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Wiz Khalifa is busy preparing for his High School Reunion Tour with Snoop Dogg, but not too busy to share his surprise mixtape, See Ya. The mixtape arrived today featuring 25 new songs with guest appearances from Chevy Woods, Lil Vada, and Young Deji. Wiz had been teasing a project for a while, dropping songs such as “Peace And Love,” “Why Not Not Why,” “What Would I Do,” and “Close Frame,” all of which are included on See Ya.

While See Ya constitutes Wiz’s first brand-new release of the year, in February, he reissued his 2008 mixtape Star Power for DSPs following three releases in 2022: Stoner’s Night with Juicy J, Full Court Press with Girl Talk, Big KRIT, and Smoke DZA, and Multiverse, as well as a deluxe edition of the latter.

See Ya is out now via Taylor Gang Ent. You can check out the video for “Close Frame” above and the High School Reunion Tour dates below.

7/7 –- Vancouver, B.C. @ Rogers Arena
7/8 -– Ridgefield, Wash. @ RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
7/9 –- Auburn, Wash. @ White River Amphitheatre
7/11 -– Salt Lake City @ USANA Amphitheatre
7/12 -– Denver @ Ball Arena
7/15 -– Rogers, Ark. @ Walmart AMP
7/16 -– St. Louis – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre @ St. Louis
7/18 -– Burgettstown, Pa. @ The Pavilion at Star Lake
7/20 -– Noblesville, Ind. @ Ruoff Music Center
7/21 –- Tinley Park, Ill. @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago
7/23 -– Clarkston @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
7/26 –- Toronto @ Budweiser Stage
7/28 –- Mansfield, Mass. @ Xfinity Center
7/29 -– Hartford, Conn. @ XFINITY Theatre
7/30 -– Camden, N.J. @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
8/1 -– Bristow, Va. @ Jiffy Lube Live
8/2 -– Holmdel, N.J. @ PNC Bank Arts Center
8/4 -– Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Barclays Center
8/5 -– Virginia Beach, Va. @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
8/6 -– Raleigh, N.C. @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
8/8 -– Charlotte @ PNC Music Pavilion
8/9 –- Atlanta @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
8/11 –- West Palm Beach, Fla. @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
8/12 -– Tampa @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/15 –- New Orleans @ Smoothie King Center
8/18 -– Austin @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater
8/19 -– Houston @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
8/20 -– Dallas – Dos Equis Pavilion
8/22 –- Albuquerque, N.M. @ Isleta Amphitheater
8/23 -– Phoenix @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
8/25 -– Sacramento, Calif.@– Golden 1 Center
8/26 -– Concord, Calif. @ Concord Pavilion
8/27 –- Irvine, Calif. @ FivePoint Amphitheatre

When you look through the list of “Hotels we Love,” there are certain aspects that surface in every piece — the scenery, the scene, the food and beverage program, the “bed game”… standard hotel stuff. But the goal is always to highlight places with an x-factor. Spots that subvert expectations and surprise us a little by bringing something fresh to the table.

The Ranch at Laguna Beach is just that sort of place. Mostly because it’s nothing like what you likely expect from a Laguna Beach hotel (eg. all beach everything), while still doing the beachy thing pretty wonderfully.

Much of what’s so cool about the hotel has to do with its setting, which I’ll elaborate on below and is sure to be the star of your stay. But coming in a close second are the guest offerings — which are innovative yet intuitive. Or, to put it another way, creative without trying too hard. Check out why this stunning hideaway deserves your attention the next time you head to Laguna Beach, CA, below.

WHY IT’S AWESOME

A big part of the magic of Laguna Beach is that it’s relatively inaccessible, especially considering it’s a coastal town in the 5th most populous county in the United States. This is due to the fact that there’s no direct freeway access. Newport Beach to the north and Dana Point to the south both have major arteries that dump out within a mile of the sand. In Laguna, you have to either drive along PCH from one of those aforementioned neighbors or travel 15 minutes down the CA-133 and another five minutes down Laguna Canyon Road.

Driving into town via the 133 offers a stunning view of the rugged canyons that have buffered Laguna, relatively speaking, from the outside world. Right now, after an incredibly wet spring, the vegetation is Hawaii-level lush — making the name of the conservation project that protects this land, “the Laguna Green Belt,” feel very fitting. The Ranch at Laguna Beach sits nestled at the south end of this green belt, nestled in these exact same sorts of creek-carved canyons. Having lived for quite some time in town and taken plenty of visitors to the property, the first thing you hear is “I had no idea Laguna Beach could look like this.”

Which… I get it. Even for me, a verified local, the hotel grounds feel like a portal to another time and place. Giant sandstone boulders pepper the hillsides, surrounded by bougainvillea and California poppies. A creek slips gently toward the sea. Deer and birdlife are abundant. It is the most un “SoCal” scenery in Orange County and, as such, a truly welcome surprise.

