Mental health has been in the news a lot lately, especially as it pertains to high-performing athletes. We’ve seen several athletic stars share their struggles with anxiety and depression and their need to take breaks for their mental health. Ohio State offensive lineman Harry Miller has taken this one step further and announced he’s retiring from football altogether after revealing his mental health struggles.
Miller is a junior studying engineering at Ohio State. He reported to his coach last year that he had been having suicidal thoughts. Throughout his struggles with mental health, he felt supported by his teammates and coach, who got him set up with counseling at the university. He wrote about his experiences on March 10, when he announced he would be medically retiring from football. The lineman said that he “would not normally share such information.” And continued, “However, because I have played football, I am no longer afforded the privilege of privacy.”
Miller wrote in his letter announcing his retirement that he returned to football weeks after informing his coach of his mental health struggles. But he returned with scars on his wrists and neck. Miller said, “Maybe the scars were hard to see with my wrists taped up,” and went on to say that “there was a dead man on the television set, but nobody knew it.”
The athlete reported while being interviewed on the Today Show that he has struggled with anxiety and depression from an early age, but that the pressure of playing college football for Ohio State exacerbated his anxiety and stress. Miller described some of the messages he would receive after a hard game, including some saying “transfer, you suck.” He said, “Some people get death threats that I know on the team, and I’m trying to text my mom, that’s the first thing I see, and then you can’t worry about it too much because you have an exam the next day. And then you have that for weeks and then months and by the end of the semester and you’re like ‘What is happening right now?’”
The pressure placed on elite athletes starts well before college. There have been reports of high school kids struggling with the pressure placed on them to perform at an exceptional level. Adults hurling insults at teens and young adults who are only trying to do a sport they love, while trying to balance academics, family and friends, doesn’t help. These are things that need to be looked at more closely. As a society, the weight we place on athletes to just suck up whatever is thrown at them and perform at a level that most of the country could not perform at is breaking their spirits and causing irreparable harm to them as human beings.
What weight are we asking elite athletes to carry?
u201cThen out spake brave Horatius,nThe Captain of the Gate:nTo every man upon this earthnDeath cometh soon or late.nAnd how can man die betternThan facing fearful odds,nFor the ashes of his fathers,nAnd the temples of his gods.u201dpic.twitter.com/K5pXZNy2DW
Harry Miller made a decision to choose himself, his life and his mental health over continuing to play a sport at a level that demands nothing short of perfection. Here’s to hoping other athletes follow his lead, and choose their mental health, and society takes note of how we treat them to evoke societal change.
If you are having thoughts about taking your own life, or know of anyone who is in need of help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (273-8255) or text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line: 741741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Spring is springing here in the Northern Hemisphere, and even though the same thing happens every year, it never gets old. No matter how long and dark and cold the winter gets (for those of us in the northern climes, anyway), the sun always comes out, the greenery always returns and the flowers always blossom.
It’s refreshing and beautiful and life-giving, every time—and a metaphorical reminder that growth and renewal are possible. There are rainy days and muddy messes and old, dead stuff to clear out of the way, but it’s all in the service of life reasserting itself.
It’s the season for celebrating hope, friends. Let’s do it.
This week’s round-up of internet delights includes humans being excellent to each other, people sharing their amazing talents, animals being hilarious and sweet, and heartwarming examples of support and unconditional love. It’s joy and hope in 10 small packages, which when you put them all together, will hopefully give you a little boost in your faith in humanity.
Jules Hoogland is a junior at Zeeland East High School in Michigan, and she plays on the United Sports team, which organizes teams with and without disabilities to play together. Awesome example of meaningful inclusion. Read the full story here.
The musical talents of the Wilson family are just PHEW.
Totally in love. Golden retrievers aren’t known as one of the friendliest dog breeds for nothing.
Anne Hathaway blows Kelly Clarkson away with her own song in a karaoke competition.
anne hathaway is a theater kid, you will never beat a theater kid at these types of games (even if you are the untouchable kelly clarkson)pic.twitter.com/FQiopkySqQ
You’d think going up against Kelly Clarkson in a singing competition would be a huge mistake, but Anne Hathaway can hold her own. And Clarkson’s reaction to missing her own song is hilarious. Read the full story and watch the full segment here.
The love of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s family during her opening statement was so beautiful.
Love how Ketanjiu2019s hubby keeps crying.pic.twitter.com/325HWQHOdl
The tears her husband wiped away. The look of knowing admiration on their daughter’s face. Her parents were in the crowd, too, their faces beaming with pride. A beautiful highlight in this historic moment. Read the full story here.
Hope that restored a little calm and joy to your heart at the end of a long week. Come back again next Friday for another roundup of smile-worthy finds from around the internet.
I remember sitting in advanced algebra and trigonometry class in high school wondering if I was really ever going to use any of what I was learning. Math at that level meant nothing to me in a practical sense. I planned to study English and education to become an English teacher, so I couldn’t imagine why I’d need to learn the ins and outs of trig.
As it turned out, some of what I learned came in handy in the functions class I was required to take to fulfill my math requirement in college. But again, I found myself sitting in class with zero idea of why I was learning this level of math and suspecting that I was never going to actually use that knowledge in my adult life.
Now I’m a middle-aged adult and I can say with absolute certainty that I was right. In 27 years, I have not used anything I learned in functions. Not once. Not even a little bit. I agonized my way through that class to eek out a B-minus and to promptly forget everything I’d learned because it was utterly useless to me.
To be clear, higher math isn’t useless—it’s amazing. It was just completely useless to me.
