At 1:30 am on a Monday morning in February 2021, an AMBER Alert went out in southern Louisiana about a missing 10-year-old girl from New Iberia. It was believed she had been kidnapped and driven away in a 2012 silver Nissan Altima.
A few hours later at 7 am, Dion Merrick and Brandon Antoine, sanitation workers for Pelican Waste, were on their daily route when they noticed a vehicle that fit the description in the alert.
The sanitation workers thought it was suspicious that a silver sedan was parked alone in a field in St. Martin Parish.
“Something told me, like just look, I said what is that car doing in that field like that? What the car doing? Guess what, that’s the dude with the little girl,” Merrick said in a Facebook Live video. “That’s God.”
The video has been seen over 1.5 million times since it was posted on Monday morning.
To prevent the possible kidnapper from escaping, they parked the large sanitation truck the wrong way on the highway to “Make sure they couldn’t get out,” Merrick said. Then, they called 911.
When police arrived they arrested Michael R. Sereal, the man whose car was mentioned in the AMBER Alert. The police were also able to safely recover the girl who appeared unharmed. She was later taken to the hospital to be evaluated by medical personnel.
The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Department’s online sex offender registry has a Michael Roy Sereal but authorities wouldn’t confirm it’s the same man.
The young girls’ family got in touch with the two men who saved her and have shown amazing gratitude. “I’m just so happy and blessed that I have actually seen the car and we actually responded like we were supposed to respond,” Merrick told KHOU.
Merrick hopes that his actions will inspire others to be proactive as well. “Don’t be scared if you see something. If you know something is wrong, report it,” Merrick said. “Call authorities because it could save someone’s life.”
The two men were applauded by the St. John Parish’s Sheriff, who offered to buy them lunch.
“I was just doing my job man. I was just doing my job and actually came across somebody who needed help,” Merrick said. “Got me tearing up.”
The AMBER Alert system was created in 1996 after nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted and murdered while riding her bike in Texas. Since its inception, nearly seven in 10 AMBER alert cases have resulted in children being successfully reunited with their parents.
In 17% of the cases, the child’s recovery is a direct result of the alert.
As of December 2020, 1,029 children rescued specifically because of the system.
Despite a few reports to the contrary today, it looks like The Idol hasn’t officially been canceled. However, that doesn’t mean it’s coming back after this season.
Following numerous reports claiming that The Idol, which is the brainchild of Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, would not return for a second season, HBO shared a statement from their official PR social accounts noting that several outlets reported this news incorrectly.
“It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined,” read a tweet. “It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.”
It is being misreported that a decision on a second season of The Idol has been determined. It has not, and we look forward to sharing the next episode with you Sunday night.
At the time of writing, only two episodes of The Idol have aired, however, the reception hasn’t fared well.
A British GQ review called a sex scene in the second episode “the worst sex scene in history.”
In an interview with American GQ, The Weeknd noted that this particular scene was supposed to be unsexy.
“How ever you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters,” he said. “It’s all those emotions adding up to: This guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.”
The Idol airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO. Episodes are also available for streaming on Max.
For years, the NBA Draft has been better to follow on Twitter than it is on the ESPN television broadcast, simply because you get information much quicker, knowing about picks and trades long before they get announced on air.
Adrian Wojnarowski is the one who started all that more than a decade ago, and now the likes of Shams Charania and other newsbreakers all vie for who can be first to get the picks before they happen. The problem for Woj is, he now works for ESPN and is part of the Draft broadcast. As such, in recent years Woj has broken out the thesaurus and cheekily tipped picks without saying definitively what was going to happen. However, that still involves a lot of work that distracts him from his main job on television, and as he explained to Ryen Russillo on the Ringer’s Ryen Russillo Podcast, this year he won’t even be doing that.
For this year’s NBA draft, @wojespn will NOT be tweeting out each pick.
He notes that he’ll still handle any craziness at the top of the draft this year, as there’s a chance for multiple trades involving top-5 picks, but as for trying to hit all 30 first round picks, Woj won’t be part of that race. NBA Twitter will surely still get those scoops from Shams, Chris Haynes, Marc Stein, and others, but not from the man who started it all.
It’ll be interesting to see if that makes for an improvement on the broadcast, as more of his reporting can be focused on getting it on-air rather than on Twitter. ESPN has done a better job in recent years of announcing trades that are happening on the desk sooner than they used to on the broadcast, although the NBA still won’t let a trade be official until the trade call, meaning players getting traded still get the hat of a team they aren’t going to on the stage.
Editor’s Note: This story discusses suicide. If you are having thoughts about taking your own life or know of anyone who is in need of help, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
There has been a quiet trend going on among teens that has recently started to get more attention. It’s not something silly or some made-up social media trend; it’s a serious issue that has caused teenagers to choose to die by suicide after they fall victim. Sextortion has been running rampant over the past year, and teenagers, especially teen boys between the ages of 14-17 are the target.
Someone pretends to be a teenage girl who is interested in the boy after connecting via SnapChat, Instagram, or some other social media site. Once they gain the boys’ trust, they convince them to send inappropriate pictures, which many of them do. Yes, they know they shouldn’t, but teens are impulsive and this person has won their trust. As soon as the pictures are sent, the “girl” then asks for money in exchange to keep the photos private.
By this time, the impersonator has already taken screenshots of the boy’s social media accounts, including friends lists and people they tag in posts. If the teens send money, the perpetrator will only ask for more while continuing to hang those inappropriate pictures over their heads. This has proven to be dangerous.
