Following a raid on two homes as part of a federal investigation into Ashley Biden‘s stolen diary, Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe has confirmed that the people targeted by the searches are a current and former employee of the conservative group. While Project Veritas did not publish Biden’s diary after it was stolen in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, hand-written pages were made available on a different right-wing website, which claimed to know the location of the diary.
[O’Keefe] said the group had recently received a grand jury subpoena and acknowledged that Project Veritas had been involved in discussions with sources about the diary. But he offered a lengthy defense of his group’s handling of the diary, saying that he and his colleagues had been operating as ethical journalists.
“It appears the Southern District of New York now has journalists in their sights for the supposed crime of doing their jobs lawfully and honestly,” Mr. O’Keefe said, referring to federal prosecutors in Manhattan. “Our efforts were the stuff of responsible, ethical journalism and we are in no doubt that Project Veritas acted properly at each and every step.”
While the investigation into Ashley Biden’s diary is sure to spark criticism from Republican corners following the raid on two Project Veritas employees, the federal probe was actually started by the Trump administration in October 2020. Attorney General Bill Barr authorized the Department of Justice to begin investigating the diary after it was reported stolen by the Biden family.
Fool’s Gold Records is well-known for curating emerging talent in the rap game, and today their releasing a full-length album by Canadian DJ/producer Grandtheft that sounds like a very promising start. Though Grandtheft, real name Aaron Waisglass, has already worked on remixes for the likes of Rihanna and Katy Perry, and produced for artists like Calvin Harris, Jazz Cartier and Kyle, this is his first solo album. But like most great producer-helmed projects, the tracklist is packed with guests.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to make a producer album like Wild Ways,” Grandtheft said in a press release. “To curate a diverse lineup of incredible artists and build out a full project embossed with my sound. This is the product of us collaborating and just jamming out tunes we want to hear, with no industry trends or A&Rs dictating what this sound needed to be. This record is informed partly by living through the wildest times on tour, but also by learning when to take time away from the mayhem. It’s about making space to really create for yourself and let your imagination go off, in whatever way that is. In a lot of ways, this album feels like the culmination of all my years making music.”
That culmination includes tracks with artists like Jazz Cartier, Haviah Mighty, The Halluci Nation (formerly A Tribe Called Red), Flosstradamus, Gangsta Boo and Duke Deuce, to name a few. Check out “What You Wanna Do,” his collab with Gangsta Boo and Duke Deuce up above, and stream the whole project below.
Back in 1998, Ray Liotta starred as Frank Sinatra in the HBO movie The Rat Pack, and apparently, he received a very The Godfather-esque warning (Sinatra was the basis for the Johnny Fontane character) during the film’s production. While stopping by Jay Leno’s Garage, Liotta revealed that prior to the HBO film, Sinatra’s daughters had approached him about starring in a miniseries, which the actor passed on.
“The daughters, they wanted me to do a miniseries when they were doing a miniseries about it and I just felt too uncomfortable,” Liotta said. However, he ended up agreeing to play Ol’ Blue Eyes in The Rat Pack, and well, let’s just say Frank’s daughters decided to express their displeasure. Via Mediaite:
“We were doing the movie and I got delivered a horse’s head,” he said. “Obviously it wasn’t a real one, but it was a horse’s head. And, you know, a horse’s head means you’re toast.”
After Liotta discovered that it was Sinatra’s daughters, Tina and Nancy, who sent the fake horse head, he definitely understood the message being sent.
“Oh, you could do this one, but you couldn’t do the one that we wanted you to?” Liotta told Leno while laughing, which is one way to react to a family with rumored mob ties sending you a decapitated horse head. Another is changing your name and fleeing the country, but you do you, Liotta.
Ahead of the release of Red (Taylor’s Version), Taylor Swift announced on Friday that she wrote and directed a 10-minute short film about her best song, “All Too Well.” The pop star shared a peak-fall vibes clip on social media of a car driving down a road surrounded by trees, announcing “All Too Well: The Short Film.” It will star Swift herself, as well as Dylan O’Brien, possibly in the “Jake Gyllenhaal” role, and Sadie Sink.
It’s a dream come true for the Stranger Things actress, who once said that if she were to make a fan account for anyone, it would be Taylor Swift. “I mean, she’s the moment right now, so I think I would have to go with her,” Sink explained. “Maybe I should just start a fan account.” She would have at least one follower (me). In the same interview, Sink was also asked to name her favorite song to sing along to. “Um, that’s going to be ‘All Too Well’ by Taylor Swift,” she replied without a moment’s hesitation. When the 10-minute version was brought up, Sink added, “You don’t even know how excited I am.”