You know what would have been useful? Learning about financing a car or a mortgage or understanding how and why and where to invest money. In all that time I was doing trigonometric proofs and calculating polynomial functions, I could have been learning all the various real-life math-related decisions I’d have to make as an adult.
I see the same thing happening with my kids in high school and college. It totally makes sense for students who are interested in going into math and science fields to take math beyond basic algebra and geometry. But for those who aren’t—why? There are so many more valuable things for them to take the time to learn—things that every single person really needs a basic knowledge of, such as:
Basic Psychology/Mental Health Maintenance
Every one of us has a brain and mental health is an issue for a huge percentage of people. Even those of us who don’t struggle with mental illness benefit from learning about how our minds work, gaining strategies for managing our thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and understanding why people do the things they do.
How many people would have been saved by learning how to spot a narcissist before getting into a relationship with one? How many people could mitigate an anxiety spiral right when it starts because they learned to recognize the signs earlier? How many people would appreciate the support and understanding of everyone having a basic understanding of their mental health disorders?
Basic Sociology/Human Behavior
Similarly, every one of us lives in a society. Understanding social connections, relationships and group behavior might kind of come in handy. If we don’t understand the causes and consequences of human behavior, we’re going to be confused by society at best and allow or enable atrocities to occur at worst.
From learning how cults and conspiracy theories work to recognizing how our prejudices can blind us to reality, sociology has useful knowledge we all need to internalize.
Media Literacy
If we’re going to be bombarded with media 24/7, we’d better know how to process it. Understanding how journalism works, what makes a source credible, how information can be skewed and how to recognize misinformation and disinformation is vital. What is bias and how can it be mitigated? How can we recognize when an outlet values accuracy?
So many of the problems the U.S. is facing currently are due to people watching or listening to dubious news sources. Mandatory media literacy courses would (hopefully) go a long way toward changing that.
The Stock Market and Other Investments
I underestimated how much I’d need to know about the stock market when I was younger. None of that economic stuff interested me, but I wish I understood it better now.
But really, it’s investing in general that we need to understand more about when we’re younger, especially since starting young is the No. 1 best advice any financial advisor will give you.
How Banking, Credit and Credit Cards Work
Every single one of us uses a bank or credit union and credit is a huge part of adult life. And yet most people I know have had to piece together how credit and credit cards actually work through advice from friends and family and good old trial and error, sometimes with devastating consequences.
Taxes
Good gracious, right? Not just how to do taxes, but what taxes get used for.
Financial literacy is what I’m saying. We need mandatory financial literacy classes. (Florida has actually just become the first state to require personal finance education to graduate, so yay Florida.) I think I was required to take economics in high school, but it was much more high-level economic theory than personal finance. We need personal finance first, then the bigger picture.
First Aid/Safety/Self-Defense
Most of us probably got some first aid and/or CPR training in health class, but how comprehensive was it? Did it include infant CPR? Do we know how to recognize if someone is having a stroke? Signs of infection?
What about basic everyday safety, like why you shouldn’t leave a car running in a garage or common household fire dangers or how to spot asbestos?
Self-defense seems like a no-brainer. Basically, a “How to Stay Alive and Keep Others Alive” course that includes most everything you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones on a daily basis.
Navigating our Healthcare and Health Insurance System
Ugh. I’ve been an adult for almost three decades and everything about our healthcare system confuses and frustrates me. Maybe if we required schools to teach young people how it works, it would shine a big spotlight on how ridiculously and unnecessarily complicated it is because no one could possibly explain it in a way that’s understandable. Maybe that would push lawmakers to actually do something about it, because honestly, it’s just a gigantic mess.
There are surely others, but those are the major subjects that come to mind as vital after being an adult for a long while and seeing what my own kids need to have a decent grasp on as they make their way into the world. And honestly, there are some classes that adults should be required to take well into adulthood. Parenting classes, for example. Or local government and voting.
All subjects and courses have value to some people, but if we want students to be prepared for adulthood, we should make sure they are given the vital knowledge and skills every person actually needs and will use.
Latto has been having a huge 2022 so far, and it sounds like it’s about to get a lot bigger. The rising rap star is coming off the release of her 777 album today, her second full-length project and follow-up to her 2020 debut Queen Of Da Souf. But a mystery feature on the tracklist has been generating a lot of speculation, as the massive single off the project, “Big Energy,” has been quickly working its way up on the Billboard chart and is due for a remix.
The song samples a rather iconic song from the early ’80s, Tom Tom Club’s 1981 single, “Genius Of Love,” which most fans will recognize from Mariah Carey’s own iconic hit, “Fantasy.” And since the two stars share a sample on respective hits, it only makes sense they’d team up for the remix. While a lot of fans thought Latto would tap either Nicki Minaj or Cardi B for the new version, she made it clear that while she loves them both, she’s not getting into any drama by picking sides.
These tweets between Latto and Mariah today make it pretty clear that we’ll hear Mimi on Monday’s remix. Stay tuned for that, surely Mariah is going to bring a big verse and some signature vocal gymnastics for this one.
The connection between cannabis and sleep is far more complex than the simple assumption “weed makes you sleepy.” As with all things cannabis, the truth behind the trope is difficult to deduce in layman’s terms. This makes the industry, especially its consumers, vulnerable to misinformation. End users are often misinformed, confused, and even purposefully misled by brands implementing marketing ploys aimed at selling expensive products.
The cannabinoid CBN, which has been lauded as a miracle sleep molecule, is a perfect example. Like most buzzy trends in cannabis, (ex: the focus on high THC, the fixation on indica and sativa, the idea that rosin is higher quality than resin…), CBN is more of a marketing term than the wonder cannabinoid it’s made out to be. And it’s a pricey one at that.