As you can see above, The Ranch is home to a golf course that winds through the canyon. To be perfectly honest, I’ve spent my career being very resistant to golf and have declined to play at famous courses all over the world. But this course drew me in with three factors: 1) the fact that it’s GEO Certified, meaning that it’s had an outside party score its water usage and other environmental impact elements for sustainability, 2) it fits naturally into Aliso and Wood canyons, which is more like the golf courses I observed in Scotland and less like the “pave paradise to put in 18 holes” approach that I’ve often witnessed on my travels, 3) it’s only nine holes made up of all par 3s and 4s, meaning that being terrible is a lot less miserable than playing 18 holes full of par fives, where a bad player might need ten strokes and leave people waiting.

The result is golf that is fun for everyone — not a selling point that many courses I’ve ever visited lay claim to. I hadn’t touched a club in 25 years and managed to get par on one hole, which is saying something.

There there are The Ranch’s new “cultural offerings” — which they just rolled out this spring and I had the chance to experience firsthand. The first is the opportunity to create a plein-air painting with John Cosby, one of the icons of Laguna’s plein-air painting community. The term mostly just refers to painting outside — which doesn’t really seem like it needs a term — but the result is a genre of landscape paintings that conjure those unforgettable beach days while still being figurative enough to inspire the imaginative viewer. Cosby’s work has been incredibly well-regarded in the local scene for decades, so the chance to have him as an instructor is truly a next-level get for the right sort of guest. It’s also sort of puts the “hey, I could paint that!” knee-jerk reaction people have when they see figurative artwork to the ultimate test.

But for me, even painting with someone as esteemed as Cosby can’t compete with the second new offering: shaping a surfboard from scratch (or “from foam,” to be more accurate) with Gary Larson of Hobie, who trained under shaping legend Terry Martin and shapes the majority of Hobie’s boards. After my most recent visit to The Ranch, I met up with Larson at his nearby shaping bay (built into Hobie’s Dana Point location). We spoke for a long time about what sort of surfer I am, what sort of board I’m looking for, what I want out of a ride, etc.

Then, gradually, Larson started offering ideas for how we could create my perfect board. He set a blank on his shaping table and laid out a few different templates. Before long, he flipped on the planer and began dancing forward and back along the length of the board, shaving away foam to get a general shape to work from. He even let me have a go at it. I was terrible, naturally, but just the idea of actually working on my own surfboard was truly a life goal unlocked.

For my personal board, I actually visited Larson’s shaping bay a half dozen more times and then worked with the glasser directly to plan how it would look. But for the typical hotel guest, Larson will take over the shaping after that first meeting. In a month or so after their stay, they’ll have a brand new, custom-made, hand-shaped surfboard out of it. It’s an amazing opportunity and a true chance to understand the sport in a new way (I know superb surfers, way better than me, who have only ever bought boards off the rack).

The fact that The Ranch is offering it to guests and integrating it within their hotel stay is pretty brilliant. It’s not cheap — $2500, to be exact — but for the right surfer, it’s most certainly worth it (for me it definitely was). Because it’s not just a board, it’s a piece of art. Best of all, it’s one you get to ride.

IN HOUSE FOOD + DRINK

Every cinnamon roll on earth is judged against Cinnabon. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. And the fact of the matter is that 99% of all cinnamon rolls I’ve ever eaten have left me saying: “I wish I’d just gone to a mall or airport and gotten a Cinnabon.”

But the cinnamon roll at The Ranch’s in-house restaurant, Harvest, is the exception. I’m sure that will annoy the team at the restaurant because everyone talks about the cinnamon roll when they actually boast an incredible farm-to-table* dining program that composts waste and grows food on-site. But still… that cinnamon roll is lit. It’s layered — soft on the inside, crunchy around the rim — and the flavors balance sweet and salty in a wonderfully gaudy, maximalist-type way. Unlike most sweet breakfasts, which are just disappointing enough to leave you feeling regretful that you scarfed down so many calories at 10 am, this treat leaves you very happy with your life choices.

With that out of the way, there’s actually a lot to love among chef Kyle St. John’s dishes. A few highlights for dinner:

• Duck Wings: Ever since Pok Pok, chefs have played with their own versions of fried wings, caramelized in a pan with sticky, Asian-inspired sauce. Often, the result is out of balance with many a wing ending up overly sweet. But Harvet’s wings, which you can get at the restaurant and on the patio, are savory and have a perfect degree of warming spice. At a recent meetup on the patio to see live music, my table of eight ordered three rounds of wings, at three different times throughout the night.
• Braised Short Rib: Short rib is often rich and this one is rich AF. But that’s not to its detriment. In fact, it’s a perfect representative of the farm-to-table comfort food that Harvest is known for. The whipped potatoes that come with the dish are a must anyway, so consider this your way to ensure you get to try them. That said, I would make your starters ultra-light if you plan on ordering this. It’s not so heavy to leave you feeling like going to bed is your only logical next option but veers dangerously and deliciously close.
• Sweet Corn Agnolotti. Corn or squash agnolotti or ravioli have become seasonal standards among SoCal Italian-leaning restaurants. I’m good with that proliferation on the dish — it’s one of my favorites. What I’m not good with is how overly sweet this dish often ends up being. It’s supposed to be sweet, not a dessert. Harvest’s version is sweet, to be sure, but doesn’t cross the line. The basil oil helps keep it tasting garden fresh and balances things out. A wonderful starter.

