There’s no denying how influential Nipsey Hussle was as a rapper and entrepreneur. His life’s legacy was literally defined by giving back to the local economy and the community of Crenshaw that he called home and the surrounding areas. Now, a college-level course called “The Marathon Continues: Building Brand Through Culture” will be taught around, “The art of branding ‘The Marathon Way’” and “Brand building strategies and tactics that are motivated and driven through cultural influence.”
Taught by Nipsey Hussle’s longtime business partner, David Gross, the course is coming to Los Angeles’ Loyola Marymount University School of Business Administration, an institution where Nipsey Hussle himself was once a professor. “The class will focus on Hussle’s genius and authenticity in his approach to business and life,” Gross wrote on Instagram.
Gross also gave some context surrounding the class that he and Hussle taught in the past and how it has led to this new course:
I gotta give flowers to Mitchell Hamilton, a tenured professor and the head of the Marketing Department at Loyola Marymount’s business school. He reached out to me and Nip in 2017 and asked if we’d teach a class at the business school. He gave us carte blanche, with the caveat that we were authentic and didn’t water anything down because we were in a university environment. The class was a hit, and it lead to a second class the following semester. This was Spring of 2019, so we never got to finish the class. Mitch has reached out to me several times in the following years, extending the opportunity to return and teach another class. He always told me I could teach whatever I wanted if it would both challenge and inspire his students….It’s finally time like to go back this Spring to teach a the class that honors Nip’s enormous legacy, and analyzes how he was able to put a dent in the universe by creating the most resonant brand to come out of the culture #TMC
And while a life-sized wax figure of Hussle just debuted in honor of the rapper in Ohio, an academic class about how his business mind works seems to be a far more compelling way spread the gospel of his legacy.
Nipsey Hussle is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Besides being an earth-conscious way to get around, traveling by train offers unrivaled views of the parts of the world in which they run — often because they deviate from congested roads and tread lightly through wild spaces. When winter comes, it doesn’t get cozier than sipping wine or cider from inside of a train while watching the transformed vista roll by, soft snow blanketing the landscape, sparkling all around.
There are many scenic train rides that make the most of winter around the world — ranging from Santa Claus-themed rides to hardcore journeys into the ice to winter-spirited trains in places where snow doesn’t fall. The choice of which one to ride is all yours. Here are 10 of the best options out there for taking a scenic train ride in winter.
Aurora Winter Train, Alaska
On weekends between September and May, the Alaska Railroad runs the Aurora Winter Train from Anchorage to Fairbanks, a 12-hour journey with several stops punctuating the stark winter wilderness of America’s largest state. The cozy railcars offer full views into the winter wonderland beyond the windows, including Denali coming into view over the Susitna River, and wildlife like moose. Add on dog sledding or a “flightseeing” tour to see even more angles of Alaska’s wild winter.
Norway’s longest continuous rail route is nothing short of a spectacular journey, especially in winter when snowy views can be backdropped by the beautiful Northern Lights — take the night train for the best chance. This 453-mile (729km) train trip from Trondheim to Bodø crosses 293 bridges, goes through 154 tunnels, and even takes passengers into the Arctic Circle. Wildlife like sea eagles and reindeer can be seen from the train, and there are even World War II sites to explore.
While the closest thing to snow you’ll see during winter from the Napa Valley Wine Train is frost collecting on last season’s grapevines, it still makes for an excellent seasonal train ride. And while it’s true any time of year is the right time to drink wine on a historic train, their winter programming pairs very well with Napa vintages and vistas. Kid-friendly jolly journeys include cookie cars, table-side visits from Santa, and hot mugs of cocoa. If you’re looking for something more grown up, their Murder Mystery experiences are an incredibly fun, engaging way to experience Napa Valley.
Nothing beats winter in New England, and the heritage railroad out of Conway in New Hampshire is one of the most delightful ways to experience the region when it’s covered in snow. They offer various excursions in vintage train cars, ranging from an hour through the Conway Valley to almost six hours over 60 roundtrips miles of New Hampshire. Santa’s Holiday Express is the perfect journey for the season, taking one and a half hours during which families can enjoy cookies and milk, take a treasure hunt, and of course, meet Santa himself.
If there’s one place you’re likely to see the rare and awe-inspiring polar bear, it’s in Churchill in the far northern reaches of Canada. Canadian Train Vacations offers a thrilling eight-day trip from Winnipeg to Churchill, during which passengers are treated to the incredible sight of Canada’s boundless wilderness during their two days and nights aboard the train. Once in Churchill, polar bear sightseeing tours and dog-sledding adventures are just the beginning of the experiences one can have in this remote corner of the world.
