When parents give their teens the “drug talk,” they hope they listen, but there’s no guarantee. You can talk about taking unknown substances and the dangers that can occur, but what happens when your child thinks they’re testing their boundaries with a “safe” substance? What if they received whatever they’ve ingested from someone they know personally?
What’s safe and what’s not safe isn’t always so cut and dry. Teenagers are known to experiment with boundaries and sometimes that includes drugs and alcohol. Teenagers can easily overdose on illicit substances and some don’t survive. According to the CDC, overdoses among 10 to 19-year-olds increased by 109% from 2019-2021 while deaths involving fentanyls increased by 182%.
Experimentation with edible marijuana left one woman’s 14-year-old daughter hospitalized, and she’s ringing the alarm for other parents to take note.
“On March 15th, my 14-year-old daughter was not acting like herself. I felt that she needed food and that she needed to get some rest,” Stacy Wylie, founder and CEO of Dope Beauty Cosmetics, explains in a TikTok video. “By March 17th, that Friday, she was completely manic. We decided to take her to the emergency room and she was promptly admitted. She had an admitting blood pressure of 145/99, and her heart beats per minute were 110.”
Wylie shares that after being transferred to another hospital and having more tests run, it was discovered that her daughter ate an edible she received from a friend. The edible was laced with an unknown substance according to Wylie, and while she doesn’t think it was done maliciously, the mom says that her daughter is still in the hospital.
“Physically, they stabilized her, but mentally she was at a very heightened state of psychosis,” Wylie explains.
Drug-induced psychosis can occur when you take too much of a substance or have an adverse reaction to mixing drugs, as well as when a person has an underlying mental health issue, according to American Addiction Centers. When kids are experimenting with drugs, developing psychosis isn’t something that may be on their radar, but Wylie is hoping to use her daughter’s experience to help others.
Over the past year or so, Netflix took a breather from swiftly greenlighting show renewals, but sometimes, a series hits so fast and hard that the streamer doesn’t hesitate at all. This was the case for the Gabriel Basso-starring spy series, The Night Agent, which Netflix renewed after only one week after the show began streaming. The series bases itself upon the bestselling Matthew Quirk book, and it seems that Netflix has found its own Jack Ryan. And it doesn’t hurt that there’s some romance involved in the story, either.
The show is a hit, to put things mildly. As Deadline reports, The Night Agent racked up over 160 million streaming hours within a few days of release. That’s a third-place debut after Wednesday and Dahmer, and even more impressively, the show is expected to be a Top Fiver (within its first month) on the all-time list of Netflix’s English-speaking shows. The show only grew more popular in its second week due to word of mouth, and before much longer, it should go Top 10 of all time on Netflix:
Since its release, The Night Agent has tallied 385M viewing hours, making it about 120M away from hitting the all-time TV list. Currently the 10th spot is taken by Ginny & Georgia Season 2 with just over half a billion viewing hours.
That’s not too shabby for a series that felt like it landed out of nowhere and without A-list stars. It’s simply a good, old-fashioned bingeable series, and its viewers can already look forward to more.
Like a loyal MAGA Republican, George Santos attended the rally protesting Donald Trump’s arrest in Manhattan on Tuesday where the embattled congressman found himself surrounded by a throng of press. However, what Santos didn’t know is that The Daily Show correspondent Jordan Klepper was hidden in the crowd, and he used the opportunity to ruthlessly mock Santos’ presence and his laundry list of lies that have plagued his short political career.
“We wanna hear about your volleyball career,” Klepper asked just inches away from Santos’ face. “We wanna hear about the legitimacy you’re bringing to this process.”
“Tell us about your volleyball career. We need to know.” “Have you recently got a law degree? Is that why you’re here?”@jordanklepper is a national treasure. #TrumpArraignment#GeorgeSantos
While Santos had no trouble blowing off Klepper, the situation went south as he eventually ran from the scene after being pursued by more hecklers and a swarm of people who were being cleared off the street by the NYPD.
