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Scotch whisky in the $150 to $200 is generally going to be pretty f*cking good. The key to finding the best bottles is less about the quality of the booze and more about knowing what you actually like at this price point. Not many Scotch whiskies that reach a $200 price tag — peated and smoky, unique malted barley mash bills, special oak cask finishes, old age statements, cask strength, you name it — aren’t going to be well made.

That’s not to say there aren’t misses at this price point either, there are (cough, cough, Tamdhu, cough, cough). The point is, I’m here to guide you in your journey to find the best expensive Scotch whisky that costs just under $200. Which I fully admit is a real investment when we’re talking whiskey prices.

Still, all of the bottles below are absolute killers. Each one has its own nuance and vibe that makes it unique and will thereby speak to different palates and desires from whiskey drinker to whiskey drinker. My advice stands as it always does. Read through my tasting notes and find the whisky that speaks to you or piques your interest and go for it. Click on the price link and see if you can get some. Let’s dive in!

• The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2022, Ranked
• The Best Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whiskies Under $100, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Scotch Whisky Between $60-$70, Ranked
• Single Malt Whiskeys From Around The World, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• We Blind Tasted Single Malt Whiskies From All Over The World To Find A Champion

20. The Singleton — Single Malt Scotch Whisky Glen Ord Aged 15 Years 2022 Special Release

ABV: 54.2%

Average Price: $152

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a classic that you don’t always see on local shelves. The Singleton of Glen Ord is routed to the Asia-Pacific market almost exclusively. So this is a nice chance to actually get your hands on some of these bottles if you’re in the U.S. The actual whisky is aged in refill American and European oak (those are barrels that have already held scotch at least once before) initially and then finished in wine-seasoned casks that have a very light touch (think white wines, not red).

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose does pop with a dry white wine vibe with a sense of butter, woody spice, and tart red berries next to creamy vanilla with a toffee vibe.

Palate: The palate stays super creamy with a nice maltiness that’s attached to big bowls of fruit — grapes, melon, blood oranges, apples, pears, and more.

Finish: There’s a light sense of kosher salt in the mix late that leads to a slow build of peppery spices and sweet marzipan.

Bottom Line:

It’s great that we’re seeing more and more of this whisky on American shelves. Overall, this is a great landing whisky for someone who’s looking for a well-rounded sipper that doesn’t overdo or overwhelm. It’s just… nice, balanced, and very enjoyable.

19. Ardbeg — Ardcore The Ultimate Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Limited Edition

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $154

The Whisky:

2022’s Ardbeg Day release is an outlier for the distillery. The juice is made with a mash of peated Islay barely mixed with heavily roasted barley in the mix. That dark barley imbues a layer of dark chocolate to the whisky that lasts through the aging process.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is lighter on the nose with hints of wet charcoal meeting notes of raw cacao nibs with a sour edge, a touch of pepper, hints of grapefruit pith, and whispers of dried flowers and sweet herbs.

Palate: The palate meanders through notes of cigarette ash, anise, savory scones with dark chocolate drops, and cardamon with a small line of Band-Aid and pear sneaking in late.

Finish: The finish has a note of menthol/chocolate tobacco with a bit of dry asphalt.

Bottom Line:

Most peated Islay whiskies are acquired tastes and this limited edition Ardbeg is no different. If you’re a fan of the peated Islay brand, then this is a must-have for your collection. If you’re on the fence about heavily peated ashen whiskies, then this might be a little too advanced for you. Tread lightly.

18. The Macallan — Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky The Harmony Collection Rich Cacao

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $171

The Whisky:

The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan went to Spain to create this expression. The whisky is built from ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks to highlight cacao notes that formed in the whisky through maturation. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice line of almost sour dark cacao on the nose that leads to freshly peeled and blanched almonds with cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and creamy dark chocolate-covered plums.

Palate: The palate leans into the chocolate as well with a Lava cake vibe next to chocolate-covered raisins, fresh raspberry in chocolate sauce, and a hint of chocolate bars with peanuts.

Finish: The finish lets some spice sneak in with a hint of zesty orange and dried chili pepper next to a honeyed sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This is a phenomenal dessert whisky. The deep chocolate notes with a hint of sweet honey, salt, and spicy chili create a complex and fulfilling experience that’ll pair perfectly either any rich and cacao-driven dessert. Or go hard in the paint with the food pairing and pour this with a deep and rich mole de pollo. Either way, you’ll be in for a rich and lush whisky treat.

