Manifest — an objectively bad show about all the drama that surfaces after a flight falls off the radar and surfaces five years later like nothing happened — keeps giving its fans a confusing ride. First, NBC cancelled the sci-fi drama after three messy seasons, and not only that, but the news arrived while the show vaulted to the #1 slot on Netflix’s most popular list. Then Netflix decided, nope, they’re not gonna make a fourth season of the show, even though fans have been hell-bent upon saving the apparently doomed series.
Well, creator Jeff Rake, who says that he’s plotted out a full-on, six-season run, kept urging viewers to stay strong in their fight, even if it seemed like things would go absolutely nowhere. Unless? Maybe those stunning figures from Nielsen are working some magic. Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva now reports that both NBC and Netflix are having second thoughts, so a resurrection might be a go:
The conversations are happening as Manifest Season 1 and Season 2 viewership continues to surge on Netflix in the U.S. and the #SaveManifest fan campaign remains strong. Reps for Warner Bros TV, Netflix and NBC declined comment… Meanwhile, I hear Netflix has restarted talks after passing on the show in June as Manifest has been showing great resilience, remaining in the daily top 10 for more than a month and topping the Nielsen streaming ratings in its first week of release on the platform.
So, what happened? NBC’s felt a few gut punches over the past week, including Good Girls Season 5 falling through (when deals with the cast didn’t come together) and the decision not to proceed with another Law and Order spinoff, For The Defense. Don’t worry, SVU and Organized Crime are sticking around! However, NBC is now (reportedly) in an awkward position, where one can envision a bidding war in order to bring back the show that they cancelled. That’s pretty damn wild, considering all the cards that Netflix seems to hold already.
When I meet someone new and they find out I’ve visited 55 of the designated National Parks in the United States, they always want to know about the west. How is Yosemite? Glacier? The Grand Canyon? These landscapes are quintessential to our understanding of “National Parks” in the United States.
So my new travel pals are often surprised when I tell them one of my favorite parks is actually in Maine. Nearly as eastern as you can be in the United States. I’m talking about Acadia National Park, of course.
I visited Acadia in mid-July — at the height of summer national park travel — and while I saw some of the record crowds firsthand, I was still able to find immense solitude throughout my trip. Whether you are looking to be in the crowd or away from it, there is a place for you in Maine.
Here’s everything you need to know to visit Acadia National Park this summer.
How to get there:
Acadia is fairly remote and absolutely requires a car to get around. I flew into the tiny Bangor airport and easily made the drive to Bar Harbor. If you’re already on the East Coast, it’s just a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Boston, and just over eight from NYC.
There are two campgrounds in the park, both on Mount Desert Island (where the majority of the park and visitors are located). All sites must be reserved in advance. Otherwise, you want to stay in Bar Harbor — as much of the park literally overlooks the town.
There are plenty of bed and breakfast options — I stayed at The Elmhurst Inn — that will truly give you the “east coast quaint town” experience you’re looking for. There’s also a new outpost of Under Canvas that I’d love to visit the next time I’m in the area.
Acadia is consistently in the top 10 most visited of major US National Parks, while also being the fifth smallest by land area. So it’s crowded on a normal year (and of course this year is not quite normal). This has changed the way to navigate this park in one really important way this year — reservations for Cadillac Mountain road.
Cadillac Mountain rises 1,530 ft above sea level and its summit is the first place in the United States to see the sunrise from October 7 through March 6. It’s definitely worth a drive (or hike up) any time of day, but especially to watch sunrise or sunset. Due to the crowds, there is a timed entry system for cars this year. You’ll need an advance reservation (from recreation.gov) in addition to your park entrance pass.
When I finalized my plans all of the sunrise times were sold out, but I was able to secure one for sunset. Reservation tickets are $6, and 30 percent are released 90 days ahead with the other 70 percent being released at 10 am ET two days ahead of your visit. If you don’t get a car ticket, you can also hike up the fairly short trail to the summit.
