As the world slowly shifts to a streaming service-only landscape, it has become increasingly difficult to find people who just have regular cable. Sure, you can watch every episode of Stranger Things on Netflix, and of course, you can only find every Star Wars title ever on Disney+, but whatever happened to just finding a good, old-fashioned HouseMD marathon on USA Network to have on in the background while you’re cleaning your room? Have we really moved beyond that? According to the 4.7 million people who canceled their cable and satellite subscriptions in 2021, we have!
According to a new report from Leichtman Research Group, the largest pay-TV providers in the U.S. lost about 4,690,000 subscribers in 2021. Surprisingly, this is still less than 2020, which was nearly 4.9 million. Still, that’s a lot of people shifting away from cable, most likely due to the abundance of streaming services, and their combined costs, which really do add up. Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc, doesn’t seem worried at the loss. “While the pay-TV industry continued to lose subscribers, net losses in 2021 were fairly similar to those in recent years.”
Services like Comcast and DirectTV both lost over 1.5 million subscribers each, leaving their final subscriber count to 18 million and 14 million, respectively. That’s still a lot, but doesn’t quite compare to sites like Disney+, which is aiming for 230 million subscribers by 2024. Currently, they have just over 83 million worldwide.
Streaming services that include live TV, like Hulu Live and Sling TV, had an increase in customers, due to their hybrid model, where you can watch sports and still catch up on original shows like Only Murders In The Building. Hulu Live TV added about 300,000 subscribers last year.
Still, having to keep track of all these services is becoming a little hectic. And, as HBO Max proved during the Euphoria finale, some streaming services can’t seem to handle the influx of viewers at once. Perhaps we should all just go retro and switch back to cable?
Lately, we’ve been actively building up our future travel itineraries as we prepare to finally go on all those vacations we’ve been postponing for *checks wrist (you know, where calendars go now)* two years. Andwhat better city to dream of visiting than Sydney, Australia? As of two weeks ago, Australia is now fully open to all vaccinated travelers and it’s certainly one of the first countries on our list as we make our way out into the world again. With beautiful blue harbors, delicious food, and some of the most awe-inspiring landmarks, both human and nature made, Sydney is full of splendor.
But in a city so rich in things to do, what’s the best way to just relax and take in your surroundings?
To find out we reached out to Australian electronic duo Cosmo’s Midnight, who provided us with a guide on their favorite Sydney chill out staples. The pair, consisting of twin brothers Cosmo and Patrick Line, have five Gold Singles to their name, have collaborated with BTS, received a cosign from Pharrell, and charmed the DJs at Triple J with their funky mix of ‘70s chicken-scratch guitar, swirling polysynths, and the uplifting and driving house rhythms.
This sound is perfectly exhibited on Cosmo’s Midnight’s new single, the addicting and funky “Can’t Do Without (My Baby),” which is equal parts nostalgic and futuristic, and almost impossible not to have a good time listening to. It sounds like Spring — all buzzing, vibrant, and euphoric and its feel-good vibe has us optimistic for the days ahead, something we haven’t felt for a while.
Give “Can’t Do Without (My Baby)” a listen and dive into the duo’s favorite Sydney spots.
Cafe 86, Cabramatta. Perfect for the best Vietnamese iced coffee, a bit out of the way if you don’t live in western Sydney. But it passes the vibe check. Lots of old dudes smoking ciggies and playing mahjong.
Bronte Pool is a haven, an oasis in a barren desert. We go to Bronte to keep ourselves in check and refresh. I try to visit this place a few times a week all throughout the year as it’s one of the best sea pools in Sydney and isn’t too far compared to some of the more beautiful, less crowded ones.
Located in Elizabeth Bay, right next to the CBD, this place is perfect for a lie down after too much sun or a boozy day in a smaller park. This park is extremely vibey with lush grass, a mossy bridge, and a Koi fish pond and also isn’t so big that you feel like you don’t have any seclusion.
By far the underdog of bowls club for people my age. This one is mostly populated by people in their early 40’s so you can feel a little out of place as it’s located in the family-oriented suburb of Petersham. But it’s always been a gem, especially before the suburb gentrified. It’s surrounded by Jacaranda trees and close to Petersham park so you get the longest sunset, so lovely.
