A new batch of text messages released by the January 6 House select committee once again show that longtime Donald Trump ally Sean Hannity was well aware of the gravity of MAGA-fueled insurrection and tried repeatedly to get the administration to stop pushing the Big Lie that the election was stolen.
In the latest set of texts, Hannity reached out to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and laid out a multi-point plan for how the administration should respond to the attempted coup. The Fox News anchor also warned that Trump has now put himself in danger of being impeached or removed from office and that the best course of action is to completely drop the election fraud business. Via The Hill:
“1- No more stolen election talk,” Hannity reportedly texted McEnany, who herself sat down with committee investigators last week after being subpoenaed.
Per the letter, he continued, “2- Yes, impeachment and the 25th amendment are real and many people will quit…”
McEnany reportedly responded “Love that. Thank you. That is the playbook. I will help reinforce…,” though it is unclear what else she may have said.
In another text, Hannity tells McEnany, “No more crazy people,” which she agreed with. “Yes, 100%,” she wrote back. Presumably, the crazy people are Trump’s bumbling legal team of Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, but their identities are not revealed in the texts.
Following this latest info dump from the House select committee, former Trump Homeland Security adviser Olivia Troye stopped by CNN on Thursday where she told Jake Tapper that it’s “stunning” to see how many people in Trump’s orbit knew the January 6 attack should’ve ended his presidency right then and there.
“I think it is important to get this evidence out there to the American people so that they can see that in the lead up in that situation, with Donald Trump, people knew,” Troye told Tapper via Raw Story. “People knew that this type of action was worthy of impeachment. It was worthy of the 25th Amendment. That these are actual discussions happening with people like Sean Hannity.”
With temperatures plunging and ice, and snow blanketing most of the United States this time of year, a National Park vacation might not be your first thought for a long weekend away. But while most National Parks truly shine brightest in the summer road trip months, there are some absolutely majestic options that can give you that same summer feeling in the dead of winter. And a little respite from the aching cold is certainly deserved right about now, isn’t it?
While it’s not talked about much, I actually believe that there are plenty of National Parks that are better in the winter – with mild temps, fewer crowds, and plenty of that sunshine many of us have been missing. Here are my eight favorite National Parks for escaping winter’s icy grasp:
Death Valley National Park is always my first recommendation for a winter park visit. With temps in the summer that are regularly over 115 degrees, summer is not at all the time you want to be there. Shoulder seasons are great, but winter is really the sweet spot. With temps between 40 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit in January, you can visit this surreal landscape comfortably – and with fewer crowds.
There are nine campgrounds scattered throughout Death Valley. You’ll want to book a spot at Furnace Creek in advance, but otherwise they are first come first serve. The Oasis at Death Valley Resort is a luxury option if you want the best of both worlds.
Everglades National Park is another perfect option for a winter National Park getaway. With January temps averaging between 56 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, it is the perfect time to visit the 1.5 billion acre wetland preserve.
With over 2,000 species of plants and animals, the Everglades are truly one of a kind. They provide drinking water to most of South Florida and it’s the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles live together. I loved biking and spotting manatee during my visit – whose population in the park peaks between December and February.
There are two drive-in campgrounds in Everglades National Park, both accessible from the Homestead entrance. Reservations are recommended during the winter months and can be made here. There are also many backcountry sites that are mostly accessible by watercraft and require a permit.
I’ve visited 55 of the major US National Parks solo, and one of the most pleasantly surprising parks of all is one of the lesser known: Saguaro. With two sections, West and East of Tucson, Saguaro feels different from other desert parks I’ve visited. It feels… mystical in some strange way. Named after the unofficial western mascot – the Saguaro Cactus – the largest cacti in the nation, it feels otherworldly.
I first visited in the winter and was happy to be comfortable in shorts and a tank, with January averages between 45 and 60 degrees.
There are just six backcountry camping sites that you must hike to (with a permit) in Saguaro. Luckily, Tucson is a vibrant unique city with tons of short-term rental and hotel options.