The teens panic once they find out the person is really going to send the photos to their family and friends, which has resulted in some teens choosing suicide.
One family has taken to the media to warn of the dangers of sextortion and encourage parents to talk to their children. John DeMay and Jennifer Buta lost their son Jordan after he was a victim of sextortion during his senior year of high school.
“He was handsome, he was popular, he was the prom king,” DeMay told Good Morning America.
The person Jordan was communicating with was an adult man from Nigeria according to court documents.
“He drained his bank accounts as much as he could,” DeMay said. “He’s [Jordan] believing that all these images are going to his friends’ mothers and his friends, and it just threw him into a tailspin.”
The responses to the teen when he expressed to the scammer that he was going to end his life were particularly cruel, and within a few minutes, the teen completed suicide. His parents have since been on a mission to help other teens and parents.
“Have an open conversation about the dangers of social media in general and specifically sextortion. Let your kids know, if it does happen, go to a trusted adult and let them know this is happening and get their help,” Buta told GMA.
Sextortion preys on teens knowing they have less impulse control and more likely to not only send them pictures if they believe they’re talking to another teen, but send them money. This results are heartbreaking but hopefully with more parents speaking out, other teens’ lives will be saved. You can watch their whole interview below.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department found themselves in a bit of a pickle when trying to rescue two 5-month-old puppies stuck in a tortoise’s den. But they were able to save the dogs using a bit of ingenuity and taking advantage of a tortoise’s love of watermelon.
The firefighters were called out to a home in Yucca Valley where two puppies, Peo and Finn, had crawled deep inside a tortoise’s den. But when the den’s owner, Oscar, a 100-pound African Sulcatta tortoise, came home, the puppies were stuck inside without food or water.
Realizing the den was too deep for them to crawl into to retrieve the tortoise and that digging might cause it to collapse and hurt the animals, they tried to lure the tortoise out with a big, juicy piece of watermelon on a stick.
The watermelon enticed Oscar, and as he lurched forward, the firefighters pulled the watermelon back, trying to lure him out of the den. But Oscar stopped a few feet short of exiting his home.
“The tasty watermelon trick was unsuccessful, and firefighters went to plan B, digging,” the San Bernardino County Fire Department said according to Newsweek. After digging up the few last feet of the den, the firefighters were able to pull Oscar out of his home, and Finn and Peo came running out. They were covered in dirt but safe.
“We are glad we could assist with this unique call, and there was such a positive outcome!” the police on the scene said according to Newsweek.
For many women, the simple act of feeling good in one’s body is a daily challenge. Internalized misogyny, outdated societal views and capitalism that feeds off of insecurity certainly don’t make it easy. Even truly miraculous experiences, like bringing a small human into this world, are tinged with shame, simply because the body hasn’t instantly “bounced back.”
However, sometimes we get a glimpse of what a new, more loving perspective could be. And hearing one person’s compassionate words can help us instill a new way of thinking.
But rather than chastising her body for the way it looks, Jessie J is praising it for all the wonderful things it accomplished during pregnancy. It serves as a beautiful reminder for all women going through a similar situation.
“I’m writing this for myself as well as anyone else that needs to read this,” she began in an Instagram post, along with a black-and-white photo showing her post-baby body.
She dived into what needed to be addressed first—the sheer phenomena of pregnancy that we so often take for granted and all the biological alchemy that takes place.
“Your body was a home for someone else to live in for 9 months. Your organs have moved and need to find their way back to where they were before. Your uterus is still deflating slowly. Your hormones are flying and crashing. Your body is working the hardest it has ever worked. You are exhausted but you are magical. You grew a whole human. A human who is doing this with you and loves you beyond measure.”
“Celebrate your new body. It HAD to change. It will be bigger and smaller in different places. IT IS BEAUTIFUL and NATURAL,” she added.
Noting the unrealistic expectations put on many new mothers to whip themselves back into shape, she wrote, “Ignore the whispers of what some people say you should or shouldn’t look like after a certain time. It’s 2023. People need to chill.”
She then encouraged mothers to “take your time,” and “be easy on yourself, your body AND your mind,” and perhaps most importantly, to “remember you are in recovery and don’t forget to also remind those around you.”
After all, “It’s your journey,” she declared. “Your time and YOUR body. It’s not the same as anyone else’s, and that’s what makes it special. You are unique.”
“This was my body 11 days after giving birth and I still look pretty much the same now 35 days on,” she added. “I LOVE my body. It has given me the most magical roommate inside and outside of my body. And when it’s ready and able to change again it will. Whatever that looks like. I’m here for it.”
Her sweet caption concluded with “You are doing amazing Mamma. You the MVP.”
The message clearly struck a chord with moms at all different stages of motherhood, some of whom are currently pregnant and struggling with the thought of a post-baby body and others who are multiple kids in and well aware of Jessie J’s hard-earned wisdom. Regardless of whatever chapter these women were in, they were touched by the powerful words shared
Check out some of these lovely comments:
“I’m currently pregnant and the changes in my body aesthetically are definitely what I’m struggling with. I’m grateful for our baby and cannot wait to meet them, I’ve just always struggled with body image and this is magnifying that!”
“I fully expected my stomach to be flat (well not flat, more none bump shaped) after having a baby because nobody ever really spoke about the post bump, it’s so refreshing to see more people posting it.”
“My favourite saying: ‘My body looks like I’ve had children because I have had children. It will never look like I haven’t had children.’ I’m about to have my third baby (7th pregnancy) and my body tells the story of all the journeys they and I went through till they become Earthside!”