Best mezcal only bar in Sydney. Many of the drinks are carefully sourced from Mexico and taste incredible, it also only fits a handful of people too so it doesn’t feel like a massive ordeal to hang out in.
This place is a cultural institution in Chinatown. You know which shop to look for because there are fake grapes hanging from the ceiling. So good to get a Tsing-Tao from the bottle-shop next door and sit outside in the balmy summer heat and smash some special braised eggplant and knife sliced noodles.
I think this is one of the oldest Lebanese institutions in Sydney and has such an immense vibe, huge draped ceilings, dim lighting, and most importantly they have some of the more esoteric/delicious dishes you don’t find at other places. It’s in Redfern so it should be an easy trip for anyone and we’ve been coming here since I was about 10 years old, so you can trust me when I say it’s good.
This is a Portuguese bakery in Petersham that is renowned for its pastel de nata. Portuguese tart best paired with nummy Cappuccino with extra choccy. Bonus: across the street is Frangos which is an iconic chicken shop that does arguably the best charcoal chicken/burgers in Sydney.
When I’m feeling low/hungover I’ll go straight from sweet Belem to Frangos for a real greasy pick me up.
I rarely make it over the other side of Sydney’s Harbor Bridge but sometimes I make it over to Castlerock for a swim at full tide. It’s one of the best harbor beaches in Sydney, believe me, I’ve tried them all. If the stars align and you come here at a full tide expect to have a revelation. This guy rides around on a boat making terrible coffee for anyone that yells at him as well, which is cool.
This is an amazing freshwater lagoon that you can get to by a short hike from Heathcote station. Expect many giant goannas and dudes smoking shishas around the water all day. The lagoon is fresh so it’s hard to swim without sinking, so don’t expect to go for laps in it.
1. Jon Hamm was on one of the best episodes of Bob’s Burgers as the voice of a talking toilet, and he keeps a memento from the episode near his toilet. “I came in and recorded the voice of a toilet,” he told reporter Tara Ariano. “And to this day, in my bathroom, there is a picture of Gene hugging a toilet. Very excited about that.”
2. Jon Hamm imagines his dog sounds like Greg from Succession.
“I feel like his inner voice is Greg from Succession. He kind of is like, ‘[in a Greg voice] Wow. So wait.” He’s kind of confused and amused at the same. “But wait, so I get a treat, but are we going to go for a walk? But wait, I’m kind of sleepy. What?’ Anyway, that’s how I feel my dog talks to me.
Anyway, Jon Hamm is a big dog guy (here he is meeting and petting some random person’s pup while filming Confess, Fletch), which is funny, because Don Draper is such a cat. “I don’t think about you at all” is every cat’s inner monologue 24/7.
In late 2021, “serial testicle fondler” Mehmet Oz, a.k.a. Dr. Oz, announced that he would be ending his long-running daily talk show in order to make a run for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania (despite the state of Pennsylvania doing nothing to deserve this). In the months since then, the TV quack has made one public gaffe after another. Now, in what is definitely not a great look for a wannabe senator, Page Six reports that he’s embroiled in a legal brouhaha with his sister over their late father’s estate.
As Page Six notes, the troubles all began back in 2020, when Oz’s sister, Nazlim Oz, sued her big bro for withholding the $15,000 per month she usually made from several rental properties the family owns on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Nazlim said the gravy train stopped running following the death of their father, Mustafa Oz, in February 2019 (it was Mustafa who had purchased the condos). But now Dr. Oz is claiming it’s his sister who is in the wrong, and suing her for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from their late pops’ estate.
According to Page Six, Dr. Oz noted in an affidavit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court that Turkish authorities had been able to locate some of the missing money stashed away in secret bank accounts in three other countries, including the Cayman Islands. He’s using this information to ask a judge to halt Nazlim’s lawsuit against him.
“Dr. Oz ceased the distributions because he, [sister] Seval, and their mother (Suna Oz) uncovered evidence that Nazlim had been stealing her father’s money,” Michael J. Cohen, Oz’s lawyer, wrote. According to Page Six:
Nazlim — who lives in Turkey — allegedly hid money “from her father’s estate to her own use and to the ongoing detriment of her sister, Seval Oz,” the affidavit alleges. Nazlim also allegedly “deprived our mother of funds with which to live, and deprived her of her inheritance,” the papers say.