I’d also wholeheartedly recommend the salmon, oysters, and scallops. Across multiple visits, I’ve tried most of the menu — the only item I really didn’t care for is the Forbidden Fried Rice, which was busy and bursting with ingredients in a way that didn’t do it any favors. The berry butter cake is my favorite dessert but the whole dessert menu is great. With that said, you might want to save your sugar for another cinnamon roll the next morning.

A fair bit of Harvest’s menu is available at The Porch, outside, where musicians play nightly and golfers unwind after finishing their rounds. The flatbreads are surprisingly good, as is the hummus, but it’s hard to deny the aforementioned wings. This is the closest the property has to a true hangout spot. The bar inside is beautiful and has a great staff but since a fair number of people eat at the bar, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a spot to linger.

The real move, if you’re looking to hang for a while, is to start at The Porch, move to Harvest for dinner, then slide over to the couches in front of the roaring fire for a nightcap.

*I haven’t had a chance to talk a lot about the farm at The Ranch, but truly it is so cool. I saw them using compost that came from bar waste to fertilize veggies that would later go to the restaurant — one of the most “closed circuit” foodways I’ve seen in recent memory. The Ranch allows you to stroll down and take a farm tour, so one great play is to do exactly that, find out what was sent over to the restaurant, and then impress your group at the table by sharing that insight and letting it shape your meal.

AMENITIES

• Beach access
• 15,000 acres of local trails
• Farm-to-table on-site restaurant
• Beach cafe
• Free summer trolley to Laguna Beach
• 9-hole golf course
• On-site spa & fitness center
• Sauna
• Daily free live music
• Outdoor pool & hot tub

Plus the cultural experiences I shouted out before. It’s a great lineup and also not so over the top that you’d want to stay on the property for the whole weekend. That’s a good thing — the town is right at your fingertips and you should explore it!

ROOM TYPES

The Ranch at Laguna Beach offers 97 rooms and covers 87 acres, but it doesn’t have an excess of room breakdowns like so many properties these days:

• Canyon Room – King bed with an outdoor furnished patio.
• Creekside Studio Suite – King bed + full-size sofa bed, outdoor furnished patio or balcony, creek + canyon views.
• Creekside One Bedroom Suite – King bed + full-size foldout couch + separate living space, outdoor furnished patio or balcony.
• Cottage Two Bedroom Suite – Two-level, upstairs bedrooms (king and queen), downstairs patio, upstairs balcony.
• The Treehouse – Two bedrooms, three bathrooms, wraparound deck, full gourmet kitchen, living and dining space, floor-to-ceiling windows, Treehouse Gazebo, dedicated butler.

The selection of rooms and suites highlights the property’s signature bedding and Italian linens paired with Tuvalu-designed coastal ranch furnishings. All of which I’ll cover shortly.

BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK

The crazy thing about The Ranch’s property is that though it feels very much outside of the typical Laguna Beach hustle, the sand is just steps away. Just a short walk down a creekside path. And it’s not just any beach — it’s one of Laguna’s best: Aliso Creek. Our last remaining beach with firepits. One of the best skimboarding spots on earth. With plenty of real estate to spread out a blanket on (one of the wildest phenomena of this region is that you can have a whole lot of space to yourself if you’re only willing to walk 200 feet away from the beach access point).

So do that. Take a stroll, hang out on the beach, and when the sun or crowds overwhelm you, retreat to your shady canyon hideaway. The Ranch also operates Lost Pier Café at Aliso Beach and the food is excellent. Far better than you’d ever expect from on-the-sand dining. Try the chowder fries or the churros or the short rib burrito — there are some real crowd-pleasers on the menu.

THE BEST THING TO DO/EAT/DRINK WITHIN A $20 CAB RIDE

Literally, all of Laguna Beach is at your fingertips for a $20 cab ride so… you have options. With that said, I have to highlight the incredible work that local creative Scotty Wise and his crew are doing with Club 222 Productions. Wise and his partners are Laguna’s first club promoters in at least 10 years and they are truly crushing it — allowing residents a spot that’s legitimately popping while also attracting attention from wider Orange County and some of LA’s more committed club kids.

For the past six months or so, Club 222 has had a standing Friday and Saturday night engagement as “Club Sueños” at the restaurant of the same name, right downtown. With the property undergoing a quick revamp they’ve been roving but are likely to settle back there when the dust clears. Check their IG for updates.

BED GAME

Italian linens? I’ve very into it. The best are big and the blankets aren’t heavy and the pillows are strong. The sheets are excellent for cooling you off if you’re a little sunburnt from the beach or a little sweaty from your post-party activities.