Other popular hikes are the Beehive Trail, Precipice, the Bubbles, and Gorham Mountain. An easier option is the Jordan Pond Trail that weaves its way around Jordan Pond before looping you back to the famous Jordan Pond House — a restaurant that started serving in 1847, well before Acadia was designated as a National Park, and is still an incredibly popular spot to have tea and popovers (or, in my case, prosecco and popovers).
If hiking isn’t your thing there are extensive carriage roads (great for biking and ebiking), swimming and lounging at Sand Beach, and several stops (like Thunder Hole) to marvel at the coastline. All of these are off the park road and not overcrowded.
Outside of the main park road, you’ll also the famous Bass Harbor Head Light, Echo Lake Swim Beach, and, outside of Mount Desert, the much quieter and beautiful Schoodic Peninsula.
To visit anything outside of the Park Loop road you will need a car. Within the park, biking is extremely popular and a ride on the park’s explorer bus is easy and convenient.
In Bar Harbor:
Something I loved about Acadia is its close proximity to Bar Harbor. You can hop back and forth between the park and the city super easily. Bar Harbor feels like a movie set — quaint and lovely and very east coast. If you’re charmed by that sort of vibe, you’ll like this — there’s a lot to do in this small tourist town.
I loved watching the water with a cocktail at The Terrace Grill, sampling the local brews at Atlantic Brewing Company, and visiting Bar Harbor Cellars for a wine tasting.
There aren’t many places in Acadia and Bar Harbor to escape the crowds this time of year, which is why I also took some time to head north for a quieter experience. I drove up to Lubec, Maine — the easternmost town in the United States to decompress and experience a wilder landscape.
Lubec is a sleepy town on the US Canadian border with miles of undisturbed coastline, a new private shore system, and an absolutely breathtaking state park and lighthouse. Once the border opens back up next month, it is also the only way to drive to Compobello Island and visit Roosevelt Compobello International Park — a unique park that is managed by both Canada and the US, preserving the Roosevelt’s summer retreat.
Following the conclusion of the 2021 NBA Finals, ESPN and Maria Taylor jointly announced that Taylor’s time as one of the network’s most ubiquitous personalities came to an end. The news of her departure had been speculated for some time amid reports that the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new contract for the host who wore a number of hats with the Worldwide Leader, something that was reflected in a statement she released regarding her departure.
“So thankful to Jimmy and all of my great teammates and friends at the SEC Network, College GameDay, Women’s and Men’s college basketball, and the NBA Countdown family — the people who believed in me, encouraged me, pushed me, and lifted me up,” Taylor said. “Words are inadequate to express my boundless appreciation, and I hope to make them proud.”
ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro also released a statement regarding Taylor’s departure, saying, “Maria’s remarkable success speaks directly to her abilities and work ethic. There is no doubt we will miss Maria, but we remain determined to continue to build a deep and skilled talent roster that thoroughly reflects the athletes we cover and the fans we serve. While she chose to pursue a new opportunity, we are proud of the work we’ve done together.”
Beyond the negotiations over a new contract, Taylor made headlines in recent weeks following a series of leaked comments made about her promotion to the head of the NBA Countdown desk by fellow ESPN host Rachel Nichols which indicated her belief that Taylor got the gig over her due to the network’s longstanding issues with diversity. While her next move has not been finalized, reports indicate that Taylor’s on the verge of coming to terms with NBC Sports on a contract.
With the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA championship on Tuesday night, the offseason has officially arrived and with it come draft, free agency, and trade rumors as teams begin laying the groundwork for what they hope will be a climb to a title in 2022.
The Los Angeles Lakers will once again be the favorite out West to reach the Finals, as they have the second-best title odds to the Nets in the eyes of Las Vegas at the moment, but there is no doubt that there’s lots of work to do this offseason to put the right pieces in place around LeBron James and Anthony Davis to win a second title in three years. The Lakers currently have just six players on the roster — seven if Montrezl Harrell picks up his player option — which means there’s a lot of roster spots to fill and not a lot of money to make that happen.