Getting to a stellar ski resort in Colorado is now possible by train. The Winter Park Express is an Amtrak service that takes powderhounds from Union Station in Denver to Winter Park, less than two hours away. And because there’s a train coming from Denver International Airport, this entire ski trip can be planned without ever renting a car — or having to drive it in snow. The Winter Park Express not only drops passengers off at the slopes, it offers a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains along the way, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows.
Visiting the Swiss Alps is always a good idea, and seeing their glory over the course of an 8-hour train trip may be the best idea of them all. The Glacier Express is a train route that takes passengers through the three cantons of Valais, Uri, and Graubünden, starting or finishing in the famous resort town of St. Moritz.
When not glued to the panoramic views of the sheer, snow-capped cliffs the train snakes through, passengers are treated to a five-star, three-course meal and the finest European wine.
Amtrak Vacations offers an incredible range of train-based vacations in the United Stations, and this 5-day journey from Salt Lake City to Yellowstone is one of their best. America’s first national park is absolutely transformed in winter, replacing crowds of tourists with soft snow and valleys full of wildlife gathered to wait out the cold. While your nights will be spent at hotels along the route, your days will be filled with the most beautiful views of the American West dressed in its winter finest.
Described as a luxury hotel on wheels, the Golden Eagle Danube Express offers a voyage of a lifetime through Central Europe, where winter creates entirely new adventures. Austria’s snowy peaks, Budapest’s unique urban landscape, the spires of Prague: this train trip takes you through the heart of Central Europe’s singular beauty. And think of all the Christmas markets you’ll get to explore! Their Viennese New Year trip from Hungary to Budapest allows passengers to ring in the New Year with a champagne toast unlike any other.
EDITOR’S PICK: The Sunset Limited, Southwest United States
Clocking in at just under 48 hours, the Los Angeles to New Orleans route of Amtrak’s Sunset Limited is certainly a marathon and not a sprint. But at some point in your life, it’s worth the time investment for the glimpses of Americana it provides, glimpses that people who don’t travel by train really get to see. Running through Louisiana swamps, on through Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona — sometimes directly through people’s backyards and downtown areas of small-town America — on its way to California from New Orleans, and vice versa.
Be sure to spend some time with your camera and/or a book in the observation car, especially at sunset when passing through the deserts of the southwestern U.S. And you never know who you might meet dining at a communal table in the dining car! — Brett Michael Dykes
“With Yellowjackets‘ runaway success in season one and the pent-up anticipation for season two, we wanted to maximize the momentum by fast tracking season three now,” Showtime CEO and president Chris McCarthy said in a statement. “The show’s ambition is only exceeded by its execution, and I thank the incredible creative team behind it, including [creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson], Jonathan [Lisco], eOne, and the Showtime team, for turning this into such a success.”
Lyle and Nickerson have previously revealed that they have a five-season plan for the show — but things could change. “I believe we’ve said five seasons earlier in interviews and have regretted it every day since, because people really latched onto that,” Lyle told Vulture. “I think what we’ll say about that is that we have a plan, and we do feel very good about the potential for story moving forward. But we have no interest in beating a dead horse or dragging things out longer than the story dictates.”
The Warriors dropped to 2-13 away from home on Wednesday night, losing to the Pacers in Indianapolis, but more concerning than another road loss was the early exit from Stephen Curry.
The Warriors’ star guard had to leave the game in the third quarter with a left shoulder injury after reaching in for a steal and quickly pulling his arm away, grasping at his shoulder before leaving for the locker room. There was little in the way of an official update on Wednesday night, as Curry and the team awaited Thursday’s MRI to determine the severity of the injury. While it appears he’s avoided a significant injury, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Curry is expected to miss “a few weeks” with the shoulder.
Golden State’s Steph Curry is expected to miss “a few weeks” with his left shoulder injury, sources tell ESPN.
That timetable means he’s going to miss the Warriors’ game on Christmas Day against Memphis, and likely won’t return until early January, which is a considerable loss for Golden State (and the NBA). Curry has been carrying the Warriors offensively, averaging 30.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game this season, boasting 50.0/43.4/91.9 shooting splits. Without Curry, the Warriors are going to have to hope that Jordan Poole can regain his form of last year as he figures to get bumped into the starting lineup.
For a team with depth as its biggest issue so far this season, having to navigate a few weeks without Curry will be quite the challenge to even tread water and hang around the West playoff picture, as they currently sit 10th at 14-15.
Throughout the three-minute video, the Memphis rapper reflects on some of her life, past relationships, and the pitfalls of love.
“Sometimes I just sit back and just wonder, ‘What’s my purpose here?’ (I don’t know) / I need an answer ASAP ’cause I’m gettin’ a little nervous here (Woo),” she raps. “If they can’t see your worth, you gotta let ’em know they worthless here.”
GloRilla can be seen walking through what is presumably the streets of her old neighborhood, where friends and foes surround her.