Rating: 9/ 10

SEXINESS FACTOR

The Porch is very sexy. Seductive even. The pool and hot tub are open relatively late — 10 pm — also very sexy. The hideaway feel of the entire property is definitely sexy. The only downgrade is that the rooms aren’t necessarily sleek in a way that screams sex. And of course, by allowing kids every property loses a point.

Rating: 8/10

THE VIEWS & PICS SPOTS

This isn’t an influencer haven. The pics coming out of the many on-site weddings are superb but it’s not a place that people are constantly filming themselves at. That’s a good thing — it feels more private this way. Plus there are literally endless IG spots in Laguna Beach for #content.

With that said, get a pic of yourself playing golf — it might be the best way to fully encapsulate the beautiful scenery.

Rating: 6/10

BEST SEASON TO VISIT

You want the real secret for Laguna? September 7th to October 7th. Kids are back to school. Summer is over. But no one has told the weather that.

With that said, if you’re not going in the ocean, year-round is great. Be warned, Laguna Beach is famous for a dense marine layer from May to July — “June Gloom” — which keeps the sun covered most of the day.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING

The room decor is new and well done and fits thematically within the setting. But if they consulted me, I’d have gone more ’70s Cali BoHo. It just feels cooler and younger to me. That said, it’s certainly not a major distraction.

BOOK HERE

Rooms start at $599 per night. The resort is currently offering two special offers, both valid through September 4th.

Arrive Sunday through Wednesday and stay three or more nights to save 20%. Or stay two nights and receive $50 resort credit towards dining or golf and waived overnight parking.

BOOK HERE

INSTAGRAM IMAGES TAKEN AT THE RANCH:

On Tuesday, Donald Trump was booked and processed before pleading not guilty to 37 counts of mishandling classified documents. He then jetted from a Miami courthouse to his golf club in New Jersey to give a speech invalidating our country’s justice system, accusing government officials of conspiring against him, and basically arguing he can show Top Secret documents to anyone he wants because he used to be commander-in-chief.

And yet, when covering Trump’s rambling, incoherent monologue defending his criminal actions to a crowd of MAGA faithful, Fox News labeled current President Joe Biden the real dictator.

Just before 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the network showed a split-screen image that came with a chaos-causing chyron. On one side, Trump, vomiting his paranoid delusions to a crowd of JFK, Jr. resurrectionist believers who ate it up like pigs at the slop trough. On the other, Biden, delivering a speech at the White House marking the national holiday of Juneteenth. Underneath both the words, “Wannabe dictator speaks at the White House after having his political rival arrested,” floated on the screen. It was a truly dumb choice — to publicly malign a sitting president after recently losing a defamation case that cost the network $787 million. But then again, it’s Fox News!

Today, the “news” channel’s official response to the controversy was this deflated balloon of an apology from a Fox spokesperson who said, “The chyron was taken down immediately and was addressed.”

The latest gaffe comes after Fox News was the only major network to air Trump’s speech in full with rivals like CNN wisely choosing to de-platform the accused since he has a tendency to spew lies every time he opens his mouth. No one at Fox News has explained exactly what happened with the chyron debacle, but surely something will leak in the near future (it almost always does).

(Via Deadline)

June is Pride Month, and you know what that means: Conservatives getting triggered over the very existence of LGBTQIA+ people. This year they’ve been been worse than usual, spurned on by a dramatic uptick in discriminatory laws from the likes of second place presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. They’ve gotten mad at Bud Light, at Target, at Walmart. Now they’re mad at — you guessed it — Tony the Tiger.

As per Washington Examiner, the longtime Frosted Flakes mascot attended Sunday’s Tony Awards. He made some friends. One of them was Dylvan Mulvaney, the trans actress, and TikTok influencer. On the red carpet before the show, Tony surprised Mulvaney, causing her to stumble.

“Oh, my God,” Mulvaney exclaimed. “That scared the hell out of me.” They then posed for photos together. It was nice.

Alas, conservatives didn’t think so. Mulvaney has become a scourge of right-wing prejudice ever since she dared team up with Bud Light, prompting beer drinkers to do things like pour booze they paid money for down their sink — or in Kid Rock’s case, shoot them up with an automatic rifle.

Once that crew heard that Tony the Tiger was hanging with a trans person at the Tonys, they went off. “Folks, we have a new boycott to add to the list and I’m truly sorry to say it because I love this brand,” announced one such person on Twitter, who said their mornings are dedicated to either Frosted Flakes or Froot Loops. “That’s always been my line. You associate with Dylan Mulvaney and you’re done with me.” (It gets pretty gross from there.)

“GO WOKE, GO BROKE,” thundered another. “Is Dylan Mulvaney dating Tony the Tiger? Will Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes pay Dylan to leave Tony alone?”

Some companies have placated far-right boycotts over their associations with the LGBTQIA+ community. Looks like Frosted Flakes isn’t one of them. Kellogg’s senior director of marketing told Fansided, “Tony is thrilled to celebrate all the amazing talent and present them with a new ‘Tony’ moment after the curtain falls.”