Dr. Oz claims Nazlim forged their dad’s will in 2018 in an attempt to override the real one, according to the affidavit.
Nazlim Oz’s lawyers did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.
Earlier this year, New Zealand-native singer-songwriter Aldous Harding announced her fourth studio album Warm Chris, released the shimmering lead single “Lawn,” and unveiled a batch of tour dates. She’s back today, only a couple of weeks before the arrival of Warm Chris, with the vibrant single “Fever.” It doesn’t sound feverish, though; it’s calm and level-headed, adorned with an array of enchanting instruments that add to its gorgeousness: flute, trombone, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and more.
In typical Aldous Harding fashion, the song comes with a weird, cinematic video with lots of interesting outfits and unanswered questions. It’s certainly not as eccentric as the 2017 “Blend” video, for which she was a bikini-wearing cowboy.
“The concept is based on that awful scene from Apocalypse Now where the playmates pile out of the helicopter,” she explained. “The costume was handmade for me, it turned out great. It’s in the bin.”
That song came from her sophomore effort Party, which we named one of the most acclaimed breakout records of that year, especially for its versatility that outlier tracks like “Imagining My Man” proved. She continues to push against expectations with this new sprawling album.
Watch the “Fever” video above.
Warm Chris is out 3/25 via 4AD. Pre-order it here.
Finding the best Scotch whisky under $100 is no easy task. There’s just so much of it out there. $100 is a sort of bifurcation point between “affordable” and findable; between the bottles that are going to cost you and ones you might have to jump on a flight to track down. The bottles of scotch that linger in the $90 to $100 price point are still accessible, sure, but they’re also getting into the releases you might only see once a year or once ever.
The point is, we’re getting into the fun stuff.
For this collection of ten Scotch whiskies (both single malt and blended whiskies), I’m pulling from my own tasting notes and calling out bottles I think you should try. I’m then ranking those bottles based on what I’d reach for more often than not. While I tend to lean more towards the higher ABV briny, fruity, and mildly-peated scotches, those are only one small corner of scotch.
To that end, the ten bottles of whisky below range from ashen peat monsters to low ABV sweet fruit bombs, and a lot in between. Hopefully, there’ll be something that’ll spark your interest.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This Speyside whisky rests mostly in ex-bourbon casks. The final product adds in a few barrels from Europe to mellow out the heavier bourbon barrels. That blend is then cut down to a low 80 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with hints of cedar and winter spice underneath caramel candies, roasted almonds, and a hint of stewed orchard fruits. The palate largely carries on those flavors with a subtle hint of bourbon vanilla and spicy tobacco warmth attached to the maltiness, with an echo of dark chocolate-covered hazelnuts. The finish leans into the cedar and tobacco with a slightly mineral water base.
Bottom Line:
This is complex and very easy to drink overall. The only real downside is the low ABVs bringing a slightly watery finish. Still, this rules on the rocks.
Glenmorangie has finally made this a regular drop on the North American market. The juice is made from Highland barley grown exclusively on the 440-acre Cadboll Estate, which surrounds the distillery. The juice is then filled into French casks which held Muscat and Sémillon wines. It’s then left alone for 15 years to mature. Finally, those barrels are batched and brought down to a low 86 proof with local highland spring water.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of buttered scones with lemon curd next to a good dose of vanilla and a touch of savory herbs on the nose. The palate really holds onto that biscuity nature while adding in a caramel candy note next to a bit of butter with a white sugar cube vibe. That lemon comes back on the short finish with hints of old straw and strawberry jam.
Bottom Line:
This has a nice balance of fruit and malts that are very subtle. The ABVs aren’t bottomed out, but you do feel that spring water in the sip. Still, this is a great option for anyone looking to dip their toes into sweeter and fruiter malts without blowing out the palate.
Hailing from the famed Knockdhu Distillery, this single malt (pronounced “uh-KNOCK”) is named after the rake-like tool that breaks up the sod so harvesters can dig out some peat. The whisky is made from malt that’s barely been kissed with the smoke from a peat fire, keeping the phenols (that’s the smoke compound in the barley) very low. The juice is loaded into ex-bourbon barrels where it’s allowed to rest for “nearly” 10 years before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rush of fresh Granny Smith apples on the nose next to Honey Nut Cheerios with the smallest spritz of orange oils. The fresh honey sweetness builds, as a slight and almost woody bourbon vanilla sneaks onto the palate with a sharp edge of eggnog spice. The sip slowly fades towards smoked dried apple tobacco with a touch of old, soft leather and dried heather.
