If you type in the phrase “winter beers” into Google or your favorite search engine, you’re going to get a ton of results featuring stouts, porters, barleywines, Scotch ales, and other malty, bolder, and darker beers. You won’t see many (if any) lists featuring pilsners. But we believe that if you were to make a list of beers that are appropriate literally any time of year, the pilsner has to be there.
While we enjoy the crisp, slightly sweet, highly refreshing flavor of a well-made pilsner in the heat of the summer, who’s to say it isn’t just as memorable on a cold winter day? The way we see it: there’s no wrong time of year to enjoy a crushable beer. Pair it with heavy winter foods for a lighter, complementary beer or sip it while you binge your favorite streaming shows on a frigid winter night.
Now that we’ve given you a thirst for a well-made pilsner, it’s time to drink some. To find them, we went to the professionals for help. We asked some popular craft beer experts and brewers to tell us their favorite pilsners to drink during the winter months. Keep reading to see them all.
Alexandr Czech Style Pilsner from Schilling Beer Co. I still drink this in the winter because it’s refreshing and easy to drink year-round. A great take on the classic Bohemian pilsner style.
Tasting Notes:
It has tons of malt flavor and notes of bread. It is crisp and clean, and a slightly earthy hop bitterness on the finish.
Jever Pilsener
Jever
Phil Markowski, brewmaster at Two Roads Brewing in Stratford, Connecticut
I drink Jever pilsener from Germany any chance I get. The key is to find it reasonably fresh, which can be a challenge. I like Jever for its bracing bitterness and ultra-clean fermentation. What do you expect, I’m a brewer! Even on the coldest days of winter, I savor those major IBUs. No matter if it’s 10 F or 80 F, I never tire of this excellent pilsner from the Fatherland.
Tasting Notes:
Cracker-like malts, wet grass, floral hops, and a bitter finish. What’s not to love?
Bitburger Premium Pils is my pick because it’s consistently delicious. Pilsner is one of my favorite styles and Bitburger has a balanced hop character. A fresh Bitburger is one of the best beers on the planet.
Tasting Notes:
Cereal grains, baked bread, floral, earthy, grassy hops, and a crisp finish make this a memorable beer.
As Freud said, ‘sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.’ And for brewers, sometimes a beer is just a beer. When I quest for a good beery beer, I head to Human Robot for one of brewer Andrew Foss’ Hallertau Pils. It’s just everything I want that beer to be.
Tasting Notes:
Clean, crisp, fresh, with a toasty note, a wisp of lager yeast with a field of fresh Hallertau on the nose. A brew to spend an afternoon or evening with.
Russian River STS Pils
Russian River
Bryan Donaldson, the brewing innovation manager at Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California
STS Pils from Russian River Brewing. While this beer is available year-round (and worth drinking year-round), it works great in winter. Technically a keller-style, the slight bit of yeast left in the bottle gives just a little more body to this otherwise dry, crisp beer.
Tasting Notes:
The small dry hop adds a bit of grassiness and spiciness that celebrate winter but also calls to the warmer weather that is to come.
Winter is a good time for a trip to Chicago’s Field Museum, and a trip to the Field Museum isn’t complete without a pint of Tooth and Claw by Off Color Brewing. Brewed for the museum, it’s a ‘Chicago-style pilsner’ (it’s dry-hopped) that’s dandelion-yellow.
Tasting Notes:
Take a whiff; a quick hit of chlorophyll in the aroma melts into pronounced baked bread malts accented by mild lemon zest. Just ever so slightly more bitter than you’d expect from a pilsner, the beer finishes with a fresh, doughy character that spotlights its incredible cohesiveness and balance.
Rothaus Pils Tannenzapfle is a true classic with pure crispness and bright malt flavor. With its history in Germany’s Black Forests, it’s a traditional pilsner that is beloved by brewers and drinkers alike. It’s the kind of beer I always keep in my fridge.
Tasting Notes:
Notes of cereal grains, caramel, and grassy, earthy hops make this an excellent, crisp, easy-drinking beer perfect for any time of year.
Trumer Pils is often my choice on a hot day, but it’s also a great beer on a cold day too. It is a beautiful beer, especially on draft. It is clean, crisp, and infinitely sessionable. It is light, refreshing, and flavorful (not an easy thing to pull off). It’s a sessionable German-style pilsner with an 4.8% ABV making it the craft beer to drink when you are drinking more than one.
Tasting Notes:
Be it spring, summer, fall, or winter. Trumer is always a tasty beer with notes of sweet corn, cereal grains, bready malts, and floral hops.
Half Acre Pony
Half Acre
Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
Pony by Half Acre is a year-round pilsner for me. The crispness keeps me awake when my body wants to go into winter slumber. What’s better than a crisp, refreshing pilsner on a cold day?
Tasting Notes:
The German hops give it a bright pop of bitterness and floral flavor. While some are breaking bread, my friends and family are cracking cans of Pony for a subtle malty sweetness.
Industry Pils from The ABGB. This is my style pilsner. Drinking this absolutely fresh, it’s one of my favorite pilsners in the world. It’s a balancing act to put as many hops into the pilsner as they do, while still having it drink clearly German.