Currently swarm of people and media chase out George Santos as NYPD try to stop press going into the city streets pic.twitter.com/Cqr2QpS9Nt
At one point, Santos was practically in tears, but at least he can hang his head knowing he did more to support Trump than Ivanka and Melania who were nowhere near the legal fiasco:
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) April 4, 2023
Of course, Santos has legal problems of his own. Like Trump, he’s also under investigation for campaign finance violations and accusations of sexual misconduct. The House Ethics Committee is looking into Santos’ shady financial records and a claim from a prospective staffer who Santos allegedly hit on during an interview earlier this year.
Donald Trump is a self-professed rich guy. Or at least he used to be: On Monday, it was revealed that his wealth took a big hit thanks to the social media ghost town that is Truth Social. Still, in 2016 he could certainly afford to pay off a porn star with whom he had allegedly slept and think nothing of it. But Trump, like others who are (allegedly) obscenely wealthy, is also at heart a cheapskate, so much so that he’s accused of trying to weasel out of making the payment that has turned him into an indicted crook.
On Tuesday, Trump returned to the hometown that hates his guts to be arraigned as the first U.S. president to ever be indicted on criminal charges. He faces 34 felonies. He of course pled not guilty to all of them. Afterwards Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg released a “statement of facts” detailing each of the charges. Buried deep into the document, at number 19, was the allegation that Trump tried to delay the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels till the last possible second, in the hopes he could keep his $130,000.
“The Defendant directed Lawyer A to delay making a payment to Woman 2 as long as possible,” the document reads. “He instructed Lawyer A that if they could delay the payment until after the election, they could avoid paying altogether, because at that point it would not matter if the story became public.”
Lawyer A is, of course, Michael Cohen, who did jail time for the hush money payment. Woman 2 is Stormy Daniels, who has been very vocal about not enjoying her alleged tryst with the future 45th president. Bragg and team will have to prove this allegation, but one thing seems certain: Trump’s base, even the evangelicals among them, really didn’t give a crap that their favorite president allegedly had it off with a porn star then tried to cover it up.
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year and a half since our lives changed forever when Chris Pratt was named the new voice of Mario. People cried, marriages were ended, and long-time friendships were squashed, all because this non-Italian was soon to be the voice of working-class plumbers everywhere. Pratt seemed to take the hate as fuel and ran with it using his tiny Mario legs. Then we all kinda got over it and accepted it once Anya Taylor-Joy stepped out in her Princess Peach racing outfit.
Now that it’s about to hit theaters, it’s time for the real moment of truth: is The Super Mario Bros. Movie good enough to warrant going out to a movie theater on a random Wednesday night in April in order to see it? It sure seems like people enjoyed it!
Despite the initial casting backlash, early reviews for Mario are pretty favorable, mostly praising the colorful aesthetics. It’s important to remember that, after all, this is coming from the same studio that forced Minions upon us, so not every joke will land with everyone. But it seems like if you are a fan of fun and/or Jack Black, you’ll have a nice time.
It’s all quite fun, with a good sense of humor and a consistent computer-animated aesthetic — plus, at 90 minutes including credits, it’s short, sweet, and over before anything can get annoying. But it’s hard to escape the feeling, especially during the aforementioned Rainbow Road sequence, that you would probably be having more fun just playing a game together instead. Grade: B-
All of this is immensely likable and loaded with laughs, if not raging wit. Having the likes of Black and Rogen in the voice cast definitely ups the ante of some stabs at subversive humor, and all seem to be enjoying this stint, which definitely is set up for sequels as Mario and Luigi are about to start a new act in their long careers. The CGI animation goes big for bright colors juxtaposed with the ominous Dark Lands, and the film is helped immensely by a zippy and lilting musical score from Brian Tyler.
Mario presides over a digital playground that lifts the spirit to a place of split-second wonder, and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” stays true to that. Its ingenuity is infectious. You don’t have to be a Mario fan to respond to it, but the film is going to remind the millions who are why they call it a joystick.
Super Mario Bros is a film that takes the Nintendo faithful’s valid concerns into consideration, making up for its weaker spots by exploding the film with immeasurable heart. It may not offer much to turn the gaming-ignorant into full-on converts, but it offers plenty enough for the remaining millions of us. Beautiful visuals and exciting play—what more could a Mario fan really need?