“We was solid as a rock, but ’bout that paper, had to cut some h*es / It was f*ck the world with them, but now I’m just like, ‘F*ck them hoes’ (F*ck ’em),” she continued. “Catch one of them b*tches now, no doubt I’ll probably up that ho (Baow, baow).”
The “Tomorrow 2” rapper has been everywhere lately. From her debut performance at the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards and releasing her recent album to being nominated by the Grammys for Best Rap Performance and preparing for her upcoming 2023 tour. It doesn’t seem like the Big Glo train is slowing down anytime soon.
It’s a big, dramatic, epic song, full of tribal chants and drums, soaring strings, and emotive, uplifting lyrics — as befits the centerpiece song of the big, dramatic, epic comeback sequel of a big, dramatic, epic hit movie from visionary director James Cameron. Thematically, it follows what we know of the movie’s plot so far, emphasizing loyalty, togetherness, and faith in the connections between people to overcome any obstacle. That appears to be what the film’s protagonists will be relying on as militaristic factions pursue the Na’vi implant Jake Sully and his family across the surface of Pandora — and apparently, into its oceans.
As for Abel himself, he recently wrapped the North American leg of his world tour after avoiding disaster when his voice gave out during his Los Angeles show. He’ll be headed overseas for the European swing next summer. Meanwhile, he said he’s been contemplating pulling his 2012 compilation Trilogy from streamers, citing a desire to replace it with the breakout mixtapes (House Of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes Of Silence) of which it was comprised. Certainly, it’d be a fun way to get fans of his over-the-top pop-leaning output from the past few years familiar with the drugged-out, ominous vibes he once embraced. Who’d ever have thought that guy would be contributing to an Avatar soundtrack (or that Avatar would have a sequel)?
Check out “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” above.
How many time do we have to see “Andre 3000” trending on Twitter before it finally bears some fruit? Well, the time is nigh, but it’s not that unicorn of an album that everyone would love. It’s not even a song — sorry! Not trying to bring everyone down right off the bat, but rest assured this is still good news: André 3000 has been spotted in a trailer for the new A24 film, Showing Up, so rest assured that 3 Stacks is staying busy on the acting side of things.
“I saw some of Jo’s work at a studio yesterday. Wow it just gives me such a lift. Pretty amazing,” André says to star Michelle Williams in the trailer (he’s credited as André Benjamin in the film). Starring Williams, Showing Up is a comedy drama about a community of artists in Portland (sculptors to be exact) and André is presumably one of those artists.
The film is directed by Kelly Reichardt, who has worked with Williams on multiple films in the past like Certain Women and Wendy And Lucy. Showing Up also stars actos Hong Chau, Maryann Plunkett, John Magaro, James Le Gros, and Judd Hirsch. It competed for the Palme D’or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 and the release date is still currently listed as “coming soon.”
Watch André 3000 in the trailer for Showing Up above.
American single malt whiskey has been around for decades. But it wasn’t until 2022 that it officially became a legal category of American whiskey. Well, it’s about damn time because there are some seriously stellar American single malt whiskeys on the shelves these days and they deserve your attention.
See where this is headed? It’s time for the UPROXX’s — biggest ever — Best American Single Malt Whiskey of 2022 list!
I was lucky enough to get to taste a lot of American single malt (ASM) this year thanks to traveling to whiskey shows, judging spirits competitions, and being a whiskey writer 24/7. Around every turn, there was a wide swath of whiskeys to explore — featuring endless variations. There’s a ton of nuance and differentiation happening in the category that makes it really exciting right now. All of that means that there’s really something for every whisk(e)y lover in this category — yes, even for the staunch Scotch whisky stans.
For this list of the best American single malts of 2022, I’ve ranked each bottle according to taste. That’s not to say that the 25th entry is bad. It’s great. All of these bottles are great. Each one offers a little something different though and this list is driven by my professional opinion (and palate). Let’s dive in and find you a great American single malt to add to your bar cart as the year winds down.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX American Single Malt Articles From The Last 6 Months
All whiskey starts off as beer so it makes a lot of sense when brewers start distilling. Industry darling, Dogfish Head, did just that with this expression. The base is 100% barley with a mix of Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Coffee Kiln Malt, and applewood smoke Malt. That mash is fermented with Dogfish Head’s own ale yeast before distillation, aging, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Orange and honey mingle with a salted nuttiness next to vanilla pudding and a touch of dry cherry tobacco. The palate has a touch of that fruity yeast next to a slight chili-choco vibe that leads back to the tobacco with a cinnamon Red Hot edge. The finish really leans into the dryness of the chili-chocolate’s bitter end — to the point of conjuring an espresso bean next to a touch of smoked cedar.
Bottom Line:
Dogfish Head makes a mean IPA and that industrial prowess combined with their laid-back attitude to just good stuff (and vibes) led to a great whiskey.