Tasting Notes:
They pull it off well, and it’s just bursting with hop flavor, held down by a firm bitterness, a clean lightly bready malt profile, and that classic crisp, dry finish. From the first whiff of the glass to the final sip, it is such an inviting beer.
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.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. There is a lot going of excitement going on in the world of sneakers right now. Stüssy and Timberland are set to team up, Nike is gearing up to drop some new Valentine’s day kicks, Adidas and Bad Bunny are scheduled to release a brand-new collaboration, Nicki Minaj is rolling out a special Pinkprint Air Jordan 6, and Union has begun teasing a new Jordan 1 — a lot of brands are giving us a very good reason to save up our money and see what’s in store, which brings us to this week.
It’s another short one, but the quality is superb. Need new Jordans? We got you! Love the UltraBOOST but you’ve been waiting it out for some great colorway? This is the week. Want some New Balances? Covered. We may still be in a slow release season but everything that is coming out is a winner. Let’s dive into the six best sneakers dropping this week.
Converse x DRKSHDW TURBODRK Chuck 70
Nike
The latest DRKSHDW Converse collab has dropped and has updated the Chuck 70 — a notoriously thin sneaker not fit for this weather — for the winter. Featuring an all-over zebra-print jacquard upper, this Rick Owens-designed rendition features a square toe, an elongated tongue, and a redesigned midsole with dual branding at the tongue.
Leave it to Owens to never run out of ideas on how to redesign this classic sneaker silhouette.
The Converse x DRKSHDW TURBODRK Chuck 70 is out now for a retail price of $170. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Adidas UltraBOOST Triple Black/Cloud White
Adidas
Adidas is off to a pretty slow start this year, but be patient, the next Bad Bunny collaboration is coming. Until then, at least the triple stripe brand is spoiling us with a re-up of the UltraBOOST Triple Black and Cloud White.
Dropping as a woman’s size exclusive, the UltraBOOST sports a lightweight PRIMEKNIT textile upper atop a BOOST midsole and a stretch web outsole. These are pretty much the only two colorways worth picking up the UltraBOOST in so act fast, they will sell out.
The Adidas UltraBOOST Triple Black/Cloud White is out now for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Adidas CONFIRMED app.
AdidasAdidas
Air Jordan 1 True Blue
Nike
The concept for the True Blue Jordan 1 is simple, take a classic sneaker silhouette, the Jordan 1, and combine it with the famous colorway of another classic sneaker silhouette, the Jordan 3, and you have a whole new iconic piece of footwear. Yup, that works, no complaints here!
Featuring a premium leather upper with 1985 design features, this Jordan 1 sports a high-top collar, a woven tongue, and a combination of True Blue, white, and Cement Grey. There isn’t an era when this shoe wouldn’t look dope.
Leave it to Nike to do something spectacularly low-effort and still make it work.
The Air Jordan 1 True Blue is set to drop on January 14th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $180. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
Nike Women’s Air Jordan 5 Dunk On Mars
Nike
There aren’t enough Jordan 5 drops in bold colors, generally, the sneaker features too much white and University Red but this week Nike is dropping a women’s size exclusive that brings the bold tones.
The Dunk On Mars features a premium suede upper in an eye-catching Martian Sunrise colorway with reflective accents meant to evoke our Milky Way galaxy. It looks great and makes the case for why we need more bold tones utilized on this chunky silhouette.
The Nike Women’s Air Jordan 5 Dunk On Mars is set to drop on January 14th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
NikeNike
New Balance Made in USA 990v2 Purple with Yellow
New Balance
On the slightly less exciting end of New Balance releases, the 990v2 is getting a new colorway! While that isn’t quite as thrilling as a brand new Aime Leon Dore collaboration, this three-color sneaker still looks dope enough to get excited over.
Featuring a pig suede leather and mesh upper, this v2 combines purple, magenta, and golden yellow tones over an off-white ABZORB style midsole.
The New Balance Made in USA 990v2 Purple with Yellow is set to drop on January 12th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $194.99. Pick up a pair at the New Balance webstore.
New BalanceNew Balance
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance Rainier
Aime Leon Dore
Near the close of last year, Aimé Leon Dore linked up with New Balance for a reimagined hiking boot called the Rainier, and now that boot is getting a wider re-release in all three colorways, so if you missed out, you’ve got another chance!
Featuring a nubuck and Gore-Tex upper, the Rainier sports woven branding at the innersole and a co-branded tongue over an EVA foam midsole, and a debossed NB logo.
The Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance Rainier is set to drop on January 13th for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair at Aimé Leon Dore or the New Balance webstore.
During last Thursday’s “Inside The NBA,” Shaquille O’Neal promised to eat a frog if Georgia defeated TCU in Monday’s National Championship Game. The Bulldogs, of course, rollicked TCU, 65-7, to secure their second consecutive College Football Playoff title. So, O’Neal delivered on his promise Thursday and ate some fried frog.
His co-panelist, Ernie Johnson, a Georgia alum, served O’Neal the dish on a silver platter while donning a Georgia football helmet. O’Neal initially looked wary and a bit unenthused by the entire situation. But then, he dug right into those suckers without an ounce of hesitation.
“I’m a man of my word,” O’Neal said as he devoured the frog legs.
