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Young Thug is, to the best of anyone’s knowledge, currently incarcerated in Fulton County Jail awaiting trial on racketeering charges. So it was pretty weird when today, out of seemingly nowhere, his Twitter account became active again, and even weirder when, rather than addressing the charges against him or checking in with fans, it posed the question of whether Michael Phelps “could swim 100 miles from the middle of the ocean back to shore” — and even tagged Phelps to be sure.

Making the situation even weirder still is the fact that the ever-confident Phelps had an answer. “Yeah,” he wrote back. “I think I could make it.”

[Narrator voice: He absolutely could not make it. No one could. Please do not try this. It is extremely dangerous.]

Just minutes later, Thugger followed up, responding back, “How long do you think it would take?”

[Narrator voice: Again, we strongly caution against attempting this feat. It is highly inadvisable.]

Of course, all of this is so odd simply because Thug shouldn’t be able to access Twitter from jail; not only would a smart device be considered contraband, but tweeting from it would be nothing more than a great way to advertise that he was breaking the rules. His account could be hacked, which would account for the bizarre content — although Thugger himself has been known to tweet the occasional non sequitur himself, so the odds are even on that count.

Still, fans seem to be having fun with the exchange, with one calling Phelps “the greatest white person ever,” and others wondering how Young Thug could be tweeting from jail. Some were amused, others were confused, and you can see the best of both below.

We’re rapidly approaching the holiday season and that means whiskeys are about to start dropping at a rapid-fire rate. I already have a ton of September whiskey releases on my desk I can’t talk about yet, plus a ton of recent releases. In fact, there’s so much coming in the next few weeks that I’ll probably have to write an article like this again by the middle of the month.

Below, I’m calling out the bottles of whiskeys I think are worth actually chasing down right now. These are the bourbons, single malts, whiskeys, and rye whiskeys that were released in the last few weeks and/or are hitting shelves right now or very soon (plus a couple of bottles I haven’t gotten to yet from the summer releases). The throughline on how these whiskeys ended up on this list is simple: They all taste good. There are a couple of collectible bottles, sure, but you can drink those too.

Overall, this is all about finding new and tasty whiskey for you to try this coming month. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new favorite to drink as the weather cools and the leaves start to turn. Let’s find out!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

• We Blind Tasted A Whole Bunch Of $30-60 Bourbons To See If Any Could Beat Weller
• We Blind Tasted Classic Bourbons And Were Shocked By The Winner
• The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked
• We Tasted Bourbon Whiskeys ‘Double-Blind’ And Tried To Guess Each Bottle
• All The Double Gold-Winning Straight Bourbons From This Year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Little Book Chapter 6: “To The Finish”

ABV: 58.725%

Average Price: $125

The Whiskey:

This year’s Little Book is another masterpiece from Beam’s Master Distiller, Freddie Noe. The juice in the bottle is a blend of four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished with cherrywood staves, four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished in applewood smoked barrels, four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished in hickory smoked barrels, four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished with maplewood staves, and Beam’s classic five-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, making this a kind of single malt/bourbon hybrid.

The juice was bottled after blending with no filtering or proofing.

Tasting Notes:

This blend was built to celebrate grilling meats in the backyard and that’s evident from the nose as hints of smokey orchard woods pop first. Next, the nose reveals hints of sour cherry, tart apple cores, and bright orange zest with a smidge of smoked plum in the background with a dash of winter spice and maybe some oatmeal cookie dough. The palate kicks in with a mix of winter spices and dry green herbs (a hint of sage?) next to lightly smoked sweet cherry wood and some dry hickory that leads to a hint of cherry root beer. That cherry layers into a dry tobacco leaf with a thin line of dark chocolate and some rum-raisin as the finish veers toward orchard wood with smoked apricot and a twinge of salted vanilla cream lurking underneath it all.

Bottom Line:

This is just straight delicious. If you’re looking for the perfect Labor Day pour for a backyard grilling session, this is it.

Balcones Big Baby Bottled In Bond Straight Corn Whiskey Matured in Tequila Casks

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This Texas whiskey is one of the most interesting releases of 2022. The juice is made from 100 percent roasted blue corn from New Mexico. That mash is pot distilled before going into used tequila barrels for a five-year rest. After maturation, the barrels are vatted and proofed down to 100 proof per bottled-in-bond law and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a lovely balance of fresh and bright Key lime pie next to freshly cracked black and red peppercorns with dry corn cobs, grapefruit pith, and a dash of old dry cedar bark intertwined with orange-laced tobacco leaves and black tea. The palate leans into dry chili spice with a hint of sea salt next to honeydew melon skins, vanilla wafers, and a burst of apple Jolly Rancher that leans toward Martinelli Apple Cider cut with cream soda. The end kicks up the melon vibe with a watermelon candy vibe before layers of dry sweetgrass, cedar bark, lime leaves, and vanilla tobacco finish the sip on a dry yet bright note.