This is a Scottish-style single malt made in Portland, Maine. The distillers take 100% locally grown barley and malt it with locally sourced peat and seaweed. This imbues a clear and unique smokiness you won’t find in any other single malt.
Tasting Notes:
This one opens up with a clear sense of the barley via a warm scone covered in salty butter and honey. Then the smoke comes into play next. It’s subtle. There’s a briny nature like you’re about to enjoy a crab boil off a campfire right on the beach. You sense the sea spray through the smokiness. The honey and salty butter come back into play as the smoke leads to a soft finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a good whiskey to draw a peated whiskey lover to the ASM side of things, it’s funky, fresh, and really fun to drink on a rock or two.
Del Bac Dorado is Arizona-peated, so to speak. The local barley is malted with mesquite wood as a heat source (instead of peat). Those malts are then mashed, fermented, and distilled. After a few years of resting in oak, the barrels are batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is full of chocolate tobacco with a hint of dried ancho chili, old cedar bark, and whispers of a crackling campfire in the high desert. The palate has a mild tannic vibe with a dash of espresso bean and vanilla next to soft toffee with a hint of an almond shell. The end leans into that campfire smoke with a dash more of that chili pepper before the cedar and choco-tobacco merge on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys that gets you excited about all the wonderful possibilities of the ASM category. It’s different, sure, but not so much as to be distracting.
Colkegan is a combination of the Scottish Highlands and New Mexico’s ingredients. Instead of smoking their barley malts with peat, Santa Fe Spirits uses local mesquite logs in the kilning process, giving the base of this whiskey a clear New Mexico vibe. The juice is then aged at 7,000 feet above sea level in a climate-controlled warehouse that drops the temperatures to near freezing before amping them up extremely high while also lowering and heightening the humidity in the room.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a subtle balance of brisk desert smoke next to olive brine umami. Then hints of rich and sweet marzipan arrive with white chocolate fattiness and whispers of vanilla blossoms. The smoke carries through with a sense of dark, tart berries and rhubarb, and dry mesquite wood. That berry fruit feel carries on into the mellow finish as the smoke dissipates.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey goes in a totally different direction than other single malts from the same region, giving credence to how varied the category truly is.
21. Copperworks Washington Peated American Single Malt Whiskey
The Pacific Northwest is a real hotspot for American single malt and this Seattle whiskey really leans into that community. This juice is made from 100% peated Copeland barley grown locally in Washington’s Skagit Valley. Those grains are kilned with peat harvested from a lake on the Olympic Peninsula. The whiskey is then small-batched from only six barrels before being bottled in a mere 1,043 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a whiff of grilled pineapple and papaya on the nose with smoked caramel, burnt vanilla pods, and tart passionfruit — it smells like a fruity IPA. That smoky caramel married roasted almonds with plenty of salt as firewood sap mingles with rye bread crusts, old saddle leather, plum jam with allspice, and a hint of mulled wine. The finish has a fig vibe with more leather and firewood leading to a slight white pepper powdery vibe.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey feels classic and fresh at the same time, bridging the world of fruity Scotch and fresh Pacific Northwest brewing and distilling vibes.
20. Boulder American Single Malt Whiskey Bottled in Bond
This Colorado whiskey is a fascinating experiment — asking what a single malt that’s treated like a bottled-in-bond bourbon might taste like. The juice is made from 100% malted barley. Then it spends four years in a bonded warehouse aging in new American oak. It’s then bottled at 50% ABV per federal regulations.
Tasting Notes:
Leather meets Chery Coke on the nose as vanilla pudding and brown spices mingle in the background. The taste is all about the malty spice with more of that Cherry Coke next to ropes of black licorice. A hint of anise arrives late and brings about a finish that indulges in a spicy oatmeal cookie with raisins and walnuts.
Bottom Line:
This bottle is a nice bridge between three points — craft whiskey, bourbon, and American single malt — thanks to a warm and sweet fruity character that speaks to the American whiskey palate.
Master Distiller Dave Pickerell (Maker’s Mark, WhistlePig, among many others) started this whiskey in New York. The juice is true farm-to-glass with the barley grown on the estate in the Hudson Valley. The grains are malted in-house. Hell, even the stills were specially built for this whiskey. Naturally, the whiskey is bottled by hand, adding an extra layer of detail to the whole thing.
Tasting Notes:
Bourbon vanilla and spicy malts lead the way on the nose as butterscotch candies, a hint of old oak, and leathery dark fruits round it out. The palate marries that butterscotch to almost woody honeycombs next to Red Hots, red-wine-soaked cedar planks, and plenty of winter spices. The finish leans into the winter spices with a touch of heat as the dark fruit leather comes back into play with a whisper of that wet cedar on the back end.
Bottom Line:
This is just good whiskey, full stop.