Just outside Miami lies a National Park that doesn’t have quite the name recognition of the two others in Florida, but is well worth a visit. Biscayne National Park is 95% water – and is the perfect place for winter boating, canoeing, and snorkeling. With temps hovering between 68 and 76 degrees in January, and without the threat of hurricanes – winter is an ideal time to visit Biscayne.
There are two campgrounds that are first come first serve on Elliott and Boca Chita Keys. The only way to access is by boat – and the fee varies based on just camping or docking and camping. Biscayne is halfway between Miami and the Keys – so there are endless options if camping isn’t your thing.
On the border between Mexico and the US sits one of the most underrated National Parks in the system: Big Bend. Named for the curve in the Rio Grande, it is a remote and wild part of the country. A drive to Big Bend feels like stepping into another universe – and winter is arguably the best time to enter it.
With temperatures ranging between 35 and 68 in January it can feel cooler at night, but blissful during the day.
You can camp at Big Bend in the winter, just keep in mind that temps can get close to freezing at night and reservations are recommended during high season from January to April. You can also find luxury resorts in the area along with plenty of eclectic rentals – I recommend looking in Terlingua!
There are three major National Parks in Florida, and no surprise, they are all perfect for escaping cold winter weather. But if I could visit just one, I would always choose Dry Tortugas – hands down. Just 70 miles off the coast of Key West, it feels like another world entirely.
Catch a ferry boat or seaplane for either a day trip or, for the adventurous, primitive camping on the Garden Key.
What to do:
Explore Fort Jefferson, lounge on the sandy beaches, and snorkel in the pristine blue waters and vibrant coral reef.
Where to stay:
There are right regular sites and overflow camping on Garden Key. They are remote and primitive, but arguably the best spot to stargaze. If you don’t have the gear, there are plenty of options within walking distance from the ferry in Key West.
Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii famously encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes – Mauna Loa and Kīlauea. But there is so much more to this park. Extending from sea level to over 13,000 ft, I found Volcanoes to be incredibly diverse. With ferns, lava tubes, and plenty of trails, there is no shortage of activities at this park.
With temperatures in winter averaging between 65 and 70 degrees, it is the perfect time to visit this tropical paradise.
At the intersection of two distinct ecosystems lies Joshua Tree National Park. Just a 2 hour drive from LA, the park is legendary – and for good reason. Encompassing the Colorado and Mojave deserts, Joshua Tree feels like a visit to another planet. The twisting Joshua Trees, unique rock formations, ample hiking, and temps between 48-65 degrees make this a perfect winter escape.
What to do:
Hike on some of the park’s 300 miles of trails (try Ryan Mountain or Barker Dam), visit the curiously shaped Skull Rock, climb on one of the 8,000 established rock climbing routes, watch the sunset at the Cholla Cactus Garden, and stay later for some of the best stargazing in the US.
Where to stay:
There are over 500 campsites at Joshua Tree – 5 campgrounds are reservation only, while 3 are first come first serve. There is also ample Bureau of Land Management land nearby to camp on, and an endless supply of IG-worthy vacation rentals in the area.
Windjammers 2 arrived on Thursday with a whole lot of anticipation. The original Windjammers is a cult classic arcade game that saw resurgence through emulators and ports, with many people enjoying the intense air hockey-like play style. The original got so popular at one point that it had a short run at major esports tournaments like EVO.
Of course, before even diving into whether it lives up to the standard set by the original, we first need to figure out if this is a game that is worth playing. Here’s what we think.
What is Windjammers 2?
Windjammers 2 is, at its most basic level, the most intense game of air hockey ever. Of course, there’s way more depth to it with special moves, character stats, and level variety, but the goal for most players is to take a flying disc and either stick it in the goal of your opponent or drop it to their side of the field. This concept is maxed out to an extreme in Windjammers 2 with a style that makes every match feel as intense as a winner take all contest with your best friend at the arcade. Every shot, reaction, and super move feels important, and even the slightest mistake can lead to not only the loss of volley, but an entire set.