The biggest decision for L.A. is what to do at the point guard position, where they can either pay a hefty sum for Dennis Schröder or look to sign-and-trade possibilities to bring in some fresh faces. Rumors of the Lakers looking at trade options for Schröder and Kyle Kuzma have been percolating for weeks, and on Wednesday we got word that L.A. has its sights set on a superstar guard, per Marc Spears of The Undefeated.
Chris Paul is, unsurprisingly, atop their wish list, but it seems like a tall order to get a Western Conference rival like the Suns to agree to further clear the Lakers path to a title with a sign-and-trade as big as this — Paul will have to make a decision on his $44 million player option soon, but even if he opts out it seems most likely he returns to Phoenix. If Paul isn’t available, the Lakers would turn their attention to an L.A. native in Russell Westbrook, per Spears, putting their best (and really only) trade chips on the table.
According to sources, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have been on the hunt for veteran point guard, and Paul is on the list. There have also been talks about Washington Wizards star Russell Westbrook being a potential candidate to move back home to Los Angeles in a sign-and-trade deal that could include free agent point guard Dennis Schroder, forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Talen Horton-Tucker, sources said.
It would be a fascinating trade, if nothing else, for both teams. The Lakers would get the star point guard they crave, but would certainly be further sacrificing floor spacing and shooting by deploying Westbrook/James/Davis in their top lineups. That would possible create a domino effect of forcing L.A. to focus heavily on shooting in filling out the roster, meaning Alex Caruso might become even more available for other contenders as an unrestricted free agent.
For Washington, it would bring them more depth, which is needed, but whether this would signal a win-now type move to Bradley Beal would have to be taken into consideration. It’s possible that it would, but anything the Wizards do this offseason has to be done with Beal’s preferences in mind and given how he is perpetually in trade rumors because of his talent on a middling team, anything that shrinks Washington’s ceiling even in the slightest could push him further towards the door.
At the moment, this is just a juicy rumor that doesn’t even seem to have legs beyond a basic discussion, but it’s clear the Lakers are intent on making some kind of substantial move to upgrade their backcourt and how they go about doing that is going to be quite interesting to watch.
Jason Sudeikis is having a moment. Nearly 20 years after being hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live (yes, that was his original job), the first-time Emmy nominee is earning the highest praise of his career because of Ted Lasso, the Apple TV+ series he co-created, which is about to launch its second season. But years before he first found fame at NBC’s Studio 8H, Sudeikis had a different dream: He wanted to be a Blue Man.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Late Show, Sudeikis told host Stephen Colbert all about how he once blue himself in order to get in with the Smurf-esque group of performance artists. “It was when I was doing Second City in Las Vegas and I just fell in love with the show,” the 45-year-old actor said. “I made a lot of friends out there that were working out there and I went to go see it and was like, ‘I want to do that.’ And so I learned all the drumming parts and I had the opportunity to [audition].”
While the first audition did not require the full blue paint treatment, Sudeikis did make it far enough along in the audition process that he did eventually get painted.
“Every three days they would cut people. And I made it through the first three days and then the next three days, I got the chance to get bald and blue… But to see my face covered in completely one color was humbling. Because all the guys I was friends with had great, model faces that I didn’t realize how much I needed eyebrows and hair… I looked like a blue dodgeball. Like a peanut M&M. I looked at it and I was just like, ‘Oh, f*ck this gig!’… And I wasn’t a good enough drummer, and it’s like not knowing your lines in an audition. And I remember just sweating—sweating blue! Just dropping on the drum making little accent notes as I’m trying to [drum].”
The moral of the story? Sudeikis blue himself for nothing.