18. Westland American Oak American Single Malt Whiskey
This Seattle whiskey is made with five types of barley from Washington state: Munich, Extra Special, Brown, Pale Chocolate, and Washington Select Pale malts. Those malts are all processed locally and then mixed with classic Belgian ale yeasts for fermentation. The distillate is then triple-barreled in new American oak, Cooper’s Reserve new American oak, and first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. Finally, those barrels are blended, proofed down, and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Lemon meringue pie bursts forth on the nose with thick and creamy vanilla pudding dotted with vanilla seeds, a little bit of Pecan Sandie, a touch of mocha latte, and a whisper of Earl Grey tea. The palate leans into the black tea and mocha with a continued creaminess. There’s an ester-y/banana vibe on the mid-palate that steers the taste toward ripe cherries, white peach, Almond Joy, and a hint of spicy malt. The finish is part banana bread and part rich vanilla/chocolate with a whisper of wet wicker.
Bottom Line:
This is another great bridge for American whiskey drinkers looking for something that has echoes of bourbon while still feeling 100% new and fresh.
17. Broken Barrel Luciferous American Single Malt Whiskey
This whiskey is made from 100% Indiana single malt whiskey. Those barrels are then re-barreled into Amaro and French oak casks for final maturation. The final blend is a mix of 80% Amaro barrels and 20% French oak before and bottling at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of fresh squash with a good dose of winter spices, light caramel, and wet malts rounding things out. The taste has a moment more of that fresh squash before hitting a note that’s — I swear — corn-encrusted fried catfish served on a banana leaf plate with cranberry sauce and a light sense of pumpkin ale and toasted coconut. The end lingers through the fall-inspired spices and ales vibes with a sweet squash cut with brown sugar and honey folds into a light tobacco leaf vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is a bold and fascinating pour of whiskey that speaks to how deep and fun an American single malt’s flavor profile can go.
16. Old Line American Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength
This whiskey from Maryland is made from 100% malted barley grown in Washington State. The whiskey in the bottle spends several years aging in small-format (ten-gallon) barrels in Maryland. Those one-fifth-sized barrels speed up the aging process slightly. The whiskey from those barrels is vatted and then bottled without any proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
This feels very dialed toward a rye/bourbon nose with big notes of fresh green chili pepper, Red Hots, maple syrup, a touch of Dr. Pepper, and a hint of sawdust. The palate is a mix of leather, sweet vanilla pudding, sugar cookies, and woody Christmas spices with a hint of pine in the background. The end is soft and sweet with a fruity rock candy vibe next to soft cedar and warming holiday spices with a dash of dark chocolate powder.
Bottom Line:
This is spicy and fun on the palate with a deep and nostalgic finish that’ll draw you back for more.
15. Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Edition no. 1
This whiskey is technically a blended malt whiskey (much like Johnnie Walker Green, which is not a blended whisky since it’s only made with single malts and not a mix of single malts and single grain whiskies). In this case, the “vatted malt” is made from 12 single malt barrels from Texas’ Balcones, Washington’s Copperworks, New Mexico’s Santa Fe Spirits, Massachusett’s Triple Eight, Oregon’s Westward, and Virginia’s Virginia Distillery Co. The whiskey was made over the course of a single day as each of the distillers and blenders from each shingle gathered together to create the whiskey, eventually bottling only 3,000 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a mix of old leather boots next to soft and damp grains (think oats and malts) that build on sour cherries with a hint of sharp clove and anise lurking beneath it all. The palate is a lush mix of sourdough rye crust next to spiced malts, soft and waxy cacao nibs, and an echo of oatmeal raisin cookies in some far-off cookie jar. The finish is a mix of dried tart and sour fruits that sweeten slightly with some honey as that old boot leather engulfs the end.
Bottom Line:
This is like malt whiskey turned up to 11 — or 12 if you’re counting barrels. It’s bold, delicious, and a prime example of the power of American single malt whiskey.
14. Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction Cuvee Single Cask
This whisky is made with 100% malted barley. That whiskey is then loaded into French red wine or Cuvée casks for a minimum of three years (each cask is hand-selected for its distinct flavor profile). These single casks were chosen for their beauty as a stand-alone whisky that doesn’t need any adulteration or cutting with water. The honey barrel is then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is seriously buttery with a touch of brandy butter next to lightly salted caramel with a vanilla whipped cream that merges into a fruity backbone with hints of raisins, new leather, and maybe a whisper of damp straw. Malts shine through first on the palate as hefty brown spices create a serious heat (from those ABVs) before a cherry tobacco chewiness kicks in with a hint of pear candy under all that malty spice and warmth. The mid-palate really leans into the dark and stewed cherry tobacco vibe as a hint of dry hay, reeds, and umami (sweetish tomato paste maybe?) poke in very late on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a high water mark for Virginia Distillery Co.