Remember when Sadie Sink said she would create a fan account for Taylor Swift and her favorite song is All Too Well? Now she is staring in a short film of it, she really won in her life. pic.twitter.com/R0UiO0gDDA
Sink has a busy few days ahead of her. There’s Red (Taylor’s Version) and the “All Too Well” short film on November 12, but this Saturday, November 6, is also Stranger Things Day. Remember Stranger Things? If you forgot, I don’t blame you — the most recent season aired approximately 17 years ago. Anyway, the celebration will feature new footage and “details on the season’s location and episode titles,” according to the Wrap.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur is in tough spot with the current Aaron Rodgers situation, particularly after Rodgers gave an interview on Friday to Pat McAfee explaining what alternatives medicines he took instead of a COVID-19 vaccine, how he’s turned to Joe Rogan for advice, and much more.
During his media availability on Friday, LaFleur visibly looked over the whole situation when asked if he was comfortable with players using alternative medicines.
“I don’t even know what that word means or what that term is,” LaFleur said. “I mean, I don’t know what you’re trying to get from me.”
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on Aaron Rodgers taking Ivermectin: “I don’t even know what that word or term is.” pic.twitter.com/3pIWV8TqLK
Later in the same press conference, LaFleur said that he most likely would not listen to the Rodgers interview and said that he “was not worried about it being a distraction” for Green Bay’s Sunday game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
LaFleur’s reaction here is understandable. The look on his face with the glazed over eyes and the apathetic tone to his voice say it all: he would rather do anything else than have to answer questions about Rodgers’ medical choices. Luckily for LaFleur, Jordan Love is vaccinated and still wearing a mask because he is in the league’s COVID protocols as a close contact. So at least he’ll have one quarterback on Sunday.
It’s that time of the week again, where we round up some snippets of delight to lift people’s spirits and bring a smile to their faces. Think of it as a hit of endorphins giving you that natural high we all crave, and a reminder that no matter how bleak things may feel at times, simple things can bring us great joy.
I dare you to go through this whole list and not smile once. (Nah, just kidding. Revel in this joy, friends. Laugh out loud if you feel compelled. Share it with friends. We all need more of this in our timelines.)
Enjoy:
You know an animal feels 100% safe with you when she brings you her babies to snuggle.
Cat brings her kittens every night to her humanu2019s bed as a sign of trust..pic.twitter.com/I1JmEKgKDi
“Chasing” the ball isn’t exactly right. It’s more like they’re pushing it, or maybe carrying it? Or it’s carrying them? I’m not even sure, but doggone it, this is what living your best dachshund life looks like. And shout out to the random dalmatian there too.
Doggo gets caught messing around in the sink, then tries to play it cool.
“Oh dang, they’re onto me… time to act normal”pic.twitter.com/7JlOr6yBu2
“Are you doing dishes? I hope so.” Hilarious. It looks like this dog forgot it was a dog for a minute.
Mom recorded his son’s daycare pickups for five years and OMG the cuteness.
i really do love this video. i recorded my sonu2019s pick up almost every day and this is his reaction every single time. for his 5th bday (yesterday) i took my favorites and made a lil compilation, from infancy to just last week pic.twitter.com/8Hc7BjlBpF
The instant grin. The squeal of delight. The throwing his hands in the air. This is a boy who adores his mama. Read the full story here.
This 17-year-old created a free app that makes Disney+ movies more accessible for deaf children.
The brilliant story of Mariella Satow, Rugby School pupil, who has launched a Chrome extension that allows deaf children to enjoy sign language interpretation on Disney films @RugbySchool1567 nhttps://buff.ly/3hN4hFIu00a0pic.twitter.com/SXUEg3iyxz
— International School Magazine (@IntSchoolMag) 1632138243
Mariella Satow spent much of her pandemic downtime creating an app that lets young kids who aren’t able to read subtitles or closed captions enjoy children’s films. SignUp is a free Chrome extension that provides a pop-up window with a sign language interpreter on Disney+ films, filling a gap in the deaf community. Not too shabby for a 17-year-old. Read the full story here.
Dogs coordinate to save their owner when he collapsed on a mountain trail.