Bottom Line:
This really marries light smoke and fruit well in every sip. I dig this on the rocks but it’s also an easy neat sipper thanks to those low ABVs.
This special blend was released to help celebrate Johnnie Walker’s 200th anniversary in 2020. The juice in the bottle is a blend that dates back to 1860 and includes (modern) whiskies from distilleries that actually went into Johnnie Walker back then — when it was known as “Old Highland Whisky.” Finally, the whisky is proofed down only slightly, allowing the casks to shine through.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of Christmas cakes full of wintry spices, dried fruits, and nuts next to a slight hint of singed vanilla husks, dried apricot, and marzipan. The palate builds on those notes by amping up the dried fruits and layering in roasted almonds with a hint of burnt marshmallow lucking in the background with a thin line of campfire smoke. The finish brings a little bit of heat with a black pepper tied to the malts as the dried fruit, nuts, and marshmallow slowly fade away with a final, earthy hint of peat rounding the sip out.
Bottom Line:
These are worth seeking out in that they’ll give you an idea of why Johnnie Walker blew up worldwide back in the 19th century. This is a good sipping whisky, yes, even for a blend. I prefer it over a few rocks or in a highball (with good fizzy water). It also makes one hell of an old fashioned.
6. Lagavulin 11-Year Old Offerman Edition Finished in Guinness Casks
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 a dream to sip, especially if you’re looking for a milder Lagavulin that still feels like a classic Islay briny peaty whisky. Pour this one as a sidecar to your next pint of Guinness and have a great time.
This whisky is named after the world’s second-largest whirlpool, which spins in the inky seas between the isles of Islay and Jura off the coast of Scotland. The juice is classic Ardbeg distillate that is aged exclusively in fresh French Limousin casks. That juice is then married to the 10-year-old Ardbeg and bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
This is a big whisky with hints of pine resin, smoked bacon fat, blue and blackberries, dark spices, and a hint of minty dark chocolate on the nose. The palate is straight-up chewy, with black pepper-coated bacon fat next to heavily roasted coffee beans and salted almonds all while still holding onto those dark berries as a sweet counterpoint. The end is a mix of dark berries, bitter coffee or chocolate, and that fatty and peppery smoked meat with a sea spray edge that lasts a very long time.
Bottom Line:
This sort of flips the script on the bottle above. Here, the brine, smoke, and fatty elements are the star of the show and the bitter, creamy, and chocolate elements are the supporting cast. In the end, it all comes down to taste. But, for a peaty whisky, this is so nuanced and beautifully layered that it’s hard not to fall in love with it. Just take your time and let this bloom with some water or a rock to really dig deep.
These drop every fall and are part of a new line from the Orkney Island’s distillery. The juice is a blend of single malts that are aged exclusively in old American oak that held sherry. The barrels are married and bottled as is to assure you’re getting all the nuance and flavor of their malts meeting that oak.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a light sense of wildflowers on the nose with a rich vanilla husk that leads towards a touch of peat. The taste is surprisingly silken (for a cask strength) with rich and buttery toffee next to honeysuckle, eggnog spices and creaminess, and a small dose of orange zest as a counterpoint. The end holds onto the creaminess and spices as the peat just edges in with a whisper of resinous pine smoke.
Bottom Line:
While this does have a bit of a kick, it’s also very subtle. That spice, florals, and peat all sing together on the palate while the vanilla and orange add a nice counterbalance. Again, pour this over some rocks or add a little water to really let it open up in the glass.
This bottle from Islay’s Bowmore is a 15-year-old whisky that’s a blend of American and European oak. For the first 12 years, this whisky rests in ex-bourbon barrels. For the last three years, the whisky is transferred to Oloroso sherry casks. The whisky is then finished with local spring water, bringing it down to a very approachable 86 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Bowmore’s low peatiness shines through on the nose with a hint of smoked chocolate malts next to raisins, dates, and plums with a hint of smoked fig next to mild sourdough scones. The palate leans into a cedar box full of spicy tobacco that’s dipped in Karo syrup with more of those dried fruits lurking in the background of the sip. Those sweet and dried fruits move the mid-palate towards oat cakes touched with cinnamon and a dry yet sweet tobacco vibe on the end.