What makes Windjammers 2 different from a round of air hockey is how points are scored. The goal is to reach 15 before the opponent in each set. However, the way points are scored varies from map to map. Some maps will reward the player with three points for hitting a disc into the corner of the goal, five for landing in the middle, or two for successfully hitting a drop shot. Another map may reward five points for hitting the corners and three for landing in the middle. Some maps feature obstacles like bumpers for bounce shots, while another will hand out scores based on the type of flying disc in play. The variety keeps maps fresh and makes characters feel stronger based on specific maps.
Why You Should Play Windjammers 2
Intense multiplayer action
Unique characters
Fun gameplay
Windjammers 2 is fun. It takes no time at all to get addicted and the arcade mode is going to put up quite a challenge. We recommend that’s where new players start, but eventually, you will need to move into multiplayer, because that’s where this game truly shines. Taking a friend down to the final set with minutes-long volleys is incredibly satisfying … unless you lose, because with how invested you’ll get, you’re going to be heartbroken. Anyone that wants to put their skills to the test can also try out the online mode, but be wary, because some of the online players have already mastered this game.
Why You Should Not Play Windjammers 2
Not very deep
Multiplayer dependent
Skill gap
The downside to a game like this is how dependent it is on its multiplayer mode. Windjammers 2 is at its best with friends or in an online matchup. This leaves single-player options fairly unsatisfying, with only an arcade mode to tackle. The full experience for someone who isn’t playing with a friend can only be achieved via online multiplayer, and that skill gap can be really frustrating. It’s never fun to get annihilated by someone online, and eventually, that is going to be filled with the best of the best while whittling out the casuals. Obviously, the solution to this is to “get good,” but that doesn’t change that it has the chance of driving away more casual players.
Our Take
Windjammers 2 a great game for parties or small tournaments. We tried it on the Switch and found it worth it at its $20 price tag, but if you pat for Game Pass, you and your friends can download it from there.
A code for the Nintendo Switch version of Windjammers 2 was provided to us for review purposes.
Seattle folk-pop band The Head And The Heart not only just announced their fifth album, Every Shade Of Blue, they also unveiled an extensive 2022 North American tour behind the album with support from Dawes, Jade Bird, and Shakey Graves. Along with the album, the band also dropped the sweeping title track along with a video filmed mostly underwater.
“Every Shade Of Blue conveys a spectrum of emotions and how we live with them,” the band said in a statement. “The closer we get, the more shades we see. The more shades we see, the more responsibility we hold. We all want to feel loved and protected. The question is will we be supported and seen by the ones we love In Every Shade Of Blue.”
Listen to “Every Shade Of Blue” above and check out the album artwork and The Head And The Heart’s tour dates below.
The HEad And The Heart
05/20 — St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live *
05/22 — Gulf Shores, AL @ Hangout Music Festival
05/24 — Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater *
05/25 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater *
05/27 — Pittsburgh, PA @ STAGE AE *
05/28 — Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Amphitheater *
05/29 — Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre *
05/31 — LaFayette, NY @ Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards *
06/01 — Northampton, MA @ The Pines Theater at Look Park *
06/03 — Shelburne, VT @ Ben & Jerry’s Concerts on the Green at Shelburne Museum *
06/04 — Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point *
06/06 — New York, NY @ Pier 17 @ The Rooftop *
06/09 — Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap *
06/10 — Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion *
08/02 — Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater ^
08/04 — Houston, TX @ Lawn at White Oak ^
08/05 — Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory ^
08/06 — Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion ^
08/08 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Venue to be announced at a later date ^
08/09 — Boise, ID @ Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden ^
08/11 — Missoula, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater ^
08/12 — Seattle, WA @ Marymoor Park ^
08/16 — Portland, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield ^
08/18 — Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl ^
08/19 — Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^
08/20 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre ^
08/22 — San Diego, CA @ Humphreys Concerts By The Bay ^
09/14 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
09/15 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
09/17 — Richmond, VA @ Altria Theater #
09/20 — Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre #
09/21 — Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park #
09/23 — Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live! #
09/27 — Toronto, ON @ RBC Echo Beach
09/29 — Detroit, MI @ Oakland University – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre #
09/30 — Indianapolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park #
10/01 — Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island #
10/03 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee #
10/04 — Madison, WI @ The Sylvee #
10/07 — Minneapolis, MN @ Armory #
10/08 — St. Louis, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park #
10/10 — Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company #
10/13 — St Augustine, FL @ The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre #
10/14 — Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park #
10/15 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater #
* with Jade Bird
^ with Dawes
# with Shakey Graves
Every Shade Of Blue is out 4/29 via Reprise/Warner Records. Pre-order it here.