“The idea that CBN equals sleep is where lazy science, negligent industry myth-making, and low consumer knowledge collide,” says scientist Carolina Vazquez Mitchell. Vazquez Mitchell has spent years studying the effects of cannabis on sleep in the formulation of her product Dreamt, one of my favorite cannabis sleep aids on the market. “It reduces the burden on the product developers to actually review scientific literature when they create these drugs, and it gives marketers a very simple way to explain what their products are supposed to do. But in my opinion, this is disingenuous.”
Cannabinol (CBN) is a cannabinoid that is produced when tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is degraded by air, heat, light, or acids. Some research has shown CBN to have similar effects to THC, though between four and ten times weaker. In short, it’s just old THC that is no longer as effective. To get more granular on the current research:
One study showed THC plus CBN to be no more effective than THC alone.
Another showed you would need 9x the amount of CBN to get the sleep effect of THC.
According to Vazquez Mitchell, “It’s also important to note CBN binds two times weaker to the CB1 receptors than THC. The CB1 receptors are the only cannabinoid receptors that regulate sleep.”
While CBN isn’t the miracle cannabinoid marketers make it out to be, it can still make you feel sleepy — because CBN is nothing more than degraded THC and THC is the most active cannabinoid in the sleep cycle. But simply adding CBN to a product then labeling it “for sleep,” is both reductive and deceptive.
So what does work?
“THC and CBD in a ratio of 2.5:1 have been shown to be the most effective ratio for inducing sleep quickly and without the risk of becoming stressed or paranoid,” says Vazquez Mitchell. “But the cannabinoids only help with deep sleep, and have been shown to hurt your REM sleep long term.” (REM sleep is crucial to your cognitive function and your ability to store memories.)
In order to foster a healthy night’s sleep, you have to supplement the cannabinoids with non-cannabis ingredients that help REM, like melatonin, valerian root, and certain terpenes. But while plenty of weed sleep products seem to focus only on marketing, there are a few great brands that emphasize all aspects of proper sleep. Here are some sleepy deepy cannabis products that don’t include CBN.
Dreamt
Dreamt
Dreamt’s line of products has totally revolutionized the way I access sleep, specifically their vaporizer pen. Vazquez Mitchell’s unique, scientifically formulated blend of THC, CBD, melatonin, GABA, and Valerian root, has proven to work for every single person I’ve recommended it to, which over the years has been more than a few.
It works so well that sometimes when I’m bored I’ll just hit my Dreamt pen and see how long it takes me to fall asleep. I’ve even done exhaustive field research (consuming like every psychedelic and upper known to man at the same time) to see if it would still put me to sleep. It took a couple of hits and a little more time than usual, but it worked. Pretty impressive!
The other thing I like about the Dreamt pen is that it doesn’t make you groggy in the AM, which is a huge downside to many cannabis sleep aids. This pen puts you into deep, restful sleep that lasts the whole night, not just until 3:30 am when anxiety springs your eyes open like a reverse beartrap.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the most effective sleep aids on the market by far. Cannabis or not, you’d be hard-pressed to find something better.
Low Tide Gummies by Seaweed Naturals stole my heart for three reasons. First, the brand is by Jacques Cousteau’s grandson and his wife, which is just chic. Second, these gummies contain beneficial ocean botanicals like kelp omegas and generally just have great ingredients. And third, they are ocean conservationists who care about the environment, with a portion of sales going to benefit marine organizations.
The first time I tried them, I was initially impressed with the flavor. It says blackberry, but it tasted more like raspberry sorbet, a little sour and not too sweet. The texture was nice and refined for a gummy, clearly a really high-quality product. At first, the feeling was euphoric and I was wondering if I was going to get tired, then I was lulled into sleepiness like the lapping tides of a warm sea.
Bottom Line:
Aside from being shaped like little pink starfish (swoon), the product itself I found to be really effective. These gummies contain 10mg THC and melatonin, a perfect combo for lights out.
Rose Delights are so artful, impeccably executed, and delicious that we as consumers aren’t fully worthy of them as a brand. Each of their seasonal drops of live rosin-infused Turkish delights is limited-edition collaborations with the best cannabis brands and local fruit farms around California.
Their new Deep Sleep delights are no exception. Their first mood state product, passionflower, vanilla, and mulberries from the organic Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood, California balance a blend of 28 different phenotypes of Holy Tonic flower, grown from seed by Rose and pressed into rosin. I ate one still vibrating from a particularly stressful day and physically felt my anxiety melt away.
Bottom Line:
From intention to packaging to flavor to efficacy, this is a perfect product that will lull you to sleep in style.
Amalfi by the legendary, 2nd generation Humboldt farm Huckleberry Hill Farms is an exquisite example of how good weed can be. This strain is extremely potent yet still in balance with nature. The THC is super high (34 percent), but… so is everything else. The chemical profile of this flower is highly elevated, vibrating on a level far above almost everything else on the market.
As the name Amalfi would indicate, this flower literally makes you feel like you’re bobbing in a boat on a warm salty sea, splayed out in the sunshine. I included it in this list because of its extremely euphoric, languid, fun, and relaxing effects. While it starts off silly, you often end up completely asleep without even realizing that you’ve fallen asleep because you are just that relaxed.
In fitting with the flower for the people philosophy of small Humboldt farmers like John Casali and Rose Moberly of Huckleberry Hill, these jars even come with a feminized seed pod attached, so you can grow your own plant and enjoy her magic for free. This weed is a medicine from the earth for your mind, body, and soul, and everyone deserves access to it. Major props to them for spreading love instead of greed. Our industry could use a lot more of this!