Bottom Line:

This is fresh and unique. It really feels like something new (because it is) that’s also fun to drink. Pour this over some ice or into your favorite cocktail for a nice change up from the ordinary.

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch no. C922

ABV: 63.3%

Average Price: $102

The Whiskey:

This is the last (of three) Larceny Barrel Proof releases of 2022. The juice, in this case, is a classic wheated bourbon — 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley — from Heaven Hill. This small batch bourbon was aged for six to eight years before vatting and bottling as-is, creating 2022’s highest ABV release from the brand.

Tasting Notes:

This pour opens with a hint of soft leather next to raisins, sour grapes, a dash of apple fritter with plenty of cinnamon, and a mild sense of dried red currants. The palate hits with an ABV buzz (kind of like the numbness you get from wasabi without the taste at all) before soft vanilla creaminess calms everything down toward berry jams with cinnamon and clove next to a light buttermilk biscuit with a hint of dry sweetgrass lurking under it all. The end softly lands on a dried prune/date/raisin finish with a twinge of tartness and a light sense of cedar-laced tobacco just touched with cardamon and vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is a strong whiskey with a great flavor profile. It’s very classic while pushing nicely toward dried fruits. Overall, this is a great pour for your next Manhattan or on the rocks drink.

Yellowstone Limited Edition 2022

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $129

The Whiskey:

This year’s Yellowstone Limited Edition is a masterstroke of blending by Master Distiller Stephen Beam. This year’s juice is a mix of seven, 15, and 16-year barrels finished in Sicilian Marsala Superiore casks (a drier sherry-like Sicilian fortified dessert wine). Once vatted, the whiskey was just touched with water to bring it down to 101 proof, which yielded about 30,000 bottles this year.

Tasting Notes:

This opens soft with an almost meaty dried apricot dipped in pine-laced honey with a line of cinnamon-spiced tobacco sharpening the nose. The palate has a mild sticky toffee pudding vibe with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to meaty dates, rum-raisin, and a hint of walnut cake with a twinge of butteriness. The end leans into those sweet dates with a hint of black tea and a dash of wet brown sugar before raisins packed in vanilla tobacco leaves round things out.

Bottom Line:

These are always a highlight of the year when they drop. This is well-rounded whiskey with serious depth. It’s also super easy to drink as a neat pour. Though, adding a little water will add to the creaminess of the honey and toffee.

Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 5 Years Limited Edition National Parks No. 2

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $83

The Whiskey:

This bottle celebrates Yellowston’s 150th anniversary with part of the proceeds from each bottle going to Yellowstone Forever, which helps protect the park. The whiskey in the bottle is a special release made from Wyoming grains — 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley — and water. After five years, the barrels are small-batch blended and bottled with a drop of proofing water.

Tasting Notes:

Soft holiday spices mix with orange creamsicle, dry sweetgrass, old boot leather, a dash of dark chocolate powder, and a hint of cedar. The taste feels like you’re on a back porch on a sunny day with rich toffee, cherrywood, and vanilla next to buttery zucchini bread with walnuts and plenty of cinnamon. The end takes on this woody and sweet carrot vibe while lush marzipan brings a nutty sweetness with a hint of Earl Grey and walnut loaf with low notes of soft cedar and warm tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a centerpiece bottle thanks to a great label design. The whiskey in that cool bottle is also really good. Add in that part of the cash for this bottle is going to protect our greatest national park and you have a must-buy bottle.

Pursuit United Blended Straight Rye Whiskey 2022 Batch

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

This release is a blend of whiskeys from Kentucky and Maryland. The Kentucky rye is from Bardstown Bourbon Company (a 95 percent rye), which is contract distilling and aging whiskey for Pursuit United. The other rye (and the biggest component) is from Maryland’s famed and beloved Sagamore Spirits and is a 52 percent rye. Over four-year-old barrels from each warehouse were masterfully married to create this expression with a touch of water to bring the proof down a notch.