17. Craigellachie — Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 17 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $172

The Whisky:

Craigellachie is the other whisky that helps make Dewar’s (the other main base spirit being Aberfeldy). This expression is made with old-school stills and stored in old-school warehouses. The juice is aged in ex-bourbon casks for 17 years and vatted to highlight the uniqueness of the brand.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: You’re drawn in by that familiar and deep vanilla note with some apple pie in there next to a dried and salted pineapple candy, a touch of smoked oats, and a savory fruit (almost a honeydew melon).

Palate: That pineapple note holds on and intensifies to a pineapple and vanilla pudding on the palate as dry and woody spices arrive next to a hint of dry tobacco, cedar, and a billow of dry smoke.

Finish: The end embraces the smoke through the filter of that pineapple pudding as it slowly fades out.

Bottom Line:

This comes with subtle bourbon vibes by way of classic malty scotch. That makes it a great candidate for bourbon lovers who want to stretch their palate into classic and well-appointed single malt.

16. Bowmore — Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $184

The Whisky:

Islay’s Bowmore has one of the lowest peated levels of any whisky from the famed island. This whisky spends 18 long years maturing in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before those barrels are blended, proofed down with Islay’s soft groundwater, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of creamy toffee candies bespeckled with dried fruits — think cherry, grapes, plums, currants — that leads towards a light sense of bourbon vanilla next to an echo of smoked cherries and apricots with a hint of smoked candied almonds.

Palate: The palate luxuriates in soft and almost creamy milk chocolate malts that form a foundation for spicy oatmeal raisin cookies, a whisper of dried roses, and a touch of dry wicker.

Finish: The finish takes its time and cycles back through the chocolate and oatmeal cookie spice, leaving you with a sense of dried wicker that’s just been singed by flame.

Bottom Line:

This is great for two sets of whisky drinkers. One, it’s a great gateway into Islay malt for bourbon drinkers thanks to the dark cherry, bourbon vanilla, and soft and creamy toffee. Two, it’s a wonderful example of how subtle peated malt can be (even from Islay), making it a great whisky to use as an introduction to delicious and softly peated Islay malt. Whatever path leads you to this whisky, you’ll have a great pour in your hand.

15. The Glenrothes — Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Old

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $154

The Whisky:

This Speyside whisky is often crowned the “Best Speyside” whisky at spirits competitions. The whisky in the bottle is a high portion of first-fill sherry casks, all of which spent 18 long years mellowing in The Glenrothes warehouses. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed down with local water before bottling without any coloring added.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a mix of toasted malts with a touch of pear candy next to small lines of winter spice, dry straw, and a hint of mint tobacco.

Palate: The palate sweetens with the malts before veering into crème brûlée with a little cinnamon sharpness and sweetness before leaning back on the savory fruit, think figs.

Finish: The end is full of rock candy and a dash of dried oak staves.

Bottom Line:

This feels and pours like a quintessential Speyside unpeated malt. The sherry cask comes through with a nice spice and fruitiness that helps the whisky shine and take on some serious depth. If you’re looking for an easy-going experience with some real depth, this is it.

14. Dewar’s — Blended Scotch Whisky Double Double 32 Years

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $175 (375ml bottle)

The Whisky:

Master Blender Stephanie MacLeod really hits it out of the park with this blend. The whisky is built with 32-year-old barrels of both single malt and single grain whiskies. Then all the single malts are blended and re-barreled in an “exhausted” barrel (meaning the barrel has aged its last whisky and would otherwise be repurposed). MacLeod does the same with the grain whiskies. Those grain and malt whiskies are then blended and put into another exhausted barrel for a spell. Finally, those barrels are blended and filled into an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry barrel for a final maturation.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a rich sticky toffee pudding full of black-tea-soaked dates, sharp cinnamon, nutmeg, buttery toffee sauce, and vanilla ice cream with hints of orange zest, wicker, and an old leather tobacco pouch.

Palate: The palate largely delivers on the nose’s profile with meaty dates, figs, and prunes countered by woody spice, dark fruit leather, and a touch of honey barrel staves.