13. Baller Single Malt Whiskey by St. George Spirits
This single malt from St. George Spirits out in California is beloved. The juice is made from 100% malted and lightly roasted barley with an eye toward Japanese traditions. The whiskey spends three to four years in ex-bourbon and ex-French wine casks before vatting and re-barreling into umeshu casks (Japanese plum wine that the team at St. George makes themselves) for a final rest. Finally, the whiskey is blended and just touched with local proofing water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey opens with a nose that feels like breaking up a stem of lemongrass in your fingers before leaning into hints of maple, plum skins, and malty spice. The palate is a silky sip that starts off with spiced prunes and stewed peaches next to woody maple syrup, a touch of marzipan, and a hint of burnt peach pits. The end sweetens with a line of fresh mango flesh next to old charcoal drenched in plum wine with a whisper that lemongrass peaking back in late.
Bottom Line:
This is a funky and fresh ASM from a great team who cares deeply about the spirits they make.
12. McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey Aged 6 Years
This whiskey is a marriage of Scotland and Oregon in the bottle. The mash is made from 100% peat-malted barley from Scotland that’s fermented by Widmer Brothers Brewing and then distilled at Clear Creek Distilling on their Holstein pot still. That spirit then spends six years resting in air-dried Oregon oak before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The whiskey opens with a wet brown sugar that leads to a sticky toffee pudding with black-tea-soaked dates, plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg, toffee sauce just touched with dark rum, and candied cherries on top. That candied vibe carries through on the palate with red cotton candy, rock candy sticks, and Red Hots on the mid-palate. The finish veers away from all of that with a mix of woody winter spices, old leather, and cinnamon/cherry tobacco with a very dry edge over a hint of cedar.
Bottom Line:
This is one of these hidden gem brands and whiskeys that will blow up in the coming years as a touchstone of American single malt.
11. Cedar Ridge The Quintessential American Single Malt
This whiskey is all about a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made with 100% 2-Row Pale Malted Barley (the same stuff used in some of the biggest craft beers) from up in Saskatchewan. The whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed term. That whiskey is then finished in a combination of brandy, rum, wine, port, and sherry barrels before it’s vatted. The whiskey’s blend is then made using the solera method — where the vat is never fully emptied before the next barrel is added.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is immediately full of bright fruit with a peach and pear vibe that leans into a malty banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut next to a touch of Almond Joy (but the good ones from a high-end shop). The palate is soft and subtle with hints of spiced malted gingersnaps, light cream soda vibes (maybe a light sasparilla), and a mellow and creamy base of chocolate that’s not dark but not milky either. The mid-palate has a nice sweetness that’s slightly apple adjacent with an apricot hint that mellows into a final note of chewy toffees with rum-raisin lurking on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
This is Cedar Ridge at its most powerful and delicious.
This expression starts as a combination of Simpsons Golden Promise malted barley from Scotland and barley from the high plains of Texas. Those malts are fermented and then distilled on stills Balcones imported from Scotland. The spirit then goes into both used bourbon barrels and new American white oak (like bourbon and rye) for a rest under the hot Texas sun. Finally, those barrels are batched and bottled with a little Texas water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rush of tea tree oils in a mug of apple cider with freshly chopped and sappy Douglas fir firewood next to notes of raw pancake batter, old peaches, and a freshly cracked can of Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda. The palate builds on that with spicy yet sweet mulled wine, a big dollop of fresh honey, and plenty of soft cedar with a hint of allspice, burnt sugars, and maybe some floral black tea. The finish arrives with a syrupy red wine pan sauce with butter and cinnamon next to dry cedar, wet black tea grounds, and a walnut cake full of spice and vanilla with a caramel drizzle.
Bottom Line:
This Texas single malt has helped to solidify the style as a true category thanks to its excellence.
This Boston grain-to-glass is made with 100% 2-Row malted barley and local water from the Quabbin Reservoir. That fermented beer is then passed through an old-school Vendome copper pot still before it’s aged in new American oak with a heavy toast and char. Once the whiskey is just right, it’s batched and proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This is lush on the nose with a sense of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans mixed with roasted almonds and malted vanilla wafers. The palate leans into the dark salted chocolate with a sense of oatmeal cookies dipped in that chocolate with a rum-raisin vibe and wintry spices with a woody edge. The end has a soft landing in espresso cream and creamy chocolate with a slight tart red berry counterpoint.
Bottom Line:
This is another solid entry into the American whiskey pantheon with a unique flavor profile that’s endlessly enticing.