Bottom Line:
You’d be forgiven for missing the “peat” on this sip of subtle Islay whisky. This feels like a bridge between the bourbon wood and sherry wood with the sweet yet smoked barley malts flowing beneath that bridge. While this shines neat, I like this one the rocks at the end of the day. You can’t beat it, especially if you’re looking to gently dip your toes into the bigger world of Islay peat.
A’bunadh (ah-boon-arh) means “the original” in Gaelic and the juice in this Highland bottle represents that for Aberlour. The whisky is matured in old Oloroso sherry casks exclusively. The juice then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.
Tasting Notes:
That sherry plumminess is evident right up top, with hints of bright orange oils, clumps of dark chocolate, honey, and nuts, and a hint of oak. The taste shines with notes of dark, ripe cherries, prunes, more bright orange zest, dark chocolate, and a good measure of svelte vanilla. The slow finish leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel next to bitter chocolate next to sweet cherries and plums, all of which lead towards a warming spice on the tongue at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is magic in a glass. It’s so rich and chewy while adding layer after layer of bitter, soft, and fruity. It’s damn near perfect, especially if you’re looking for an unpeated malt whisky. You really can’t go wrong with this one — on the rocks, neat, in an awesome Manhattan…
The 2021 Distillers Edition is a classic Talisker, aged by the sea, that’s finished for six months in Amoroso sherry casks. The whisky was distilled in 2011 and bottled at 10 years old. It was then finished in another Amoroso sherry cask, making it “double” matured.
Tasting Notes:
The nose runs deep on this whisky with mild hints of beachside campfire smoke whispering in the background as hints of red fruit, wet driftwood, and green peppercorns draw you in. The palate embraces the red berries with a slight tartness next to the sweetness as the peat remains dry and distant and tied to the brine of the sea with an almost oyster liquor softness. The finish lingers for just the right amount of time as sweet berries and dry peat lead towards soft dark cacao powder with a tiny note of vanilla and one last spray from the sea.
Bottom Line:
Nuanced is the name of the game with this whisky. Not a single note of this overshadows another. It’s balanced and beautiful from top to bottom. I highly recommend adding a little water or a rock to really dig deep into the depths of this one.
For weeks, reports indicated that the Denver Broncos were doing everything they could to be in a position to acquire Aaron Rodgers if he decided to leave the Green Bay Packers. Just hours after it was announced that Rodgers will stay in Wisconsin, the Broncos managed to get their man under center in a blockbuster deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Seattle will send Russell Wilson to Denver in a deal that will net the Seahawks a treasure trove of picks and players. Schefter reported that negotiations on the deal have been going on for weeks, and characterized the trade as “one of the largest” in the history of the NFL.
Blockbuster: After weeks of negotiations, in one of the largest trades in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos have agreed to terms for a deal involving Super-Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson, sources tell ESPN.
Blockbuster: The #Seahawks and #Broncos have agreed in principle on a trade sending nine-time Pro Bowl QB Russell Wilson to Denver for a massive haul, including multiple first-round draft picks, plus additional picks and players, per sources
Wilson’s name has popped up in trade rumors in the last year or so, with one report in Feb. 2021 indicating that he “broached trade destinations” with the Seahawks before sticking around for last season. But after an injury-shortened 2021 campaign that coincided with Seattle winning seven games, his time in the only city he’s called home during his NFL career has come to an end.
For Denver, Wilson gives them the kind of quarterback they have not had since Peyton Manning’s retirement. Considering the talent in that division — Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert are two of the best in the league, while Derek Carr is a steady hand in Las Vegas — Wilson is the sort of game-changing talent they need to keep up and, should some things go right, compete under new head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
So far, Encanto smash hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” has spent five weeks in the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Its streak actually came to an end this week, though, as Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” is now on top of the chart. Now, in a new Los Angeles Times interview, Lin-Manuel Miranda (who penned all the Encanto songs) spoke about the movie and its music, revealing that “Bruno” would not have been his pick to become a big success.