Mario, Luigi, and Peach’s adventure delights with its infectious energy and smart implementations of video game callbacks, and the top-shelf animation renders the Mushroom Kingdom as an Oz-like wonderland that begs to be explored in the inevitable sequels that will follow. The assembled voice cast puts a unique spin on each of their characters, but undercooked emotional arcs don’t get the same attention as the aesthetics, something not helped by a paint-by-numbers plot that bafflingly keeps Mario and Luigi away from each other for half the movie.
Watching The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it’s impossible not to imagine what it might be like to one day play a game as visually-rich running on hardware that puts current-gen Nintendo Switch to shame. That’s probably (part of) the reason the movie exists. But as big budget commercials for video games and consoles go The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s going to be undefeated for quite some time.
The narrative provides just the loosest nudges from scene to scene, and the colorful animation renders every set piece with polish. Pratt, an odd choice to play an outsized Italian American stereotype, hardly speaks after the first act of the film once the plot gets consumed by heady action. Black gets to do more as Bowser, singing emotional rock ballads and grousing over romantic rejection with his characteristic dorky rage. But almost every other part of the movie makes clear that the studio wanted the filmmakers to avoid straying too far from the hallowed source material.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie star was asked by Barrymore, in character as Mitzy “Not Joan Rivers” Bananamore, to tell a joke that would make her do a spit take. “Did you hear about the Italian chef who died?” he asked. “He pasta way.” Nothing, although Drew cracked a smile when Pratt commented that the game would be easier “if the goal was to get you to swallow.”
Next up: “Why should you always knock on the refrigerator before opening? There might be a salad dressing.” Zero for two — until he added, “… And you don’t want to see the salad’s [bleep].” It’s unclear what the censored word was (although I have a guess!), but it was enough to make Drew spit her water out. “That is my kind of refrigerator!” she exclaimed. “You know what I’m saying?” Not really, but sure! It’s another iconic moment in former Parks and Recreation stars on The Drew Barrymore Show history.
Despite his hopes to the contrary, and several days obsessing over how his perp walk would look, Donald Trump did not have his mug shot taken during his arrest on Tuesday. However, that hasn’t stopped his campaign from selling t-shirts with a fake mug shot on them.
According to Mediaite, Trump’s campaign has already sent out emails that will allow MAGA supporters to obtain a mug shot t-shirt if they make a generous donation of $47. You can see one of the shirts below:
BREAKING: With Trump currently under arrest, he is already selling t-shirts for $47 of his fake mugshot on a T-shirt. Everything he does is for himself. Everything he does is to line his own pockets and gain more power.
As for why Trump’s mug shot wasn’t taken, the reason is surprisingly simple: People already know what he looks like. Mug shots are mostly to help the public identify fugitives, but it’s kind of hard to miss a former reality TV star and 45th President of the United States. Plus the spray tan kinda stands out.
Mr. Trump is not considered a significant flight risk, and as he is a former president who hosted a widely popular reality television show after spending decades as a fixture of the tabloids, photographs of him are more than readily available.
Several officials also said there was concern that a mug shot of Mr. Trump, which would be provided to the New York Police Department and other agencies, would be leaked. That would be a violation of law and could prompt an investigation and a political firestorm.
In a way, Trump also made it easy to identify him by selling t-shirts with his freaking face on them. Just look for the guy with the bad hair who claims to be “Not Guilty.”
It might sound weird to think about now, but before Donald Glover was the celebrated artist he is today, he used to struggle to get any positive feedback on his work at all. In fact, he used to get booed. In a new profile in GQ, the artist alternatively known as Childish Gambino recalled a particularly hairy incident during his early career when an opening set for Kid Cudi went left.
“At the time I had a full band and a violinist,” he recalled. “I just kept turning to the band and telling them, ‘Next song! Next song!’ I put on a really intense show through the boos.”
Of course, that was a long time ago. Donald, who recently revealed he wasn’t quite ready to retire the Gambino persona just yet, has been receiving praise for his show Atlanta, as well as a related series, Swarm, he co-created with Atlanta writer Janine Nabers. He’s been Grammy nominated and has landed a string of plum roles, from Lando in Star Wars spinoff Solo to Simba in the Lion King remake.
He also intimated to GQ that a return to stand-up could be in the offing as well. He says this was encouraged by Chris Rock, who asked him, “‘Why aren’t you doing this sh*t?’” It looks like his tenacious desire to overcome negative reception is still intact.