Finish: The finish is shorter than expected with all that dark and dried fruit leaving you with a sweetened and wintry vibe.

Bottom Line:

I always feel like I have to explain why these are good. With this one, it’s just f*cking delicious. Go and drink it, especially if you’re looking for a sweet scotch experience that just doesn’t stop delivering beautiful flavor notes.

13. BenRiach — The Twenty One Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Four Cask Matured

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $174

The Whisky:

This whisky from BenRiach is a combination of peated and unpeated malts. The whiskies are then aged for 21 years in ex-bourbon barrels, ex-sherry casks, virgin oak casks, and former Bordeaux red wine casks. Those are then blended after their two-decade rest and proofed with that soft Speyside water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This bursts with fresh Band-Aids from afar. Those fresh and plasticky bandages are supported by cream soda, a hint of rum-raisin, slight nuttiness, and a dash of old potpourri.

Palate: The palate carries on through the drug store with that Band-Aid vibe as creamy vanilla and soft chocolate malts interact with spicy minced meat pies, walnut coffee cake, and a hint of floral candle wax.

Finish: The finish drops off pretty quickly, leaving you with old Band-Aids, burnt vanilla pods, and a touch more of that cream soda.

Bottom Line:

This is the one bottle of The BenRiach to add to your bar cart. It’s the highwater mark of the brand and a wonderfully built peated malt that just hints at the bigger peated notes that usually drive whisky drinkers away.

12. Arran — Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Old

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $170

The Whisky:

This is classic, old-school whisky making from the Isle of Arran (right next to Islay). The hot juice is aged in a mix of sherry casks for 18 years before it’s vatted, proofed, and bottled without filtration or any other fussing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Blueberry pancakes smothered in butter and maple syrup lead the way and are supported by apple cider and cinnamon sticks.

Palate: Overripe peaches and orange zest pop on the palate with a hint of dark yet creamy chocolate.

Finish: The mid-palate sweetness fades into a mulled-wine-soaked oak stave with stewed peaches next to slightly spiced dark chocolate bars.

Bottom Line:

This is another great after-dinner whisky thanks to all the dark stewed fruits and creamy chocolate. In fact, you can skip dessert and just pour yourself a big ol’ glass of this instead.

11. James Buchanan’s — Red Seal Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $194

The Whisky:

This blended whisky is an amalgamation of 21-year-old barrels of whisky from Diageo’s stable of distilleries. The recipe for this one goes back to the British Royal Family’s preferred recipe from the Victorian era. Basically, Diageo pulls the best “out of series” barrels (those barrels that don’t fit the brand’s primary flavor profiles) from their unpeated whiskies around the country for this expression.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a lovely sense of a malting house with warm and sugar malts next to an almost sour distiller’s beer cut with warm and spicy apple cider next, rum-raisin, and a light note of fresh orange skins.

Palate: The palate dried out the apple toward salted chips, candied ginger, and lime leaves next to caramel malts and quark doughnuts dusted with cinnamon sugar.

Finish: The end has a hint of burnt orange that leads to mild sweet oak and apple tobacco cut with a thin line of dark chocolate.

Bottom Line:

This has a deep and fun flavor profile that feels a little like walking and eating along a boardwalk in a glass. It’s an easy-breezy whisky that goes down almost too easily.

10. Springbank — Aged 15 Years Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $159

The Whisky:

This is made with Springbank’s iconic mildly peated malts and then aged for 15 years in ex-sherry barrels on the tiny Kintyre Peninsula. The whisky is then blended and proofed down with local spring water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a funky and savory nose with hints of teriyaki beef jerky next to powdery stock cubes with a hint of smoked brisket fat next to hydrogen peroxide before turning sweet with stewed prunes with a hint of cinnamon and honey.

Palate: The palate is like a marriage between a nutty and spicy Christmas cake and a low-and-slow brisket with tons of sea salt and fat and a whisper of smoke.

Finish: The finish arrives with a walnut dark chocolate crumble with minor notes of old leather and fireplace ashes next to a thin line of a rocky beach after the rain.

Bottom Line:

This is going to be one of the harder bottles to find on this list (especially at a fair price in the U.S.). Still, if you do grab one, you’ll be in for a real treat that’s 100% unique. This whisky truly stands alone as an exceptional single malt whisky from a true whisky nerd’s distillery.