Miley Cyrus officially kicked off her new era today by dropping her anticipated new pop song, “Flowers.” After fans across the globe had spotted teaser posters that featured the track’s lyrics, “I can buy myself flowers / I can take myself dancing / I can hold my own hand,” Cyrus confirmed the news during her New Year’s Eve Party hosting job.
Presumably, as it was released on her ex-husband’s birthday, “Flowers” is an anthem about reclaiming personal power in the wake of a relationship.
She also throws some shade in the bridge that also doubles on emotions. “I didn’t want to leave you, I didn’t want to fight / Started to cry, but then remembered I…” she sings, trailing off to tie right back into the empowering chorus.
“Flowers” comes complete with a brand new music video that finds Cyrus dancing alone around a mansion and working out in the backyard.
The lead single appears on her forthcoming eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, which drops on March 10. She’s described it as a “love letter to L.A.,” according to a press release. Oh, and she also shared an album teaser to social media that pays even more of a tribute to the city.
Watch Miley Cyrus’ new music video for “Flowers” above.
Endless Summer Vacation is out 3/10 via Columbia Records. Pre-save it here.
For over three decades, Pharrell Williams has been one of the strongest forces in music. Having produced music for some of the biggest artists in pop, hip-hop, and R&B, as well as his solo projects, and his projects with NERD., there’s no denying Pharrell has the magic touch. While he’s also produced commercial jingles, and even the opening music for Chelsea Handler’s old late-night talk show, Chelsea Lately, fans of Pharrell shouldn’t get their hopes up for any long-form pieces from him.
In an extensive interview with The Guardian, Pharrell was asked if he would ever consider scoring for a film franchise like Star Trek. He revealed that while he is a fan of Star Trek, he doesn’t feel that scoring films is in his wheelhouse.
“Scoring is a different speed,” he said. “There are all kinds of races: relay, marathons, cross-country, sprints. A film is a marathon. Every step has to be penciled in to take people on a journey. A 15-second jingle would be a sprint. My specialty is the three-to-five-minute race. I don’t have the mental endurance to stay on something as long as a film score. There’s a reason Hans Zimmer has two Oscars. I’m not an actor, so the only thing I would ever consider would be a Wes Anderson film because I’m a huge Wes Anderson fan. I have very peculiar tastes as to how I like to escape, so I would completely lose myself and be any character he asked.”
Though it seems scoring a film is out of the question, fans can always enjoy the prolific producer’s expansive discography. Additionally, he is set to drop a new album called Phriends, Vol. 1 this year.
There’s a lot of great Scotch whisky out there. But as with anything in life, that also means there’s just as much bad and mediocre Scotch whisky hitting shelves too. That makes finding a good bottle a little harder than just grabbing for whatever catches your eye on the liquor store shelf. A little guidance is necessary and one of the best ways to find that guidance is to dig into what everyone else is actually drinking.
That means that it’s time to take a look at the best-selling Scotch whisky on the booze delivery site Drizly. But I’m not just listing their 20 best-selling scotches and leaving it at that. That’s pretty useless information at the end of the day. I’m going to call out my favorite expression from each of the top 20 best-selling brands so you actually do know which bottle to reach for.
Read through my tasting notes and see what speaks to you and then hit that price link to see if the bottle is actually available in your region (most of these will be). Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This year’s limited edition Aberfeldy 18 was finished in special red wine casks. Aberfeldy’s Stephanie Macleod hand-selected Tuscan red wine casks from Bolgheri, Italy to finish this whisky. Once those barrels hit the right spot, they were vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a cumin and chili powder essence on the nose with vanilla cream, cherry cake, spiced caramel malts, and maybe a fleeting hint of flour tortillas with a hint of lard.
Palate: The palate Leans into the spiced and sweet malts with a dash of sharp green pepper next to lime leaves before moist marzipan and vanilla cake counterpoint the spice with sweetness.
Finish: The end has a soft oakiness that leads to a hint of soda bread with a mild pepperiness to the malt.
Bottom Line:
This new Aberfeldy is legit. The depth of the Tuscan red wine finish plays wonderfully with the sweet and creamy single malt beneath. Make sure to add a little water to really let the deeper flavors bloom in the glass (more creaminess and nuttiness will rise to the top).
Revival 15 takes its sherried nature very seriously. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 long years. Those casks are married and this whisky is brought down to a very easy-drinking 92 proof with that soft Highland water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark berry brambles with tart and sweet fruit, stems, thorns, and even a little black dirt draw you in on the nose with a hint of walnut shell and cherry pie.
Palate: The palate is a creamy-yet-bitter dark chocolate orange that leads toward a semi-savory fig countered by ripe apricot.
Finish: The chocolate comes back with cinnamon spice and more dark berries and walnut at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is just a classic unpeated single malt that has real dark depth. This is also a great candidate if you’re looking to move from high-end bourbon to really good single malt.