Miranda explained:
“In my wildest dreams of what might happen, I would have swapped ‘Colombia, Mi Encanto’ — the top and bottom of that chart! ‘Colombia, Mi Encanto’ [which spent one week at No. 100 before leaving the chart] is such a party tune: ‘This could maybe have a little life beyond the movie.’ And the fact that the ensemble song that is incredibly plot-heavy and almost requires having seen the film to fully understand is the one at the top of the charts is one of the most delightful and hilarious surprises … of my life [laughs]! The one that requires no context just made it and the one that requires all the context is the banger.”
He went on to note of “Bruno,” “I think the variety of it is a part of it; the fact that everyone can have a favorite part — it’s gonna be a karaoke jam forever because everyone can grab the mic at one moment or another. My son came home from school the other day and said, ‘Dad, we were singing it on the bus and everyone took different parts.’ I went, ‘Oh my God, did you sing along?’ He goes, ‘I was one of several Camilos’ [laughs].”
From late January through almost the entire month of February, Joe Rogan dominated the headlines thanks to musicians taking a stand and pulling their music from Spotify in protest of Rogan’s podcast spreading misinformation about COVID treatments and the vaccine. That scandal was then followed by the unearthing of several episodes of Rogan’s podcast where he used the N-word. Yet despite promises to do better, Rogan still continued to share debunked articles on COVID, and recently, one about Steven Seagal.
With all of that in mind, it’s always interesting to see what kind of behavior Rogan personally feels is “sketchy.” TikTok, on the other hand, now that’s something to be wary of. “[Software engineers] said it is the single most disturbing piece of software they’ve ever had to back engineer because the amount of cross-platform spying it does,” Rogan said on Monday’s episode of his show.
According to Rogan, TikTok is always watching, and he knows because his friend heard it from some lady. Via Mediaite:
“My friend told me that she was talking to this lady and they were just having a conversation,” Rogan relayed. “And then she looked at her TikTok and TikTok suggested her — so TikTok knew that her and this lady were next to each other physically because their phones were next to each other. So Tik Tok suggested she follow that lady.”
While privacy concerns are definitely a real issue with any social media platform, and Rogan is not necessarily wrong here, keep in mind, we’re dealing with a guy who actually thought Steven Seagal was fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. Actor Steven Seagal. So, as always, grain of salt.
We’re drawing very close to the best bourbons under $100. Nearing that price point in bourbon means that we’re pretty much into the special releases, one-off bottlings, and allocated offerings that excite whiskey drinkers from coast to coast.
For this list, I went deep into my tasting notes to find bottles that I think are actually worth dropping $80-90 on. It’s a tough prospect for many drinkers, especially when you can buy two or three bottles of perfectly good bourbon for the same price as some of these picks. Still, I winnowed the list down to all bangers all the time. These are bottles I absolutely vouch for, ranked according to my taste.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to find that special bottle in your region at or near the prices listed below (some of these bottles might be priced wildly different on the secondary market, depending on where you live).
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This limited release from 2020 rounded out the Buffalo Trace Old Charter Oak Series. The whiskey was aged in Chinkapin oak barrels which, in some cases, are made from trees up to 200 years old. The staves are air-dried for 24 months before the barrels are built. Those barrels were then filled with standard Buffalo Trace distillate and left to do their thing for nine long years before mingling, proofing with limestone water, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose reveals a hint of Double Mint gum that leads towards cherry blossoms with a hint of the tree bark in the mix, a touch of raw leather, and a thin layer of vanilla wafers. The palate kicks off with a spicy grain vibe that builds towards dark chocolate spiked with orange zest, a flourish of those cherry blossoms, and a honey candy mid-palate. That sweetness leads back to the dark chocolate with a slight wintry spice leaving you warmed with a mild cherry tobacco chew.
Bottom Line:
That raw leather note from Buffalo Trace’s mash always puts me off slightly. It’s not overpowering here, thankfully, and this really does have a serious depth that, ultimately, feels classic. Pour this over a rock or two and you’ll be set.