Nintendo has come up with a new way for players to “be the best like no one ever was” with a brand new, free-to-play game set in the wonderful world of Pokemon: Pokemon UNITE. As of today, players can download the multiplayer online battle arena game and team up with their friends in 5-on-5 strategic showdowns very reminiscent of a League of Legends match, for all you esports fans. According to a Nintendo’s press release published earlier today:
“In Pokemon UNITE, players face off against each other in 5-on-5 team battles. During these battles, players will cooperate with teammates to defeat wild Pokemon and level up to evolve their own Pokémon. They will need to defeat their opponents’ Pokemon while trying to earn more points than the opposing team within the allotted time.”
As far as exactly what a Pokemon: UNITE match entails, the games starts with a map split into two halves with control points on either side. Players must then earn points for their team by catching computer-controlled Wild Pokémon, while moving towards one of the control points to score goals. As you play, the low-level Pokemon you start the match with evolve and learn new moves, thus making them more powerful as the game runs on. However, in an interesting mix-up, the iconic “type effectiveness” featured in nearly all Pokemon games is absent from UNITE, making other methods of strategic thinking a lot more important. The winner is ultimately determined by the amount of points the team has earned during the ten minute battle.
In addition to the huge perk of being free, Pokemon: UNITE will also be getting cross-play when the game comes to mobile this September. For all you folks who’ve yet to pick up (and never put down) a Switch, this means you’ll be able to play with all your friends on Switch without having to fork over the cash for the console. For those of you with a Switch, Pokemon: UNITE is available to download from the Nintendo eShop now.
As Kanye West is getting ready to release his album Donda, the rapper has made his return to social media. On Instagram yesterday, he shared some photos of himself wearing chains that feature the names of his children. While hip-hop fans are excited (or at least curious) about what Kanye has coming next, that post seems to have rubbed Azealia Banks the wrong way, as she thinks West ripped her off.
Today, she took to Instagram and shared the cover art for her 2019 song “Billionaire Bully,” which is definitely visually similar to West’s new images. She then shared one of the West photos and captioned the post with an insult: “Should have exfoliated before trying to bite me. @kanyewest”
However, she seemed to contradict the insult with a follow-up photo, which features her hand sporting fake nails that read “YEEZY.”
The accusation and insult also come after a stretch of apparent fascination about West from Banks. She recently insisted that her new single “F*ck Him All Night” is about West, saying, “This is about f*ckin him all day and f*cking him all night. This is about the throbbing black billionaire c*ck. Get into it.” In April, she also said she wants to have a kid with West, writing, “The powerful black demon entity awaiting in my ovaries and kanyes testicle is finally about to be unleashed upon the world.”
Banks fans know that all of this comes after years of beef between her and West, so at this point, it’s hard to say how Banks truly feels about West.
At the 2021 ESPYs, viewers probably heard Vernon Davis’ work without even realizing it.
For the event, Davis, a former NFL tight end, was the voice viewers heard when presenters were announced or the host, actor Anthony Mackie, needed a set-up of his own. For Davis, who retired at the conclusion of the 2019 season after a productive career as a pass catcher, the gig was part of continuing journey into Hollywood, which includes acting and producing in addition to voice work.
I read the interview you did with ESPN where you were talking about bringing your football work ethic to the creative work you are doing now. But I’m curious: Was this always the path you wanted, or did you ever consider coaching or scouting or some kind of career within the game?
I’ve always been intrigued with the world of arts. Music to dancing to acting, producing — I’ve just always had a passion and just a desire to do it, so in college, I studied art. So when I arrived in the NFL, I opened up an art gallery called Gallery 85 in San Jose, California, so that really stimulated me in a way that made me want to pursue it even more. And while I was playing, I started working on some projects of my own, I showed up in a few films — Baywatch, Hell on the Border — and it’s been a great journey so far.
Did you have any teammates who you shared that passion for art with?
No, not that I can think of. I think I was probably the only one when I was playing ball. I can’t really recall anyone that was pursuing the arts, acting and painting and things of that nature. I know my teammates just gave me hard time. They used to tease my a lot. [laughs].
What appealed to you about doing work like voiceover work for the ESPYs?