18. Bruichladdich — Octomore 13.3 Edition Aged 5 Years Super Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt
This new limited edition Octomore from Bruichladdich is all about Islay. The whisky is made from heavily peated malts grown on the island (most malts are shipping in from the mainland) back in 2015. In 2016, the whisky was distilled right by the sea at Bruichladdich and then loaded into first-fill, ex-American whiskey casks and second-fill European oak casks from the Rivesaltes region of France and the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. After five years, the casks were vatted and then bottled completely as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a subtle mix of salted caramel with sweet caramel malts, apricot jam, gingerbread, and a touch of nasturtium with a whisper of smoked apples and pears before the ashen peat starts sneaking in with a sense of a BBQ pork rib rack smothered in BBQ sauce.
Palate: The palate opens with smoked brown sugar next to rich marzipan with a hint of Almond Joy next to Kiwi boot wax, orange marmalade, dried roses, lemon pepper, and a hint of oyster liquor.
Finish: The end has a caramel maltiness that’s just kissed with sea salt and potpourri cut with mild dark spices and more of that marzipan, finishing on a light fruit soda vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is a great option if you’re looking for huge peated vibes but want a truly well-layered depth of flavor beyond the earthy peat. And if that peat is a bit too much, add a little water or ice to calm it down and try it again.
17. Highland Park — Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18-Year
This Viking whisky from high up in the Orkneys takes barreling one step further. Their 18-year expression is matured in casks made from American and European oak specifically for Highland. Those bespoke vessels are sent to Jerez, Spain to age sherry for three years. The same barrels are then sent back to Orkney to age this whisky for 18 years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This really feels like a classic scotch at every step. You’re greeted with notes of marzipan, dark berries, honey, and light lines of smoke on the nose.
Palate: Those notes hold on as buttery toffee arrives with a dark chocolate counterpoint, leading towards ripe red cherries and floral honey.
Finish: The end embraces distant billows of sweet smoke with a dry and earthy undertow on the slow, sweet, and berry-filled fade.
Bottom Line:
This whisky has a nice balance between sweet and peated malt that just works. It’s great over a few rocks but shines as a slow sipper on its own as well.
Buchanan’s is making a big comeback. Part of that is due to this expression snagging a Double Gold from San Francisco World Spirit Competiton in 2020; another part is the quality Diageo whiskies in the blend.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey opens with a real sense of dark chocolate married to bright orange zest.
Palate: The palate builds on that adding hints of vanilla pudding and dark spices next to a cedar woodiness and a little bit of spicy/ chewy tobacco.
Finish: A whisper of peat arrives late and far in the background as the chocolate orange throughline lasts the longest on the fade.
Bottom Line:
You really only want to have this around for mixing up cocktails or pouring over a glass full of rocks. It’s great for those applications.
A’bunadh (ah-boon-arh) means “the original” in Gaelic and the whisky in this Highland bottle represents that for Aberlour. The whisky is matured in old Oloroso sherry casks exclusively. The whisky then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That sherry plumminess is evident right up top, with hints of bright orange oils, clumps of dark chocolate, honey, and nuts, and a hint of oak.
Palate: The taste shines with notes of dark, ripe cherries, prunes, more bright orange zest, dark chocolate, and a good measure of svelte vanilla.
Finish: The slow finish leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel next to bitter chocolate next to sweet cherries and plums, all of which lead towards a warming spice on the tongue at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bridge between the world of high-proof bourbon and high-proof unpeated malt. If you’re a big bourbon drinker, you’ll fall in love with this stuff on your first nose and sip.
Chivas 18 is the brand’s signature higher-end blend. The whisky is built around a specially made Strathisla 18 single malt. 20 other single malts support that whisky from around Scotland with various casking processes.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This just feels classic from the first nose onward. There are clear layers of very fancy dark chocolate that’s equal parts creamy and bitter next to dried red berries with a tart edge, buttery toffee, and a hint of dried roses wrapped in old leather.
Palate: The palate marries the dried roses with the dark chocolate with a hint of smoked cherry and raspberry sneaking next to a touch of old vanilla husks and maybe some dried cedar.
Finish: The end slowly fades through those florals and chocolate toward a sweet smoked note of tart fruit.
Bottom Line:
Chivas is the ultimate “on the rocks” scotch. This is the epitome of that vibe with a really deep flavor profile that also works nicely when poured neat.
This is a quintessential Islay peaty whisky. The juice is aged in a combo of Pedro Ximénez, charred virgin oak, and ex-bourbon casks before being married and rested again in Ardbeg’s bespoke oak “Gathering Vat,” allowing the whiskies to really meld into a cohesive pour.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Slow-smoked peaches mingle with soft cherrywood and a bundle of smoky savory herbs — sage, rosemary, ramps — on the nose.
Palate: The palate is soft and buttery with a sweet burnt toffee vibe next to nutmeg, walnut, Earl Grey, and maybe a touch of woody maple syrup.
Finish: The end takes its time and meanders through salted black licorice, wild florals, more singed savory herbs, and a hint of black-pepper-covered brisket fat that’s been heavily smoked over sea-soaked driftwood.
Bottom Line:
This peaty from Islay is one of the most accessible heavily-peated whiskies out there. There’s a nice balance of sweet and dark fruit, savory herbs, and almost candy sweetness next to earthy and sea-forward peatiness.
This Highland whisky is a gateway whisky that feels like a classic. The juice is aged in ex-bourbon for nearly a decade. The whisky is then transferred to former sherry casks for that crucial finishing touch of maturation for around three years. It’s then proofed down to a very accessible 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Oranges studded with cloves mingle with a deep dark chocolate foundation and a hint of eggnog creaminess and spiciness.