9. Aberlour — Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Double Cask Matured 18 Years Old

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $153

The Whisky:

The expression from Speyside’s Aberlour uses ex-bourbon casks for its primary maturation and ex-sherry for its finishing maturation. Those barrels are batched after at least 18 years and proofed down with soft Speyside water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: You’re drawn in with a note of hard butterscotch candies next to a touch of chinotto (bittersweet Italian orange), butter toffee, and the slightest wisp of peach pits.

Palate: The taste builds out from that peach pit layer with a note of ripe peach flesh and fuzzy skin while jammy blackberry leads towards a soft cedar.

Finish: The finish really takes its time and leaves you with a silken texture next to a honeyed sweetness and a final roundness of vanilla cream.

Bottom Line:

This is lush and just plain delicious, especially if you’re coming from a high-end bourbon background/palate. This is the bottle you get when you want a deep and vibrant malt experience that feels nostalgic and dramatic but never overcooked.

8. The Balvenie — Single Malt Scotch Whisky French Oak Aged 16 Years

ABV: 47.6%

Average Price: $199

The Whisky:

The Balvenie just added a new release to its core lineup late last year. The whisky is a masterful blend from whisky legend David Stewart. After around 15 years of aging, the whisky is transferred to Pineau des Charentes casks (a French fortified wine) for a final maturation, which is The Balvenie’s first foray into French oak finishing. The whisky is then bottled with a touch of water but as-is otherwise.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Red geraniums and fresh honeycomb greet you on the nose with supporting characters of green grass, pear skins, apple cores, a hint of a cinnamon roll with vanilla frosting, and a dash of nutmeg.

Palate: The palate leans into a lemon curd with a hint of grapefruit pith before layering in floral honey, ginger beer, vanilla-heavy shortbread, oatmeal raisin cookies, and a good dose of orange zest with a pinch of dark chocolate powder mixed in.

Finish: The end is light and airy with a hint of savory fig next to ginger-infused rock candy dipped in creamy dark chocolate that’s just kissed with cinnamon spice.

Bottom Line:

This is a beautiful floral walk through the French countryside on a sunny day with a glass of great whisky in your hand. If that sounds like the life you want to live, then get this pour and enjoy that pour.

7. Clynelish — Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years 2022 Special Release

ABV: 58.5%

Average Price: $199

The Whisky:

This iconic unpeated Highland malt is often used in higher-end Johnnie Walker blends. This expression from 2022 was mellowed in refill American oak barrels that held bourbon and then finished in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a subtle mix of mincemeat pies, syrupy pears from the can, floral honey, and a herbal note of maybe bay leaf or sage with a whisper of mint on the nose.

Palate: The palate has a waxy saltwater taffy vibe tied to vanilla with a soft pepperiness and woody winter spice warmth next to soft toffees.

Finish: The end is lightly spiced with dried chili pepper and peppercorns next to that soft and waxy vanilla saltwater taffy on the spicy finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a stone-cold classic unpeated single malt. It feels 100% like a trip through a Scottish distillery. It’s local yet somehow also universal. Get this bottle if you want really good Scotch whisky that’s all Scotland.

6. The Dalmore — Cigar Malt Reserve Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $199

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a no-age-statement version of The Dalmore. The whisky is made from Golden barley that grows on the island in rich and very coastal soils. The ground malted barley is mixed with pure water from the Cromarty Firth nearby during the mashing process. After a couple of times through pot stills, the hot whisky is loaded into ex-bourbon casks, 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry butts, and former Cabernet Sauvignon from the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux. After 10 to 15 years, those barrels are vatted, the whiskey is proofed, and it’s bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is openly complex from the first inhalation with a matrix of sticky toffee pudding spices — cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg — next to dried red berries with a slight earthiness, a touch of salted toffee candies, and a whisper of vanilla wafers.

Palate: The palate opens with a chocolate maltiness next to a bowl of fresh and tropical fruits — pineapple, tart apples, sweet pears, plums, bruised bananas — with a mild nuttiness, sharp orange zest, and subtle winter spices.

Finish: There’s a light mustiness on the back end that leads to soft and moist pipe tobacco with a thin layer of orchard fruits and stewed figs.