The 2018 single “This Is America” is arguably Childish Gambino’s (aka Donald Glover) biggest song; It’s his only No. 1 single to date, but 2016’s “Redbone” is his most-streamed song with 1.3 billion Spotify plays (vs. about half a billion for “This Is America”), despite its lower Hot 100 peak at No. 12. Either way, it turns out the hit track stemmed from, as Glover put it, a “Drake diss.”
Glover discussed the single in a new video interview with GQ shared today (April 4), and while he said the initial version of the song took digs at Drake, it sounds like that was more of a creative exercise than it was an expression of any actual malice towards Drake. At 17:28 into the video above, Glover said:
“It started as a… the idea for the song started as a joke, to be completely honest. ‘This is America’: that was all we had, was, like, that line. And it started as a Drake diss, to be honest [laughs], as like, a funny way of, like, doing it. But then I was like, ‘This sh*t sounds kind of hard, though, you know?’ So I was like, ‘Let me play with it.’ So we just had that for a long time.”
Watch the interview above and revisit the classic “This Is America” video below.
The IWSC gathers some of the biggest names in the whiskey game every year to judge an incredible amount of spirits, especially Scotch whisky. These whiskies are judged double-blind by panels of judges that include huge names from distilling like Dr. Bill Lumsden (who makes Glenmorangie and Ardbeg) to Richard “The Nose” Paterson OBE (Master Blender for Whyte & Mackay for the last 50 years) to David Stewart MBE (who invented the special barrel finish at The Balvenie during his 55-year career — so far — in whisky). The judge panels also include influencers, critics, and industry pros who are unassailably in the upper echelon of the whiskey industry. Long story short (too late), the judges for these whiskeys are the people to listen to when looking for a new pour.
And now they have spoken — definitively — about what you should be sipping right now. Below, I’ve listed the 24 Scotch whiskies that achieved the acclaimed “Gold Outstanding” highest honor at the 2023 IWSC. These are the whiskies that achieved a 98 or 99-point rating out of 100. Amazingly, only one whisky got that coveted 99-point rating and you’ll have to scroll to the end to see which one.
Besides the list, I’ve included the tasting notes from the pros who judged the whiskies at IWSC this year and have included my tasting notes if I’ve tasted the whisky too. Sound good? Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This lightly peated single malt is aged in American oak. 10-year-old casks are chosen for their exacting flavor profile and vatted to create this low-proof local release.
“A fruit-driven nose showing tropical fruits, especially pineapple, combining with bonfire smoke aromas. Tropical fruits linger on the palate where the gentle smoke is integrated ending with a vanilla sweetness in the finish. Good malt character, estery and fruity.”
Bottom Line:
This is made for British grocery stores. So you’re not going to see it around the U.S. That said, this feels like a quality highball whisky to have on hand if you’re traveling around the U.K. this summer.
The GlenDronach Parliament Aged 21 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky — 98 Points
Don’t let the name fool you. The “parliament” in this case is the collective noun for rooks — a type of European crow that nests above the distillery. That dark essence is rendered in the whisky through 21 long years of maturation in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks exclusively.
“Rich fruitcake on the nose with sweet and spicy cloves leading to a balanced palate of dark chocolate, savory notes, and firm tannins giving complexity and balance and finishing on a long juicy raisin mouthfeel.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: A lot is going on with this nose, starting with blackberry brambles hanging heavy with ripe fruit leading towards a well-spiced oatmeal cookie, soft marzipan cut with hints of orange zest, a light sense of dark chocolate with a creamy edge, and soft vanilla cookies sprinkled with mint and lavender.
Palate: A sticky toffee pudding sweetness arrives (heavy on the black tea-soaked dates and nutmeg with a well-salted toffee drizzle) with flourishes of bitter dark chocolate notes and a sharp holiday spice matrix that leans into bark and berry botanicals with a dash of sweet nutmeg.
Finish: The end is very long and very velvety with hints of dark fruits, winter spice barks, soft marzipan, and a fleeting sense of a wildflower orchard.
Bottom Line:
This is a perfect whisky. No faults. It’s just delicious.
Deanston Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 21 Years Old Sherry Cask — 98 Points
This cask-strength bottling is all about soft sherry cask finishing. The organic malt is finished in organic fino sherry casks (the wood is organic and the sherry was too). Those barrels are bottled with no fussing whatsoever.