Palate: The palate goes even deeper on the orange and spice as heavy vanilla arrives — the husks, seeds, and oils are all present.
Finish: The end is fairly succinct and touches back on the chocolate with a bitter mocha-coffee vibe and more vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the easier-drinking whiskies on the list that still offers rewarding depth. It’s a great everyday pour that works wonders in cocktails, on the rocks, or on its own in a Glencairn.
This Speyside blend is crafted as a workhorse whisky. The blend is drawn from the William Grant & Sons stable of distilleries. The whisky is then rested for up to six months after blending to let it mellow even more before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice welcoming note of creamy vanilla that almost becomes cream soda, next to hints of zesty orange marmalade, malts, and dark spices.
Palate: The taste delivers on those notes by amping the spices up to Christmas cake territory with a slight tart berry edge next to that cream soda sweetness.
Finish: The end is short and sweet with a nice lightness that really makes this very drinkable.
Bottom Line:
This is the best mixing whisky on the list. It’s built as a mixer, so use it that way.
This year’s Càirdeas release celebrates the Friends of Laphroaig and how they keep the brand going. The whisky in the bottle is made from Laphroaig’s high-phenol peated malt right next to the sea on Islay. The hot spirit was then filled in first-fill limited edition single barrel Maker’s Mark bourbon barrels. The barrels were then stored in the famed four-story Warehouse 1 right next to the crashing sea until they were just right and then bottled as-is after vatting.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a huge note of smoked grainy malts next to an un-opened box of Band-Aids, peppery smoked brisket with plenty of smoked fat, and smoked sea salt counterpointed by vanilla sheet cake with a honey icing and dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Palate: The palate opens with burnt yet buttery toffee next to white wildflowers, dried fennel, and rich and creamy honey smoothness and sweetness.
Finish: The end gets a little woody with a fatty smoked peppery vibe next to more toffee and a dash of seawater-washed granite.
Bottom Line:
This is for the funky peat lover. It’s wildly unique, medicinal, and really not for everyone. Still, if you love it, you’ll know at first sip.
This dram from Glenmorangie is a much-loved Highland malt. The juice is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed number of years. The whisky is then transferred to French Sauternes barrels which held sweet dessert wines where it spends two more years finishing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has that classic “shortbread cut with lemon and vanilla” vibe that makes some single malts so approachable.
Palate: The sip has a buttery toffee nature that’s layered with subtle oak, mild brown spices, and more fruits tied into a creamy pudding body.
Finish: The spice then leans a little towards ginger with that buttery shortbread as it slowly fades out.
Bottom Line:
This is another bottle that you should 100% have on your bar cart. It’s just that good.
8. Lagavulin — Lagavulin Offerman Charred Oak Cask Aged 11 Years
This brand-new release is the third collaboration between Lagavulin and Nick Offerman. This time around, the team at Lagavulin took 11-year-old malt and finished it in heavily charred casks that used to hold bourbon and red wine. Those barrels were then batched and built around flavor notes that pair perfectly with a steak dinner.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a rich peatiness that’s tied to pecan chocolate clusters and dried cranberries with a dusting of sea salt, burnt orange zest, and fine nutmeg.
Palate: The palate dips those red tart berries in dark salted chocolate with cinnamon bark and clove buds next to espresso cream and a whisper of malty vanilla wafers with fresh honey in between.
Finish: The end has this enigmatic mix of smoked toffee, salted black licorice, and brandied cherries wrapped in cinnamon-laced tobacco and folded into an old cedar box.
Bottom Line:
This is a winner. It’s very clean yet deeply flavored with a great balance between subtle peat and choco-fruitiness. It’s a nice mix of flavors that work really well over the rocks or neat.
7. Oban — Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years 2022 Special Release
This lightly peated Highland whisky from the tiny Oban Distillery is rendered from refill and new American oak barrels. That whisky is vatted and then refilled into Amontillado-seasoned casks for a final rest before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a lithe sense of lemon/lime saltwater taffy and Whether’s candies wrapped in white wax paper with a hint of lime leaves and wild sage next to salted smoked lemons and tangerines with a hint of really good and cloudy extra virgin olive oil speckled with smoked sea salt and freshly cracked red peppercorns.
Palate: The palate is silken and full of layers of smoked grapes, smoked plums, and salted chili pepper candies with a fleeting sense of violet and lavender creaminess tied to a lush vanilla underbelly.
Finish: The end has a mild woody chili pepper spiciness that’s dry and leads to a limber finish with warmth, lightly caramelized malts, and smoked apricot jam with brandy cream.
Bottom Line:
This is another must-have for fans of subtly peated whiskies with a seaside vibe. There’s a nuance to this whisky that’s hard to find elsewhere and that makes it a damn near perfect slow sipper.
The heart of Dewar’s is Aberfeldy whisky. This blend is a testament to Master Blender Stephanie MacLeod’s prowess in bringing good whisky together to make great whisky. The whiskies are aged for 18 long years in American oak before they’re vatted into a large oak tun and allowed to rest before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s that signature Aberfeldy honey on the nose with hints of almonds, stone fruits, and red berries next to a hint of dried leather, Christmas spices, and maybe even some tobacco leaf.