A 71-year-old man was walking with his dogs on a mountain summit in England when he collapsed from an apparent seizure and fell unconscious. One of his dogs, a black lab, ran after a walker who had passed them a few minutes before and barked to get her attention. She followed, found the man with his golden retriever lying by his side and called emergency services. Amazing. Read the full story here.
Simple human connection and kindness always wins the day.
An Uber driver stopping by his house to procure some comfort food for someone who was missing home? More of these stories all day long, please. (Be sure to swipe and see the second slide. Beautiful.)
Native Americans created a way to have powwows safely during the pandemic
If you’ve never been to a native powwow, you’re missing out. The beauty and energy of these festive celebrations of Native American culture are wonderful to experience firsthand, but the pandemic has put a damper on such large, in-person gatherings. A Facebook group called @SocialDistancePowwow has brought together thousands of people through song, dance and art—definitely something to check out during Native American Heritage Month.
This is the coolest trick-or-treater ever.
Casually driving up, taking just a little candy (with no one watching—way to go, parents), putting it in the trunk, singing a little song to himself, backing up into a three-point turn and driving away? It does not get any smoother than this.
Come on, now. That worked, right? Totally brought a smile (or several) to your face? The daycare pickup kid alone is good for at least five smiles.
Join us next week for another happy things roundup, and enjoy your weekend!
Finch (Apple TV+ film) — Tom Hanks and a robot and a dog find themselves in a post-apocalyptic world. That’s probably enough to sell you on this movie, right? Prepare yourself, too, to have this Amblin Entertainment project kick you right in the feels because this trio is an unlikely family who’s discovering what it really (according to the synopsis) “means to be alive.” Surrender because you basically have no choice.
Narcos: Mexico: Season 3 (Netflix series) — Drug lord extraordinaire Félix Gallardo warned Agent Walt Breslin that he’d freed a circus of animals within the drug war, and he wasn’t joking. The cartels are poppin’ while the show does a hell of a wrap-up job on the dramatization of a real-life saga (and the Pablo Escobar-centered beginnings of Narcos). Fortunately, the spirit of Pablo is still around, sort-of, given that actor Wagner Moura has returned to direct, and Breslin and the fledgling DEA sure have their work cut out for them with hydra heads springing up everywhere.
Dexter (Sunday, Showtime 9:00pm) — The most beloved serial killer of all time (sorry, Hannibal fans), is back with a brand new life. The old life, however, is coming for him, and he’s way out of his element and out of practice. The new season is a bloody good time for all and works hard to erase the sins of the lumberjack past. There’s a lot of outside forces at work, and it’s going to be a trip to see how Dexter can survive having to tend to something else beyond his inner war. That’s the real hurricane, and it’s a much more fitting storm this time around.
Big Mouth: Season 5 (Netflix series) — The hormone monsters are back for another round with an all-star voice cast that includes Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Maya Rudolph, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Rannells, Jordan Peele, and Richard Kind. Oh, and Kumail Nanjiani will be starring as himself, somehow, while shirtless. Settle in as hate spirals and a hate worm and all kinds of other amorphous creatures take over eighth grade. Man, middle school was the worst, right?
Here’s some regularly scheduled programming:
SNL (Saturday, NBC 10:29pm) — Host Kieran Culkin and musical guest Ed Sheeran, who’s apparently been cleared from COVID quarantine.
Succession (Sunday, HBO 9:00pm) — Following all of that FBI business, there’s a lot to map up and a major investor who’s seriously worried. As such, Logan and Kendall must find some semblance of a meeting of the minds.
Fear The Walking Dead (Sunday, CBS 9:00pm) — Sarah’s looking for Wendell, which runs counter to everyone else’s advice, so of course, she ends up in a dangerous situation with a mystery surivivor.
Yellowstone (Paramount Netflix & Pop TV 9:00pm) — Taylor Sheridan’s incredibly successful, Kevin Costner-starring rancher drama heads into Season 4 with two new episodes. The action picks up with the continued coordinated attack upon the Duttons while no one knows who should be on the hook, all while Rip’s making good on a promise, and the franchise looks toward a prequel spinoff with 6666 as the working title.
Insecure (Sunday, HBO 10:00pm) — An ex-boyfriend to Issa is navigating through a dilemma while also sorting out responsibilities and dealing with an influential female presence.
The Walking Dead: The World Beyond (Sunday, AMC 10:00pm) — A surprising message greets the group as they are seeking answers.