Because this strain is from a small farm with limited distribution, it could take a little more effort on your part to locate her. But, trust me, it’s beyond worth it. Think about if you were on vacation in a new city. Of course, it would be easier to eat at McDonald’s the entire trip, but wouldn’t you take the time to do a little research and find the best restaurants? Cannabis consumers need to be doing this, too! And trust me, it’s worth it. I try a large percentage of cannabis that hits the market, and the indoor mids that corporate dispensaries are feeding you could never even touch this level of magic!
Bottom Line:
Gassy, spicy, nutty, and sweet, she’s a heavy hitter that will waft you gently into dreamland. Take the time and seek her out. It will change your view on what cannabis can be, I promise!
Buy it here: Check here or contact [email protected] to check availability near you.
Sleep Gummies by New Phase Blends
New Phase Blends
The Sleep Gummies by New Phase Blends are one of those products that work so well it’s almost mind-blowing. This brand is hands-down my favorite effect-based CBD line on the market, which is saying a lot because I don’t usually fuck with CBD brands that say their products are going to do things other than make you relaxed. Without other added botanicals, cannabinoids, and active substances, that’s literally impossible, which is why New Phase Blends is so epic. All their products are patented blends that really work.
These little red gummy bears knock you the fuck out. I like the tincture too, but the gummies have an air of nostalgia with their little bear shape and synthetic cherry flavor. I’ve been obsessed with their sleep line for years. Regardless of how stressed, anxiety-ridden, or generally unsleepy you are, these will take you to a place of deep euphoria and rest. My bedside is never without it.
Bottom Line:
Regardless of your mental state, sleep is literally minutes away, 15 mins tops, when you use these products.
NightCaps by Perfect are cute little prerolls that have been infused with live resin and are designed to put you to sleep. They hit hard, they work fast, and they’re perfect when you want to shut your mind down after a long day. The wildest thing about them is that they’re so strong, you really only need one hit to feel the effects, making it instantaneously effective. I like to hit it once or twice, clip the joint in my bedside ashtray (does everyone have one of those or just me?), and save it for future use.
Verdure’s 1:2 Sleep Tincture truly has it all. The correct cannabinoid ratio! The supporting role of sleep-inducing botanicals! A soothing lavender flavor!
I was really impressed when I tried this product. Each serving has 16mg THC, 8mg CBD, lavender, vanilla, chamomile, bergamot, valerian, and clary sage. Gorgeous. While it took a little while to put me to sleep (I would say about 45 minutes) the sleep that I enjoyed was deep, long, and restful. I woke up in one of those super jubilant fashions where you spring forth from bed, excited to meet the day.
Bottom Line:
This is a great option that falls in line scientifically with what is proven to help you sleep. 10/10 check it out.
A busy week across music saw the releases of the loopy Pusha T fast-food battle rap track “Spicy Fish Diss,” 42 Dugg and EST Gee’s “Free The Shiners,” Deante Hitchcock’s “Alone,” DDG and Gunna’s “Elon Musk,” Chance The Rapper’s moody comeback single “Child Of God,” Kid Cudi’s Sonic 2 soundtrack contribution “Stars In The Sky,” Mount Westmore’s “Bad MF’s,” and the newly resurgent Nicki Minaj’s drill rap foray “We Go Up” featuring Fivio Foreign, along with the releases listed below.
Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending March 25, 2021.
Albums/EPs/Mixtapes
Buddy — Superghetto
Buddy
Compton rapper Buddy returns after four years with the follow-up to his fan-favorite 2018 debut Harlan & Alondra. This time around, he’s got an expanded palette of sounds and support from the likes of Ari Lennox, Blxst, T-Pain, and Tinashe.
Denzel Curry — Melt My Eyez, See Your Future
Denzel Curry
A more eclectic effort than 2019’s Zuu, Denzel Curry’s latest takes visual inspiration from the genre films he grew up watching and gets introspective with assists by a motley crew consisting of 454, 6lack, Jasiah, JID, Karriem Riggins, Rico Nasty, Robert Glasper, Saul Williams, T-Pain, and more.
Larry June & Jay Worthy — 2 P’z In A Pod
Larry June & Jay Worthy
The Bay Area mainstay and the Compton flag-waver connect for a collaborative project that makes the most of their similar, independent mindsets. With groovy production and features from Jim Jones, Roc Marciano, and Suga Free, this is a smooth, unexpected take on West Coast rap.
Latto — 777
Latto
Uproxx cover artist Latto finally follows up her impressive 2020 debut album Queen Of Da Souf with this tight collection of bangers which includes the unexpected collab “Sunshine” featuring Childish Gambino and Lil Wayne, as well as her biggest hit to date, “Big Energy” — a remix of which is expected to follow in the coming days.
Nigo — I Know Nigo
Nigo
Japanese fashion designer and DJ Nigo taps his fashion-obsessed musician friends for this upbeat compilation of eclectic-sounding club thumpers. Naturally, Pharrell makes a few appearances, but so too do his direct musical descendants like Tyler The Creator, Clipse, and Pusha T.
Phife Dawg — Forever
Phife Dawg
Shortly before the death of A Tribe Called Quest co-founder Phife Dawg, the band revealed he was working on a new solo project — his first since 2000’s Ventilation: Da LP. In the years since the announcement, fans have waited impatiently for word that the project was complete. Now, we have proof: It was well worth the wait.