“Thank you for supporting & empowering all of the mum’s out there. You are an inspiration to all new (& not so ‘new’) mums. It’s not just the body that changes with pregnancy, it’s the rest of your life too as you so beautifully wrote ❤️”
Our bodies are amazing things at every stage of life. We just need help remembering that from time to time.
Vagabon is back with new music. Today (June 15), the Cameroonian singer and instrumentalist has announced her third album, Sorry I Haven’t Called.
Vagabon‘s upcoming album, Sorry I Haven’t Called, will boast 12 tracks, including its lead single, “Can I Talk My Sh*t?” She shared this single today, along with its music video, which proves she has earned the right to talk her sh*t, as she moves flawlessly, commanding a desert setting like a stage designed for herself.
“Can I Talk My Sh*t?” sets the tone for Sorry I Haven’t Called, as the album will feature her embracing herself as an unapologetic, multifaceted artist. She wrote and produced much of the album while living in Germany, channeling dance music and effervescent pop stylings.
“This whole record is how I talk to my friends and how to talk to my lovers,” said Vagabon in a statement “I think honesty and conversational songwriting can become poetry. There’s beauty in plainly speaking without metaphors and without flowery imagery.”
In addition to dropping Sorry I Haven’t Called this fall, Vagabon will embark on an international headlining tour with support from Weyes Blood and Nourished By Time.
You can see the video for “Can I Talk My Sh*t?” above and the album details and tour dates below.
Nonesuch
1. “Can I Talk My Sh*t?”
2. “Carpenter”
3. “You Know How”
4. “Lexicon”
5. “Passing Me By”
6. “Autobahn”
7. “Nothing To Lose”
8. “It’s A Crisis”
9. “Do Your Worst”
10. “Interlude”
11. “Made Out With Your Best Friend”
12. “Anti-F*ck”
7/12 – New York City @ Hudson Yards
7/22 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
10/21 – Detroit, MI @ El Club *
10/22 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *
10/26 – Somerville, MA @ Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre *
10/27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts *
10/28 – Hamden, CT @ Set Space Ballroom *
10/29 – Washington, DC @ The Atlantis *
10/31 – Barcelona, ES @ Sala Apolo ^
11/2 – Lyon, FR @ Le Transbordeur ^
11/3 – Milan, IT @ Alcatraz ^
11/4 – Lausanne, CH @ Les Docks ^
11/6 – Berlin, DE @ Astra Kulturhaus ^
11/7 – Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg – Grote Zaal ^
11/8 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Music Festival
11/9 – Antwerp, BE @ De Roma ^
11/11 – Glasgow, UK @ Old Fruitmarket ^
11/12 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy ^
11/13 – London, UK @ Pitchfork Music Festival
11/14 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City ^
12/6 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent *
12/8 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s *
12/9 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret *
12/10 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
12/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *
^ w/ Weyes Blood
* w/ Nourished By Time
Sorry I Haven’t Called is out 9/15 via Nonesuch. Find more information here.
The Sacramento Kings are coming off of a tremendous 2022-23 season in which they snapped their two decade long playoff drought by earning the 3-seed in the West, taking the Warriors to seven games in the first round before losing to the then defending champs.
De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis emerged as All-Stars, Mike Brown won Coach of the Year, and in the regular season they were among the best offenses in NBA history. Unfortunately in that playoff series, much of their shooting success from long distance dried up and their defense was not quite able to pick up the slack. The key area of need for this team is a bit more two-way balance, and it appears the Kings front office is aware of that need after a report out of Sacramento, from Damien Barling of ESPN 1320, emerged that they are targeting Raptors wing OG Anunoby on the trade market.
The Sacramento Kings are aggressively pursing Toronto Raptors SF OG Anunoby sources tell @DLoAndKC and @espn1320.
There are a number of teams eyeing the Raptors this offseason and trying to figure out if they will finally become sellers after more than a year of them being rumored to be taking calls on stars only to never deal them. With Fred VanVleet entering free agency and a new coaching staff coming into town that seems geared towards young player development, it certainly seems like Portland might actually pull the trigger on moving some of their bigger names.
Anunoby is a particularly hot commodity given his development into a strong two-way wing, averaging 16.8 points per game on 47.6/38.7/83.8 shooting splits last year, and team friendly contract (two years left with $18.6 million due next year). The Kings have a number of talented offensive wings, but they almost all struggled in the playoffs (Malik Monk as the notable exception) and an upgrade on the defensive end from their forward spots is much needed. Anunoby certainly fits the bill, but Toronto has maintained a high asking price for Anunoby and that figures not to change this summer.
Financially, there are a number of ways the Kings could match his salary, it all just depends on what Toronto prioritizes in return and which of their young wings Sacramento is willing to part with. Kevin Huerter was excellent in his first year in Sacramento and a combination of he and Kessler Edwards would make the salaries work, with a number of picks needing to be attached. Keegan Murray, meanwhile, could be the other centerpiece of a deal, as his deal paired with Richaun Holmes would make the money work, as he had an All-Rookie season with the Kings, but, like Huerter, had his ups and downs in the playoffs. From Toronto’s perspective, Murray would be the greater prize over Huerter, but the Kings would surely want to count him, effectively, as a first round pick going in return and take a little off of the picks package.