The Head And The Heart is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Bad news, Fugees fans. While news of the New Jersey trio’s reunion tour was met with skepticism due to their longstanding history of inter-group friction, the news that they’ve officially canceled the tour — which they just announced today — still comes as a blow for those who were looking forward to finally seeing Lauryn, Pras, and Wyclef onstage together again for the first time in years.
“We anticipate and understand disappointment but our anniversary tour will not be able to happen,” the announcement reads. “The continued Covid pandemic has made touring conditions difficult, and we want to make sure we keep our fans and ourselves healthy and safe. An idea sparked to honor and celebrate this 25th anniversary of The Score but we see now it may not currently be our time for revisiting this past work. We’re grateful for the special night we got to share with some of you in New York with that rare live moment. If opportunity, public safety, and scheduling allow, we hope to be able to revisit this again sometime soon. THANK YOU for all your love and support throughout the years.”
While the news is certainly disappointing, at least their performance at Global Citizen’s September benefit show at Pier 17 was captured for posterity, giving us all something to watch as we dream of the time COVID-19 isn’t ruining our live entertainment plans.
It has been speculated that on The Weeknd’s new album Dawn FM, he sings about his reported relationship with Angelina Jolie on “Here We Go… Again.” While that’s all just hearsay at this point, what’s not a rumor is that he name-drops Scream actress Neve Campbell on the tune, as he sings, “My new girl, she a movie star / I loved her right, make her scream like Neve Campbell.” When Campbell first caught wind of the shout-out, though, she didn’t exactly know what was going on.
Campbell stopped by The Late Late Show earlier this week and James Corden asked her about the Dawn FM mention. After saying it’s “pretty crazy,” she continued, “At first, my publicist told me and she was like, ‘The Weeknd.’ I said, ‘Wait, which weekend, last weekend?’ I had no idea what she was talking about. Then I realized, ‘Oh, the guy who played at the Super Bowl, that guy!’”
Corden responded, “I can only think he’ll be really disappointed if he knows that you described him as the guy from the Super Bowl, given he’s arguably one of the biggest and best-selling artists of his generation.” Through laughter, Campbell said, “I know, I know! I’m just so bad with pop culture.”
Check out the interview clip above and listen to “Here We Go… Again” below.
It’s a widely-accepted truth in the stand-up comedy biz that everybody bombs, especially when they’re just starting out. This might actually be doubly true for folks who are getting into stand-up from other entertainment disciplines like music because while you might be used to working the crowd, the dynamics are just different enough to throw off any dilettantes. For instance, Chance The Rapper, who famously stunk up his first open mic attempt in 2019. Well, at least now he’s not alone, and can now enjoy the illustrious company of one Clifford “T.I” Harris in the rap-to-comedy hall of shame.
In a video posted to Instagram by T.I.’s wife Tiny and captured for posterity by The Jasmine Brand, T.I. attempts one of those tried-and-true areas of stand-up: relationship jokes. “If you ever get into the area of cheating, that’s no man’s land,” he cracks. Can you be in a committed relationship and still have a friend from the opposite sex? Now, if you f*cking, it don’t count!”
Oof.
Now, no idea’s original, and to be fair, a few chuckles can be heard in the crowd in the video, but the response online was a little less forgiving of T.I.’s novice comedic chops. One commenter on the post wrote, “Boooooooooo! Get off the stage!” Another referenced one of T.I.’s recent boasts: “I get it now,” they mused. “When he said no artist out there could touch his catalog, he was joking. That is good to know because I thought he was high AF.” Ouch. There’s no pleasing everybody but clearly, if T.I. wants to continue down this road, he’ll have to work on his delivery.