Tasting Notes:

Caramel with a dark feel to it mixes with a hint of green chili, cumin, and brown sugar with an edge of sour orange and old leather. The palate leans into soft and creamy vanilla with rye spiciness that feels more wintery than peppery next to sweet cherry syrup, vanilla candies, and old porch wicker. The end maintains the sweet spice with a good mix of vanilla, sour cherry, and brown sugar sweetness to counter the soft spices.

Bottom Line:

This is a great choice for an everyday or table rye whiskey. It’s so approachable yet really delivers a great profile. It’s not overly fancy. It’s just good, solid whiskey for on the rocks and cocktail pours.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2022

ABV: 54.5%

Average Price: $179

The Whiskey:

This year’s LE Small Batch is made from a blend of 20-year-old Bourbon from the OBSV bourbon recipe (high rye mash bill, delicate fruit yeast), a 15-year-old OESK (lower rye mash, slight spice yeast), a 14-year-old OESF (lower rye mash, herbal notes years), and a 14-year-old OESV (lower rye mash, delicate fruit yeast). The blend is non-chill filtered and bottled at 109 proof. All of that yielded a mere 14,000 bottles this year.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a hint of old basement floorboards with a hint of worn leather jackets next to a hint of sour blueberry pancakes with a deep butteriness next to thin lines of red berry jam and maple syrup. The taste feels like a mix of Pecan Sandies and mulled wine spices (heave on clove and anise) next to soft vanilla creaminess with a hint of spiced cherry tobacco just kissed with dark chocolate and nutmeg. The end has a slight warmth with a hint of dry cedar bark and hazelnut next to brown sugar and cinnamon butter with a final echo of sour cherry.

Bottom Line:

This is going to be the hardest bottle to find this September. That said, this is a stellar pour of whiskey that you’re not going to see again until 2023. And if you do, it’ll be marked up on the aftermarket by a factor of ten (at least). Good luck out there!

Barrell Vantage

ABV: 57.22%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

This brand new release from Barrell Craft Spirits really leans into unique and rare finishings. The blend is a mix of Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky bourbons that were finished in three different oaks separately before blending. In this case, that’s Japanese Mizunara casks, French, and American oak. Different toast and char levels were used for the barrels to achieve a unique palate that builds on the heritage of Barrell’s other triple cask-finished whiskeys (Dovetail, Seagrass, and Armida).

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a sense of chili pepper-infused dark chocolate pudding next to a hint of toasted coconut, dry ginger next to root beer, and an echo of pineapple stems. The palate is full of orchard wood and espresso cream next to a hint of lush eggnog with plenty of nutmeg and a dash of some green, herbal, and savory — kind of like tarragon. The end lets the spice amp up toward red peppercorns as plum cake counters with a soft and sweet finish.

Bottom Line:

We’re getting to the point where the team at Barrell Craft Spirits can do no wrong. This is yet another home run for the bottler. It’s also very approachable and easy to drink while offering some serious depth and freshness. Make sure to add a little water to let this one bloom in the glass while tasting and nosing.

Remus Repeal Reserve Series VI 2022 Medley

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This year’s Remus Reserve is a mix of six to 14-year-old bourbons. Buckle in. The blend is made from two percent from a 2008 bourbon with a 21 percent rye mash, 27 percent from a 2012 bourbon with a 21 percent rye mash, 29 percent from a 2014 bourbon with a 21 percent rye mash, 17 percent from a 2012 bourbon with a 36 percent rye mash bill, and 25 percent from a 2014 bourbon with that same very high rye mash bill. Once vatted, the whiskey is just touched with water for proofing and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

The nose on this one is complex and meaders through mint fields and caramel apple stands as hints of old boot leather, plum jam, winter spice, and a hint of sweet oak round things out. The palate opens with a rich toffee before a warmth takes over with a soft spice (nutmeg and allspice) before woody vanilla and creamed honey take over. The end feels like a handful of candied fruits wrapped up in leathery tobacco leaves with a hint of cedar bark and dried mint in the background.

Bottom Line:

These Remus Reserve releases have become must-have whiskeys when they drop every year. This one is among the best new releases of September (so far). It’s bold and rewarding as a sipper but also makes a killer Manhattan or Sazerac.

Four Walls Irish Whiskey “The Better Brown” Single Barrel Aged 15 Years Cask Strength

ABV: 57.8%

Average Price: $999

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is bottled from one ex-bourbon barrel of 15-year-old Irish whiskey. The single malt whiskey was chosen to celebrate the 15 years Sunny has been on the air. After a few select single barrels were chosen, the juice was bottled at cask strength and yielded only 755 bottles.