“Wonderfully rich and bursting with spicy ginger and vanilla aromas. Sweet nutmeg and treacle toffee with hints of tangy orange fill the senses with a soft PX mouthfeel which lingers in the mouth with fabulous complexity.”
Bottom Line:
Deanston is one of those brands that is really gaining traction amongst dyed-in-the-wool whisky fans. This sounds delicious.
Tomintoul Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years — 98 Points
This is classic unpeated Speyside single malt. The whisky spends over two decades mellowing before it’s vatted, proofed with local soft Speyside water, and bottled.
“Intensely fruity with an excellent complexity. Spiced stem and sweet crystalized ginger enthuse on the palate with a supporting cast of brown sugar, orange blossom, rich dark chocolate, and luxurious vanilla notes. A taste sensation, embracing nutty sherry undertones, pastry, and oak on the journey towards the elegant finish.”
Bottom Line:
Spicy and dark fruit sounds delicious. I’m always weary of 40% or 80-proof Scotch, but this sounds like a winner worth checking out.
Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years — 98 Points
Balblair lets this malt rest for over 20 years in old bourbon casks. A batch of those barrels that actually survive is re-filled into old Spanish sherry oak for a final few years of rest before proofing and bottling.
“Warming first impression on the nose showing aroma characteristics of orange peel, blackcurrant, dried fig, dark chocolate, and oak influences shown as spice, nutmeg, and cloves. Full-bodied style showing balance with rich dried fruits and overall sweet indications; a woody finish.”
Bottom Line:
Balblair is a sleeper hit every time I taste it. I can’t imagine this not being a great pour of whisky.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 55.74 Crazy Flamenco Bravura Single Malt Scotch Whisky — 98 Points
This special bottling from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (one of the most famous single cask bottlers in the game) is made from a one-of-a-kind barrel. The whisky in this bottle aged for 15 years in a first-fill Olorosso hogshead in Speyside. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society selected a single barrel and bottled it 100% as-is.
“A good balance of rich dark fruits with cereal notes, esters, and wood extracts on the nose combining with a spiciness, figs, and bourbon cask influences on the palate where the strength of the alcohol comes through. A balanced finish ending with oak.”
Bottom Line:
I’ve never had a bad pour from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. I would confidently buy this without the award (and now more so because of it).
Yes, Scotch whisky has celebrity white-labeled brands too. This one comes from Outlander star Sam Heughan. The whisky’s recipe/build is under wraps so there’s not much more to say besides that Sam Heughan is not simply slapping his name on a bottle. He’s fully involved in the process as a deeply caring whisky fan who wants to put something special on the shelf.
“Exquisite nose of vanilla, toffee, and breadcrumbs. Lovely grainy quality on the palate with buttery apple puree, a refined sweetness, and luscious tropical notes. Floral, fruity, malty, and rich, finishing with orange peel and milk chocolate.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lemon drops and Almond Joys drive the nose with a hint of honey, bourbon vanilla, and dried apricot.
Palate: That apricot gets leathery on the palate as the malts arrive with plenty of honey and cinnamon-forward spice next to a hint of eggnog nutmeg.
Finish: The finish is concise with a little cinnamon, honey, and almond rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic blended Scotch whisky from top to bottom. I tend to like it over a big rock on a slow afternoon. It also works wonders in a simple whisky-forward cocktail.
Craigellachie Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 13 Years — 98 Points
Craigellachie is another classic Speyside malt that forms the backbone of Dewar’s Blended Whisky. This whisky ages for 13 years before it’s vatted, proofed, and bottled.
“Gentle orchard fruit on the nose that is well balanced with rich and complex dried fruit. Delicate palate of lovely sweetness, honey, and vanilla with punchy heat and subtle baking spices. Beautifully finished with oak and wood spiciness.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried apricots and grilled pineapple pop on the nose with a light sense of molasses over what feels like brown sugar basted ham with a thin line of barbecue smoke.
Palate: That hint of sweet smoke leads back to the dried fruit with a hint of creamy vanilla and soft winter spices (cloves and allspice especially).
Finish: Grilled pineapple, mango skins, and marmalade draw out the finish with a hint more of that molasses smokiness and singed winter spices.