Supa Bwe — No Thanks
Supa Bwe
One of Chicago’s many, many super-rappers, Supa Bwe disappeared for a while but made a triumphant return a couple of years ago with Just Say Thank You and Jaguar. He proves he’s here to stay with his latest, which features not just Chi-Town stalwarts like Chance The Rapper, Mick Jenkins, and Twista, but also unexpected collaborators like the NBA’s Iman Shumpert.
Singles/Videos
Bfb Da Packman — “Can’t Blame Ye”
While everybody else was chastising Kanye for his immature, reckless behavior, the Flint MC tried his best to empathize, detailing the wild upbringing that resulted in his off-kilter sense of humor and understanding that sometimes, you just have to wild out.
Bankroll Freddie — “Broke ASF”
Arkansas born Quality Control rapper Bankroll Freddie really came from rags to riches — he says as much on his latest single — which makes him kind of easy to root for, as do the hard-hitting beats he’s been using to assert himself as one of the rappers to watch.
D3szn — “Drip” Feat. E-40 &Ohgeesy
YG’s 4 Hunnid signee makes his entree to the rap game proper with some help from both a fellow West Coast rising star and one of the godfathers of the California rap scene. It’s a punchy, un-PC, post-ratchet anthem and a salute to the grimy dudes down to do whatever for the come-up.
Dreezy — “Covid Flow Freestyle”
Welcome back, Dreezy, we’ve missed you. In my estimation, the Chicagoan drill scene survivor is hands-down the best female rapper of the modern wave — even if she had the misfortune of popping up a couple of years too early to take full advantage. Here, she sounds revitalized and ready to recapture the excitement that surrounded her earliest offerings.
Lil Skies — “PlayThisAtMyFuneral” Feat. Landon Cube
I’ll admit I’ve been slacking on Lil Skies. After being one of his earliest champions, I sort of let myself forget that he remains one of the Rolling Loud generation’s absolute favorites. Sometimes, I get too stuck on trying to support elevated rap or local favorites. Look past the face tats and the extremely 2016 SoundCloud rap aesthetics and you may find you enjoy his boom-bap-informed take on the syrupy, melody-driven style beloved by zoomers.
Open Mike Eagle — “Multi-Game Arcade Cabinet” Feat. R.A.P. Ferreira, Still Rift., & Video Dave
Boy, it’s easy to miss a good, old-fashioned posse cut. Get four or more really good rappers in a room and let them cut loose. That’s what’s going on here. The game needs more of it.
Superior & Stove God Cooks — “Sweet Dreams” & “161”
Admittedly, I don’t know much about Superior, other than he’s a producer that loves the soulful, cinematic loops of fellow retro backpackers like Alchemist and Daringer and that his beats make the perfect backdrop for Syracuse rapper Stove God — who is likewise heavily associated with the Griselda crew style of gritty, late-90s revivalist rap currently bubbling in upstate New York — to show off his witty wordplay and confident charisma. Their double release this week may well leave fans hankering for more.
Trapland Pat — “Hellcat” Feat. Eli Fross
Trapland Pat and Eli Fross are relative newcomers, hailing from Florida and New York, respectively, but their chemistry on this track suggests both have been listening to a lot of ’90s and early aughts hip-hop. Because I am an absolute sucker for cross-regional connections and the back-and-forth flow they use here, they get a nod and I’ll certainly be checking for more from both in the future.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
South By Southwest returned to Austin, Texas this month with a 10-day conference and festival encompassing all the latest in culture, film, music, and technology. The festival, which had to be canceled in 2020 due to the rise of COVID-19, was held virtually in 2021, while this year’s event, which ran from March 11 to 20, saw the return to a live format for the first time in three years.
Uproxx’s Paul L. Carter was on the ground to capture the musical festivities, as well as the premiere of the black comedy Nicolas Cage vehicle The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, which sees the cult favorite actor playing a heightened version of himself alongside Pedro Pascal as a superfan who pays him $1 million to appear at his birthday party.
Meanwhile, musical artists included Uproxx coverage mainstays like Jason Isbell, Pussy Riot, and Weyes Blood, as well as indie stars such as Particle Kid, Self Esteem, Charley Crockett, Surfbort, Sasami, Kaina, and Sunflower Bean, some of whom performed at Willie Nelson’s annual Luck Reunion mini-festival.
According to Austin 360, attendance at SXSW 2022 was “pretty close” to 2019’s numbers, exceeding the festival organizers’ expectations. The festival featured 1,500 showcasing artists — a small number than 2019’s roster of over 2,000, but impressive nonetheless.
For the average whisk(e)y drinker, that might be the reaction when learning a bottle of whisky cost around $150. It’s a lot and we’re not going to pretend that it’s not. We’re also not going to pretend that spending $150 or so on a bottle of Scotch whisky is anywhere near the high-end. On this price point journey through Scotch whisky, we haven’t even cracked into the 20-year-old bottles yet, much less the very rare stuff.
Scotch is just a lot more expensive and expansive than casual drinkers realize. But for us, that’s all part of the fun.
For this list of ten great Scotch whiskies between $125 and $150, I pulled bottles from my own tasting notes and ranked them. Look at it this way, I like each bottle on this list a little more than last. That’s my personal taste. Still, we’re starting off with number ten setting a very high bar when it comes to a flavor profile — that means these are all bangers. I also made sure to include peated and unpeated malt to give you a chance to pick and choose what you might dig.
Let’s get into it.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This release from 2021 is the second Nick Offerman collaboration with Lagavulin. This is an eleven-year-old single malt that’s then finished in Guinness stout casks for a four-month final maturation. That whisky is then cut down to 92 proof with Lagavulin’s own Islay spring water.