Tasting Notes:

This opens slightly tannic but more sweet than bitter with salted buttery toffee, apple cores, rum-raisin, black tea, marzipan, and maybe even some apple fritters with a dollop of Nutella tying it all together on the nose. The palate has a caramel apple vibe that leads to a vanilla cake filled with poppy seeds and notes of floral honey, apple chips, brandy-soaked dates and prunes, and apple wood. The end has a spiced fruit nut cake vibe with an old leather glove note before waxy cacao and dry menthol kick in and slowly fade toward old pine resin with some warmth.

Bottom Line:

This is the most collectible bottle on the list. It’s a great sipper, don’t get me wrong. But this is the bottle you want to grab right now if you’re a fan of old Irish whiskey and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Long story short, this is a one-off we’re likely not going to see again.

Caol Ila Single Malt Single Cask 13-Year Cask Strength Exclusive to Jack Rose

ABV: 59.4%

Average Price: $119

The Whisky:

This Islay whisky is an iconic peated single malt. The juice is aged basically a stone’s throw from the briny and dark sea on the small island. Generally, Caol Ila releases a 12-year-old single malt that’s a blend of their best casks as an entry point to the brand. This is a year older and from a single cask that’s bottled completely as-is for Jack Rose in DC.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a subtle sense of the sea and runway tar on the nose that leads to a fruit orchard on a cool fall day when the fruit is fermenting in dead leaves on the ground and the bark is hardening on the tree with a hint of white moss and soft black soil. The palate has a sense of smoked floral honey with a dash of smoke prunes and pears next to a light sense of cold ash from the bottom of a Weber grill. The warmth on the palate is never overpowering and leads to a finish full of oily green herbs, dried pear chips, oyster pearls, and a sense of a pebble beach campfire on a rainy day.

Bottom Line:

This is a fantastic example of Caol Ila whisky that you can actually get in the U.S. (a lot of Caol Ila doesn’t make it this way). That does add a light collectibility factor. But I’d argue that this is too good to leave in a vault. It’s just straight-up delicious, especially if you’re looking for subtle marine-adjacent peated malt.

Frey Ranch Straight Rye Whiskey Single Barrel Barrel Strength Barrel # 260

ABV: 68.73%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This is the first mainstream single barrel drop from Frey Ranch. The juice is made from 100 percent Winter Cereal rye, which was grown on the ranch in Nevada. The whiskey spent several years mellowing in new oak before the barrel was just right for bottling, completely as-is.

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a light sense of freshly cracked black pepper before elevating toward smoldering orchard woods, crusty sourdough rye bread with a hint of caraway, rosewater, and a hint of almost sweet black soil being held in old leather gloves. The palate leans into sticky toffee pudding with plenty of black tea-soaked dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg next to savory dried figs and tart dried cranberries next to a mild warmth on the mid-palate. That warmth is tempered by soft marzipan and more of that dirty leather before dry reeds and sweet cedar bark arrives on the finish.

Bottom Line:

Frey Ranch announced over the summer that they were releasing these single barrel drops this September. Now’s the time to try this whiskey. It’ll be very limited but, goddamn, it’s so good.

Republicans felt pretty good about themselves earlier this summer after the right-leaning, Trump-stacked Supreme Court went and overturned Roe v. Wade, which kept abortion safe and legal in the U.S. for almost half a century. Then came a cold splash of water to their faces: Turns out banning abortion — especially all abortion, even in cases of rape and incest — is incredibly unpopular with voters. As such, even the most staunchly anti-abortion candidates have started watering down their rhetoric. But of course, Dr. Oz, who’s been running one of the more accident-prone political campaigns in a long time, couldn’t even get that one right.

As per The Daily Beast, the former TV quack — who’s been saying that, as a licensed physician, he would never ban all abortions — was caught on a hot mic back in May, before he clinched the Republican ticket for a vacating Senate seat, contradicting himself.

“I do believe life starts at conception, and I’ve said that multiple times,” he told the crowd at a rally that hadn’t previously been made public. “If life starts at conception,” he said, “why do you care what age the heart starts beating at? It’s, you know, it’s still murder, if you were to terminate a child whether their heart’s beating or not.”

Was Oz simply throwing red meat to a ravenous conservative crowd? In a 2019 interview, he sounded pretty pro-choice, saying he was “really worried” about the health of pregnant women should Roe ever be overturned. But then, he wasn’t running for a Republican Senate seat in a Trump-tainted world, as he is now.