Will Frosted Flakes see their sales decline sharply, as Bud Light has? Or will sales go up after Kellogg refused to kowtow to far-right prejudice? Either way, it’s the biggest news in the cereal’s history since that time the Tony the Tiger Twitter account got so inundated with risqué social. media requests from furries that he had to start blocking people.

(Via Washington Examiner)

In a recent episode of his podcast, Fox Sports personality Skip Bayless claimed that Lil Wayne, with whom he has a long-standing friendship, asked if Bayless could set up a meeting between himself and Memphis Grizzlies standout Ja Morant. As Bayless says, while he made an effort, he has yet to hear back from Morant about the opportunity.

“Lil Wayne, I said this on a previous podcast,” Bayless said. “Texted me, he said, ‘Hey, can you connect me with Ja? Because I could help him. I’ve been there. I’ve done all this. I wound up in prison, Rikers Island. I know what happens. I know where you can go wrong, and I know what right.

“I said I’ll try, and I reached out to Ja,” he continued. “‘Would you sit with Lil Wayne? Would you talk with Lil Wayne?’ Wayne would fly to him. He’d fly to Memphis in a heartbeat, tonight. Wayne would private plane it and go right to Memphis if he thought he could save a career and a soul. I got nothing back from Ja, didn’t expect anything back.”

It’s unclear how Bayless was able to get in contact with Morant, who is currently waiting to hear from the NBA about the fallout from its investigation into a recent incident where he waved a gun in a car on Instagram Live. Adam Silver said before the NBA Finals that the league was able to find additional information in its investigation, but explained that it would wait until after the series ended between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat to announce the results.

Noted “Baby Got Back” destroyer and failed House candidate Sarah Palin hasn’t made nearly as many headlines today as she did, say, in 2016, but then again, Lauren Boebert has readily stepped in to fill that rootin’ tootin’ void. Still, Palin emerges in talking-head form every so often and recently hit Newsmax, where she was asked whether the Trump MAGA mayhem is illustrative of a cult.

In Palin’s mind, no way does this precise description of Trump devotees also match up to the definition of a cult. I said that backwards, but it still works:

“No. The definition of a cult is a group of people who are excessively supporting one another and a cause, all about conformity and compliance, and intolerance of anyone who doesn’t agree with what their mission is.”

Palin didn’t even remotely realize the irony of her statement, and she further went on to say that this sounds much more like the Left, and of course, she can see that alleged quality in other people but not in her political party. That’s especially the case because the original “cult” subject appears to have arisen due to Trump’s cult-leader-like appearance at the Versailles bakery following his Miami arraignment.

Naturally, everyone else saw the point that Palin accidentally made except for Palin herself.

(Via The Recount)

When word broke on Wednesday that the Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal had discussed the potential for a trade this summer (should the team choose to “reset” the roster), there was plenty of wonder as to who could be the team interested in the former All-Star shooting guard.

Beal has four years and more than $200 million left on his deal, meaning making a trade for him is prohibitively difficult, particularly when considering the upcoming CBA restraints on teams that are capped out. Trading for Beal would require a team to believe they are one guard away from contending for a championship, and there are only a handful of squads that could fit that bill.

There are two in the East that Shams Charania reported as being potentially “serious suitors” for Beal: The Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks.

The rumblings about Miami having interest in going after another star have been well known, as they have also been linked to the other very well-paid guard that could potentially hit the trade market in Damian Lillard. Miami also has the kind of contracts that could facilitate a trade for a $50 million man that very few others have, as Kyle Lowry’s $29.7 million expiring deal is exactly the type of contract that is needed to pull this off. If Miami were adding Beal they also might have an eye on moving Tyler Herro, who is a young guard with four years left on his deal that could be enticing to a team looking to reset their timeline.

The Bucks are more fascinating because they would almost have to move Jrue Holiday in a deal for Beal. Holiday’s defense has long been lauded as among the best in the league at the guard position, but he has had well-documented struggles offensively in the playoffs for three straight years now with the Bucks (including their title winning season). Swapping Holiday for Beal in an effort to get more offensive pop, while giving up their most impactful point of attack defender would be a major swing for a title contender, but pairing Giannis with a more explosive scoring guard certainly is intriguing — with Khris Middleton expected to re-sign as well. From the Wizards perspective, there would likely need to be a third team in this deal to provide the picks and/or young pieces that would make this intriguing.

All told, Beal probably won’t fetch a ton in terms of return given his contract (which includes the league’s only true no-trade clause), but Washington can set their sights on getting a young player (i.e. Herro) to try and build around on a new timeline or a first round pick or two to try and re-stock their cupboard.

Alaina Marie Scott may be Eminem’s oldest daughter, but she went with another rapper’s classic to celebrate her recent nuptials with longtime boyfriend Matt Moeller. In a post on Instagram, the new Mrs. Moeller showed off her ring before and after she said her “I dos” in a Reel soundtracked by Jay-Z’s 2003 Black Album interlude “Public Service Announcement.” It’s a fitting selection, as Jay opens up the track by demanding, “All me to reintroduce myself.”