Meanwhile, there was one rapper who recently made the leap who actually had a successful comedy debut: Danny Brown, who expressed excitement that he “didn’t bomb” when he opened for his friend Hannibal Buress in September.
It’s been almost two years since the Tiger King story took the streaming world by storm, thanks to a captive audience trapped at home during the start of the pandemic. Peacock has now unveiled the first trailer for its limited series, Joe vs Carole, which takes a deeper dive into the real lives of Joe Exotic and animal activist Carole Baskin. Based on the “Joe Exotic” Wondery podcast, the limited series stars Kate McKinnon as Baskin and John Cameron Mitchell as her adversary, Joseph Schreibvogel, aka “Joseph Maldonado-Passage,” aka “Joe Exotic.”
In a note provided by Peacock, here’s how executive producer Etan Frankel described casting the two leads for the series that will be a “fun and rich journey into the story of people who live very extreme lives.”
We knew it would take two extraordinary actors to portray these larger-than-life people as the complex, three-dimensional individuals that they are. John Cameron Mitchell is one of the most gifted and thoughtful actors I’ve ever worked with. He cares so deeply about the work, and his performance is breathtaking. And Kate McKinnon is simply remarkable. She is able to make us double over with laughter one moment and then break our hearts the next. It was an absolute thrill to watch these two exceptional actors morph into these roles.
While their story continues to captivate audiences, the Baskin and Exotic have not exactly fared well since the Tiger King story blew up in 2020. Exotic failed to secure a pardon while serving a prison sentence for attempting to have Baskin killed via murder for hire. As for Baskin, she’s currently suing Netflix away from using her or her cats in Tiger King 2, which she wants absolutely nothing to do with.
Joe vs. Carole starts streaming March 3 on Peacock.
It got lost among all the talk about microwaves blowing up, but during an early pandemic interview with GQ, Robert Pattinson shared that he didn’t want his Batman to look like a CrossFit member. “I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem. You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the ’70s. Even James Dean — he wasn’t exactly ripped,” he explained, adding, “Literally, I’m just barely doing anything.”
It was a very 2020 mood, but nearly two years later, Pattinson swears he was kidding. “That really came back to haunt me. I just always think it’s really embarrassing to talk about how you’re working out,” he told MovieMaker. “I think it’s like an English thing. Unless you are in the most unbelievable shape, where people are just genuinely curious, going, ‘How have you achieved, like, physical perfection?’ or whatever.”
He clarifies, “You’re playing Batman. You have to work out.” He laughs. “I think I was doing the interview when I was in lockdown, as well, in England… I was in a lower gear of working out.”
Michael Keaton once told a story about the time Jack Nicholson saw him exercising on the set of 1989’s Batman. “He looks at me and he goes, ‘What are you doing?’ So I said, ‘Working out.’ And he goes, ‘What for?’ And I stopped sweating and I went, ‘I don’t know.’ Then he just walked away, and I thought, ‘He’s right’ because I’ve got the suit and the suit makes me look good.” See, Robert Pattinson? The moral of the tale: you don’t have to work out to play Batman (Robert Pattinson) or watch Paddington 2 on the couch (me).
There was a time not too terribly long ago when if “single malt” came up in a conversation, it’d almost definitely be about Scotch or Japanese whisky. Scotland and Japan have dominated the single malt game for centuries, especially Scotland — where “single malt” and “Scotch” are often (wrongly) treated as interchangeable terms. But the spirits industry has seen an explosion of craft distilling (especially in the U.S.), making single malt whisk(e)y a truly international spirit.
Below, I’m going to blindly taste some classic Scotch single malt whiskies against crafty American single malt whiskeys. Can the so-called new kids on the block from America beat the distilleries that define the style and push it forward? …Maybe? This is an uphill battle but it certainly sparks my curiosity.