American Rust (Sunday, Showtime 10:00) — Jeff Daniels can swing between being comedic and dramatic, and here, he’s still a complicated cop working to save his blue-collar town from violent crime.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (Sunday, HBO 10:30pm) — Larry’s looking for help from Cheryl while hoping to save his brand-new creative venture, and things don’t look good.
Last Week Tonight (Sunday, HBO 11:00) — John Oliver, baby.
Here’s some more streaming goodness, including a ton of Halloween content.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (Amazon Prime film) — Claire Foy stars alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, who (as usual) is a whole lot of Cumberbatch while portraying an eccentric artist who’s into creating psychedelic cat photos. The only thing missing in this equation would be psychedelic dog photos.
Arcane: Season 1 (Netflix series) — Anime fans will rejoice at this first batch of episodes that details the tenuous balance between two city-states, the ritzy Piltover and the gritty Zaun. There’s a conflict between hextech (which allows people to control magic) and the shimmer drug that creates monsters. There’s family rivalry and complicated relationships among the famous champions of League of Legends, along with powerful and suspenseful storytelling.
Dickinson: Season 3 (Apple TV+ series) — Hailee Stanfield’s playing the rebellious poet for a final batch of episodes (right as she makes picks up the arrow in Hawkeye, too) while the Civil War lurks on the horizon. This actually turns out to be the most prolific period of Emily Dickinson’s writing career, all while chaos swirls in a historical sense as well as a familial one. Can art make a real difference, not only for the future but for the present as well? It’s a question that this show still hopes to answer, all while making love-of-literature a badass affair.
Star Trek: Prodigy: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — This animated series sees the return of Kate Mulgrew’s Captain Janeway to this universe, sort of! She’ll appear in hologram form, and she’ll guide a ragtag group of alien youngsters who end up on the U.S.S. Protostar ship. Jason Mantzoukas voices one of those aliens, all of whom are outcasts and completely out of their league but ready for the Starfleet life, its ideals, and all of its inherent adventure.
Selena + Chef: Season 3 (HBO Max series) — Selena Gomez has come a long way since her Disney days, including a recent turn in the terrific Only Murders In The Building. Here, she’s totally herself and in an environment that she loves while not pretending at all to be a chef or do anything besides love to eat. It’s delightful stuff.
Swagger: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series) — Get ready, sports-drama fans. This show’s inspired by Kevin Durant’s pre-NBA experiences, and more specifically, it examines early ambition and dreams and the fine line between those two things, along with the comparable delineation between opportunism and corruption on the grown-up side. The cast includes Isaiah Hill, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis, all of whom are bringing some truths on the experience of coming in age in America.
Love Life: Season 2 (HBO Max series) — Love Life ended up being the HBO Max original show to launch the service, and Season 2 is upon us with Anna Kendrick’s Darby passing the baton to a new unlucky-in-love protagonist, Marcus, who will be portrayed by William Jackson Harper. He did the whole sunk-cost investment thing, apparently, and now, he’s finding himself in the hell hole known as the dating world. Godspeed, Marcus.
Colin in Black & White (Netflix limited series) — Ava Duvernay and Colin Kaepernick both executive produce this coming-of-age story that also wades into the hefty issues that Kaepernick does not shy away from on and off the football field. Expect an exploration of race, class, and culture as Young Colin transforms into an NFL quarterback and an indisputable icon, all against the backdrop of cultural and historical touchstones.
Taste the Nation With Padma Lakshmi: Holiday Edition (Hulu series) — The Emmy-winning host returns for a new quartet of journeys in this four episodes that will celebrate indigenous traditions and immigrant-based holidays across America. Once again, Padma’s breaking bread while exploring stories that explore exactly what it means to be American. Journey with her to Los Angeles (for Korean New Year) and Miami (for Cuban Christmas), along with other feasts that take place in Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard.
Following the cancellation of Sam Rami’s Spider-Man 4 in January 2010, Sony was quick to get a new director and Spidey established. When The Amazing Spider-Man began filming later that year with rising star Andrew Garfield attached to the project, Garfield was 28 years old, fresh off critically-praised films like The Social Network and Never Let Me Go, and, as it turns out, not quite prepared him for what working on the big-budget superhero film might mean.
