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There are few things better than a fried fish sandwich. Luckily, we’re in that time of year when fast-food chains across the nation roll out their fish sandwiches to lure in those looking to go easy on meat for Lent. Seriously, everyone is getting in on the action — then Easter will pass and most of those chains will shelve their fish for another year.

It’s kind of bullshit if you ask us. We like fast food fish. So we’re going to focus on the chains (regional and national) that keep the fish on the menu year-round.

The beauty of a good fried fish sandwich is its seemingly simple construction. Fried whitefish filet (usually pollock but preferably cod) in either a breadcrumb crust or beer batter, a tangy tartar sauce, and a couple of other additions are all you really need. Still, the quality of everything from the fish to the bun to the tang of that tartar can vary wildly.

To help you pick the best fried fish sandwich available year-round (sorry Wendy’s and Arby’s fans and anyone who’s tried the new limited release Popeyes flounder fishwich), we’re looking squarely at the taste. This ranking doesn’t worry about price or even calories, though we’ve called those out to help you be more informed. The question is simple, which fast food fish sandwich wins in the flavor department?

Ready to find out?

10. Jack In The Box Fish Sandwich

Calories: 414

Price: $3

The Sandwich:

The fish here is touted as “100% Wild-Caught Alaska Pollock.” The fish is then panko encrusted and fried to a nice crispiness. The bun is a standard warmed bun. A little bit of lettuce goes on the hot filet and the tartar is squeezed on top of that lettuce.

Bottom Line:

The pollack is fried well — you actually know you’re eating fish here. The bun is a standard Jack in the Box offering, which isn’t bad but it’s not great either. The tartar is more mayo-forward than tangy. The lettuce tends to be very wilted, especially if it’s past midnight and the line cooks have stopped giving a shit behind the scenes.

9. Burger King Big Fish

Calories: 513

Price: $3.99

The Sandwich:

The fish is 100 percent White Alaskan pollock that’s coated in panko bread crumbs. The bun is a butter-toasted brioche. The tartar sauce is applied to the bottom and top bun with a layer of lettuce and pickle on top of the hot fish filet.

Bottom Line:

There’s nothing wrong with BK’s Big Fish, per se. It has the basic elements in place: crunchy fried white fish, tartar, lettuce, toasted bun. The thing is, it’s just okay. The fish is a bit listless and bland. The crunch of the coating wanes under the almost tasteless bun. The tartar is definitely more mayo than anything else. The lettuce might as well not be there.

All of that being said, the pickles do add a nice touch. Burger King has pretty solid pickles at the end of the day.

8. White Castle Fish Slider

Calories: 320

Price: $1.59

The Sandwich:

These mini fish sandos are simplicity done pretty damn well. The mini filet is Alaskan pollock with a panko breading. The rest is just the iconic White Castle slider bun and a small slice of American cheese. That’s it.

Bottom Line:

These are decent. The slider eschews the lettuce and tartar for a slice of American cheese, which works. The only reason these aren’t ranked higher is that you’re really not getting a whole lot with this mini sandwich. You’re going to need two to four (which we know is the point of White Castle) and that really starts to heighten the ol’ calorie count.

7. McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish

Calories: 390

Price: $3.79

The Sandwich:

The Filet-O-Fish is a classic example of a fast food fish sandwich. The combination of the steamed bun, tangy tartar, fried fish filet (yes, it’s Alaskan pollock), and a slice of American cheese just works.

Bottom Line:

There’s a softness to the bun that counters to the crunch of the fish coating nicely. The tartar doesn’t overwhelm but is there and is actually tangy. The cheese is the x-factor that adds a nice, gooey touch of savoriness.

We’re adding bonus points for leaving off the wilted lettuce, too.

6. Whataburger Whatacatch Sandwich

Calories: 520

Price: $3.59

The Sandwich:

Yes, we’re including regional shops in this ranking. Starting… now!

The Texan fish sammie has a nice, crispy fish filet (can you guess which kind? It’s Alaskan pollock!). The top bun is covered in mild tartar with lettuce and tomato. The latter adds a nice layer of brightness to the whole fish sandwich concept and helps protect the lettuce from the heat of the filet.