Tasting Notes:
The briny, peated malts come through on the nose with hints of black coffee beans, slightly waxy cacao nibs, and a hint of creamy mint-chocolate ice cream. The palate is one part beach campfire from a mile down the beach and one part Milk Duds and drip coffee with hints of vanilla and pine resin lurking in the background. The finish leans into the dark cacao with a smoky edge (smoked dark chocolate?) while the wood stays dry and resinous and the briny peat gently supports the bitter yet creamy mocha espresso and mild malts.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty nice but a little bit of a departure from classic Lagavulin. That said, if you vibe on the whole Offerman persona, Guinness, and lightly peated whisky, then this is definitely going to be your jam.
This is classic, old-school whisky making from the Isle of Arran (right next to Islay). The juice is aged in a mix of sherry casks for 18 years before it’s vatted, proofed, and bottled without filtration or any other fussing.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nice mix of maple syrup with blueberries that almost feels like blueberry pancakes with a mug of cinnamon-spiked apple cider to wash it down. The palate holds onto that warmth with spicy grilled peaches dripping in more syrup with notes of orange zest brightening things up. That’s paired with a touch of wet oak. The end really holds onto the cooked peaches, spice, and orange as it fades out fairly slowly towards a mild yet dry tobacco chewiness.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskies that makes you say “ahhhh…” when you take the first sip. It’s fruity with a nice spicy balance that works really well over some rocks. It also makes a great Manhattan.
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:
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. Those notes hold on as buttery toffee arrives with a dark chocolate counterpoint, leading towards ripe red cherries and floral honey. The end embraces distant billows of sweet smoke with a dry and earthy undertow on the slow, sweet, and berry-filled fade.
Bottom Line:
We’re already getting into splitting hairs territory with this ranking. This is really spectacular with a damn near-perfect balance of sweeter fruits and mild smokiness that might just hook you on peated malt. You’ll want to add a little water to let it bloom in the glass.
This whisky from Jura (also right next to Islay) is a fairly new expression from the old-school distillery. The juice is matured for 18 years in ex-bourbon casks. It’s then vatted and finished in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux barrels for a finishing touch. As a final touch, it’s proofed down with spring water to a very sippable 88 proof.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mix of cinnamon, clove, pineapple, and citrus on the nose that reminds you of a tropical cocktail you can’t quite put your finger on. The bourbon comes through with a rich vanilla underbelly, supporting very distant sprays from the sea next to dried red berries covered in bitter dark chocolate. The end holds onto the bitter, edging towards coffee beans while the fruit gets drier with a final briny note arriving late.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a bourbon drinker, you will find some continuity in this whisky’s flavor profile, which will help you fall in love with it. Overall, this is a really solid sipper that also shines in any simple whisky cocktail.
This release is a masterclass in finishing a whisky. The juice is first aged for 18 years in refill bourbon and sherry casks. Then the whisky is transferred to first-fill red wine casks from Pauillac, Bordeaux. The whisky is then proofed with the soft water from a local, gold-flecked river to a very accessible 86 proof.
Tasting Notes:
That beautiful creamy honey and vanilla of Aberfeldy greets you with notes of blackberries, soft cedar, and a hint of marzipan and rose water. The palate creates this bowl of vanilla sauce poured over ripe red berries (blackberry and raspberry especially) that are drizzled with fresh honey next to soft and dry cedar leading to dry grass. The end embraces the fruit and takes on a fermented apricot (not quite a schnapps) vibe, as the honeyed sweetness and nuttiness slowly fade out.
Bottom Line:
This is quintessential whisky and a prime example of “the good stuff.” It’s so easy drinking while still offering interesting and deeply hewn flavors. You cannot go wrong pouring a dram of this and taking your time with it.
Cragganmore is an iconic Scottish distillery. The whisky is matured in sherry casks for 12 years. It’s then transferred into American oak casks that held port for a final maturation phase before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This is like a fresh herb garden with dill and fennel leading the way on the nose next to fresh bushels of green apples and soft and supple vanilla. The palate has a savory fruit note that’s part fig and part squash next to fancy pear candies and an orchard in full bloom. The finish marries those florals, orchard fruits, and vanilla and then circles back around to a bundle of fresh, green, sharp, and slightly savory herbs.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the most unique whiskies on the list, which is why it’s right in the middle. I love it for all that green apple and savory herbal brightness. Others might not. Either way, pour this over a single rock and enjoy something unique and very tasty.
This year’s Talisker sticks with the classic age statement of 8-years while leaning into the smokier side of the Island whisky. The build on this expression is a marrying of the “Smokiest Reserves” from the Talisker warehouse. That juice is vatted and bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
You get this medley of smoked fruits on the nose — think smoked plum and apricot — that leads towards a rush of sea spray, iodine, and nori that braces your senses for this billow of wet forest and granite on fire like a mountain overlooking the ocean that’s been set ablaze. The palate calms down only slightly with a pink sea salt that’s been accented with dried roses while that smoke puffs through your sense with a green pepper spiciness and an almost sweet, wet fir tree bark with an earthy edge that almost feels like damp black dirt. That earthiness imparts a soft peatiness to the malt on the end with a slight tobacco chewiness followed by a final kick of spicy smoke.
Bottom Line:
This bottle has been growing on me over the last six months. It’s so complex and, well, deep. I find something new in the nose and palate every time I dive back in, and that makes this a must-have whisky.
The Balvenie continually hits it out of the park with their lineup. This expression spends 17 years maturing in old American oak before it’s transferred to old sherry casks for about a year more of maturation. The results are then proofed with that soft Speyside water and bottled in the brand’s iconic stubby bottle.