It’s obviously quite early to know whether we even get to a point where this is more than a puff of smoke, but for Kings fans, their eagerness to continue bolstering the roster rather than being satisfied with a surprisingly good year should be a positive sign.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. Dunks, dunks, dunks, and more dunks, that’s what you get this week! Dunk collaborations, embroidered Dunks, suede dunks, summer-ready Dunks, this week has love for every kind of Dunk-head, unless you’re into high tops, then you’re out of luck.
But if you’re not into… those shoes (not sure we’re legally allowed to type “D****” one more time!), this week brings plenty of other options as well, like a Nike Stüssy collaboration, a new Air Max, a 90’s colorway inspired New Balance 990, and the striking vintage-styled Sporty & Rich Adidas Samba.
Once you’ve scanned this week’s kicks, be sure to hit up Style Watch, our monthly apparel series, to help complete your fit. Let’s dive in!
This women’s exclusive Dunk is chef’s kiss perfect — it features an upper of royal blue suede panels over a sesame suede base with a synthetic leather liner and tongue labels and a padded collar for a more comfortable fit. It takes that classic Dunk design and elevates it with premium details that take it from basic to special.
The Women’s Dunk low Blue Suede is out now. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like Flight Club.
This week Nike has linked up with Hong Kong brand CLOT and Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara for a highly detailed silky smooth take on the Dunk Low. The design was inspired by an older CLOT collaboration, 2018’s ‘White Silk’ Air Force 1, combined with a contrasting black lace stay, tongue, and heel tab, over an opaque white sole.
The design is meant to resemble a panda, which Fujiwara and CLOT’s Edison Chen bonded over while visiting the Chengdu panda reservation. It’s a great design, and hands down out favorite Dunk of the week.
The Nike Dunk Low x CLOT x Fragment Design Black and White is set to drop on June 14th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app or aftermarket sites like GOAT and Flight Club.
For Stüssy’s latest Nike collaboration, the brand has reached into Nike’s fault and pulled out a 1984 classic, updating it with modern details. The upper sports a hemp build with an embroidered swoosh, classic foam tongue with Stüssy branding dipped in a rich royal blue colorway. It manages to capture the laid-back vibe of the skate brand while celebrating one of Nike’s best classic silhouettes.
We’ll take this over a color-swapped basic leather build any day!
The Nike Vandal High x Stüssy Deep Royal Blue is set to drop on June 15th at 7:00 Am PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Made in collaboration with Nike’s N7 Fund, a group focused on Native American and Indigenous youth communities that have awarded over $10 million in grants since its inception in 2009, this Black and Sail take on the Dunk Low brings intricate details to the classic leather sneaker.
Designed alongside the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Ojibwa community this Dunk sports embroidered details that reflect traditional motifs from the Great Lakes and Woodlands regions with a translucent icy outsole that reveals a maple wood print, a nod to the natural foliage of the region as well as the art of skateboard deck construction.
It’s highly detailed and pops with color, a perfect sneaker for the summer.
The Nike SB Dunk Low x N7 Black and Sail is set to drop on June 15th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Nike SB Dunk Low x N7 Opti Yellow and University Red
Another design made in collaboration with N7, this sneaker highlights the natural foliage of the Haudenosaunee and Ojibwe land via embroidered maple graphics at the mudguard and sports the same maple wood graphic from the Black and Sail edition under a translucent red outsole. The build features a mixture of heavy-duty canvas and leather overlays. This sneaker has a glowing quality that works in contrast to the more tranquil vibes of the Black and Sail.
The Nike SB Dunk Low x N7 Opti Yellow and University Red is set to drop on June 15th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Inspired by one of Tinker Hatfield’s original Air Max 1 concept sketches, the Lost Sketch combines safari print details and hand-drawn graphic branding with an aged midsole and a worn leather aesthetic in purple and blue hues. It’s part relic, part time capsule, and a celebration of one of Nike’s greatest sneaker designers.
The Nike Air Max 1 ’86 Lost Sketch is set to drop on June 16th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
We weren’t joking when we said this week had a Dunk for everyone even people looking for a sneaker inspired by salmon. The Light Silver and Ocean Bliss Dunk features a colorway inspired by the king salmons of the Pacific Northwest and sports iridescent fish-scale detailing on the swoosh, a woven ripstop underlay, suede panels, and fish graphics on the insole and tongue tag.
We’re pretty confident that this is a design no one asked for, but when it looks this good its hard to complain!
The Nike Dunk Low Light Silver and Ocean Bliss is set to drop on June 16th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
One fish-inspired colorway wasn’t enough apparently! This Sequoia and Alabaster Dunk Low looks to the rainbow scales of the brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout with a speckled graphic design over the ripstop upper, hairy suede panels, and an iridescent fish-scale Swoosh.
Fish-inspired sneakers — only Nike could make this look cool.
The Nike Dunk Low Sequoia and Alabaster is set to drop on June 16th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
New Balance Made in USA 990v6 Limestone with Magenta
Travel back to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s with this Saved By The Bell colored 990v6. Coming out of New Balance’s premium Made in USA studio, this 990v6 sports a pigskin and synthetic upper over a Fuel Cell midsole with a TPU back tab, reflective accents, and ENCAP cushioning for a comfortable ride. The colorway mixes white and beige with pink and purple, resulting in the sort of sneaker that would look at home at Bayside High.
The New Balance Made in USA 990v6 is set to drop on June 16th at 7:00 AM PST. Pick up a pair via the New Balance webstore.
Adidas has teamed up with LA-based lifestyle brand Sporty and Rich for a trio of the dopest Sambas we’ve seen in some time. Featuring a vintage-inspired design, the Sport and Rich Sambas sport a satin-lined leather upper, suede details, metallic details, and Sporty & Rich tongue branding in three different colorways, including Blue Rush, Cloud White, and Cream White, all over a classic gum outsole.