Bottom Line:

More fish sandwiches should have tomato. Still, this is pretty lightweight with a decent tang to the tartar. The best aspect is the larger format fried fish filet that gives you more fish than bread. Well done, Whataburger.

5. Long John Silver Pacific Cod

Calories: 400

Price: $3.69

The Sandwich:

Gasp! This is made from North Pacific Cod! We’re also getting close to sub territory with a long-format bun sandwiching beer-battered fish, pickle, and tartar.

Bottom Line:

It was hard not ranking this sandwich higher. The beer-battered fish filet really works in this sandwich. The addition of crunchy pickles adds that extra oomph that elevates the whole dish. LJS’s tartar has a great tang that feels like rich mayo by way of a ripe lemon.

Overall, this one is a winner. In fact, if this had a slice of American cheese, it might have been number one.

4. Captain D’s Giant Fish Sandwich

Calories: 1010

Price: $3.99

The Sandwich:

Okay, we’re hitting the big ones now. Tennessee’s Captain D’s makes a hell of a fish sammie. This is two whole pieces of their beer-battered dipped fried cod on a nice toasted bun with a little lettuce on top and plenty of rich tartar sauce on the top and bottom bun.

Bottom Line:

Let’s face it, we’re always looking for that extra dipping cup of tartar and Captain D’s delivers with sauce all around the fish. Plus, this fish is truly lush and fresh with a great crunch factor. The lettuce is applied late and with a light hand, so it doesn’t really have a chance to wilt and turn to mush.

3. Culver’s North Atlantic Cod Sandwich

Calories: 600

Price: $4.89

The Sandwich:

Midwest mainstay, Culver’s, really kills the fish sandwich game. The bun is a hoagie roll which has a nice heft to it. The North Atlantic cod is beer-battered and fried well. Then there’s shredded American cheese (nice!), a touch of lettuce, and plenty of tartar on the bottom bun.

Bottom Line:

Their beer-battered cod is just well done all around with crunch and seasoning. That shredded American cheese under the fish filet gets a little melty and adds a nice x-factor to the whole sandwich. The lettuce is on the bottom but is protected (generally) by the layer of melting cheese. The tartar has a nice tang of lemon, pickle, and rich mayo.

If you’re near a Culver’s, don’t sleep on this sandwich.

2. Popeyes Shrimp Po’ Boy

Calories: 660

Price: $5.49

The Sandwich:

Seasonal Popeyes Sandwiches: Out.

Shellfish Popeyes Sandwhiches: In!

The crunchy and slightly spicy morsels of shrimp are little umami bombs of goodness next to funky pickles and tangy sauce. Those shrimp are jammed into a long hoagie sub with a healthy application of remoulade, pickles, and lettuce.

Bottom Line:

The last two picks are really splitting hairs. Popeyes’ Shrimp Po’ Boy is one of the best overall sandwiches on the fast-food market (their catfish rocks too, if you can find a shop that offers it). The long hoagie helps in making this one feel more like a full meal rather than a quick snack. But it’s really the Cajun spice and the overall quality of the construction that makes this a winner.

1. Ivar’s Fish Sandwich

Calories: 560 calories

Price: $6.55 (with fries)

The Sandwich:

The wild-caught Pacific True Cod is the centerpiece of this sandwich. It’s panko-crusted and sandwiched in a hefty brioche bun. The filet rests on tomato slices which protect the lettuce underneath. Ivar’s signature tartar sauce is slathered on the bottom bun.

Bottom Line:

Seattle’s Ivar’s has a fish sandwich that is leaps and bounds above all others. First, there’s the bread. It has a hefty while actually tasting like bread and not just something out of an industrial plastic bag.

The overall sandwich combines everything we like in a fried fish sandwich: Cod instead of pollock, a filet that’s bigger than the bun, really good tartar, and tomato to brighten the whole experience. It doesn’t have the American cheese but doesn’t need it to take home the win!