It’s different, it’s different. But I have to give thanks to my manager, Henry Penzi, who really pushed and inspired me. Without him, I’m not sure I’d have been able to pursue this. He told me “Vernon, if you want to be an artist, you have to take on these different things even if you’re not familiar with them because you’ll never know. Maybe you’ll do it and fall in love with it. You just have to try it.”
So once he told me that, that really resonated with me. I said, “Ok, let me try it.” And that’s how I ended up doing this, with him going to bat for me and really pushing me to do it. It’s totally different, but like any challenge, I’m up for it.
How did you approach preparation?
Once I got the script, I really familiarized myself with the words. And that’s all it is — familiarizing yourself with the verbiage and understanding and owning those words. And once you do that, you start to feel comfortable and you just go out and have a good time.
When you were playing — and attending the ESPYs — did you ever think about the back-end production?
No. Every year that I decided to go to the ESPYs, I’d sit in the audience and never thought in a million years that I’d be behind the scenes being the voice for the ESPYs or even the host. I never imagined it.
It’s different types of work — you aren’t gearing up with lifting and training for this like you would have for an NFL season, I’d assume — but are there any similarities entertainment work and the NFL?
I think consistency is everything. As long as you’re consistent and consistent in your approach, you’ll find that the same method falls under everything else. Like when I was playing ball, I would catch 200, 300 balls before practice ended. I did that every day. And whether you’re preparing for an acting role or you’re about to be the voice for a show, you prepare and use the repetition process and it allows you to feel comfortable and familiar. And you just develop this stamina and you’ll go out and do really well.
Did you go back and watch any film or any old Oscars or ESPYs and apply some of your approach to the ESPYs?
Ya, that’s another form of preparation. You want to go look at the past and listen to how they did and then make it your own. When I found out I would be doing this, first thing I did was listen to former voices and go off of that, understand what they did and start making it my own. So what does my voice sound like?
Do you still follow the NFL — or any other sport — as much and in as much detail as you might have when you were playing?
I’m still intrigued by the sports that I always have been. Football is always going to be my No. 1 sport. It paved the way for me and it’s something I’ve been in love with since I was a kid, so I’m always going to love that. But I’m open to being a part of and supporting other sports, but football is always my No. 1.
Are there any recent NFL storylines that have grabbed your attention?
No, but I’m always looking to see what rules change. I think that’s something that’s really been at the top of my list and something that’s always at the top of my mind. Playing the game, I’ve seen so much change in these rules when it comes to football. But what’s different now? It’s always changing.
What’s the last piece of art you’ve watched or consumed that’s stuck with you?
I’ve been watching Masterclass videos lately. And the last video I watched was Natalie Portman. She talked about the difference techniques that she uses when she’s acting, so that’s one thing that really stuck with me.
For movies, are you a movie theater person or have you become more into watching movies at home now after the last year-plus?
I’m a movie theater guy. I think I can get the same experience at home though. Over the last year, I’ve been watching a lot of movies on Netflix, Hulu, you name it. But I’m a movie theater guy. So if I can go to watch a movie, I’m going to the movies. When I was in L.A. two weeks ago, I went with some friends of mine — Carmen Electra, Henry Penzi, some others — and we went to go support our buddy Paul Walter Hauser and his new movie, Cruella. So we went to go show some love to him and that was a lot of fun. It was about 12 of us and we took up a whole row and it was a lot of fun.
Paul Walter Hauser is kind of genius I think.
Ya, he’s awesome. Not only is he a great actor, but he’s also a great person.
Anything you watched at home, be it on Netflix or Hulu that clicked for you?
The TV series All-American. I’ve loved that. That’s something I keep going back to, it’s great. It’s very captivating. I’m very familiar with all of that because my life was like that.
COVID cases are on the rise in all 50 states, but the percentage of fully vaccinated Americans is still just below the 50 percent mark. And experts predict that if you’re an adult who has not yet been vaccinated, chances are good that you won’t be knocking down your doctor’s door to get a jab or two anytime soon.
Which, obviously, is a problem — especially for the White House.