Tasting Notes:
You’re greeted with a clear sense of Granny Smith apple peels that are still fresh, next to oily vanilla, fresh honey, and a slight touch of cedar. The taste indulges in the vanilla, creating a creaminess, while a deep Christmas cake vibe of dried and candied fruits, almonds, dark spice, and orange arrives. The end is long and luxurious with more of that spicy, nutty, and fruity holiday cake dancing through your senses on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
This whisky feels like it needs to be enjoyed next to an open fireplace with your dog curled up at your feet. It’s dark and spicy with a velvet texture that feels like it never ends, and you don’t want it to. Add a rock or a few drops of water to really open it up in the glass.
This tiny and iconic Dufftown distillery is the whisky aficionado’s distillery. The whisky in this bottle is distilled almost three times (2.81 times to be exact) through various types of pot stills. The juice is then aged for 16 years in sherry casks before it’s, vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
You’re met with a bowl full of stewed plums with anise, clove, and cinnamon in the mix, next to a slight sense of dry moss. The taste has a faint vanilla edge next to velvety honey, sharp spice, old leather-bound books, and a touch of bruised apricot. The end is very long, holds onto the spice and fruit, and leaves you with a sense of creamy vanilla honey.
Bottom Line:
Mortlach tends to almost universally be perfect with every expression they release. Their whisky is well-rounded, unique, yet still 100 percent accessible. The flavor profile is smaller but so distinct and dialed. It’s a hell of a dram that deserves your focus as you drink it.
Oban’s location on the Scottish coast, next to both the Inner Hebrides and Highlands, allows it to harness the best of both regions when making its whisky. This year’s 12-year release is built on the backs of both ex-bourbon casks and refill bourbon casks, allowing the stronger notes of those new bourbon casks to get a light mellowing from the refill wood. The results are bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Briny — that’s the draw here. The nose has this mellow mix of spicy nori crackers that lead towards an old wooden cutting board that’s slick with olive juice, fish oils, salt, and black pepper that you then take a heel of bread to mop up while a slight note of smoked haddock or cod lingers on the very backend. On the palate, a burst of citrus oils arrives to cut through all that umami, oil, and brine as a light malty fruitiness adds a little tart and sweet to the mix, with a sense of cedar chips soaked in mild chili oil driving a sense of warmth. The finish lets that spice build towards a dry pepperiness thanks to the wood as the fruit ties itself to a very mild tobacco leaf and another note of that smoked fish sneaks in on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a perfect pour of scotch. You get the warmth of Scottish botany next to the depth of the murky seas. It’s complex, sure. But it’s also somehow comforting and familiar (especially for my Pacific Northwest palate). In the end, it’s rare and worth tracking down, as this one isn’t ever coming back.
There’s no disputing the appeal of the IPA. While the lager is by far the most consumed beer in the world (by far), it’s difficult to argue the hold the IPA has on the craft beer world. With various styles, including the West Coast IPA, New England IPA, milkshake IPA, and various other types and offshoots, this hoppy, piney, sometimes (in the case of West Coast IPAs) aggressively bitter, sometimes fruity, juicy, and hazy (in the case of New England IPAs) beer style has a place on every craft brewery’s menu from Anchorage to St. Augustine.
But with so many to choose from, it can seem daunting to pick just one.
When trying to help pick the right IPA for a guest, Heather Buelna, head bartender at Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay in San Diego, first asks a few questions about their palate. “It largely depends on the context clues I am getting from the guest,” Buelna explains. “If they are new to IPAs and that is what is leading to their indecision, I always steer them to beers like Stone IPA. It’s not overly aggressive with its hops and has such a nice, light balance of flavors — so it feels like a safe choice.”
Since all drinkers are different, we asked a handful of notable bartenders to tell us the one IPA they always suggest for indecisive drinkers. Keep reading to see all of their picks.
War Pigs Foggy Haze
War Pigs
Charles Bement, sommelier and beverage director of B. Hospitality in Chicago
War Pigs is an off-shoot of 3 Floyds Brewing, a staple in pale ale production. Though my first recommendation for pale ale would be 3 Floyd’s Zombie Dust American pale ale, which I think is the quintessential pale ale and offers something for everyone. War Pigs contains a lot of the juiciness that pale ale fans enjoy while having just a little more bitter punch to it that is more unique to IPA drinkers. War Pigs IPA is very smooth and clean on the palate too.
Revolution Anti Hero is always a solid choice. It has a crisp hop flavor that is great for people who aren’t sure what they want. It also pairs nicely with a wide variety of food. This is the one hoppy and balanced beer I always steer drinkers towards.
Founders All Day IPA
Founders
Andrew Guerin, bartender at Bourbon O Bar in New Orleans
Founders All Day IPA is an easy-drinking session IPA. The characteristics of an IPA are all there, but they come in softer. It’s a great IPA for those new to the style, or the regular IPA drinker just needing something to quench their thirst.
If the guest seems a bit more adventurous and seems to know that they enjoy the IPA style, I will lead them toward a great local selection, the Modern Times Orderville Hazy. This is a hop-forward beer, which some might find overpowering. But, to an IPA drinker, the unique combination of light and dark hops really creates a complex and aromatic beer drinking experience. If they seem up for it, I am happy to lead the way there.
My go-to is Elysian’s Space Dust IPA because, honestly, it’s just a genuinely easy to access IPA for those looking to jump in. Sitting at 73 IBU, this refreshing IPA offers notes of citrus and mango while still having a solid dry finish. It’s hard to beat.