This new bourbon brand is killing it at the moment. The bourbon in this case was contract distilled in Ohio (but is now being made in Kentucky). The juice is a wheated bourbon that spent eight years mellowing before bottling. Each barrel was hand-picked before being married into a single barrel strength expression that’s bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
A firewood pile opens the nose with apple crumble, lemon zest, plenty of creamy vanilla, and wintry spices rounding out the nose next to a hint of old saddle leather. The taste has a butterscotch vibe next to hints of Vanilla Coke, more of that apple crumble with the spice and brown sugar set to eleven, and a touch of apple blossoms next to a hint of fresh ginger. The finish takes its time and leans into the sharpness of the spice, leaving you warmed to your soul next to a final note of that dry firewood stacked in dark soil.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty damn fine, yet bold whiskey. I’d recommend pouring it over a rock or two to calm it down and let it bloom a little in the glass. Or you can mix this into a killer old fashioned.
Bib & Tucker is a classic example of what great blending can do with sourced juice. The Tennessee whiskey is a marriage of ten-year-old whiskeys aged in the lowest char barrels available, allowing more direct contact with dried wood rather than black char. Those barrels are blended and then proofed down with soft Tennessee water.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of vanilla bean (pod, seeds, essence) up top with hints of spicy chewy tobacco, dry oak (almost pine), and a distant note of fresh corn husks. The palate really holds onto that velvety vanilla as the corn husks dry out and notes of orange-infused dark chocolate mingle with that spicy tobacco, which starts buzzing on your tongue. The end is longish, has touches of that dry pine, and holds onto both the vanilla and dried corn husks.
Bottom Line:
This is the sweet spot for Bib & Tucker. This whiskey is super easy to sip neat but really benefits from some water or rock to help it open up. It’s also a really solid cocktail base, especially for a Manhattan.
This masterful blend of sourced whiskeys is a highwater mark for Nelson’s Green Brier out in Nashville. The nine-year-old barrels are hand-selected from a reserve sourcing program. Those high-rye bourbons (the 36 percent rye MGP mash bill) are married and then transferred to Oloroso sherry casks for a final maturation before the whiskey is slightly proofed and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of a Christmas cake full of dark spice next to fatty nuts, vanilla, dried fruits, and candied orange peels with hints of plummy wood popping up in the background. The taste follows that path and adds in more dried fruits with a toffee sweetness and buttery edge next to a touch of dried florals. The end builds as the vanilla and spice meld into a bread pudding body with a lingering sense of spice on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
I’m not the biggest fan of sherry-finished bourbons but this one stands above them all. There’s a subtlety at play that works in making this an easy sipper (on a rock) or a really good cocktail base (for a simple one).
The juice in the barrel is made from a mash bill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of six to eight-year-old barrels that are vatted and bottled at cask strength as-is. It’s as easy as that, folks.
Tasting Notes:
Based on the latest 2022 release, expect the nose to open with full-tree cedar beams. That woody note is supported by touches of warm brown butter and maple syrup waiting for a stack of pancakes that haven’t been cooked yet with a hint of sticky buns and orange pith lurking in the background. The palate starts off sweet and nutty, kind of like almonds dipped in that maple syrup and then rolled in holiday spices with an echo of warmth. The mid-palate leans into ripe figs and spiced prunes before a vanilla husk woodiness arrives with whispers of hazelnuts, dry sweetgrass, and woody spice with a hint of cedar-infused tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty much a perfect whiskey. In fact, I’d argue that for each entry from here on out. So, consider this where I start splitting hairs to “rank” these brands. Not for nothing but this makes a mean cocktail thanks to those high ABVs.
This whiskey heralds back to Michter’s historical roots in the 19th century before the brand was even called “Michter’s.” The juice on the bottle is rendered from a very small batch of bourbons that were aged in Chinquapin oak which was air-dried for three years before charring and filling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with this rich and meaty plum presence next to a hint of buttery toffee and creamy vanilla with a touch of wood lurking in the background. The palate goes full crème brûlée with sticky burnt sugar over the top and a slight touch of allspice and nutmeg next to a dark cacao powder dryness with a touch of smoke salt and light, dry cedar. The mid-palate leans back into the dark stone fruit and sweetness as it only slightly dries out.
Bottom Line:
This is subtle and nuanced in a way that kind of makes you go “Woah” just like Keanu. While this is pretty hard to find, it’s worth seeking out to see what Michter’s is up to these days. If you do find a bottle, pour it neat and slowly add water as you taste and dig into the deep end of this whiskey.