Bottom Line:

This is one of my “I’m going to drink one great glass of whisky tonight” pours. It delivers on every level and should be on your bar cart right now.

5. Oban — Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Old

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $172

The Whisky:

Oban is a tiny distillery that makes some of the world’s best whisky. This expression starts off like all Oban by going through their small, lantern-shaped stills twice before the juice is filled into used oak for an 18-year maturation. The best barrels are vatted and proofed down to a very sippable 86 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a mild whiff of beach campfire smoke that leads towards a fruit salad full of pear, peach, plum, and something more tropical (not quite a banana, not quite a pineapple).

Palate: The palate embraces the fruit to the point where it feels like a smoked fruit saltwater taffy next to a hint of mild eggnog spices.

Finish: The end stays light as those spices kick up alongside a smoked salted caramel sweetness leading towards a final billow of that beach campfire smoldering a few camps down the beach.

Bottom Line:

This whisky ranks this high thanks to nuance. The peat is so well-integrated that it’s almost not there. Instead, it’s layered into the orchard fruits and spice barks with a subtly that’s unparalleled. If you’re thinking about getting into peated malt, this bottle will make you a true believer.

4. Lagavulin — Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillers Edition

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $188

The Whisky:

Last year’s Distiller’s Edition was another prime example of the heights Lagavulin can reach. The whisky was aged for 15 years in the core Lagavulin barrels (ex-bourbon and ex-sherry) and then finished for around six months in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks that were specifically made and held specific sherry before the whisky was loaded into the barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: You’re drawn in with hints of honeyed smoke, salted caramel apples, mild hints of vanilla, and smoldering coffee grounds.

Palate: The taste ties the honey to a soft oakiness next to vanilla chocolate coffee, seaside salted taffy, and a touch of fish oil.

Finish: The end is very long and pure velvet on the tongue as the sweet oak fades towards a sweet smokiness, with a hint of salty roasted almonds and burnt vanilla husks.

Bottom Line:

This is succinct whisky that doesn’t shy away from anything but still offers a welcoming and soft profile that’s hard not to fall in love with. The exacting nature. this pour is so tight and beautiful. This is the bottle you get when you’re ready to graduate from mild peat to something a touch bolder.

3. Jura — Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years Tide Time

ABV: 46.7%

Average Price: $169

The Whisky:

This expression from Jura (next door to Islay) is a classic unpeated malt that leans into a softer sweetness. The whisky is aged in ex-bourbon barrels for years. Once those barrels hit just the right point, they’re re-barreled into new American oak casks for a final rest before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Creamy toffee with a hint of sour butter mingles with canned grapes and peaches next to fresh ginger coins, Almond Joy bars, and rich and soft marzipan on the nose.

Palate: That coconut and chocolate are cut with rum raisin on the taste next to macadamia nut cookies, almond cake dusted with powdered sugar, and a mild sense of stewed prunes and marmalade.

Finish: That stewed fruit melds with the almond nuttiness on the finish with a slight sense of vanilla oak and mild winter spice.

Bottom Line:

This is another great dessert pairing whisky. The coconut, almond, and stewed fruits feel very holiday-forward. That aside, this is another sipper that goes down almost too easily. If you add a rock or a little water, it gets super creamy, which adds to the overall dessert vibes.

2. The Glendronach — Allardice Aged 18 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $181

The Whisky:

This Highland whisky is a local tradition of sorts, dating back to the brand’s origins in the 1820s. The whisky in the bottle is hewn from barrels of at least 18-year-old whiskies. The maturation is done exclusively in hand-picked Olorosso sherry casks from Spain.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old orchard wood, soft leather, dried orange peels, raspberry jam, and creamy dark chocolate gently mingle on the nose.

Palate: That jam leans into a spiced cherry compote as stewed plums with plenty of allspice and clove lead to soft walnut cake with a malty backbone.

Finish: The mid-palate takes that walnut and sweetness and moves the taste toward velvety malts and soft and sweet orchard wood, dusting more of that dark chocolate and dark berry silkiness.

Bottom Line:

Speaking of the holidays, this is an essential pour of deep and dark whisky. This is lush, silky, and perfect — not “pretty much perfect,” actually perfect. That said, the only reason it’s not #1 on this list is that it feels way better to drink during the holidays than on a hot summer day, but I’m really splitting hairs to rank these amazing whiskies at this point.