This vatted malt from Barrell Craft Spirits is like supercharged American single malt in a bottle. That’s thanks to a vatting of whiskeys from Balcones Distillery in Texas, Hamilton Distillers Del Bac in Arizona, MGP in Indiana, Harvest Distillery in New York, Santa Fe Distillery in New Mexico, and Kings County Distillery in New York. Barrels from those distilleries are sent out to Kentucky where they’re masterfully blended into this cask-strength expression.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of the high deserts of the Southwest on the nose — juniper, mesquite, wild sage — that leads to soft creamy vanilla malts with a touch of berry brambles and old piles of cedar shakes. The palate has a layer of brandy butter and malted sourdough doughnut next to this whisper of nori and smoldering seaweed next to saltwater taffy and more of that cedar on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This feels like it’s a trip across America in a glass with stops in the orchards of Washinton, the high deserts of the Southwest, the prairies full of grain, and the briny seaside villages of New England.
7. Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled 2022 Special Release American Single Malt
This brand-new whiskey from Jack Daniel’s is made with a 100% malted barley mash bill. Those grains are milled and mashed with Jack’s famed cave spring water right in Lynchburg, Tennessee. That mash is then fermented with Jack’s own yeast and then distilled before the long process of charcoal mellowing/filtration. The hot juice is run through ten feet of sugar maple charcoal and is then filled into new American white oak barrels for a several-year rest. Finally, those barrels were vatted and re-barreled in Olorosso sherry casks for a final maturation before bottling as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Light milk chocolate powder malts greet you on the nose with soft leather, a hint of cedar, fresh gingerbread, a hint of fresh wicker canes, oatmeal cookie dough, a whisper of spearmint, and some sweet ice tea powder. The palate opens up with a sense of sour red fruit with a rich vanilla foundation that leads to woody spices with a mild essence of pine sap and saddle soap before a vanilla white cake sweetness and soft mouthfeel kick in. The mid-palate expands toward higher ABV buzziness with a note of almond shell and coconut shell next to Mounds bars and fresh leather on the finish with a fleeting sense of cream soda just kissed with orange-chocolate syrup.
Bottom Line:
This release is important. It’s the biggest name in whiskey worldwide looking at American single malt and diving in with confidence (and tasty whiskey).
6. Town Branch Kentucky Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength Aged 11 Years
Lexington’s Town Branch distillery has been making some serious Kentucky single malt for a while now. This expression is 100% barley whiskey that’s aged in freshly decanted Oloroso sherry casks only for 11 long years. Those casks are vatted and then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a medley of dark red and back berries that are slightly dry dipped in salted dark chocolate with a dusting of cinnamon and clove with this whisper of black licorice lurking in the background next to malted vanilla crackers. The palate follows along that path with more dried tart and dark berries attached to pipe tobacco and resinous firewood over spiced chocolate bars with a touch of lush vanilla cream and malted Graham crackers on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a very bespoke single malt that creates a nice bridge between Kentucky whiskey and American single malt.
5. Stranahan’s Mountain Angel Colorado Single Malt 10-Year (Batch 3)
Mountain Angel has been really killing it recently. The latest batch is hewn from local Colorado ingredients and aged in new American oak for 10 years before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of spiced apple cider on the nose with warm and chewy pipe tobacco wrapped up in old leather swatches with a hint of cedar and cinnamon bark. The palate has a silken texture with a snap of black pepper and more of that tobacco tied to tart apples and winter spices. The end smooths out with a rich and creamy caramel just touched with salt and a sharp fresh spearmint.
Bottom Line:
This is a great whiskey worth seeking out whether you’re into single malts or not.
This award-winning single malt is well-aged. The hot juice first spends years in first-fill bourbon barrels before it’s vatted and re-filled into both peated-smoked oak and ex-sherry casks for a final rest. Those barrels are then batched and the whiskey is gently proofed for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This bursts with a whole pie shop on the nose — pecan pie, apple pie, custard pie — next to a fresh sense of nasturtiums and honeycombs. The palate has a deep honeyed sweetness that leads to a medley of dried and dark fruits — dates, figs, prunes — with a tart black currant underbelly and a hint of sticky toffee pudding spiciness. The end is creamy and lush with a whisper of ashen peatiness that’s tied to an old fruit smoker that’s been left out in the orchards too long.
Bottom Line:
This feels like coming home again. It’s nostalgic yet feels new and fun, maybe even a little feisty.
3. Lost Lantern Balcones Distilling Texas Single Malt Whiskey Aged in a Tequila Barrel
This whisky is classic Balcones single malt made with Golden Promise malts on their old Scottish stills. The difference is that that juice then spends five years in a used tequila cask that previously held Balcones Rumble, which is a specialty spirit made from honey, figs, and turbinado sugar (think of it as a cousin to rum). Lost Lantern got their hands on that single tequila barrel of single malt and then bottled it as-is with zero fussing.
Tasting Notes:
This burst forth with a huge note of butterscotch on the nose next to rich honey, very old roasted agave piñas, soft winter spices, powdered sugar icing, and a hint of green herbs. The palate just keeps going through layers and layers of white pepper, woodruff, dried ancho chili-infused dark chocolate bars, salted caramel ice cream, old leather jackets, and this thin line of really good blanco tequila. The end sweetens slightly with creamy yet fresh honey next to a concentrated version of the chili and chocolate in espresso with a little cream on top and a whisper of grape must.