The Adidas Samba OG Sporty & Rich are set to drop on June 15th at 7:00 AM PST., Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app.
AdidasAdidas
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
Father’s Day is on Sunday. That means that right now people are scrambling to find gifts for the father figures in their lives. If that person likes whiskeys, consider your scrambling over. I have the answers, especially if the dads in your life like bourbon. Yep, it’s time to call out some special Father’s Day-ready bottles of bourbon that you can actually buy right now.
For this list, we’re breaking things down into two parts. First, I’m naming the more affordable bottles that you can buy right now and pretty easily anywhere or online. That doesn’t mean cheap. I’m listing 10 bourbons under $100 that are actually really freaking good. There are single barrels, old age statements, barrel proofs, huge name brands, and barrel picks from craft distillers that are actually available outside of their regions. It’s a good mix.
For the second half of the list, I’m calling out the bottles that are going to wow the father figure in your life. Some of these whiskeys are rare and very limited. But, if you’re willing to pay a little extra coin, you can 100% get them right now. I mean, is there ever a better time to buy a bottle of Pappy than for this holiday? Yes, the prices will be inflated, but the likelihood of getting the splurge-worthy bottles at their suggested retail is pretty much impossible anyway. So maybe now’s the time to just pull that trigger and go for the gold.
Oh, and I added one wild card rye whiskey at the end because it’s specifically made for Father’s Day 2023. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This special release from Maker’s Mark is their classic wheated bourbon turned up a few notches. The batch is made from no more than 19 barrels of whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey goes into the barrel at cask strength with no filtering, just pure whiskey-from-the-barrel vibes.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Burnt caramel candies and lush vanilla lead the way on the nose with hints of dry straw, sour cherry pie, and spiced apple cider with a touch of eggnog lushness.
Palate: The palate has a sense of spicy caramel with a vanilla base that leads to apricot jam, southern biscuits, and a flake of salt with a soft mocha creaminess.
Finish: The end is all about the buzzy tobacco spiciness with a soft vanilla underbelly and a hint of cherry syrup.
Bottom Line:
I’m a devout Maker’s Mark fan and this bottle is one of their best. It’s a great option if you know your father already likes Maker’s, which shows that you pay attention and want to get them something a little more special while still playing in the same wheated bourbon sandbox.
Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Four Rose’s standard single-barrel expression is an interesting one. This is their “number one” recipe, meaning it’s the high-rye mash bill that’s fermented with a yeast that highlights “delicate fruit.” The whiskey is then bottled at 100 proof, meaning you’re getting a good sense of that single barrel in every bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy, rich vanilla, and a leathery dark fruit with this faint whisper of floral herbs on the nose.
Palate: The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together.
Finish: A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is just a lovely pour of whiskey. Four Roses is a great option for a bourbon lover thanks to a unique flavor profile that’s a touch more floral, funky, and fruity than your average Kentucky bourbon. In a single-barrel format, it’s even more dialed toward uniqueness while still staying 100% delicious.
The best part is that this is a single-barrel bourbon that you can pretty easily find in any liquor store. Consider your shopping done.
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This Old Forester expression “celebrates” the Volstead Act of 1920, which pretty much banned alcohol in the U.S. What this is really celebrating is that Old Forester was one of only six distilleries that were able to keep making and selling whiskey (for medicinal purposes) during Prohibition. This translates to an expression that builds a blend that mimics the taste and vibe of the OF of that era.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A classic choco-cherry note comes through on the top of this nose with maple syrup-soaked cedar next to a faint touch of caramel apple.
Palate: The palate is slightly nutty, bordering on Pecan Sandies, with more maple syrup leading towards light pepperiness that’s almost like cumin as the cedar comes back into play.
Finish: The mid-palate sweetens pretty dramatically with a Caro Syrup feel to it as the spice hits on a wintery vibe and the taste ends with a finish of (almost smoked) dark chocolate cherry tobacco on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
There’s something about anything “Prohibition” era that just feels very dad. It’s old-school but always trendy in the bourbon scene. It helps that Brown-Forman makes this bourbon very available on most shelves.
Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 12 Years Old
This is the classic Beam whiskey. The juice is left alone in the Beam warehouses in Clermont, Kentucky, for 12 long years. The barrels are chosen according to a specific taste and mingled to create this aged expression with a drop or two of that soft Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with clear notes of dark rum-soaked cherry, bitter yet creamy dark chocolate, winter spices, a twinge of a sourdough sugar doughnut, and a hint of menthol.
Palate: The palate leans into a red berry crumble — brown sugar, butter, and spice — with a hint of dried chili flake, salted caramels covered in dark chocolate, and a spicy/sweet note that leads toward a wet cattail stem and soft brandied cherries dipped in silky dark chocolate sauce.
Finish: The very end holds onto that sweetness and layers in a final note of pecan shells and maple candy.
Bottom Line:
If your father figure is a Jim Beam fan, then this is a must-buy. This is Jim Beam dialed up to 11. It’s so refined yet bold and deeply delicious. It’s also well-aged, adding to the depth of the overall experience. This is the good stuff so make sure you get a pour too this Sunday.
Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey Original Cask Strength
The newest release from Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley is an evolution of their brand. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of three bourbons which create a four-grain bourbon. That blend was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a balance of old leather boots and freshly cracked black pepper next to a hint of walnut shell, vanilla pod, and orange zest.