1. Talisker — Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years

ABV: 45.8%

Average Price: $194

The Whisky:

This is a classic single malt that also happens to hold the title of “Best Single Malt Whisky in the World” from the World Whiskies Awards. The iconic whisky is rendered in Talisker’s bespoke stills and then spends nearly two decades resting in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels, like most of the true classic single malts.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose has a light yet clear sense of ripe plums, orange oils, buttery toffee, and an almost sour apple next to a distant whiff of briny campfire smoke from one beach over.

Palate: The orange oils remain on the palate as eggnog spices peek in gently, with hints of that butter toffee driving a rich silkiness.

Finish: The smoke remains in the distance as the spices warm your senses and the meaty fruit takes the edge off on the slow and satisfying fade.

Bottom Line:

The general consensus is that this is the “Best Single Malt Whisky in the World” and I have absolutely no desire to argue with that. This is my house pour. It should be yours too.

Camila Cabello is launching a mental health and wellness campaign. In celebration of World Sleep Week (March 13 to 18), Cabello has partnered with leading mental health brand Calm to share a sleep story.

In her sleep story, titled The Beauty Of Winding Down, Cabello delivers a calming set of words, in order to help sooth the listeners’ worries.

“I swear by ASMR — it’s a long-time tool I have used to help myself relax and fall asleep,” Cabello said in a statement. “With a mix of immersive sensory storytelling and vibrations of sounds, this Sleep Story brings the unique ASMR experience to Calm inviting users to come into the present moment and drift off to sleep.”

This isn’t the first time Cabello has opened up about her love of ASMR, which stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response.” Last year, shortly the release of her third studio album, Familia she took to her Instagram to talk about a time when she was interviewed by someone with an ASMR voice (per Dexerto).

“ASMR causes such real body sensations for me,” she said. “I get crazy waves of head tingles and am so relaxed I could knock out.”

She continued, saying that her affinity for ASMR is “a blessing and a curse, though, because when I’m doing an interview and ‘ASMR brain’ takes over, I feel like I’m about to fall asleep.”

The status of Verzuz, the brainchild of powerhouse producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, is currently up in the air. However, that hasn’t stopped legacy acts and fans alike from creating their fantasy onstage battles online or in interviews. In fact, Wiz Khalifa, 21 Savage, and Jermaine Dupri are just a few of the musicians that are open to the idea of putting up their discography to compete against another musical opponent. However, there’s a former participant that is looking to redeem themselves in a second face-off.

Rapper Jim Jones, a proud member of the rap collective Dipset (comprised of Juelz Santana, Cam’Ron, and himself), wants a Verzuz rematch against rap titans The Lox (which is comprised of Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Jadakiss). Back in August 2021, the groups took the stage of Madison Square Garden, where The Lox was declared the evening’s victors unanimously. The landslide victory even birthed several memes and GIFs, which still flood around Black Twitter to this day.

Now that the pain of defeat stings a little less, Capo admitted to AllHipHop TV that, as a group, they could’ve done better. The “Back In My Prime” rapper was honest with the host revealing that they did not practice but if offered the chance to do it again, things would be different.

“I think we need proper respect of doing it in the Garden, the big Garden, with proper security, set up right so everybody have breathing room. Not using it as no excuse, but we need a rematch for the city. I’m puttin’ it out there. I’m puttin’ it out there like Rocky after he lost to Apollo Creed — And we gonna be ready like hot spaghetti,” said Jones.

The entertainer also had suggestions on how the rematch should be scored, saying, “Let’s score it like a boxing match. Let’s get the judges. Let’s make it live. Let the people vote live. Let’s do it right. Let’s really go for it.”

Watch the clip above.

Despite Frank Ocean being one of the world’s biggest superstars, capable of headlining Coachella, no one ever seems to know exactly what he’s up to. That is, of course, by design; the famously reclusive singer-songwriter flies way below the radar, eschewing the trappings of fame for a much more humble — and mysterious — existence.

So, anytime he surfaces, there’s usually a flurry of interest. Fans can’t get enough of wondering whether he’ll release new work, announce a tour, an odd sex toy, or in this case, debut a new look. The avant-garde performer born Christopher Edwin Breaux popped back up recently with a new selfie, revealing that in his absence from the spotlight, he’s not only grown a full beard but also some truly luxurious, shoulder-length locks.