Oz’s hard-line abortion comments caught the eye of many, including one person in particular: John Fetterman, his Democratic opponent, who’s been clobbering Oz in the polls and relentlessly, creatively trolling him.

“Dr. Oz was caught on a hot mic saying he’d ban abortion even in the cases of rape or incest,” Fetterman tweeted. “I’ve always been consistent: I’ll fight as hard as I can to protect women’s reproductive freedom + codify abortion rights into federal law. The choice in this election is clear.”

It’s yet another blow to Oz’s Clouseau-esque campaign in this week alone. On Tuesday, he awkwardly addressed how his staffers keep making light of the stroke Fetterman suffered in May. That didn’t go well either.

(Via The Daily Beast)

Last month, Memphis rap godfather Yo Gotti signed an up-and-coming rapper from his hometown named GloRilla to his label, CMG, after her single “FNF (Let’s Go)” took off in a big way, becoming one of the viral breakouts of the year. Fans named “FNF” the song of the summer and have spent the past few months celebrating Glo for her rough-and-ready rhymes and down-to-earth bearing. Today, she followed up with her second single since signing to CMG, “Blessed.”

Built on a sparse but hard-hitting beat produced by Macaroni Toni, the new track sees Glo reiterating her realness, asserting that she’d “rather give the people hope” because “it’s pointless to giving f*cks.” She also says she maintains her “ratchet tendencies” despite moving to the suburbs and is more focused on taking care of her people than showing off for clout. Yo Gotti comes in on the second verse to back her up — although it’s clear she doesn’t really need it — and details the levels to his success.

Earlier this week GloRilla gave her fans another example of her commitment to authenticity, telling her followers on Instagram she has no plans of getting plastic surgery despite apparently being encouraged to by some who are used to female stars getting their features augmented. “You mfs better get use to this slim body, green eyes & big beautiful nose of mine cause ain’t a damn thing gone change,” she wrote. “Y’all can hate y’all self all ya want but I luv me some BIG GLO.”

You can check out her new song “Blessed” above and stay tuned as her takeover continues.

Summer 2022 was peak festival season at its finest. From epic pool parties in the desert to all-out gatherings in the forest, it’s been a whirlwind of hit music, dancing, good booze, and even better vibes all across the U.S. and beyond. Of the many summer festivals, one stand-out event was the inaugural celebration of Atlantis Concert For Earth, which went down on the weekend of July 22nd and July 23rd in Azores, Portugal. The premise of the festival was to start a positive and hopeful conversation about the climate and conservation by bringing people together to witness incredible music performances. The lineup included household names including Black Eyed Peas, Pitbull, Stone Temple Pilots, and Nicole Scherzinger, among others.

To give you an inside look at the event and help you ignite your own conversations about climate action, we’re sharing some of our favorite photos from the festival below. Keep scrolling for the sights, scenes, and smiles at Atlantis Concert For Earth.

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Leonardo DiCaprio did it again. The prolific actor and former teen heartthrob broke up with his girlfriend, model Camila Morrone, shortly after she turned 25 in June. The couple had been together for four years, but there’s no stopping the now-infamous expiration date even though inside sources seemed to be under the impression that their relationship would go the distance.

Via PEOPLE:

Back in July 2019, an insider told PEOPLE that DiCaprio and Morrone seemed “pretty serious” with each other. “It’s definitely not a casual relationship. Camila spends a lot of time at his house. Camila is long known as Leo’s girlfriend. And Leo introduced her to both of his parents long ago.”

Then, in June 2020, a source said DiCaprio “loves being with” Morrone as they “spent 24/7” with each other amid the pandemic lockdown. “They are very close,” the source added at the time.

Apparently, Morrone couldn’t escape the same fate as her predecessors when it comes to DiCaprio’s undeniable age preference. The 47-year-old actor has a long history of dating models (including the now Mrs. Tom Brady, Giselle Bundchen) and then ending things once they inevitably turn 25. As his recent break-up with Morrone demonstrates, it’s almost like clockwork.

However, social media is not doing DiCaprio the courtesy of pretending his obvious dating habit doesn’t exist and within hours of the news breaking that he dumped Morrone, the jokes started flying on Twitter. Even the LA Times get in on the gag:

You can see more reactions below as people are clearly having a field day:

While DiCaprio continues to get roasted, one Twitter user floater floated an interesting theory that, well, still roasts him, but it’s definitely food for thought:

(Via PEOPLE)

Nearly twenty years ago, Starbucks first unveiled the Pumpkin Spice Latte and it pretty much broke America. Ever since that fateful day we’ve been living in the aftermath and every year around this time people absolutely lose their f*cking minds over pumpkin (or pumpkin-spice)–flavored food products. Store shelves get stocked with an unusually high number of items that no one ever asked for, splitting us into two factions: people who hate pumpkin spice-flavored things with the sort of inexplicable passion usually reserved for mayo, and people who love pumpkin spice-flavored things so much that they have to have it on everything. Again, like mayo.