Palate: The palate dials all of this in with a marzipan vibe next to floral honey, bruised apricot skins, and dark chocolate-covered red berries with a hint of tartness and bitterness.
Finish: The end is soft, silky, and brings a final bite of sweet oak with a slight tobacco chew layered with dark chocolate and marzipan.
Bottom Line:
This is a quintessential “on the rocks” pour of scotch.
5. Glenfiddich — Glenfiddich Grand Cru Aged 23 Years
It’s all in the name of this yearly special release from Glenfiddich. The whisky matures for over 23 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before it’s vatted and then filled into French Cuvée casks that held Champagne. That whisky is then cut down to proof and bottled just in time for the holiday season.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is straight-up classic malt on the nose with stewed apples and pears with a slight tartness and floral impression over a buttery brioche with a hint of maple woodiness.
Palate: The palate is lush and supple with a vanilla foundation and layers of pear candy, old toffees, creamed honey, and orchard wood with a sweet side.
Finish: The end has a pear and apple skin ambiance that leads to barks, cores, and stems with soft floral honey and a tiny bit of proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This is classic and delicious. It’s also soft and almost supple, making it a great whisky for someone looking for subtler unpeated whisky malt flavors.
4. The Balvenie — The Balvenie French Oak Finished in Pineau Casks Aged 16 Years
The whisky here 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: The nose opens with a soft floral note next to fresh honey, green grass, pear skins, cinnamon rolls with vanilla posting, and a hint of orchard woods.
Palate: The palate has a lemon meringue pie aura with subtle hints of honey-soaked gingerbread, shortbread biscuits, rum-raisin, and orange zest with a hint of salted dark chocolate lurking in the background.
Finish: The end has a light mix of ginger candies and cinnamon-laced dark chocolate creaminess with a whisper of apple/pear tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a fantastic malt that leans into fruity maltiness with a soft and almost delicate body. It’s enticing and delicious.
This redesigned The Glenlivet is still a classic whisky. The hot juice is aged in a triple combination of first-fill Oloroso sherry, Troncais oak Cognac casks, and vintage Colheita Port casks. After 21 long years (at least), the barrels are vatted and proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leather and winter spices lead the way on the nose with a hint of saffron-stewed pears, ripe peaches, and lush eggnog next to boiled beans with a bay leaf.
Palate: The palate leans into the peaches and pears but puts them in a pie with plenty of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg next to apricot jam and rum-raisin.
Finish: The mid-palate hits a pine resin note before descending toward brandied cherries and dark chocolate with fresh ginger sharpens and a dash of cinnamon candy.
Bottom Line:
This is a good entry-point brand thanks so a soft flavor profile. If you dig it, then this upgraded expression will add serious depth and nuance to a very accessible style of unpeated single malt whisky.
This ups the ante by using barley from the Easter Elchies Estate around The Macallan distillery, making a single estate whisky. The spirit from that hyper-local mash is aged for an undisclosed amount of time in undisclosed barrels but you can bet there’s some sherry and bourbon involved.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Woody cinnamon sticks rubbed with orange zest pop on the nose as a thick banana bread batter with walnuts, nutmeg, and plenty of butter leads to a smidge of lemon oil and maybe some river rock.
Palate: The palate has plenty of woodiness from that cinnamon and adds in a touch of clove and allspice before savory figs and meaty prunes lead to a mix of raisins, nuts, and candied orange peels.
Finish: The finish is pure silk with layers of orange cake, cinnamon frosting, and fig jam culminating in a rush of soft woody spices on the back end.
Bottom Line:
There feels like there are a million different The Macallans out there. This is a good place to dive in on the higher end of the spectrum. This is an easy sipper that really highlights the great depth the brand has.
Johnnie Walker’s Green Label is a solidly crafted whisky that highlights Diageo’s fine stable of distilleries across Scotland. The whisky is a pure malt or blended malt, meaning that only single malt whisky is in the mix (no grain whisky). In this case, the primary whiskies are a minimum of 15 years old, from Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft notes of cedar dance with hints of black pepper, vanilla pods, and bright fruit with a wisp of green grass in the background.
Palate: The palate really delivers on that soft cedar woodiness while edging towards a spice-laden tropical fruit brightness.
Finish: The finish is dialed in with hints of cedar, spice, and fruit leading toward a briny billow of smoke at the very end.
Bottom Line:
It feels like this should be Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but you don’t need to pay that much for greatness from the brand. Johnnie Walker Green Label is made with stellar malts and the sum of all its parts is something greater. It’s also a great sipper and makes one hell of a cocktail. That’s a win-win, folks.
The Baltimore Ravens spent the final six games of the regular season struggling offensively as they tried to navigate life without Lamar Jackson. That they were able to go 3-3 and secure a playoff spot was a rather incredible feat by their defense, which carried them home as Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown had a hard time putting up points on the board.