While Garfield has previously addressed the stress of working on The Amazing Spider-Man, calling the process similar to “canning coke” in an interview back in 2015, the actor is now opening up a bit more about the process and how it broke his heart. In an interview with The Guardian (via The Wrap), Garfield told the outlet that while he went into the film with “clear eyes and a full heart,” it was ultimately “a big awakening” and “hurt.”
“I went from being a naïve boy to growing up. How could I ever imagine that it was going to be a pure experience?” It’s at this point that The Guardian interviewer notes Garfield let out a “dry, joyless” laugh and added, “There are millions of dollars at stake and that’s what guides the ship. It was a big awakening and it hurt.“
While the first film in The Amazing Spider-Man series was a relative success, grossing $750 million and pushing the studio to greenlight a sequel quickly, it’s no secret The Amazing Spider-Man 2 did not do so well for the studio. Created by Sony in an effort to inspire spin-offs and create an entire Spider-Man universe, the sequel was panned for being more set-up than movie and was considered a flop despite grossing $709 million worldwide. Garfield said the studio’s focus on expanding the property and money ultimately hurt both the movie and his spirit and is leading to the “ecological collapse that we are all about to die under.”
“Comic-Con in San Diego is full of grown men and women still in touch with that pure thing the character meant to them,” Garfield told The Guardian. “[But] you add in market forces and test groups and suddenly the focus is less on the soul of it and more on ensuring we make as much money as possible. And I found that – find that – heartbreaking in all matters of the culture. Money is the thing that has corrupted all of us and led to the terrible ecological collapse that we are all about to die under”
Irish whiskey is blowing up right now. Much of that is due to classic expressions gaining well-deserved new fans throughout yet another whiskey boom. That increased interest has prompted the natural evolution of the category at every level. Irish whiskey is more than just triple distilled juice from Ireland now — there are new tweaks being added constantly, from the grains being grown across the Emerald Isle to specialty finishings to unique age statements.
The ten whiskeys below are Irish whiskeys I tried this year. They’re all brand new releases from 2021 or very close to it, meaning some might still be a little harder to find. Still, these are the bottles that I think are worth spending a little time and money on, if you’re into Irish whiskey.
Waterford might be the most interesting whiskey maker in the world right now. The crux of this distillery is in the barley. The short version of the story is that Waterford sources barley from just over 40 farms across Ireland and then makes a single estate whiskey from each to, highlight how massively important terroir is to whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a subtle balance of bitter yet bright grapefruit pith next to a light smear of vanilla frosting. The palate has this waxy apple saltwater taffy vibe with a touch of dried roses, some honey-candied pecans, and cinnamon and clove stewed pears. The mid-palate leans into the fruit and nuts with an almost zucchini bread body, plenty of spice, more nuts, and a good measure of sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is a great place to start your journey with the Waterford line. It’ll be wild how different the next whiskey you try from them be — especially when you remember that it has only one variable: The source of the barley.
This new drop from Redbreast continues the brand’s domination of the sherry-finished Irish whiskey game. The juice is finished in Pedro Ximenéz casks after spending years in both ex-bourbon and ex-Olorosso sherry casks. This is the latest installment of The Redbreast Iberian Series, which aims to highlight barrels from Portugal and Spain in the Irish whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
This is pretty much Christmas in a glass, with a nose full of nuts, candied fruits, dark spices, and a rum-soaked holiday cake. The taste builds on that by adding in oily oranges with a slight waxy edge, a light touch of marzipan, and some malty cookies with a flake of salt. The finish circles back around to the moist, spicy, and fruity holiday cake with the sweetness lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
This is just delicious. There’s really no other way to say it.
This is a really special whiskey. The release is part of a 20 cask rollout of whiskeys. The whiskey was aged in ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in cognac casks before getting bottled as-is from a single cask.
Tasting Notes:
The fruitiness on the nose is high and complex, with grapefruit next to dates, plums, apricot, pear, and maybe a touch of savory squash flesh. The palate layers in soft bourbon vanilla with more pear with a spicy stewed vibe, dark raisins, marzipan, dried flowers, cedar boxes, and a touch of old wicker furniture. The end holds onto the sweeter end of the fruits and drowns them in floral honey, leaving you with a sweet finish.
Bottom Line:
There are only 300-ish bottles for each of these single cask releases. They’re 100 percent worth picking up (if you can find one) just for the unique, one-off experience of bespoke Irish whiskey.