What we’re trying to say is — pumpkin spice is like seasonal mayo. A very vocal minority of people absolutely hate it and make a lot of noise over it, but a majority of people clearly love it because we keep getting pumpkin-flavored things.

While Starbucks didn’t invent pumpkin spice, they definitely helped to popularize it. And now the drink that started it all is back for its 19th consecutive year as the centerpiece of Starbucks’ new fall menu. The full menu consists of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Apple Crisp Macchiato, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, Pumpkin Scone, and the Pumpkin Loaf, and will be available for a limited time until we hit the winter season and everything becomes peppermint.

Anyway, we tried the entire fall menu so that you don’t have to, and ranked them. Here is what’s worth ordering and what’s not.

6. Pumpkin Scone

Tasting Notes:

We have to give the bottom spot to the Pumpkin Scone — sorry, scone fans. A good scone should be soft and crumbly, this is dense, dry, and bready. The flavor is there, it’s a nice mix of earthy cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses notes and it tastes delicious, but the dry mouthfeel holds this back. The scone is topped with a heavy layer of sugary icing, and it adds a nice sweet creamy compliment to the spicier flavors, but it also adds a brittle top layer to the already-bad mouthfeel.

The Bottom Line:

Skip it. It’s too dry and doesn’t have the texture of a proper scone.

5. Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

There is a sour staleness to Starbucks’ Cold Brew so I can’t say I’m a fan of the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. This drink combines Starbucks’ cold brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and topped with pumpkin cream flavored cold foam and a sprinkling of pumpkin spice. The flavor isn’t quite as spice-forward as you’d expect, instead, that sour cold brew flavor and vanilla dominate with the pumpkin serving as a feature, not the focus.

When something is pumpkin spice flavored, you kind of want that to be the dominant flavor. This tastes like a major miss.

The Bottom Line:

Skip it. If you want a pumpkin-flavored iced drink you’re better off going with an iced pumpkin spice latte — the pumpkin notes just aren’t strong enough here to satisfy.

4. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin

Tasting Notes:

Okay pumpkin spice fans, I promise that my hate for this Starbucks Fall menu ends… right after this entry. I’m kidding, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin is pretty delicious. The muffin features a pumpkin spice base with strong nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and clove flavors and a dollop of cream cheese in the center of the muffin top. It’s spicy, tangy, sweet, and strangely comforting. This muffin put me in a really good mood, which, I mean shouldn’t be a surprise, it’s a muffin, but for whatever reason, I ended my original tasting notes by writing the phrase “a feel-good muffin!”

The cream cheese pairs great with the pumpkin spice flavor, adding a sweet and gentle tang, I think the combination works even better than carrot cake and cream cheese. The only downside of this muffin is the stump, it’s a bit too dry and boring in comparison to the top, but then, what muffin aside from blueberry (the greatest muffin) doesn’t have this problem?

The Bottom Line:

Get it! A pumpkin-flavored version of carrot cake, it even has pumpkin seeds in place of the walnuts.

3. Pumpkin Spice Latte

Tasting Notes:

I get why Starbucks is responsible for America’s obsession with pumpkin spice. A lot of pumpkin spice-flavored things taste gimmicky, they can feel like a product of pure marketing that exists solely because brands know people will be curious, but Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte actually tastes like something someone genuinely tried to make taste good. And it does!

This latte is flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, along with a spiced pumpkin sauce that totally drowns out the bitter notes of Starbucks’ espresso, offering a sweet, fragrant, and spicy flavor that dances on the tongue. I know it’s still summer, but definitely get this one hot, Starbucks’ iced lattes tend to taste more muddled and watered down, but on the hot version of this latte the flavors really jump out on the palate.

The Bottom Line:

Order it hot alongside number two on this ranking.

2. Pumpkin Loaf

Tasting Notes:

Before actually eating this thing I was convinced it was going to rank at the bottom of this list. It looks like the most boring baked snack ever, it’s simply a small dry-looking loaf of pumpkin spice bread. One bite of this thing and I was blown away. This is just too good, the cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg flavor taste rich and spicy and the bread itself is incredibly moist and spongey. It melts in your mouth, which isn’t something I’d ever expect from a Starbucks bakery case.

