this one, and the much bigger price that he paid revolved around getting lovingly made fun of by his teammates.

Back in 2021, Questlove wrote Music Is History, an encyclopedia of sorts of significant moments in music for every year since his birth. Now, with 50th anniversary celebrations for hip-hop going on, he is set to follow it up early next year with Hip-Hop Is History, which will use a similar format. In an interview with Variety about the new book, he said he’s writing and releasing the book (via his own AUWA Books publishing imprint) because “No one is else is writing it.”

His co-writer on the project will once again be Ben Greenman and will be the second book from AUWA following a memoir by Sly Stone due in October. (Quest is also directing a documentary about Stone and his legal fight to secure royalties for his work with The Family Stone.) “There was no nostalgia culture before the 1970s, so, my dad was the first generation of the oldies, doo-wop crowd,” Quest said. “I know everything about curating these types of events, working with everyone from Bowser from Sha Na Ha to Dick Clark.”

“I was 8 years old when ‘Rapper’s Delight came out,” he explained of his experience with the genre. “To be a living witness for every first in hip-hop and have an exact memory of it…” That near-photographic memory is what makes him the perfect person to write this 50-year retrospective. “No one asked me to, but I’m carrying that burden,” he said. “And for all those who are present and accounted for, there is something to celebrate with hip hop’s 50th.There may be a lot of water under that bridge. Our disdain for looking in the rearview mirror is entrenched in pain and trauma. But as a child of legacy and nostalgia culture, I want to be the GPS for people to celebrate that thing called hip-hop.”