Palate: The palate leans into what feels like star fruit as orange marmalade, salted butter, and fresh honey drip over rye bread crusts.
Finish: The end comes with a good dose of peppery spice and old leather as those walnuts and oranges combine with a handful of dried fruit and a dusting of winter spices on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This brand continues to wow. It’s one of the only celebrity bourbons that feels like it’s made with love. It just tastes good. And if your pops if a fan of either of the actors, then this is a no-brainer gift bottle.
This is classic Wyoming Whiskey wheated bourbon (originally made by whiskey legend Steve Nally who helped created Maker’s Mark what it is today). That wheated whiskey is rested in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for a final rest before batching and bottling in the high desert of Central Wyoming.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leathery dried apricot, sticky toffee pudding cut with dried orange and sea salt, and soft fig jam mingle with sharp winter spices, vanilla pods, and a hint of eggnog on the nose.
Palate: That sticky toffee pudding leans into black-tea-soaked dates and leathery prunes on the palate with a sense of candied orange sprinkled over malted vanilla ice cream and drizzled with salted caramel.
Finish: Sultanas and cinnamon sticky buns rule the finish as orange creamsicles and spiced gingerbread round out the warm yet lush end.
Bottom Line:
This has a very nostalgic vibe — largely thanks to the orange/vanilla vibe — that feels like hanging with your dad on the back porch in the late summer just before the leaves start to fall. It’s also a good candidate if your father is into Yellowstone since this one is made about an hour east of the park.
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled one at a time with their barrel number and warehouse location right on the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with classic vibes from top to bottom thanks to rich vanilla smoothness, wintry spices, a hint of cedar, and a mix of sour cherry and tart apple with a slight lawn furniture earthiness.
Palate: The palate stays very classic with old boot leather next to dry cedar bark, a layer of rich marzipan cut with orange oils and covered in dark chocolate, and a distant hint of nasturtiums suspended in fresh honey.
Finish: The end finishes with a good hint of spiced cherry tobacco and old leather next to mild nuttiness, bitter chocolate, and soft vanilla cake frosted with cinnamon and cherry.
Bottom Line:
This is the best Wild Turkey product that you can find and buy for a great price. So if your father’s into Wild Turkey 101 as their everyday pour, then this is the bottle to buy.
This barrel pick from ReserveBar is a masterpiece bourbon. The whiskey in the bottle is a nine-year-old barrel made with Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash bill (78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley). The barrel rested in Heaven Hill’s famed warehouse KK for all nine of those years before it was bottled for this special release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich cherries soaked in maple syrup mingle with a light sense of cedar cigar humidors, apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, and cloves buried in orange peels with a hint of marzipan lurking in the background.
Palate: That cinnamon and clove blend with eggnog and nutmeg as the palate leans into mincemeat pie, vanilla cake, and a hint of toasted marshmallow dipped in dark chocolate.
Finish: The end gets a little dry as white pepper and old boot leather mingle with rich maple syrup over blueberry pancakes with a light sense of vanilla sugar cookies.
Bottom Line:
A lot of folks drink regular Elijah Craig Small Batch and lust after Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. This takes that a step further by offering a barrel-proof version of Elijah Craig that’s also a one-off single barrel. Get it now while you still can.
Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey Private Select Single Barrel
This craft distillery out in Washington is starting to create a big footprint nationwide. This release is as single barrel pick of five-year-old local grain-to-glass Washington bourbon. The barrel spent exactly five years and four months aging in Central Washington during deeply cold winters and very hot high-desert summers, accelerating the aging process significantly. It was then barreled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A dark and almost dried cherry greet you on the nose with a sense of toasted Graham Crackers, maple syrup, and huckleberry pie next o hints of spiced winter cakes and salty dark chocolate.
Palate: Those spicy winter cakes follow on the palate as salted caramel and vanilla cake lead back to a lush cherry ice cream with a hint of dark chocolate and almond.
Finish: That dark chocolate gets creamy and sweet on the finish with a hint of floral honey and nasturtium spice next to a mild sense of old yet sweet oak.
Bottom Line:
Woodinville is one of those whiskeys that gets a lot of hype but is hard to find outside the West Coast. This release solves the latter as it is available online via ReserveBar right now. It’s also a single-barrel version that rocks — this is a great example of Woodinville.
Heaven’s Door Decade Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
This is the first release in the new series of Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee whiskeys. The juice is a 10-year-old straight bourbon that was made in Tennessee but wasn’t charcoal filtered before or after aging. The sourced barrels were blended and just proofed down before bottling without any other fussing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a tannic old oakiness on the nose (this is older) with hints of pecan waffles covered in maple syrup with vanilla butter.
Palate: The taste is pure silk with salted caramel, vanilla cream, black licorice, marzipan, and a hint of cinnamon-pecan ice cream with a dusting of powdery chocolate in malt.
Finish: The end has a moment of warmth thanks to that cinnamon before lunging toward old porch wicker, cinnamon bark, star anise, pear tobacco, and old leather with a hint of potting soil.
Bottom Line:
Is your dad a Bob Dylan fan? Hell, is your dad a fan of simply delicious whiskey? Consider your shopping sorted.
Part 2 — The Splurge-Worthy Bottles Of Bourbon For Father’s Day ($100 and Above)
E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond
This whiskey is aged in the famed Warehouse C at Buffalo Trace from their Mash Bill No. 1. In this case, single barrels are picked for their perfect Taylor flavor profile and bottled one at a time with a slight touch of water to bring them down to bottled-in-bond proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried dark fruits and a hint of vanilla wafers mingle with fig fruit leather, a touch of orchard wood, and a deep caramel on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds onto those notes while layering in dark berry tobacco with sharp winter spices, new leather, and a singed cotton candy next to a cedar box filled with that tobacco.