Our (unpeated) lineup today is:
Glendronach 15 Revival (Highlands, SCOTLAND)
Westward American Single Malt Whiskey (Oregon, USA)
Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whiskey (Virginia, USA)
Dark berry brambles with tart and sweet fruit, stems, thorns, and even a little black dirt draw you in on the nose with a hint of walnut shell and cherry pie. The palate is a creamy-yet-bitter dark chocolate orange that leads towards a semi-savory fig countered by ripe apricot. The chocolate comes back with cinnamon spice and more dark berries and walnut on the end.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mix of cream soda, wet applewood, soft yet spicy malts, and orchard fruit on the nose. The taste has a nice vanilla tobacco vibe with a nutmeg-heavy eggnog creaminess, a little dry leather, and a pretty big dose of dry cacao. The chocolate vibe drives the mid-palate towards the finish with a powdered edge and a slight wet wicker feeling on the end.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear bourbon caramel and vanilla note with a buttery edge that leads towards a chalky multivitamin vibe on the nose that’s … interesting. The palate is all about red berries, dry cedar bark, more of that vitamin, and a dark chocolate softness. The finish stays very soft with the chocolate leading towards a mildly warming maltiness.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
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.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This has a nose full of ripe apples and pears with stems and cores alongside soft and damp cedar and a chewy vanilla-laced toffee. The palate counters with grapefruit pith, silken vanilla cream, and apple butter brimming with dark spice. The finish comes about with a singed cedar bark feel next to soft powdery spices, orange oils, and a very light vanilla ice cream scoop.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
A hint of leather leads towards rich honey dripping through freshly shelled pecans, cinnamon-laden peach cobbler, and light and dry green herbs on the nose. The palate has a stewed pear vibe with a hint of saffron next to a well-made apple soda, cinnamon sticks, milk chocolate, and dry orchard wood towards the finish.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Leather meets Chery Coke on the nose as vanilla pudding and brown spices mingle in the background. The taste is all about the malty spice with more of that Cherry Coke next to ropes of black licorice. A hint of anise arrives late and brings about a finish that indulges in a spicy oatmeal cookie with raisins and walnuts.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This opens plummy and leathery with dashes of orange oils, dark cacao, honey, sweet oak, and crushed almonds on the nose. The palate is part ripe and bright cherry and part meaty and dark prune next to more orange oils, dark chocolate, and this vibe of what feels like a really densely packed bale of dry hay. Vanilla cream drives the mid-palate towards a finish full of soft chocolate-covered brandied cherries, spicy stewed plums, and a light note of soft tobacco resting in an old cedar box.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
The nose dances between Almond Joys, banana bread full of walnuts and winter spices, and a bright peach/pear mix. Gingersnaps open the palate up with cream soda, creamy hot chocolate spiked with pepper, and sweet apple candy. The mid-palate bursts with apricot and toffee that leads towards a rum-raisin and vanilla landing.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This opens with buttery and sugary shortbreads cut with lemon oils and good vanilla with a hint of soft leather and just … softness. The taste is all buttery toffee, soft oak, and mild dark spices attached to malts. Fresh ginger warms things up a bit more before the finish arrives with creamy vanilla pudding and more of that buttery shortbread.
Part 2: The Ranking
Zach Johnston
10. Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whisky 2021 Edition — Taste 3
Virginia Distillery is one of those craft distilleries you’re going to be hearing more and more about in the coming years. This expression is a single malt blend of 100 percent malted barley distillate that’s aged in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Cuvée wine casks. The blend is a split of 50 percent from the bourbon cask and an equal measure from the sherry and Cuvée casks.
Bottom Line:
That multivitamin note threw me on this tasting. It wasn’t off-putting by any stretch. I just couldn’t square it in the flavor profile. Otherwise, this was a lovely dram.
9. Westward American Single Malt Whiskey — Taste 2
Portland’s Westward Whiskey has its roots in Pacific Northwest craft brewing culture (similar to most craft distilleries in the PNW). This juice is emblematic of how important the first step of whiskey — the fermented mash that is, basically, beer — is to the whiskey-making process. That craft transfers into the 100 percent malted barley whiskey every step of the way.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey didn’t really feel “younger” or “lesser” in any way. It was very tasty but didn’t quite pop the same way as so many others did on this list.