You certainly can’t fault her for going with Jay over Em, considering the contrasting content of their music. While “PSA” isn’t exactly romantic, could you imagine her using “My Name Is” in the reel above? It just wouldn’t work.

Scott announced her engagement back in December 2021, posting photos of Matt popping the question at the rooftop Monarch Club in her native Detroit. Meanwhile, in March of this year, Eminem’s younger daughter Hallie Jade got engaged to her boyfriend Evan McClintock as well, setting up another addition to the Shady family tree.

While Alaina, who Em adopted more than 20 years ago according to the Los Angeles Times, tends to keep a lower profile as a travel influencer, Hallie has embraced her peripheral fame, launching the podcast Just A Little Shady detailing her experiences in and around the music industry.

Finding a classic bourbon isn’t hard. Finding a great classic bourbon that’s actually worth your cash is… a tad tougher. There are a lot of old-school brands on the shelf and each one has a ton of expressions, adding to the confusion of what to actually buy. Since it’s National Bourbon Day, I’m going to run a blind taste test of 10 stone-cold classic bourbon labels and crown an absolute winner to help you sort through it all.

Before I dive in, let’s get a handle on “classic” here. I’m looking squarely at heritage brands from Kentucky. Yes, bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States, and there are “craft” bourbon brands that have been around long enough to be modern classics. But we all know that Kentucky is the heart of bourbon.

I’m also looking at brands that are iconic and instantly recognizable. Every single bottle I’ve chosen for this blind tasting (organized by my lovely and very patient wife) is a household name. Even if you don’t know whiskey all that well, you’ve probably heard the words “Jim Beam” at some point.

I’ve also taken this a step up from the bottom-shelf expressions from classic bourbon brands. Look, Evan Williams Black Label or Jim Beam White Label or Wild Turkey 80 Proof are fine for mixing with soda. They’re not going to win any blind tests though. So these are the bottles that are still classic but a step above the entry-level stuff. Basically, I’m looking at the wheated bourbons, the bottled in bonds, the little bit higher proofs, and the slightly older age statements while still being ver findable and affordable.

That makes our lineup today the following classic bourbons:

• Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Bulleit Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
• Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Woodford Reserve Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Eagle Rare Aged 10 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years
• Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

When it comes to the ranking after the blind taste test, it’s all about taste. Whichever pours run the deepest and offer the most satisfaction while tasting like a classic bourbon (let’s be fair, these all taste like “classic bourbons”) are going to rank higher. Let’s dive in!

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2022, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• Our Head Drinks Critic Reveals The Expensive Bourbons He *Won’t* Pay Above Retail For
• The Absolute Best Bourbons Between $50-$60, Ranked

Part 1 — The Classic Bourbon Blind Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet and buttery toffee is countered by burnt orange, old oak, and a hint of cumin and red chili pepper flakes on the nose.

Palate: The palate leans into soft vanilla pudding cups with a touch of butterscotch swirled in next to orange oils, nougat, and a hint of menthol tobacco that’s just kissed with chili and cherry.

Finish: The midpalate tobacco warmth gives way to a finish that’s full of woody winter spices and a whisper of Cherry Coke next to orange/clove by way of a dark chocolate bar flaked with salt.

Initial Thoughts:

This is about as classic as it gets with a spicy/cherry edge that’s iconically Wild Turkey. The spice does lean more heavily toward the end, which means this has a great finish. I like this one.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is just classic bourbon — cherry tobacco, apple cider doughnuts, plenty of cinnamon, eggnog, and a little grassy.

Palate: The spice on the palate is squarely in the cinnamon category with creamy vanilla, more warm fruity tobacco, and a hint of orchard bark lurking in the background.

Finish: The end is warm but fades pretty quickly, leaving you with soft oak, dark spice, brown sugar, and a whisper of sweet and creamy grits.

Initial Thoughts:

This isn’t quite as bold as the last pour but does have a really good balance. It fades pretty quickly but delivers plenty to enjoy throughout.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of old oak next to sweet cherries, vanilla cookies, and that Buffalo Trace leathery vibe with a hint of spiced tobacco lurking underneath.

Palate: The palate has a sharp texture before malted vanilla ice cream over a hot apple pie cut with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and walnuts next to Frosted Raisin Bran takes over.

Finish: The end adds sweet cherry to the tart apple and layers it into a light tobacco leaf with a mild sense of old musty barrel warehouses with a hint of fall leaves outside but fades super fast.

Initial Thoughts:

This is 100% a Weller. The leatheriness on the nose and the earthiness on the finish are dead giveaways. This is great but fades away so quickly that it almost disappears.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose has classic hints of caramel and vanilla with a grassy underbelly next to soft cherry, hints of oak, and a touch of apple orchard.

Palate: That grassiness becomes vaguely floral as slightly spiced caramel apples arrive, along with a chewy mouthfeel that leads towards a soft mineral vibe — kind of like wet granite.

Finish: The end holds onto the fruit and sweetness as the oak and dried grass stay in your senses but fade into proofing almost instantly.