Bottom Line:
This is a great cocktail whisky. It adds a subtle fruity/smoky punch to citrus-forward drinks.
Glen Moray Single Malt Scotch Whisky Elgin Limited Edition Aged 10 Years — 98 Points
This limited edition whiskey is made from 10-year-old Glen Elgin. The twist here is that this batch was finished in Chardonnay casks and then bottled as-is with a dash of proofing water.
“Soft fruits lead this drink to make an unforgettable statement. Magnificent lemon sherbet on the nose with butter icing and freshly sliced apple. The palate is spiced fruit cake building to the finish.”
Bottom Line:
Glen Elgin is another sleeper hit. It’s one of those whiskies that pops up and delivers and a great flavor profile. For this one, I’m interested in how deeply the buttery orchard nature of the Chardonnay cask goes.
Glenfairn Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky — 98 Points
“Wonderfully fragrant on the nose with a tropical mango base and a creamy toffee palate that is sweet and unctuous with great balance that finishes with a rich floral character that lingers.”
Bottom Line:
This is another very local U.K. grocery store whisky. I can’t see tracking this down unless I had nothing better to do.
Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky Solera Aged 15 Years — 98 Points
This unique Glenfiddich has its own vibe. The whisky is aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 15 years. Those barrels are then vatted in a special large-format solera barrel that’s never fully emptied as new whisky goes in. The whisky from that vat is proofed down and then bottled.
“Delicate nose with mineral notes, soft fruit is beautifully balanced with a perfect sweetness that continues to develop onto the palate. Baked green apple drizzled in butterscotch sauce with a hint of marzipan and cinnamon.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark dried red fruit mixes with old vanilla on the nose with a hint of orange and maybe some light winter spice.
Palate: Soft plummy fruit mingles with marzipan and vanilla with a light oaky spiciness that’s part spicy mulled wine and part mincemeat pie.
Finish: The holiday sweetness drives the finish with a sense of raisins, marzipan, and gingerbread cookies.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty nice but very light thanks to that low ABV/proof. I wouldn’t spend $90 on it but I wouldn’t turn a glass away if someone handed it to me.
Loch Lomond Inchmurrin Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years — 98 Points
This whiskey is made from three casks — American bourbon oak, re-fill oak, and re-charred oak barrels — that rest for 12 years. Those barrels are vatted and whisky is proofed before bottling.
“Matured impression on the nose with gentle smoke, vanilla sweetness, red currants, and new season strawberry aromas shining through combining with spice, chili, and smoke on the palate where the fruity body complements the overall complexity with a long finish.”
Bottom Line:
Loch Lomond tends to hit these low-age-statement whiskies out of the park with detectability. This is one I’m genuinely interested in tracking down — though I can see it leaning more toward cocktails than sipping.
This special release dropped at last year’s Fèis Ìle (Islay’s premiere whisky folk festival). The whisky in the bottle is classic Bunnahabhain that’s aged for just over a year in Hungarian Tokaji dessert wine casks.
“Rich and savory aromas predominate with underlying nutty notes and a touch of iodine leading to a soft, sweet, smoky palate and a streak of salinity and finely-tuned tannins. ‘The perfect whisky’.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smoldering incense draws you in with a light sense of burnt white sugar, orange zest, and dried roses on the nose.
Palate: Smoldering vanilla pods and burnt pear skins drive the taste toward rich marzipan, soft red berries with a whisper of tartness, and a lush sense of marmalade and lemon curd.
Finish: The end circles back to the dried roses with a hint of sandalwood and singed cinnamon bark next to soft lemon cream with a touch of sawdust.
Bottom Line:
This is an inexplicable whisky that’s genuinely delicious. This is the bottle you pour from when you want to be challenged.
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 25 Years — 98 Points
This seaside whiskey spends over two decades mellowing in old bourbon barrels. For the last couple of years, the whisky rests in Spanish sherry oak before vatting, a touch of proofing, and bottling.
“A rich, sweet, and complex example with indications of maturity showing vanilla, honey, dried and exotic fruits on the nose and palate. Full-bodied style with oak influences shown as toast, dark chocolate, and spice, which keep on lingering in the finish.”