Lagunitas Daytime IPA is a winner. You can have one while you make up your mind. It’s so hoppy and refreshing. It’s only four percent ABV and low in calories so it doesn’t fill you up before you make up your mind. Plus, it’s a fairly flavorful, easy-drinking beer. You’ll probably just order another one.
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing
Sierra Nevada
Lily Van Duyn, food and beverage manager at The Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg, Florida
Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing IPA is always my go-to. Dry-hopped and less filtered, this IPA has a fruit-forward flavor that is both refreshing and subtle. It’s juicy, hazy, and delicious. There’s a reason it always tops list for best hazy IPAs.
Black Hammer Justin Case
Black Hammer
Mariza Sabino, general manager at Dirty Habit in San Francisco
ABV: 5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Hands down, a session IPA. They’re nice and light, the hops aren’t overpowering, and it’s approachable in cool and warm weather. We’ve been pouring Black Hammer’s Justin Case Coconut Session IPA. It’s not too hoppy, but just enough so you know it’s an IPA. It has a lower ABV so they’re easy to throw back while you’re hanging out with friends.
Wendlandt Mexi Hazy IPA
Wendlandt
Stephen Ohalloran, bar manager at Camino Riviera in San Diego
ABV: 6.3%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Wendlandt Mexi Hazy IPA is not quite as bitter as West Coast IPA and is easy to drink with fruity flavors. It’s also not as dry as some IPA options out there. It’s a very well-balanced and complex IPA.
Harland India Pale Whale is my personal favorite. It’s not too heavy or over-hopped. It’s just a classic West Coast IPA that’s delicious and refreshing.
Tree House Green IPA
Tree House
Subhash Sankar, head mixologist at Alaia Belize in San Pedro Town, Belize
ABV: 7.6%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Tree House Green IPA is my pick. This Double IPA is created with a massive kettle charge of Australian and American hops. It opens in the glass with huge notes of ripe pineapple. There’s a nice smoothness to this beer with fresh-cut pineapple stewed in pineapple juice and topped with candied pineapple. The malt backbone is chewy and substantial while the bitterness is dangerously smooth. Then there’s even more fruity notes of pineapple, mango, and assorted tropical fruit.
An easy IPA to recommend to people who can’t make up their minds is Stone IPA. Not only is this beer well known, but it’s also well balanced with notes of pear and honey which makes it an easy favorite for many people. It’s one of the best-rated beers on the market for a reason.
Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine
Lawson’s Finest
Samantha Seltzer, beverage and service manager at Royal Boucherie in Philadelphia
Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine from Vermont has ripe tropical fruit and honey malt finish. One sip always brings me straight to my happy place. Vermont is making some great hazy beers, and Sip of Sunshine is one of the best.
Jackie O’s Who Cooks For You
Jackie O’s
Annie Pierce, bartender and co-owner of Law Bird Bar in Columbus, Ohio
Jackie O’s Who Cooks For You is my pick. It’s a hazy pale that’s perfectly balanced. It’s big enough for IPA drinkers but not too heavy that it fills you up. It ticks all the boxes for indecisive IPA drinkers.
I can’t imagine worse torture than being stuck in a locked-in state caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a disease of the nervous system where nerve cells slowly break down, causing muscles to weaken throughout the body.
Patients who survive through the weakening process eventually reach a locked-in state where even though their brain still functions, they are completely paralyzed with their eyes mostly closed.
In this state, the person is unable to communicate. People with ALS typically live two to five years after being diagnosed and usually die from paralysis of the respiratory diaphragm.
However, life may get a little better for people with ALS after a new development that has allowed a man to form sentences using only his brain waves. Researchers at the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering in Geneva, Switzerland, developed a brain electrode that they implanted into a 36-year-old man in a locked-in state that has allowed him to communicate.
“Ours is the first study to achieve communication by someone who has no remaining voluntary movement and hence for whom the BCI is now the sole means of communication,” said Dr. Jonas Zimmermann, a senior neuroscientist at the Wyss Center.
“This study answers a long-standing question about whether people with complete locked-in syndrome – who have lost all voluntary muscle control, including movement of the eyes or mouth – also lose the ability of their brain to generate commands for communication,” Zimmermann added.
After three months of unsuccessful attempts, the patient was able to spell “yes” or “no” and to form sentences through a speller program.
One of his first requests was to be put in an elevated position when there are guests in the room. He also was able to ask for one thing he probably needed more than anything at that point, a beer. He had to be dying for a beer. He also asked for the band Tool to be played “loud.”
The electrodes allowed him to interact with his 4-year-old child, who he was able to call “my cool son.” He also asked for specific foods to be put into his feeding tube. “For food, I want to have curry with potato then Bolognese and potato soup,” he said.
This was the first time that brain electrodes were even implanted into a locked-in patient and researchers had no idea if they would work.
Completely locked-in man uses brain-computer interface to communicate. Today, Wyss Center COO, Olivier Coquoz, discussed the teamu2019s new Nature Communications paper on @RTScqfd. Listen back to the interview here: https://pages.rts.ch/la-1ere/programmes/cqfd/24-03-2022#12927261u00a0u2026 #neuroscience #BCIhttps://wysscenter.ch/updates/completely-locked-in-man-uses-brain-computer-interface-to-communicateu00a0u2026
The scientists behind the groundbreaking technology are now seeking funding to provide similar implants for other people with ALS. “This is an important step for people living with ALS who are being cared for outside the hospital environment,” said George Kouvas, chief technology officer at the Wyss Center.
It’s stories like this that remind us that we should never take for granted the ability to communicate our basic needs. Let’s hope that the man with ALS will be able to drink as many beers as he likes and to be able to rock out to Tool as loud as possible for the rest of his days.
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