Pumpkin seeds pepper the top of the loaf, adding that soft nutty, slightly savory flavor that pumpkin seeds have. The only thing that could improve this loaf is some whipped cream — it’s not necessary but it would do a lot to make this experience even more delicious. Besides, Starbucks is always trying to get you to take whipped cream on things — why not this?!

The Bottom Line:

It looks boring but it’s the best Starbucks bakery case item you can get at this time of year.

1. Apple Crisp Macchiato

Tasting Notes:

If you clicked on this article because you’re a hardcore pumpkin spice fan I’m sorry but… Apple Crisp trumps pumpkin spice. Maybe it’s just the novelty of having something different, but the Apple Crisp tastes a lot more interesting to me and less tired than pumpkin spice. The Apple Crisp Macchiato combines Starbucks’ blond espresso — which features a lighter and more delicate flavor than Starbucks’ over-roasted OG espresso used in the Pumpkin Spice Latte — and oat milk with the flavors of apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar, topped with a spiced apple drizzle.

The flavor hits the palate with a sour green apple skin flavor before mellowing out into an apple pie sweetness, with a soft and smooth mouthfeel. There is a pleasant roundness to the way the flavors travel across your tongue, it’s delicate, sweet, and slightly fruity, but in a way that still speaks to the fall season. Forget about pumpkin spice, let’s usher in the decade of the Apple Crisp!

The Bottom Line:

In a perfect world, Starbucks would flip a coin every year and decide between the pumpkin spice or apple crisp. It would make each flavor more special, but with both available, our go-to is the Apple Crisp Macchiato.

You’ve heard of emotional support dogs, cats and even an emotional support peacock. But an emotional support alligator? This has to be a first. Joie Henney and his emotional support alligator, Wally, are turning heads after Henney took the gator to Love Park in Philadelphia recently. In the viral video, the gator can be seen in a harness and leash while it enjoys the splash coming from the fountain. The leash is being held by a little girl, who is the child of Henney’s friend. That’s a lot of trust in an animal that people would generally sprint in the other direction to get away from.

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That doesn’t stop Henney from treating the animal just like he would if Wally was a golden retriever. According to an interview Henney did with CNN, he came by the alligator after a friend in Florida asked him to take the baby gator that was in his pond. Wally was just under two feet long at that point, but he came at the right time for Henney, who had recently experienced the death of three friends.

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Henney told The Philadelphia Inquirer, “My doctor wanted to put me on depression medicine, and I hate taking medicine. I had Wally, and when I came home and was around him, it was all OK. My doctor knew about Wally and figured it works, so why not?”

While Wally is certainly sweet, alligators can be vicious when encountered in the wild, so this isn’t something you’d want to try at home. Wally was different from the start. Henney explained to CNN, “Wally has been quite different than any alligator I’ve ever dealt with in the past 30 years. He doesn’t show anger. He doesn’t show aggression. He hasn’t since the day he was caught. We never could understand why.” He went on to say that the gator sleeps with him and is known to be a pillow hog.

I don’t know about you, but something about sleeping with an alligator’s head on my pillow doesn’t seem like it would be ideal conditions for a good night’s sleep. But for Henney, having his prehistoric friend snuggled next to him helps his depression and has been a support through his treatment for prostate cancer, according to CNN. I suppose once you get over the fear that the alligator might suddenly decide that your face looks like a delicious snack, you learn to relax a bit.

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The same goes for people around town. Wally is somewhat of a local celebrity. When he splashed around at Love Park, people came up to hug him and take pictures. Sure, people know he’s an alligator, but the love is abundant for this surprisingly docile animal. Henney has told multiple news outlets that the alligator is not interested in biting anyone.

I’ll just have to take his word for it. In the meantime, we can catch up with Wally and his adventures on social media where non-locals go to see what the alligator is doing. Wishing Henney all the luck with his treatments. I’m sure Wally will continue to give the best alligator snuggles while his human recovers.

America has some interesting unspoken rules surrounding caring for children, making cultural differences difficult to navigate. What might be normal in one person’s country or culture may be considered dangerous in America. With that in mind, it may be surprising to learn that in Scandinavian countries parents often put their babies outside to nap. Even when they’re away from the house, babies get bundled up and set outside oftentimes without their parent or caregiver.

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I can feel the shock through the screen.