So in a move that seems to be in the spirit of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, CNN reports that the Biden administration is attempting to make nice with Fox News in order to get the network to look at the big picture and realize that their hosts constant anti-vaccine propaganda could quite literally be killing their viewership.
Biden’s team and Fox News executives have apparently been communicating for a few months now, though it’s unclear if any steps have been taken by the network to pump the brakes on their whole oppression-by-vaccination agenda. When asked about the Republican-leaning network’s role in the slowdown of COVID vaccinations, and what measures the president has taken to address the issue, White House press secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged that the Biden administration is fully aware of “the importance of reaching Fox News’ audience about the COVID-19 vaccines and their benefits, and like we are with all of you here today we, of course, are in regular contact.”
New Liberty/Cedar Ridge/Limestone Branch/Still Austin/istock/Uproxx
Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time writing about well-known American whiskeys. Especially hard-to-find bottles of bourbon, like Pappy Van Winkle, EH Taylor, Weller, and the like. But those brands are all so beloved, so sought-after that — frankly — they don’t need the hype. Even without us, they’d still be allocated, difficult to find, and have ridiculous secondary market prices.
You know who does need a little signal boost? Smaller American craft whiskey brands. We’re talking about the underrated, often overlooked craft whiskeys made right here in the United States. Many are delightful, nuanced, and even award-winning, but still don’t get the press or have the followings they deserve. And we’re keen on changing that.
Below, you’ll find eight of our favorite underrated American craft whiskeys. We know it’s hard to add a new expression into your drinking rotation, but give a few of these a try — you just might find a new favorite!
This award-winning (Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), Austin, Texas-made bourbon has a mash bill of 70% white corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley. Every ingredient is sourced from Texas. It’s distilled in 42-foot column stills before being matured in charred American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
The nose reveals hints of caramel apples, dried fruits, almond cookies, and shaved coconut. The palate is full of raisins, buttery caramel, vanilla beans, sweet corn, and baking spices. The finish is long, filled with warming heat and features notes of butterscotch paired with a slight bit of peppery rye.
Bottom Line:
This just might be the most underrated bourbon in the country. While it took home a prestigious award, it’s still not even close to as popular as any of the expressions from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, or even the smaller Kentucky brands. It ought to be.
Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye
Sagamore Spirits
ABV: 48.3% Average Price: $59.99
The Story:
This award-winning straight rye whiskey is first aged for four years in a charred American oak barrel before being matured a second time in a toasted American oak cask. It ends up maturing for 4-5 years in total. The result is a peppery, rich whiskey with a great sweet-to-rye spice ratio.
Tasting Notes:
Right away, you’ll be struck by the aromas of peppery rye, sweet cinnamon sugar, vanilla beans, and candied orange peels. The palate delivers notes of candied pecans, butterscotch, shaved coconut, and more vanilla. It all ends in a crescendo of sweet caramel and spicy cracked black pepper.
Bottom Line:
For the price, it’s hard to find a better craft rye whiskey. After one sip, this will become your new go-to sweet-meets-peppery summer sipper.
With the likes of Hudson, Black Button, Kings County, and Widow Jane, New York has become a leader in the non-Kentucky bourbon world in recent years. But one of the best is often even overlooked in the state. Coppersea Excelsior Bourbon is a high rye, 100% New York-produced bourbon that’s made using grain sourced from the state and even matured in charred Hudson Valley oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Before your first sip, take a moment to nose this whiskey — you’re sure to pick up aromas of caramel corn, brown sugar, cooking spices, and a nice wallop of peppery rye. The palate swirls with vanilla beans, maple candy, dried fruits, a gentle nutty backbone, and more spicy rye at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is an old-school, prohibition-style bourbon. It requires multiple samplings to reveal all of the different flavors. It’s definitely young, however, and should be treated as such — try mixing it into your next old fashioned or Manhattan.