Of course, this new appearance gives him a very strong resemblance to a certain religious figure that many a Black grandma had a painting of hanging on the wall, and fans just couldn’t stop making exactly that joke in response.

Of course, there were some other creative entries to the joke canon. One fan pointed out Frank’s aesthetic similarity to a character in one of hip-hop’s cinematic staples, while others lamented their own resemblance to the newly hirsute singer.

The winner is, of course, professional comic Zack Fox, who gave his take on Instagram:

However, all this might be moot; the image appears to be yet another example of the misleading realism of AI and deepfake technology. It’s getting truly scary out here! Whatever the real Frank Ocean is doing, let’s all hope this doesn’t freak him out and send him even further underground, or we might never get new music from him again.

The Los Angeles Chargers may have someone else lining up to Justin Herbert in the backfield next year. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Chargers and standout running back Austin Ekeler failed to progress in talks on a contract extension, and as a result, the team has given Ekeler permission to look for a trade elsewhere.

The news comes one day after Ekeler requested a trade over the way contract talks were going. The former undrafted free agent is on an extremely team-friendly deal right now, as he is in the final year of a 4-year, $24.5 million contract that is slated to give him a $7.75 million cap hit this season. He will turn 28 in May.

Over the years, Ekeler has turned into one of Herbert’s favorite targets in addition to what he does running the football. Last season, no player accounted for more touchdowns than Ekeler, who ran for 13 and caught another five. It was his second straight season leading the league in touchdown from scrimmage, as he tied with Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor with 20 total scores in 2021. In all, Ekeler ran the ball 204 times for 915 yards during the 2022 campaign and caught 107 passes for another 722 yards.

Losing Ekeler would be yet another major change for the Charger offense during the offseason, as the team has already brought in a new coordinator in former Dallas Cowboys OC Kellen Moore.

Going into the You Season 4 premiere, star Penn Badgley dropped what probably felt like a bombshell to fans of the hit Netflix series: He no longer wanted to film sex scenes. At the time Badgley chalked the decision up to wanting to preserve “fidelity” to his marriage, and it wasn’t long until the internet was off to the races. The Discourse around Badgley’s decision fluctuated between speculation that he got caught cheating or he was erroneously equating the scenes with, well, actual sex.

In a new interview, the actor makes it clear that he saw the online chatter, and while he didn’t quite understand the backlash, he knows the internet is going to internet. Via GQ:

Badgley says that he was somewhat taken aback by the reaction to his comments, which feel “blown out of proportion”, but is all too aware of how the internet takes things out of context. “What I was speaking about wasn’t actually the final product,” he says. “It was sort of like the culture inherent to the production of all movies, but particularly those scenes. It’s like, look, we know that Hollywood has had a history of flagrant exploitation and abuse.”

Despite the backlash, Badgley opened up even more about his stance on longer filming intimacy scenes and how it could affect his career moving forward.

“I was nervous to even have that conversation,” Badgley said about telling You creator Sera Gamble. “It was not easy. It was easy because of Sera’s response, and I felt relieved. But technically speaking, if I thought I’d had the ability to set that boundary earlier, I would have.”

He added, “We shall see if setting that boundary, of course, has any ramifications. Just simply, it does limit the number of projects you can be a part of.”

(Via GQ)

Lindsay Lohan is about to be a mom. Not like a regular mom, a cool mom.

The Mean Girls star shared a cheeky pregnancy announcement on Instagram Tuesday with a photo of a white onesie with the words “Coming Soon” in black lettering on the front. She captioned the image saying, “We are happy and blessed,” before sneaking in a few appropriately-themed emojis for good measure.

Lohan met her husband, financier Bader Shammas, in Dubai around 2018 and the two secretly tied the knot sometime in 2022. Now the couple is expecting their first child together and fans are losing it, sharing memes from some of Lohan’s most popular movies and hyping this next stage of the Lohanaissance.

Lohan, who currently lives in Dubai with Shammas, told TMZ the pair are “very excited for our new family member to arrive and we are looking forward to this next chapter of our lives!” Lohan’s been making a comeback of sorts over the past few years, scoring a two-picture deal with Netflix while her former co-star Jamie Lee Curtis stokes rumors that a Freaky Friday sequel might be on the horizon. She’s also been rumored to be making a cameo in the Mean Girls Musical movie that Tina Fey is producing.