Bottom Line:
This is a glorious barrel of whiskey that we were lucky enough to see bottled this year.
2. The Notch Nantucket Single Malt Whisky Aged 15 Years
The Notch is continually named the “best” American single malt in the world, including at 2020’s World Whisky Awards. Like many of the single malts on this list, this hinges on the quality of the beer brewed as the base. They use the much-coveted Maris Otter barley that’s processed on-site at the brewery before being sent to the distillery to start this whisky. The hot juice is then barreled and stored next to the sea. This expression is a blend of whiskies aged in former sherry barrels, Cognac barrels, wine casks, and sauternes barrels (a sweet French wine).
Tasting Notes:
The oak comes through up top and is supported by dried red berries, dried tobacco, worn leather, creamed vanilla, and a hint of dark spice. The sip leans into aged notes and oak as the spice wanes and a musty nature takes over with an old hay edge. The warmth of the dram is drawn back and edges more into the peppery spice as the fruit and tobacco help the sip fade slowly away.
Bottom Line:
This is an old-school single malt that even the hardest of core Scotch whiskey aficionados will drink and praise.
Westward Whiskey — our in Portland, Oregon — is really starting to come into its own, especially as its whiskey gets older. This expression is a prime example of Westward’s prowess that’s made in-house from top to bottom and mellowed in new American oak until it’s just right for cask-strength bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Almond Roca and honey-dipped Graham Crackers greet you on the nose with a sense of almost sour espresso shots just kissed with red pepper and dark yet creamy chocolate. That chocolate drives the palate toward Sesame Snaps before a dark chocolate and red berry tobacco leaf takes over with a hint of dry woody spice and old cedar braids. The end has a deep sense of the honey hardened with sesame seeds next to a spiced malted oatmeal cookie with sharp cinnamon and clove.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey will get you excited about American single malt.
It’s been an eventful end of the year for Coldplay. Both for the British group’s collaboration, “The Astronaut,” with Jin of BTS, as well as for a serious lung infection suffered by singer Chris Martin. Martin’s health was not in a good place and Coldplay even had to postpone two of their Brazil concerts in São Paulo and Rio De Janeiro. But it seems as though Martin has recovered from the October scare, because Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame guitarist Nile Rodgers indicated that he just wrapped up his first studio session with the “Yellow” band.
“What was great working with Coldplay is that we’re all in the room together and it’s sort of like a spiritual thing,” Rodgers told British newspaper The Sun’s Bizarre column. He added that he “had a blast” in his first day working with the band. He continued, “It’s like they walk in and they say, ‘Do you want to join the circle or not?’ I’m an old hippie, you’re speaking my language. Let’s go.”
There’s obviously no word yet on when this new music from Coldplay and Nile Rodgers is set to come out, but the word is officially out there now. Meanwhile, Coldplay clocked both an album and a song in Spotify’s top 5 streamed throwback music of 2022.
Coldplay is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In recent years, it has paid off to land the leading role in a musician biopic. Rami Malek won his first Oscar for playing the late Freddie Mercury in 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Jennifer Hudson was hand-selected by the late Aretha Franklin to portray her in last year’s Respect. Austin Butler is enjoying a career breakthrough in 2022 because of his titular star turn in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Naomi Ackie is next up.
It’s been two years since Ackie was cast as Whitney Houston for I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the long-gestated Houston biopic. The first official trailer was released by Sony in mid-September, showing Ackie as Houston wowing Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci) and ascending as the voice of a generation. The two-minute teaser ends with Houston’s famed 1991 performance of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV. A second trailer arrived in early November, which spotlighted Houston standing against unjust criticism for not being “Black enough” and meeting resistance after starting her tumultuous relationship with Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders). But when and where will we be able to watch the Kasi Lemmons-directed film in its full glory?
I Wanna Dance With Somebody will almost undoubtedly be available to stream at some point, but to start, it’s set for an exclusive theatrical release beginning on December 23. Tickets are available here.
The world premiere happened on Tuesday, December 13, in New York City.
“When I first found out I got the part, I think this was actually the scariest part for me, knowing that everyone would see it at some point,” Ackie told Vogueahead of the premiere. “But I’ve been with it long enough now that I’m really ready to share it with the world. I’m so proud of what we achieved with it, and there’s a lot of love in there. It’s a lot of pressure, and you can’t help but feel slightly stressed by the magnitude of it, but this is the last piece of the puzzle, in a way.”
Houston tragically passed away on February 11, 2012, at 48. Her official cause of death was an accidental drowning in a Los Angeles hotel bathtub. The beloved icon was in LA ahead of that year’s Grammys and had been expected to attend Davis’ annual pre-Grammys party that night.
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