Finish: The finish lingers on your senses for a while and leaves the spice behind for that dark, almost savory fruit note with an echo of blackberry Hostess pies next to soft leather pouches that have held chewy tobacco for decades and a final hint of old porch wicker in the middle of summer.
Bottom Line:
E.H. Taylor is a founding father of Kentucky bourbon. He was instrumental in creating the whole scene in Kentucky in the 1800s. Gifting the signature whiskey of a founding father of bourbon feels like the right play this weekend.
This brand-new whiskey from Tennessee is a serious blend. The blend is made with a mix of five-, six-, eight-, and 10-year-old bourbons. That whiskey then goes into Speyside Scotch whisky casks for a final rest before blending and bottling with a tiny drop of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leathery raisins and cranberries mingle with marmalade and sweet cedar next to a hint of clove tobacco and some old boot leather and vanilla buttercream.
Palate: Cinnamon toast and tart apple pies with plenty of cinnamon and walnuts mix with a touch of smoldering cedar bark and allspice on the palate.
Finish: That singed vibe applies to vanilla pods as dark berries and old dry tobacco dominate the finish with a hint of sweet cedar and soft vanilla cream drizzled with salted toffee.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey is from NFL legend Peyton Manning. I think my work here is done.
Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old
The whiskey barrels sourced for these single-barrel expressions tend to be at least 10 years old with some rumored to be closer to 15 years old (depending on the barrel’s quality, naturally). Either way, the whiskey goes through Michter’s bespoke filtration process before a touch of Kentucky’s iconic soft limestone water is added, bringing the bourbon down to a very crushable 94.4 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a peppery sense of cedar bark and burnt orange next to salted caramel and tart red berries with a moist and spicy sticky toffee pudding with some brandy butter dancing on the nose.
Palate: The palate blends vanilla tobacco with salted dark chocolate-covered marzipan while espresso cream leads to new porch wicker and black peppercorns.
Finish: The end has a pecan waffle vibe with chocolate chips, maple syrup, blackberry jam, and minced meat pies next to old tobacco and cedar with a sweet yet toasted marshmallow on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is the bottle you get when you really want to get your father a truly great bourbon. This is one of the best, full stop.
Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This Indiana-sourced bourbon is built from 11 and 18-year-old bourbons. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in armagnac, cognac, and sherry casks before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts.
Palate: A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and cobwebs.
Finish: A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.
Bottom Line:
This is the bottle you get if your dad is a real whiskey nerd. It’s bespoke and you have to be in the know a bit to even know it exists. It’s also really freaking tasty.
This is Woodford Reserve’s classic and iconic bourbon presented in its purest form. The whiskey in the bottle this year is a batch of barrels that are bottled 100% as-as at barrel strength with no fussing whatsoever — just pure Woodford.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich marzipan — think the really good stuff like Niederegger — mingles with walnut-heavy banana bread, dried cherry, candied orange peels, and whole Tellichery peppercorns on the nose with this fleeting sense of old barrelhouses on a cold fall day.
Palate: That dark pepper leads back toward winter spice cakes wrapped in pipe tobacco and packed into old cedar boxes before vanilla cakes and creamy chai with plenty of cardamom takes over the silken palate.
Finish: That creamy silkiness drives the finish toward leathery pipe tobacco leaves and old braids of cedar, sweetgrass, and wild sage next to Black Forest cake and a hint more of that moist and rich marzipan.
Bottom Line:
This is incredibly delicious whiskey. It’s also a great gift for anyone who loves Woodford Reserve in general (which is available literally everywhere booze is sold). This really takes that Woodford vibe and explodes it into the stratosphere.
Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Blanton’s is “The Original Single Barrel” bourbon, and this expression is the purest form of that whiskey. The whiskey in this case is from the barrels that need no cutting with water and are excellent as-is, straight from the barrel. All the barrels will come from Warehouse H (where Elmer T. Lee stored his private stash of barrels back in the day) and arrive with varying proofs. The through-line is the excellent taste of that single, unadulterated barrel in each sip.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of very bespoke dark chocolate-covered salted hard caramel toffees encrusted with almonds and pecans — the kind you get from a chocolate shop that imports their goodies from somewhere like Belgium.
Palate: The nutty toffee carries through into the taste as oily vanilla pods mingle with cedar boxes of dried tobacco leaves and a touch of floral honey.
Finish: The end is very long and lingers in your senses, with a hot buzzing that subtly fades through all that sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is the original single-barrel bourbon bottled right out of the cask without any water added for proofing. That means that this is Blanton’s amped all the way to its max volume. This is also probably the most notable/recognizable brand on the whole list and will make any dad pretty goddamn happy to see on Father’s Day Sunday.
Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Aged 12 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is the expression that’s theoretically the closest to Pappy. The whiskey rests in the warehouse for 12 long years, in the same barrels and warehouses as Pappy. The difference between this and Pappy 12 — good ol’ “Lot B” — is pretty simple actually. If the barrel doesn’t hit the exact flavor profile needed for a Pappy, it’s sent to the blending house to become a Weller (as long as it hits Weller’s flavor profile, of course). So yes, this could have been a Pappy 12 had the flavor profile been slightly different in the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose hits softly with bruised peaches and old pears next to fresh wool sweaters, vanilla pancake batter, and moist marzipan next to orange oils, worn-out wicker deck furniture, and old Buffalo Trace leather with a faint hint of dried roses.