Bottom Line:
This is a gap in my Old Pulteney tasting log. That said, I can’t imagine that this isn’t an absolute banger. The price is high but the reward is likely just as high.
The Glenmorangie Palo Cortado 12 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky — 98 Points
This whisky mellows for eight years in former bourbon casks. A blend of those barrels is then transferred to Palo Cortado casks (an extremely rare and old sherry). Once those barrels are just right, they’re batched, proofed, and bottled otherwise as-is.
“Classic style example with a well-balanced impression on the nose with aroma characteristics of milk chocolate, fudge, and caramelized apple combining on the palate with clear oak characteristics giving a lovely dry mouthfeel and creating complexity with a long spicy finish.”
Bottom Line:
This is a U.K.-only release as of now. It hasn’t reached these shores yet, but given the love for Glenmorangie over here, I can’t imagine this not arriving soon. I’m pretty excited to try it once it does.
This bespoke whisky is made from special Andalucia sherry casks that are blended with malt aged in ex-bourbon casks. The final product is then finished in fresh Olorosso sherry casks before proofing and bottling.
“A wonderful rich single malt bursting with sweet orange marmalade aromas and ginger spice, giving a real tang to the palate; fine vanilla gives an elegant mouthfeel and there’s a hint of chili on the finish. An extremely attractive drop.”
Bottom Line:
This sounds like standard, good whisky. My guess is that it’s one of those that’s solid enough as a table whisky sipper or as a great highball base.
Chivas Brothers Royal Salute Key To The Kingdom 30 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky — 98 Points
These are special editions of Chivas by the Royal Salute branding Basically, that means that these whiskies are made to celebrate huge anniversaries and events associated with the British monarchy. In this case, that’s a blended Scotch whisky made from whiskies from all over Scotland — both grain and malt whiskeys — that were over 30 years old.
“Nicely weighted and complex with flavors of bacon fat and barbecue sauce. Sweet spices shine through with hints of geranium leaf, candied ginger, polished oak, and figs. Well balanced, with a lovely traditional character.”
Bottom Line:
I’ve had a few of these over the years, and they’re always perfectly good whiskies. I guess if you’re a monarchist, these are very desirable.
This is another Royal Salute brand from Chivas Brothers (which celebrates the 21-gun salute at the Tower of London during royal events). This one is made from unpeated Speyside whiskies that clock in between 40 and 44 years old.
“Old leather and polished mahogany on the nose with an intense sweet and spicy palate. Flavors of sultanas, dried figs, and nutmeg shine through. The finish is bright with some sugar and pineapple syrup. Outstanding.”
Bottom Line:
Again, these tend to be very solid blended Scotch whiskies. But yet again, I can’t see bothering with this unless I really cared about the British Crown, or wanted something super insider and show-off-y to drink during the last season of The Crown on Netflix.
Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 30 Years — 98 Points
Talisker’s seaside vibes are on full display in this beautiful bottle. The 2021 limited release (the 30-year is on a random release schedule) was around 3,000 bottles, making this a very rare expression from the Isle of Skye distillery. Those bottles were pulled from both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and masterfully blended right next to the sea at cask strength.
“Very bright, fresh, fruit-driven style. Stunning balance and mouthfeel. The nose is fragrant with delicate aroma oils and a slight waxiness. The palate shines with stewed fruits and marmalade. Lovely texture. Outstanding.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is shockingly subtle and soft with velvety notes of smoldering dried nori next to matchsticks that have been dipped in a buttery and rich dark chocolate with sea salt gently sprinkled all over.
Palate: The palate leans into the dialed-back peat by bringing about a smoked cream with fire-seared peaches next to a hint of wet cedar, very old tobacco leaves, and a touch of almond or oat milk flecked with salt.
Finish: That salt drives the mid-palate towards a finish that’s like getting kissed by merfolk on a beach next to a campfire that’s heating a cauldron full of spicy stewed peaches in more of that cream.
Bottom Line:
This seaside peated malt is so subtle and deeply refined that you’ll always find something new and different with every nose and sip. And I promise you that there’s something to love in there if you take the time to find it.
The Glenmorangie The Accord Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years — 98 Points
“Rich and spicy sherry aromas with dried fruits to the fore tumbled with dark chocolate, sweet ginger, and cinnamon spice. Bold smoke gives complexity and the finish has praline and a hint of summer blackcurrants giving a fruity touch.”