In the five games prior to the season finale, a 27-16 loss to a Cincinnati team they’ll face again in the Wild Card round on Sunday night, Baltimore gave up fewer than 16 points in five straight games, but also never scored more than 17. As such, most expected their playoff hopes to rest on the left knee of Jackson, as he’s been trying to work back from a PCL sprain. Unfortunately, Thursday did not bring good news as the former MVP made a public statement on Twitter explaining his knee is still “unstable” and despite his best efforts to work his way back, he will not be able to go on Sunday.
remains unstable. I’m still in good spirits, as I continue with treatments on the road to recovery. I wish I could be out there with my guys more than anything but I can’t give a 100% of myself to my guys and fans I’m still hopeful we still have a chance.
Jackson’s absence is huge, and puts a damper on the penultimate game of Wild Card weekend. Without him, the Ravens offense simply lacks anything close to the same level of juice, but if his knee isn’t right, that also limits his ability to bring the dynamism that makes him (and Baltimore) work so well. On top of that, Jackson is entering free agency and has long-term to consider as well, and risking major injury when his knee isn’t stable isn’t a smart risk to take on.
Huntley is expected back after missing the finale with shoulder and wrist injuries, which is an upgrade over Brown but still presents an uphill task against a Cincinnati offense that has been firing on all cylinders of late. Baltimore’s defense has been among the league’s best, but they will need help if they’re going to have any chance of taking down the reigning AFC champs.
West Coast supergroup Mount Westmore — E-40, Too $hort, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg — have proven their mettle on the mic many a time. They’re icons and legends across the board. And last week, three members of the lauded hip-hop quartet spoke about their respective rap journies on People’s Party with Talib Kweli.
During the episode, co-host Jasmin Leigh asked 40 Water, Cube, and Short Dog to speak on their personal relationships with the legend Tupac Shakur. Each of them knew Pac as he was on the rocket ship to stardom and their words offered a unique perspective into the early years of a complex mega-star.
E-40 celebrated Tupac’s diversity of skill and his kindness upon their first meeting. After telling a few funny stories he grew more circumspect.
“He was uplifting to females and the urban community as well. No other rapper spoke as highly of females as he did. “Keep your Head Up,” “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” “Dear Mama” and he had party bangers and he spoke about the trenches period. The octagon.”
Sharing the unceasing artistic drive Tupac had, E-40 described the late rapper’s work ethic and ambition, adding, “Just being a part of All Eyez on Me was amazing.”
Ice Cube talked a lot about how genuine Tupac was as an artist before reflecting on their connection through filmmaker John Singleton, who directed Cube in Boyz In The Hood and Pac in Poetic Justice.
“I didn’t do Poetic Justice, so John [Singleton] went and got Tupac to do it,” Cube explains. “So it was real cool to see John taking another rapper under his wing and making him a fuckin’ star. That is what he had did with me, Pac, he did it with Busta Rhymes… It was cool to see another rapper getting his shot on the big screen.”
Too $hort — long critiqued for how he spoke about women in songs — reflected on the wisdom of Tupac. “He never lived past 25,” $hort noted. “But every time they gave him a mic — he said some shit! How could you be that young and be that on point all the time?”
Over the last few years, sustainability has become one of the biggest buzzwords in the fight against environmental problems like climate change, loss of biodiversity, ecosystem degradation, and pollution. But what does sustainability actually mean? And how do you make it part of your everyday life?
Broadly speaking, sustainability is the idea that we must meet our own needs without compromising the ability of others to meet their needs, whether the “others” in question are future generations or people living in other parts of the world. But understanding the basic concept is one thing. Practicing it is quite another.
Every single day we make dozens of different choices that impact our planet. But understanding this impact is not easy. And when it comes to green living, there is a lot of conflicting information about what’s eco-friendly, what’s not, what’s fact, and what’s fiction.
But green sustainable living is possible. With a little guidance, we can all learn to make better choices for ourselves and the planet.
When it comes to green living, there’s certainly no shortage of information available on the internet. The trouble is figuring out who knows what they are talking about and what information is legit.
If you’re tired of spending half of your research time trying to vet your sources and you just want straight answers to your questions about sustainable living, the Sustainable Living Online Course is for you. Sustainability experts designed this course to be the ultimate resource on sustainable living. As such, it covers everything you need to know to lead a renewable life that keeps you and the planet healthy.
Key topics covered in this online course include:
how to make sustainable living easy
how to look great without damaging the environment
how to spot companies that aren’t eco-friendly
how to save money and the planet at the same time
how to find sustainable food that tastes great
how to make simple swaps that make a big impact
Of course, the Sustainable Living Online Course won’t magically reduce your carbon footprint to zero. You’ll still have to put in the work and implement what you learn. But this course will give you the tools you need to be a better citizen and live a healthier, more natural life.
International Open Academy, or IOA, is one of the internet’s most trusted sources for online learning, with over a million students in 139 different countries. Whether you want to learn coding, interior design, or knitting, IOA’s accredited online courses make learning easy, fun, and affordable. No matter the subject, IOA courses focus on practical skills, with videos, texts, activities, and exams that students work through at their own pace.
Normally, the Sustainable Living Online Course costs $119. However, you can enroll through Groupon for just $17, which is a whopping 86 percent off the regular price.
If you’ve made it your goal to be more eco-friendly in 2023 but are unsure where to start, this deal on the Sustainable Living Online Course from International Open Academy is definitely for you. Click here to start your sustainable living journey today.