This high-end brand from the legendary Buffalo Trace campus is crafted as a sipper at a (fairly) accessible price point. The juice is aged specifically in Warehouse C, which was built by E.H. Taylor, Jr. back in the 1880s. The barrels live under federal regulations for bottled-in-bond rules. Once they’re ready, they’re small batched, and proofed down to 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nice rush of freshly popped corn that’s been hit with some salt and butter before a touch of caramel arrives with a slight black licorice bent and a hint of cherry leather. The taste delivers on those promises with a butter toffee with a slight almond and dark cocoa note next to spicy tobacco leaves and hints of leather and cedar. The end doesn’t overstay its welcome and fades away, leaving you with an almost peppery spice and cherry chewing tobacco buzz cut with salted caramel.
Bottom Line:
This is a beautiful whiskey that really does deserve the hype it gets. That “raw leather” note that so many Buffalo Trace offerings carry is not here, which helps for my palate. Overall, this is a classic for a reason.
This is technically a “flavored” bourbon but it’s nothing like any other flavored bourbon you’ve ever had. This is Garrison’s Small Batch Bourbon that’s then infused with Burleson’s Texas Wildflower Honey. That means that the bourbon was transferred to a steel tank for storage. In the meantime, those empty barrels were rebuilt into smaller wooden cubes and dipped into the honey until they were completely honey-laden. Those cubes were then put into the steel vats of bourbon to infuse the juice over seven long months.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with clear bourbon notes that worn leather, dry straw, and apple next to elderflower, ripe peaches and apricots, and a touch of raw honey. That honey note creates a bridge to the palate which is full of wildflowers, orange oils, cinnamon buns with a little pecan, and a final honey drizzle that’s almost creamy. The finish is a balance between the rich honey vibes and the clear sense of bourbon with cinnamon spice, dry pecans, and orange oils all slowly soaking into a pot full of honey.
Bottom Line:
This is a flavored bourbon and it f*cking rules. You don’t lose a moment of the bourbon’s depth since the honey adds layers that work in the overall build of the whiskey. This is so easy to drink neat or on the rocks that you’ll be hard-pressed not to fall in love at first sip.
This whiskey from Jack Daniel’s is a pretty special offering. First, the barrels were heated/charred using a special method of very slow heating to achieve a richer toast before going off to be charred with fire. Those barrels were then filled with 100 proof distillate and placed in the highest rungs of warehouses on Coy Hill on the JD campus. 100 barrels hit the mark and each was released as a single barrel, 100 proof offering.
Tasting Notes:
A hint of dry cedar and pine kindling comes through on the nose with the support of cherry pie with a lard crust, vanilla tobacco chew, and a hint of zucchini bread with walnuts, clove, cinnamon, and powdered ginger. The palate leans into those spices and adds a hint of dried red peppercorns that’s countered by a rich vanilla ice cream speckled with dry cherries and dark chocolate. The mid-palate sweetness fades back towards that kindling pile as a cinnamon/cherry tobacco chewiness leaves you warmed and wanting more.
Bottom Line:
This is a rare find, sure. But, goddamn, they’re good. The nuance of this will dispel any preconceived notions you might have about Jack Daniel’s. This is killer whiskey that deserves a prime spot on any bar cart. It also makes a phenomenal Manhattan.
2022’s first Barrel Proof drop is a 12-year-old whiskey made from Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash of 78 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and a mere ten percent rye. Those barrels are masterfully blended into this Barrel Proof expression with no cutting or fussing. This is as-is bourbon from the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Caramel draws you in on the nose with a slight sourdough cinnamon roll with pecans, a touch of floral honey, and a soft and woody drug store aftershave with an echo of vanilla candle wax and singed marshmallow. The palate rolls through a soft leather and vanilla pie note as cinnamon ice cream leads to spicy oak. The mid-palate leans into a sweeter, almost creamy spice (think nutmeg-heavy eggnog) which, in turn, leads to a dry cedar bark next to a dry stewed-apple tobacco leaf folded into an old leather pouch for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
This bottle sort of represents every great about bourbon. It’s nostalgic while still feeling fresh. It’s a classic that feels like it takes you somewhere new. It’s… just really, really good.
Try it neat, on the rocks, or in a simple cocktail. You will not be disappointed.
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