Whiskey aficionados have heard of Laws, but many drinkers haven’t yet had a chance to appreciate these well-crafted, high-quality Colorado whiskeys. The brand’s flagship expression is its Four Grain Straight Bourbon. The corn, wheat, barley, and rye in the mash bill come from local farms and the distillate is aged for three years in charred oak barrels at high altitudes.
Tasting Notes:
This is a very herbal, citrus-filled whiskey on the nose. There’s also caramel, vanilla, and just a hint of peppery rye. Sipping it reveals notes of toasted wood, vanilla beans, pipe tobacco, candied orange peels, and gentle spice. The finish is warming, dry, and beguiling enough to be memorable.
Bottom Line:
If you’ve never enjoyed whiskey from Laws, start with this expression and work your way through the whole portfolio. At the very least, try this one and then the bonded version.
Philadelphia’s New Liberty is making some high-quality, underrated whiskey. The brand’s Dutch Malt Whiskey was made to pay tribute to the “Pennsylvania Dutch” who settled in the state after emigrating from Germany in the 17th century. It’s made with two-row barley from Deer Creek Malt House in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, aromas include sweet malts, vanilla, dried fruits, and gentle spice. The palate is loaded with chocolate fudge, cereal-like malts, buttery caramel, and oaky wood. The finish is warming, long, and ends with a mixture of sweetness and spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a different whiskey than you’re used to. It’s filled with hints of malts, grains, and a nice nutty sweetness you just can’t put your finger on.
We know what you’re thinking. Bourbon and Iowa don’t really seem to make sense together. But if you know anything at all about the state, you know there are a lot of cornfields there — why wouldn’t they end up with some bourbon?
Cedar Ridge’s flagship expression is its Straight Bourbon. This award-winning whiskey has a mash bill of 74% corn, 14% rye, and 12% malted barley. It’s aged for three years in charred, American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
This 86 proof whiskey begins with scents of caramel corn, vanilla beans, oak, and gentle rye warmth. The palate features hints of raisins, apricots, buttery caramel, vanilla, and a nice minerality. It’s made with family-farmed corn, and it tastes like you’d expect a bold, rich bourbon from the Midwest to taste.
Bottom Line:
Cedar Ridge has gained in popularity in recent years due to its slew of awards. But it still doesn’t have the name recognition of many of its Kentucky counterparts — it deserves some shine.
If you pay attention to the American craft whiskey world, you’ve probably heard of Westward. But, in general, it’s still utterly underrated when it comes to single malt whiskey worldwide. While many drinkers don’t look to the US for single malt whiskeys at all, after one sip of this expression, they’ll have to expand their understanding of the genre.
Made with locally sourced malted barley, brewed using ale yeast, and matured in lightly charred American oak casks, this is a truly unique single malt whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
If you’re a fan of Scotch, you’ll recognize some of its notable aromas in this expression. There’s honey, dried orange peels, almonds, and caramel malts throughout. After nosing, your first sip will feature subtle ale yeast flavor, buttery caramel, toffee, gentle spices, and a nice malty backbone. It’s sweet, slightly spicy, and highly sippable.
Bottom Line:
While nobody is going to tell you to stop enjoying your favorite single malt Scotch. You should keep an open mind and try this excellent American riff on the style.
This whiskey from Lebanon, Kentucky’s Limestone Branch Distillery is made to pay tribute to America’s national park system (they even donate a portion of the proceeds to the National Parks Conservation Association). The straight bourbon whiskey is a blend of four and seven-year-old bourbons selected for their rich, sippable, mellow flavors.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is heaped with aromas of toasted marshmallows, rich oak, vanilla beans, and subtle spice. The palate drives forward dried apricots, raisins, toasted vanilla beans, sweet treacle, and butterscotch. The last sip is a nice combination of caramelized sugar and woody oak.
Bottom Line:
This is a great whiskey for two reasons. For one, drinking it helps conserve our National Parks. Second, it’s flavorful, sweet, and well-suited for slow sipping on a cool summer’s night.
As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.
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Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