Initial Thoughts:

This is also clearly wheated but Maker’s — that instant fade out is too fast and clearly that whisky. It’s very solid until then though.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a light sense of rickhouse wood beams next to that mild taco seasoning on the nose with caramel apples, vanilla ice cream scoops, and a hint of fresh mint with a sweet/spicy edge.

Palate: The palate opens with a seriously smooth vanilla base with some winter spice (especially cinnamon and allspice) next to a hint of grain and apple pie filling.

Finish: The end leans towards the woodiness with a hint of broom bristle and minty tobacco lead undercut by that smooth vanilla.

Initial Thoughts:

This is another classic spicy/fruity bourbon that has some serious depth.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a welcoming aroma of marzipan, blackberry, toffee, and fresh honey next to a real sense of pitchy, dry firewood.

Palate: The taste drills down on those notes as the sweet marzipan becomes more choco-hazelnut, the berries become increasingly dried and apple-y, the toffee becomes almost burnt, and the wood softens to a cedar bark.

Finish: A rich spicy and chewy tobacco arrives late as the vanilla gets super creamy and the fruit and honey combine on the slow fade.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a pretty big standout. There’s just more going on here thanks to the nuttiness and honey. It also has a nice long tail on the finish that actually lasts for a while. This is a good whiskey, full stop. It’s probably Woodford.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Vanilla pound cake and salted caramel are countered by spicy cherry tobacco, mulled wine vibes, and dark chocolate cut with orange zest and a hint of corn husk.

Palate: The palate brings more orange oils with a mild sticky toffee pudding feel next to more spicy cherry tobacco and a hint of coconut cream pie.

Finish: The end amps up the cherry toward (good) fountain Cherry Coke with a hint of back porch wicker rocking chair, cigar humidor, and a hint more of that dark chocolate.

Initial Thoughts:

Deep cherry like this can only be Jim Beam. This is good but very … normal.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee round out the nose with a fleeting hint of walking through a fruit orchard on a brisk fall morning.

Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, campfire roasted nuts, and toffee sauce just kissed with salt.

Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar cut with creamy eggnog and dry orchard barks.

Initial Thoughts:

This is another Buffalo Trace whiskey — that leatheriness is so distinct. This is also f*cking delicious, long-lasting, and deep. I like this one a lot.

Taste 9

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this feels classic with a sense of rich vanilla pods, apple cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, buttered and salted popcorn, and a good dose of cherry syrup with a hint of cotton candy.

Palate: The palate mixes soft almond, orange, and vanilla into cinnamon sticky buns with a hint of sour cherry soda that leads to a nice Kentucky hug on the mid-palate.

Finish: That warm hug fades toward black cherry root beer, old leather boots, porch wicker, and a sense of dried cherry/cinnamon tobacco packed into an old pine box.

Initial Thoughts:

That cherry is so Beam but so much deeper. Nuttiness, wicker, leather, and spice all add a lot to this one, making it taste far more interesting. And it lasts a lot longer on the finish, which is a big plus.

Taste 10

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a soft nose at play with mild chili spice next to creamy vanilla, caramel-dipped apples, and plenty of nutmeg.

Palate: The palate has a minor note of cornbread muffins next to cherry-vanilla tobacco with a dash of leather and toffee.

Finish: The end leans into some fresh gingerbread with a vanilla frosting but fades pretty quickly, leaving you with a hint of corn husks and cherry root beer where the ice has fully melted in the glass.

Initial Thoughts:

There’s a good balance here but it just fades out so fast and leaves you feeling a little cheap, you know, like an Evan Williams.

Part 2 — The Classic Bourbon Ranking

10. Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 10

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

Look, Heaven Hill makes great whiskey, especially inexpensive bottled in bonds. This “b-i-b” is tailored for the Evan Williams flavor profile. Still, this is Heaven Hill, so we’re talking about the same mash bill, same warehouses, and same blending team as beloved bourbons like Elijah Craig and Heaven Hill releases. This is simply built to match a higher-end Evan Williams vibe.

Bottom Line:

This tasted cheap. Now, mind you, that doesn’t mean it tasted bad. It tastes nice all things considered, and is very clearly a classic bourbon. It’s more that this tasted like something that you mix with more than anything else.

9. Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky — Taste 4

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

This is Maker’s signature expression made with Red winter wheat and aged seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s whiskey is sourced from only 150 barrels (making this a “small batch”). Those barrels are then blended and proofed with Kentucky limestone water before bottling and dipping in their iconic red wax.

Bottom Line:

This tasted really good but had the weakest finish overall. It never once felt cheap or thin though. It really felt like you should be making old fashioneds or Manhattans with it.

8. Bulleit Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 2

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $32

The Whiskey:

This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill that’s comprised of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley. The juice is then rested for six years before blending, cutting down to proof, and barreling.

Bottom Line:

This just tasted good. Had it not faded out so quickly on the finish, it would have ranked higher. Still, this is perfectly fine as a shooter, mixer, or table whiskey pour.

7. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 3

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24

The Whiskey:

This is a classic wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace, which doesn’t publish any of its mash bills. Educated guesses put the wheat percentage of these mash bills at around 16 to 18%, which is pretty average. The age of the barrels on this blend is also unknown. Overall, we know this is a classic wheated bourbon, and … that’s about it.

Bottom Line:

I liked this but, again, this felt like something you make cocktails with more than sip. Still, there was a good overall balance from beginning to end, just without anything really exciting going on.

6. Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 5

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $25

The Whiskey:

This is Elijah Craig’s entry-point bottle. The mash is corn-focused, with more malted barley than rye. The whiskey is then rendered from “small batches” of eight to 12-year-old barrels to create this proofed-down version of the iconic brand.

Bottom Line:

The longer aging in this “entry point” expression from Elijah Craigh really does shine through and helps this stand out as something more than “average.” That aside, this just tastes good and is purely classic from top to bottom. I can really see sipping this over a rock or mixing it into my favorite cocktails easily.

5. Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 7

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $24

The Whiskey:

Each of these Jim Beam bottlings is pulled from single barrels that hit just the right spot of taste, texture, and drinkability, according to the master distillers at Beam. That means this whiskey is pulled from less than 1% of all barrels in Beam’s warehouses, making this a very special bottle at a bafflingly affordable price.

Bottom Line:

This was really good and classic through and through. It didn’t quite stick the landing but everything else was so dialed and tasty that it didn’t really matter as much. This is a good pour for everyday use over ice or in cocktails.

4. Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 1

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

A lot of Wild Turkey’s character comes from the hard and deep char they use on their oak barrels. 101 starts with a high-rye mash bill that leans into the wood and aging, having spent six years in the cask. A little of that soft Kentucky limestone water is added to cool it down a bit before bottling.

Bottom Line:

This was just bolder. It finished super strong. It tasted classic. Drink it however you like to drink your whiskey. You won’t be disappointed.

3. Woodford Reserve Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 6

ABV: 45.2%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This expression takes standard Woodford Bourbon and gives it a finishing touch. The six to eight-year-old bourbon is blended and moved into new barrels that have been double-toasted but only lightly charred. The whiskey spends a final nine months resting in those barrels before proofing and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the interesting and truly standout pours. This had so much more going on, stuck the landing, and tasted really fine. I can see sipping this anytime over a big rock and being really happy.

2. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years — Taste 9

ABV: 50%

Buy Here: $45 (one-liter)

The Whiskey:

This is Jim Beam’s small batch entry point into the wider world of Knob Creek. The juice is the low-rye mash aged for nine years in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses. The right barrels are then mingled and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.

Bottom Line:

This had a kick to it that sticks with you. You feel this pour well after the glass is empty in all the best ways. I would lean toward over ice or in whiskey-forward cocktails for sure. You’ll get some serious depth with this one.

1. Eagle Rare Aged 10 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 8

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $51

The Whiskey:

This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.

Bottom Line:

This was the clearest and most deeply hewn bourbon by far. Everything works in this whiskey. It also tasted like something special. That really helped it stand above the rest, kind of by far. Pour this over a big rock and let the day melt away.

Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Classic Bourbons

Yes, Eagle Rare really is that good. Buy it. Hell, buy a case and enjoy it for the rest of the year as your house pour.

That said, there really wasn’t a bad whiskey in the mix. They all had their place. If I was reaching for a cocktail whiskey, I’d go with the Knob Creek. If I was reaching for an inexpensive everyday pour, I’d probably go with the Jim Beam. And if I couldn’t find the Eagle Rare, I’d get the Woodford. You can find it everywhere at a great price. You can’t beat that.

Despite facing serious charges over his mishandling of classified documents, Donald Trump held a celebratory event on Tuesday night just hours after being arraigned in Miami. As always, the former president was full of usual bluster, which over the past few days has involved lobbing attacks at special counsel Jack Smith as well as accusing Joe Biden of having boxes of documents stored in Chinatown? (Your guess is as good as ours on that one.)

However, according to Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly, the former president’s behavior is a telltale sign that he’s quaking in his golf pants.

Via The Washington Post:

“He’s scared s—less,” said John Kelly, his former chief of staff. “This is the way he compensates for that. He gives people the appearance he doesn’t care by doing this. For the first time in his life, it looks like he’s being held accountable. Up until this point in his life, it’s like, I’m not going to pay you; take me to court. He’s never been held accountable before.”

According to legal experts, Trump should be scared. Even Fox News has called the indictment against him both “damning” and “overwhelming” in the amount of evidence that it presents. Not only that, but the Miami indictment might just be the start of Trump’s legal jeopardy.

Legal analyst Andrew Weismann told MSNBC that the evidence of Trump mishandling documents at his golf resort in Bedminster is missing from the current indictment. That could mean that the special counsel is looking to file another indictment in New Jersey, which could hit Trump for the dissemination of top secret intel that occurred in the state.

That would be the military plans for an “attack on Iran” that Trump bragged about having in his possession in the recording obtained by CNN. A criminal genius America’s former president is not.

(Via The Washington Post)