8. Boulder American Single Malt Whiskey Bottled in Bond — Taste 7
This Colorado whiskey is a fascinating experiment — asking what a single malt that’s treated like a bottled-in-bond bourbon might taste like. The juice is made from 100 percent malted barley. Then is spends four years in a bonded warehouse aging in new American oak. It’s bottled at 50 percent ABV, per federal regulations.
Bottom Line:
I wrote in my notes, “Well, that was nice.” There’s really not much else to say besides that this is a well-rounded and easy-drinking single malt but not much else.
This Island’s whisky is all about reaching over the pond. The 100 percent malted barley juice is aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels (for an undisclosed amount of time) before it’s vatted, proofed, and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
I really like this. In fact, I could see this ranking in the top three of a different blind tasting. That means, the next six whiskies are all killers, and only really separated by a tiny margin.
This Highland malt has made a roaring comeback (the expression went on hiatus from 2015 to 2018). Revival 15 takes its sherried nature very seriously. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 long years. Those casks are married and this whisky is brought down to a very easy-drinking 92 proof with that soft Highland water.
Bottom Line:
I’m shocked this ranked sixth. I generally love this whisky at home. Still, the fact that such a gorgeous whisky can rank so low goes to show the heavy-hitting quality of the brands at play in this blind tasting.
5. Cedar Ridge The QuintEssential Signature Blend — Taste 9
This whiskey is all about a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made with 100 percent 2-Row Pale Malted Barley (the same stuff used in some of the biggest craft beers) from up in Saskatchewan. The whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed term. That whiskey is then finished in a combination of brandy, rum, wine, port, and sherry barrels before it’s vatted. The whiskey is blend is then made using the solera method — where the vat is never fully emptied before the next barrel is added.
Bottom Line:
This is another killer dram. The only reason is ranked slightly lower is that there weren’t quite as much going on or quite as many unique notes popping. Still, this was super easy-drinking and truly tasty.
This single malt starts with Golden Promise malted barley in the mash with proprietary ale yeast and local Texas water. The distilled juice is then loaded into used barrels like all of the world’s great single malts. After a few years of aging under the hot Texas sun, the whisky is transferred into French Sauternes casks, bringing a distinct dessert wine vibe to the juice. Finally, the whisky is bottled at cask strength from very small, one-off batches.
Bottom Line:
I would have put money on this ranking number one. I actually drink this whisky a fair amount at home. It’s really damn tasty but was, again, up against serious contenders today. So, here we are.
This dram from Glenmorangie is a much-loved Highland malt. The juice is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed number of years. The whisky is then transferred to French Sauternes barrels which held sweet dessert wines where it spends two more years finishing.
Bottom Line:
“Golden Nectar” feels like the perfect name for this. Delicious. No faults. It’s very straightforward though, which is why it isn’t number one. Again, delicious.
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 Olorosso sherry casks exclusively. The juice then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.
Bottom Line:
This would have been the other single malt I’d have put money on picking as number one. And, damn, was it close. This whisky is phenomenal, deep, and insanely sippable. You cannot go wrong with this whisky (even if you’re not into “scotch” yet).
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.
Bottom Line:
This is so damn unique and delicious. While there were a lot of whiskies on this list that came close to the top, this really pulled away thanks to that mix of savory greens and bright fruits. This is a world-class whisky that does, indeed, wow.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
I’m honestly not that surprised an American single malt didn’t break into the top three. The competition amongst these bottles was fierce. Though, I am still surprised GlenDronach 15 ranked so low. I guess it is what it is.
Overall, unpeated single malt at this level (whether American or Scottish) tends to be subtle, fruity, and delicious (as you can tell by the number of mid-ranking drams that I still absolutely raved about). Any of these bottles would be worth checking out. But it’s really the top three that you ought to hunt down, spend your hard-earned cash on, and savor. They each offer something a little different — each interesting in its own way for a drinker with an expanding palate. Plus, that Cragganmore is one of the more unique (and tasty) whiskies available today and it comes in at a pretty accessible price point.
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