Now it looks like impending motherhood can be added to her busy schedule.

(Via TMZ)

Michael Imperioli has made up for his bad take about The Sopranos pilot.

The White Lotus actor shared a photo of the transgender flag on his Instagram account, along with the caption, “dear brothers, sisters and siblings. fear not, be strong and don’t let the bastards grind you down. love you.”

When someone in the replies wrote that they were unfollowing him, Imperioli wrote back, “you should,” followed by “hurry up.” He also said that such people make him “ashamed” and they’re “not allowed to watch my shows anymore.”

You can see the interaction below.

This isn’t the first time that Imperioli has voiced his support for the LGBTQ+ community. After Qatar World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman described homosexuality as “damage in the mind,” the actor replied, “Since being gay is illegal in Qatar, anyone attending the world cup should obey their rules. How about no one attends or watches or supports this gross display of hate, intolerance and ignorance (which are the true diseases of the mind)? Homophobia sucks. and while we are so does FIFA for accepting blood money to hold their obsolete tournament in Qatar.”

Michael Imperioli seems like a good dude (with good stories about James Gandolfini listening to Dookie in his Sopranos trailer).

Fall Out Boy is gearing up for their first new album in years, with So Much (For) Stardust dropping in just ten more days. Despite band member Joe Trohman announcing he would be stepping away from the band temporarily, they still have a lot of stuff in store for fans.

Here is everything to know about the new record.

Release date

Fall Out Boy’s new album drops on 03/24 via Fueled By Ramen/DCD2. You can pre-save it here.

Tracklist

1. “Love From The Other Side”
2. “Heartbreak Feels So Good”
3. “Hold Me Like A Grudge”
4. “Fake Out”
5. “Heaven, Iowa”
6. “So Good Right Now”
7. “The Pink Shell” (feat. Ethan Hawke)
8. “I Am My Own Muse”
9. “Flu Game”
10. “Baby Annihilation”
11. “The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)”
12. “What A Time To Be Alive”
13. “So Much (For) Stardust”

Features

Currently, there is only one feature on So Much (For) Stardust, as actor Ethan Hawke will apparently appear on “The Pink Shell.”

Singles

Fall Out Boy has prefaced their forthcoming album with two singles so far: “Love From The Other Side” and “Heartbreak Feels So Good.”

Tour

The band is set to head out on tour starting this summer. To celebrate their new album, Fall Out Boy is bringing Bring Me The Horizon, Royal & The Serpent, Alkaline Trio, New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, The Academy Is…, Games We Play, Daisy Grenade, and Carr as opening acts for selected dates. A complete list of the North American shows is available here.

Fall Out Boy is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

If you’re a John Wick fan living in Japan, I have good and bad news. Let’s do the bad news first: you won’t be able to see John Wick: Chapter 4 (which rules) until the fall, probably September. It’s unfair, I know, considering everyone else gets to enjoy Keanu Reeves fighting Donnie Yen as soon as later this month. But here’s the good news: if you hang out in a hotel bar in Tokyo, you might see Reeves discussing the future of John Wick over whiskey.

John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski recently did an interview with the Hollywood Reporter where he was asked about whether he and Reeves have considered making more John Wick movies. “In our minds, Keanu and I are done for the moment. We’re going to give John Wick a rest. I’m sure the studio has a plan. If everyone loves it and it goes kooky, then we’ll take a quiet minute,” he said. Stahelski added that the John Wick films, “for some weird reason,” always have “the latest release date in Japan… If it’s the same this time, we’ll do a Japanese tour and release the movie in September.”

Once press tour obligations are over, “Keanu and I will take the long trip to Tokyo, we’ll sit in the Imperial Hotel Scotch Bar and go, ‘What do you think?’ We’ll have a couple 20-year-old whiskies and write some ideas on napkins,” Stahelski said. “If those ideas stick, maybe we’ll make a movie.”

You can book a reservation at the Imperial Hotel for September here, in case you have any good John Wick story ideas. “This time, John Wick kills bad guys with his sidekick, a talking cat.”

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)