Methos & Madness is a tiny micro-distillery tucked away in Ireland’s biggest distillery, Midleton (where Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, and many others are made). Distiller Katherine Condon created this one using a mash bill of 60 percent rye and 40 percent malted barley. That spirit then spent several years chilling out in ex-bourbon casks before it was proofed and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s this juxtaposition of lemon pepper and a rush of lavender on the nose that’s so pronounced it’s almost impossible to get anything else. The palate veers away from that towards a cedar box stuffed with spicy, dry tobacco leaves dusted with white pepper, cloves, and a dark chocolate powder cut with ground-up dried chili flakes. The mid-palate sweetens slightly with a touch of dates soaked in black tea next to ginger snap cookies.
Bottom Line:
This is fascinating and a really cool entry into the rye whiskey pantheon. It’s familiar with all that spice yet wholly unique. This is a must-try for any rye fan.
This bespoke series from Writers’ Tears is all about subtle pot-stilled Irish whiskey aged in unique casks. In this cask, the whiskey was aged in a mix of ex-bourbon, PX, and Marsala casks before those juices were blended, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This is both dark and murky with a touch of brown ale and peat and it’s bright and lush with apple orchards, bright honey, and tart fruit. That’s just the nose. The palate largely delivers on those dichotomous notes while leaning into the malty brown ale with a toffee sweetness with plenty of brown butter next to melon candies, a touch of pine, and some dark and meaty prunes steeped in plenty of brown spice.
Bottom Line:
This is wild. It’s so interesting to really take your time with, add in water, and dive into what blooms in the glass. It’s also worth noting that this is already available in Europe but won’t be hitting U.S. shelves until early 2022.
The 38th Very Rare release from Midleton is a marrying of single pot still and grain whiskeys that spent 15 to 36 years aging in ex-bourbon barrels. The barrels were specifically chosen for their very light char. Those whiskeys were masterfully vatted and then proofed down with that iconic Cork County springwater to a very accessible 80 proof.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a clear sense of Irish grain whiskey that leads towards apple candy (think fancy Jolly Ranchers). There’s also a touch of lemon pepper on the nose that works really well with that sweet apple candy. You definitely know you’re drinking Irish whiskey with a light grain vibe with a slightly floral note that leads towards … I want to say … pears stewed with saffron, very mild cinnamon, and grape-forward brandy. The fruitiness kicks up a notch as you sip again, surfacing as a sweet/tart/savory kiwi (the green flesh and white pith, not the sandpaper skin).
Going back in for a second and third nose and sip reveals a deep vanilla bourbon nature next to a light maltiness. There’s exactly zero alcohol burn thanks to that low ABV. The end is soft, fruity, and slightly warming but doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Bottom Line:
This is contention to be amongst my favorite all-around pours of the year — certainly one of the top Irish whiskeys for sure. It’s rare, sure. But this is a centerpiece whiskey that surprises every single year.
Again, we’re in super unique territory here. The whiskey from Dublin is made primarily with a corn mash bill (95 percent corn and five percent malted barley). That juice is aged in ex-bourbon barrels for nine long years before it’s finished in red wine barrels from Bordeaux for another four years. That’s then cut down to 50 percent and bottled in a one-off Teeling bottle.
Tasting Notes:
That bourbon-ness really comes through on the nose with a thick cherry cordial next to a bushel of dry cinnamon sticks leading towards blackberry and blueberry next to a touch of rose-water-heavy marzipan. The palate really leans into those bright yet dark berries while a creamy vanilla ice cream comes into play with a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup, ripe apricots, and a dusting of ground almonds. The finish lets the wood sneak in with a wet cedar vibe next to sticky yet spicy tobacco with a red berry edge.
Bottom Line:
This is another one where it’s hard not to just say, “It’s delicious!” But, it’s really true. This is so damn easy-drinking while still having distinct flavor notes that feel light and airy. It’s great.
Jameson Black Barrel is one of my favorite bottles from the Irish brand. This new take on the double-charred barrel-aged whiskey amps up the ABVs, allowing a lot more character to shine through in the actual juice. The juice in the bottle is a mix of grain and pot still whiskeys that were aged in those signature double charred barrels along with some ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks thrown in too.
Tasting Notes:
That bitter char comes through on the nose with a subtle espresso bean oiliness next to almost burnt buttery toffee and a touch of walnut. The palate builds on that nuttiness to the point of a walnut cake full of Caro syrup, plenty of dark holiday spices, and a touch of vanilla pudding. The end really amps that vanilla up to the point that you’re almost chewing on vanilla tobacco while the wood comes in with a dry cigar box vibe.