Bottom Line:
This is a bottle that’s far cheaper in the U.K. — it’s far more of a table whisky for on the rocks sipping, highballs, and cocktails. Over here, the price is very over-inflated and, frankly, just not worth it.
The Balvenie The Week Of Peat Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 19 Years — 98 Points
For one week every year, The Balvenie distilled a batch of peated malt whisky (the old-school distillery is world-famous for its unpeated malt). That whisky is left alone in oak until it’s just right. In the case of this bottling, that took 19 years. The whisky was bottled as-is to highlight the subtle peatiness.
“Complex nose with mineral-led characteristics, coming from smoke and soot with well-integrated pine. The sweetness and complexity continue onto the palate well into the finish with vanilla, tar, and licorice.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: Burnt pine forests and chocolate malted biscuits mingle with rich and almost burnt toffee next to smoldering cinnamon bark and a hint of old maple syrup.
Palate: Gingerbread dipped in vanilla icing mingles with rich and lush marzipan, soft burnt orange, and a sense of winter spices that were just lit on fire.
Finish: Dark smoked cherry and cinnamon dance with lush vanilla, salted black licorice, and subtle cedar plank wisping lines of smoke from an orchard wood fire.
Bottom Line:
This is a delicious peated malt that blends in soft and wintry spices and nuttiness. You cannot go wrong pouring this whisky. If you’re not into peated whiskies, this might change your mind thanks to all that lush vanilla, fruit, and nuttiness.
The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky PortWood Aged 21 Years — 98 Points
This masterfully crafted expression from The Balvenie takes some serious time. The whisky is initially aged for 21 years in ex-bourbon casks. That whisky is then transferred to small port pipes, which held port in Portugal for 30 long years. That’s a long, long time, creating some very rare and well-seasoned oak. The effect is singular and distinct.
“Deliciously fruity and expressive on the nose with crisp and vibrant green apple. The palate indicates excellent aging leading to a creamy mouthfeel with vanilla sweetness: like stewed apples and vanilla cream.”
Our Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re pulled in by a gentle sense of ripe yet soft peaches next to wet rose petals and a small billow of cherry tobacco smoke from a pipe.
Palate: The palate, again, is gentle and carries notes of red, sweet, and tart berries, stewed plums, and tiny moments of velvety and buttery pain au chocolat.
Finish: The finish holds onto that chocolate as it slowly meanders through your senses, leaving you with dark fruits, a whisper more of that cherry tobacco, and a pure silk mouthfeel.
Bottom Line:
This is a great whisky for any old bourbon whiskey fan out there. There’s a clear continuity to the flavor profile between this and 10-plus-year-old bourbons. So if you’re a high-end bourbon fan looking to get into really good high-end scotch, you’ll be very happy with this bottle.
The Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Finished in Mizunara PX Sherry Cask Aged 31 Years — 98 Points
This lightly peated malt from The Bowmore was distilled back in 1990. The whiskey spent 30 years in old bourbon casks, mellowing slowly by the sea in Islay. The whisky that survived that long era was then refilled into Mizunara casks from Hokkaido, Japan, which held PX sherry in Spain before making it to Islay. That cask was then bottled as-is.
“A superior malt whisky with lavender and tropical fruit flavors. The floral nose leads to a lovely marzipan and sweet treacle palate with hints of sweet spice and rose. The finish is complex with gentle woodsmoke, sandalwood, and molasses. A masterclass of a malt.”
Bottom Line:
This is probably transcendent whisky. I’m wildly eager to try it.
The Glenturret Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Triple Wood 2022 Release — 99 Points
This pretty standard malt is aged in both bourbon and sherry barrels alongside new American oak barrels, adding a bourbon-iness to it all. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down before bottling.
“A summer Turkish delight of sweet raisin, marmalade, and orange blossom aromas with a rich fruitcake palate, hints of brown sugar and honey, with a creamy toffee texture on the finish.”
Bottom Line:
This is a whisky that you sometimes see in the U.S., but it’s way more prevalent in the EU and the U.K. Is it worth tracking down here? I guess since it’s the highest-ranked whisky from this year’s IWSC the answer is a “yes.”
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