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz / Chloe Caldwell / Ali Wunderman
Basking in the luxury of all-inclusive resorts, indulging in Michelin-starred restaurants, and flying first class all sound great — downright fantastic, even — but the reality is that luxury travel is not always accessible to the masses. Most of us are, sadly, doing our balling on a budget. While The White Lotus-worthy hotels may not be the location of your next big trip, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on valuable travel opportunities.
In fact, some of the most memorable adventures require the least amount of money. Just ask all the travel writers out there who started in the industry by bumming around in vans and sleeping at hostels.
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to save a buck while on the road. So we turned to our own team of travel writers and influencers to get their take on the best ways to travel on a budget. Read on for their best money-saving hacks, from cost-friendly meals to unexpected hotel tips.
One of my favorite budget hacks is traveling to a destination during its off-season. Hotels and flights are usually more affordable in the shoulder season (just before or after high season), so you can get better deals on your whole trip. I personally like traveling during this time anyway. While you may not have perfect weather throughout your stay, there are often fewer crowds of tourists and therefore more opportunities to experience the local offerings, reserve the best restaurants in town, and get those vacation snapshots without people in the background of your photos.
BONUS: The locals are much friendlier when they’re not inundated with guests.
Back when I was really a full-on budget backpacker, I used to always travel with my tent. And while I’ve camped in plenty of open fields and along roads, the best setup was often camping at a hostel. It was always a situation where whoever was behind the desk had seen it done a few times — so they knew it was okay — but the hostels never really knew what to charge.
I remember camping on the roof of a hostel in Jerusalem’s Old City for $3. I had access to their wifi, bathrooms, shared spaces, and woke up to some of the best sunrises of my entire life. The week before I’d been reviewing a 5-Star hotel that I could see from my “campsite” and I promise: I liked the latter scenario better.
BONUS: Your innovative situation will make it fun and easy to meet other travelers.
EMILY HART (@emilyventures) — MAKE A CAR SLEEPING PLATFORM
Social media has romanticized van life as a way to travel the country in a simple and free manner. But with converted sprinter vans regularly costing upwards of 100k, the “simple” life isn’t quite budget friendly for most of us. So when I decided to travel the west on my own I decided to convert my SUV instead. A simple sleeping platform in an SUV can cost just around $100 for supplies –- a few YouTube videos later and you have your own adventure mobile.
With my own sleeping platform, I was able to travel thousands of miles without worrying about where I would sleep for the night or if I had the energy to pitch a tent. I made window covers with inexpensive sun shades and velcro and added some mattress pads and storage under the platform –- creating an incredibly budget-friendly way to explore.
BONUS: You don’t have the constant “what if my $100K van gets broken into” fear that so many van lifers grapple with.
ALI WUNDERMAN (@aliwunderman) — BOOK A PRIVATE ROOM AT A HOSTEL
My favorite budget travel hack is booking a private room at a hostel. You get the perk of privacy, space, and most of all a quiet(er) atmosphere, with all the benefits of a hostel. You can enjoy a communal kitchen, connect with fellow adventurers, and spend minimal bucks on a place to stay all without having to pretend no one is having sex in a bunk above you.
That’s why I always stay at Old House Hostel in San Ignacio, Belize!
BONUS: You’re hanging with the cool kids but you have space to spread out.
The falafel is the best budget meal for every traveler. It’s always under $5. It’s plant-based, filling, and a one-hander. Falafel is almost everywhere budget travelers go. Plus, it’s good for a “recovery” meal.
BONUS: Street food is generally the cleanest, safest food you can get in a city. The food under warmers at tourist traps is far more likely to be bacteria-ridden.
If you’ve ever visited wine country anywhere, then you know that the best bottles aren’t at duty-free shops. Sure, you’ll find the Ouzo you couldn’t stop drinking in Mykonos at the Athens airport, but those bottles of Assyrtiko and Xinomavro you enjoyed at that cute little taverna in Santorini won’t be found there. So how do you get those delicious wines home? Simple: stow the bottles away in your checked bag by rolling them up in your jeans. Denim is an incredibly durable fabric and can make for heavy-duty wrapping paper when transporting your favorite wines back home. The sturdy material keeps bottles from moving around and ruining the sweet juice inside while also acting as a barrier between everything else that may clash in your bag during travel. Just don’t do this with sparkling wine. Even denim can’t protect your suitcase from the explosive aftermath of bubbles interacting with air pressure.
BONUS: Feeling bold? Roll that carry-on up to the desk without divulging that you have wine (liquid) inside. Then say you have no bags to check “unless you want to check my carryon for free to save cabin space.” In my experience, people will agree to this 9/10 times.
MIKALA LUGAN (@miklugen) — BRING YOUR OWN SNACK
If you’re a snacker like me, then food is everything while traveling. While we all know you can’t bring drinks through TSA, many people don’t know that you can bring your own snacks. I always bring a couple of small bags of chips, candy, and protein bars, anything non-perishable through security with me. You’ll often pay twice or three times as much for snacks in the airport, so this saves you quite a bit of money to combat those hungry feelings on your flight.
BONUS: If those snacks are from your most recent destination and supported a street vendor or local while giving you one more chance to savor food from the place you visited… well, that’s really next level.
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