GoneTrending

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)

In No Hard Feelings, Jennifer Lawrence plays a broke 30-something who responds to a Craigslist ad posted by concerned parents asking for someone to “date” their teenage son before he goes to college. (It’s based on a true story.) Part of the movie involves both Lawrence and co-star Andrew Barth Feldman taking off their clothes to go swimming. What was the Oscar winner’s process for undressing? “I took a deep breath and then I disrobed.” Fair enough!

Barth Feldman told People that appearing nude on camera is “a weird and uncomfortable thing to do for any human being on the planet Earth,” but “it was so incredibly safe. Everyone was so kind, constantly checking in that we were OK.”

The actors’ scenes in the buff come when Maddie takes Percy skinny-dipping at night, and their clothes are stolen by other beachgoers. Without giving too much away, Percy winds up clinging to the hood of a car. “I never second guessed it,” Feldman tells People of his nude scene filmed atop a car. “Much like everything in this movie, you just have to do it, and then it will be done.”

In a way, the skinny-dipping scene brought Lawrence and Barth Feldman closer together. “I love him so much,” she said, to which he replied, “I’m so thankful that I get to do it with you. And with this story that I care so much about. It’s like it’s a weirdly perfect storm. It’s the best.”

No Hard Feelings opens in theaters on June 23rd.

(Via People)

It’s National Bourbon Day! That means that it’s a great day to make a killer bourbon cocktail. Hell, let’s not just make one cocktail, let’s make a batch that we can enjoy for the rest of the week. A batched Boulevardier, to be precise.

I love boulevardiers with bourbon. The sweetness and spice of the good bourbon really shine through the bitter Campari and sweet smoothness of good vermouth. It all just makes sense. It’s also a flavor bomb that travels through your senses from familiar and sweet to biting and bold to soft and almost creamy (especially when batched). Moreover, boulevardiers are the perfect candidate for cocktail batching. There are no components that can go off when you store them and it’s super easy to figure out the ratio/measurements when ratching this up from a single serving to a batch.

The key to any batch though is the water. Don’t forget to cut your batched cocktail with water. But we’ll get to that. Let’s dive in a make a big ol’ batch of one of the best bourbon cocktails there is!

• The Revolver Is The Perfect Midwinter Cocktail — Here’s Our Recipe
• Is Tom Hanks’ Champagne ‘Cocktail’ Any Good? We Found Out
• The Bee’s Knees Is Our ‘Welcome To Spring’ Cocktail — Here’s The Recipe
• How To Make A Batched Old Fashioned Just In Time For Super Bowl Sunday
• The Old Pal Is The Only Whiskey Cocktail You Need Right Now

Batched Boulevardier

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. bourbon
• 10 oz. sweet vermouth
• 10 oz. Campari
• 6 oz. water
• Large ice cubes
• Lemon peels
• Orange peels

The key to any bourbon cocktail — batched or not — is to use a really good bourbon that you love drinking. I’m using Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon here because 1) it’s delicious on its own, 2) it makes a killer cocktail, and 3) it’s bold enough to stand up to the big flavors in this Negroni variation.

I also like using French vermouth with this because it’s a little softer and more floral. It’s not as syrupy as the Italian sweet vermouths, which are much more suited to fall/winter mixing. Noilly Prat is my go to.

And yes, you need to add water to a batched cocktail. When you mix or shake a cocktail, you’re adding water by diluting the drink while chilling it. You need to add the water to the batch so that you can simply pour this over ice and you’re done. This recipe is ready to drink.

Lastly, I like orange and lemon oils over my boulevardier. That’s a taste thing (it’s also how we served them at Vicotria Bar in Berlin — so it’s a habit thing for me too). The lemon brightens while the orange deepens. You can use one or the other if you’re not into both. But, trust me, both are better.

What You’ll Need:

• Pitcher
• Measuring cup
• Barspoon
• 1-liter bottle

Method:

• Add the bourbon, sweet vermouth, Campari, and water to a pitcher and stir a few times.
• Funnel the mix into a waiting bottle and chill for at least an hour.
• Pour four ounces of the boulevardier over a large ice cube in a rocks glass, expressed lemon and orange oils over the cocktail, and discard.
• Serve.

Bottom Line:

What I love about batching boulevardiers is that they get this creamy mouthfeel that really elevates the drink. You can get that by stirring individual cocktails for sure, but it takes longer. This is truly a pour-over ready-to-drink cocktail that rocks.

The palate is this wonderful mix of dark orchard fruit that’s cut with cinnamon and allspice that tumbles toward sweet bitter orange, candied lemon, dried lavender, and refined sweetness. It hits so softly at first then builds towards this bold and flavor-bomb finish that begs you to go back for more. Plus, that mouthfeel/texture is just glorious. This is a winner, folks.

The best part is that you have 1 liter of Boulevardier at the end. At four-ounce pours, that should give you nine cocktails to enjoy. Cheers!