Bottom Line:
This just dropped this month. Given the popularity of Black Barrel, expect this to hit shelves and sell out fast. If you do grab a bottle, make sure to try it in cocktails. It has great depth that really shines with simple, wintry bar concoctions.
Fercullen Estate Series Mill House Amarone Cask Finish
This whiskey is a single estate, like Waterford. The whiskey in this bottle is a blend of whiskeys distilled in 2010, 2011, and 2012 that were all matured in ex-bourbon barrels before a finishing stint in Italian Amarone casks for 18 months.
Tasting Notes:
This almost feels like a crafty America rye with clear notes of anise and salted black licorice next to savory fruits, lemon zest, and bourbon-y vanilla on the nose. The palate has this feel of a jar of honey full of clove and allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. A mild dark cacao powder arrives on the mid-palate and leads back towards the fruit, but this time they’re sweet and tart, think raspberries covered in dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bridge between rye and Irish whiskey without this being rye. Which, we know, that’s weird given there’s an actual Irish rye whiskey on this list. Still, this is a great whiskey to go a little deeper in the Irish whiskey world.
Bushmills Single Malt “The Causeway Collection” 1995 Finished in Malaga Casks
This drop from late last year is made from whiskeys aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for ten years. Those whiskeys are vatted and then that juice is aged for another 14 (!) years in old Malaga wine casks.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a bold nose full of dry cedar and chewy fruit-laced tobacco next to a touch of fresh honeycomb, holiday spice, and very dark dried fruits. There’s this really distinct dry red wine tannic vibe on the palate that’s a little berry-forward while notes of papaya, Christmas cake, and spicy orange drive the taste. The finish is very long and pops with rich and dark dried fruits, more of that chewy tobacco, and a touch of vanilla pudding spiked with eggnog spices.
Bottom Line:
While this is spendy and rare, it’s worth it. This is a big, bold whiskey that really drives home its flavor profile without any hesitation. It’s clearly rendered, deep, and pretty damn tasty.
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There are three characters in Finch, and only one of them is human. Luckily that human is Tom Hanks, playing a dying scientist training a robot to take care of his dog in the delightful latest release from Apple+.
That we’ve already seen and loved Tom Hanks screaming at inanimate objects for an entire movie (Castaway – WILSON!) and enjoyed whimsical, anthropomorphic robots wheeling around post-apocalyptic landscapes searching for the meaning of life in another (the great Wall E) makes it seem like a concept combining the two would be somehow hack, derivative, unoriginal. Yet Finch feels downright innovative, boldly trusting that Tom Hanks training a robot to take care of his dog in a post-cataclysm Earth is a sentiment sweet and humane enough to carry an entire movie.
It is. And the fact that Miguel Sapochnik and his writers, Craig Luck and Ivor Powell, simply trusted this impulse enough not to saddle it with unnecessary narrative fluff makes it even sweeter. Virtually any other movie like this would’ve given Finch Goldstein (Hanks’ character) 10 unnecessary sob backstories, about his wife, about his family, about his important work as a scientist, and blah blah blah. But that would’ve only cheapened it. For all the movies where the hero, or worse, the thousands more where a tertiary character, sacrifice themselves to save their child or for the good of humanity, is there anything more altruistic and life-affirming than a guy spending his final hours trying to provide for a creature that shares none of his DNA in a world where humans may be extinct? What a sweet idea.
Caleb Landry Jones voices the robot, Jeff, who sounds a little like a computerized Borat at first, and increasingly human as he learns to communicate. With a character design that lands somewhere between The Iron Giant and Johnny 5, he works at least as well as any human character would. Which, like his forebears, makes him function as a simple affirmation of consciousness. The dog, it must be said, is also an incredibly handsome boy, a dead ringer for Spots from Isle Of Dogs who steals every scene he’s in.
Produced by Amblin Partners, a descendant of Amblin Entertainment, which gave us ET and Back To The Future, Finch is every bit the Amblin Entertainment version of Chappie; nothing more and nothing less. Little else even needs to be said. For all the filmmakers who have invoked Amblin and eighties Spielberg as a stylistic touchstone, Finch comes about as close as I’ve seen to actually capturing it.
‘Finch’ premieres November 5th on Apple+. Vince Mancini is on Twitter. You can check out his film review archive here.
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