Palate: The palate kicks around cherry bark and apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks with spiced cranberry sauce over buttermilk biscuits and gingerbread.
Finish: The end leans into the sharp brown spices with a mild sense of vanilla cake with apple cider and cinnamon frosting, a touch of burnt orange, and more of that moist marzipan covered in salted dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the best regular Weller. Actually, gun to head, it is the best. So if you’re going to buy a Weller this Father’s Day, this is one to buy.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey One
This whiskey is a blend of Jimmy and Eddie Russells’ favorite barrels. Jimmy chose nine to 10-year-old barrels and Eddie added in 14-year-old barrels of their classic bourbon. Once batched, that whiskey was then re-barreled into new oak with a special toast and char level and then stored in a timber rickhouse called Tyrone G (as you’re starting to tell, rickhouses are very important to the nuance that makes Turkey great).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cinnamon-infused caramel candies mingle with creamed honey and old slices of vanilla cake with an orange-clove-chocolate frosting next to old tobacco leaves and a touch of dried chili pepper flakes on the nose.
Palate: The palate opens with a creamy and lush vanilla foundation that leads to salted caramel over apple cake with a cutting ginger and cinnamon spiciness next to a light touch of dried nasturtiums.
Finish: The end starts sweet and spiced with a mouthful of Hot Tamales before old cherry-choco tobacco folds into an old pine box with a hint of singed cinnamon bark and cherry wood mellow with old boot leather and broken-down lawn furniture.
Bottom Line:
Look, I adore Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit above. But that is a regular-release bottle. This is the Wild Turkey you get when you really want to create a “holy shit, really?!?!” moment on Father’s Day for a Wild Turkey fan.
Old Rip Van Winkle Aged 10 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is Pappy at 10 years old. It’s not “technically” Pappy since it is a “Van Winkle” expression, but it’s a Pappy. Semantics aside, this is the same wheated whiskey that hits its prime at 10 years instead of 12, 15, 20, or 23 years. The main difference here — besides the younger age — is the proof. This goes into the bottle with only a touch of water, keeping it far closer to barrel-proof at 107 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of rum-raisin folded into a honey-nut creamy fudge cluster with pecans and walnuts and dusted with powdered sugar, sweet cinnamon, and orange zest.
Palate: The palate leans into salted caramel with vanilla cream next to stewed apples with maple doughnut frosting and a twinge of old dates soaked in black tea.
Finish: The end has a moment of black pepperiness before heading toward woody winter spices, old piles of orchard wood with a hint of black mold, and soft leaves of chewy tobacco laced with dark chocolate, salted caramel, and marzipan.
Bottom Line:
Every Pappy journey should start with an Old Rip 10. This is where you begin. It’s also the most affordable bottle of Pappy that is very drinkable. It’s a classic bourbon that feels deeply nostalgic, which is a very Father’s Day vibe.
Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 17 Years Old BTAC 2022
Back in the spring of 2005, a humble bourbon was made with Kentucky distiller’s corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota barley. That hot juice was then filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and stacked in Buffalo Trace’s warehouses H, K, and L on floors one and four. It was left alone for 17 years, which allowed 70% of the whiskey to be lost to the angels. In 2022, the barrels were batched and the bourbon was proofed down to 101 proof and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose subtly draws you in with soft pipe tobacco that feels fresh and vibrant next to dried sour cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate and rolled in vanilla seeds and vanilla-laced streusel with a good dose of woody maple syrup with this fleeting hint of red brick, moldy cellar beams, and soft and sandy cellar dirt floor.
Palate: Old maple trees dripping with sap lead to a rich salted caramel candy vibe next to rich vanilla pound cake topped with a creamy dark chocolate frosting and bespeckled with orange zest, dried cranberries bits, and crushed espresso beans.
Finish: The mid-palate takes on a woody spiciness with a whisper of apple bark that informs a spiced Christmas cake full of soft cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, mace, and maybe some anise and dried dark fruits with creamy eggnog baseline next to old Whether’s Originals wrapped up in dry tobacco leaves and stacked in a musty pine box for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is the mountaintop of bourbon collecting (after Pappy of course). This is the one bottle that I can assure is the best to buy from that line every year. This is also one of the best bourbons out there.
Part 3 — Bonus Track Father’s Day Whiskey Bottle
Blue Run Single Barrel Double Oak Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (Barrel: #68594)
Blue Run Double Oak Single Barrel Rye Whiskey is a new line of 10 single barrels that are dropping just in time for Father’s Day. The whiskey in each case is a double oak finish Kentucky rye that’s first aged in classic American white oak that’s finished in another new American white oak barrel — both of which were toasted and charred to a level #3 (medium deep). Those whiskey barrels were then bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright dried red chili peppers mingle with soft leather, a twinge of toffee sweetness, soft red berries, and a whisper of umami.
Palate: Caramel and woody vanilla rush to a touch of cherry bark and ABV warmth next to creamy winter spice and a hint of sharp red chili heat.
Finish: The end is a long and warm hug with a sense of dried brown spices with a hot edge, mild nuttiness, and a foundation of buttercream cut with sassafras chips.
Bottom Line:
Blue Run always hits it out of the park with their blends and single barrel releases and this one is only further proof of their excellence. Moreover, this rye whiskey was released specifically for Father’s Day. You know what to do.
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