Yes, these babies are placed outside in the summer or winter to catch their midday nap while their parents check in on them from time to time. It may seem strange to people who aren’t from Scandinavia and doing so in America may warrant an investigation by child protective services.

But now that Scandinavia-style forest schools are on the rise in America, we could be in for a shift. Maybe this type of child-rearing will be normalized in America eventually.

Just like forest schools are a little “out there” here in America, they have been the norm in other countries for years. So perhaps outdoor napping will become a thing here, too. But why do Scandinavian parents give their infants the boot when it’s time to catch some Z’s? Parents and researchers believe that napping outside lowers a child’s risk of being exposed to germs, makes them happier and they sleep longer.

Sleeping in freezing cold weather, even if properly bundled, doesn’t seem like a relaxing experience to me, but I’m not a baby so what do I know? A Finnish study found that babies sleep longer when they nap outdoors, so maybe these parents are on to something after all.

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In 2020, Danish musician Amalie Bruun shared a photo on Instagram revealing that she places her baby outside to sleep. Commenters informed the star that they also put their babies outside or that they themselves slept outside as infants. Of course, there are risks to an infant sleeping outside like sudden bad weather or someone who may mean the child harm. But most parents who allow their infants to sleep outdoors stay close by and check on them frequently.

Scandinavian parents seem to truly feel that this practice is best and a good way to make sure their child is getting fresh air. But before Americans go bundling up little Joey and tossing him on the patio for a nap, keep in mind that not everyone will understand. In 1997, a Danish actor living in New York was famously arrested and strip searched for placing her baby on the patio of a local restaurant to nap while she and the baby’s father had drinks inside.

While there are definitely some cultural differences between Scandinavian and American parenting styles, most parents are just looking for the best way to get their kids to sleep. If outside is the key to long naps so an exhausted parent can get a few minutes of quiet, put on your parka and enjoy the baby snores.

Harrison Patrick Smith may have just released his debut track under the moniker The Dare, but he’s no stranger to the music scene. Smith, a resident DJ at an NYC bar, has made music for years under the name Turtlenecked and even toured with groups like Porches and Strange Ranger. But with The Dare, Smith aims to bring back haphazard and irreverent experimentation of blog-era indie, now affectionately remembered as indie sleaze. “There’s a feeling of optimism and openness in underground music from that time that I feel faded into genre camps again in the mid 2010s,” he says. “I wanna bring that feeling back,”

Enter his lead single “Girls,” a two-minute banger reminiscent of Damon Albarn’s most upbeat hits mixed with LCD Soundsystem’s early era. The electrifying song is an ode to New York’s thriving nightlife and all the chaos that ensues with it. It’s cheeky, catchy, and a bit sarcastic, pointing to what is expected to be a welcomed indie revamp as Smith delves into the world of electroclash, techno, and house music.

Celebrating his new project The Dare, Smith sits down with Uproxx to talk Weezer, Alex G, and a nightmare-inducing fear of tattoos in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Cheeky, fun, sexy, and punk.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Marble statue or large portrait in the MET.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?

New York City. Paris is a close second.

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

John Keats’s Ode On Grecian Urn and Ode To A Nightingale are the most thematically influential poems to my writing.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life?

I actually just had a lovely one at your mother’s house last night.

What album do you know every word to?

Obey by Brainbombs.

What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Sleigh Bells at the Showbox in Seattle, February 24, 2012. Or every single Cooper B Handy (LUCY) show.

What is the best outfit for performing and why?

Black suit and tie because nothing looks better.

Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?

Favorite Instagram is @writers_life_tips, fave twitter lately is @matthewgoldin.

What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?

“Runner” by Alex G. One of the best songs he’s ever made in my opinion and probably one of the best songs of the year.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

The Manual by The KLF.

What album makes for the perfect gift?

Weezer’s Pinkerton 4LP Box Set. First record I ever bought. Has all of the incredible B-sides and a great phone interview from the era.

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

Akron, Ohio. I can’t really get into it.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

I don’t have any tattoos and I actually have nightmares about getting one.

What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?

What the hell is the radio?

What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

My friend Sam letting me DJ a Monday night at Home Sweet Home in the Lower East Side without any experience. That’s really where my life in NYC began.

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Do not break into the abandoned mansion in the back of your neighborhood.

What’s the last show you went to?

Blaketheman1000 at a Forever Mag poetry reading.

What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?

I don’t watch TV but my favorite movies are Rachel Getting Married, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974).

What’s one of your hidden talents?

Every talent I have is known, for better or worse.