Kanye West may get all the credit for keeping Adidas on a competitive level with Nike, but over the past year, the three stripes brand has been working hard to prop up another huge name in cross-brand collaboration, a name that actually manages to best Ye from a pure fame standpoint. Watch out Ye, because Bey is coming up fast.

Beyonce’s gender-neutral athleisure label, IVY PARK, is a little over a year old now, but in that short time Bey and Adidas have built up quite the catalog of unique sneaker colorways, utilizing some of the Three Stripe’s most interesting silhouettes. Design-wise, Ivy Park has been taking a different approach than what Kanye is doing with Yeezy — rather than create entirely new sneaker silhouettes, the brand focuses on offering remixes of Adidas’ classic styles, offering sleek cuts, exciting material choices, and vibrant color palettes fit for an internet-breaking Beyonce video. A simple celebrity cash grab this is not!

Kanye may be the most successful music- turned designer for now, but with heat like this from Beyonce plus Rihanna killing it with Savage x Fenty, he needs to watch that throne. Let’s dive into every Ivy Park Adidas sneaker, including the latest winter-ready Icy Park collection, ranked from worst to best.

18. Ivy Park Adidas Superstar Platform

The Superstar is hands-down one of Adidas’ greatest silhouettes, but it’s at the bottom of this list. Not because it’s a platform (no, that’s not a screen glitch, the shoe actually looks like that), though that doesn’t help. Because it’s… ugly. And not in that trendy so-ugly-it’s-fashion way.

It’s just straight-up hard to look at.

That’s probably why it wasn’t included in either of the first, second or even third Ivy Park drops. Instead, it landed last year as part of a collection that also featured other Superstar reimaginings by Jonah Hill and Sean Wotherspoon. It’s ultimately forgettable and remains a stain on a near-perfect record.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Superstar Platform at GOAT.

17. Ivy Park Adidas Ultra Boost DNA Black

I know I was just trashing on the abomination that is the Superstar Platform, but this triple black iteration of the Adidas Ultra Boost comes dangerously close to being just as bad. Released as part of an extension to Ivy Park drop 2, this sneaker has few redeemable qualities. A prime knit upper in core black atop a matching BOOST midsole, and a puzzling radioactive volt outsole, you can get all of this with a stock Adidas drop, so you’re getting little more than a name here, and paying the price for it.

Get the Ivy park Adidas Ultra Boost DNA at StockX.

16. Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72 White Black

Released last year as part of the second Ivy Park collection, the Super Sleek 72 White/Black suffers solely because it isn’t quite as good as drop 1’s Super Sleek, and nowhere near drop 3’s. The colorways are solid, but ultimately it’s going to be impossible to rock a pair of these without being reminded that they aren’t one of the three better colorways.

We’ll get more into the details behind this special silhouette when we talk about the original release. One annoying thing about this shoe is, it was originally called the Sleek Super, and everyone kept calling it the Super Sleek, and Adidas just quietly changed it!

Or did they? It’s a real Bernstein Bears situation with this sneaker.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72 at GOAT.

15. Ivy Park Adidas Forum Lo Core White

The Forum Lo debuted in drop 2 of Ivy Park and since then the brand has shifted focus to the Forum Mid, which we admit is much better. . The Forum Lo features a leather and suede upper with a translucent bottom sole and a fastening strap. It’s easily the least flashy sneaker in the entire IVY PARK collection.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. But if you can’t get behind a fastening strap, you’re not going to find a lot to love here.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Forum Lo at GOAT.

14. Ivy Park Adudas Nite Jogger Maroon/Solar Orange

When Ivy Park initially dropped in January 2020, this sneaker was criticized endlessly, and for good reason. It looks like a goddamn traffic cone thanks to its Solar Orange half and half colorway — with a toe box dipped in deep maroon.

This shoe is out there, but we respect Beyonce’s bold design here. They’re impossible to look away from. For better or worse.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Nite Jogger Maroon at GOAT.

13. Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72 Black

Released as a short update to Ivy Park drop 2 in November of last year, this triple-black version of the Ivy Park Super Sleek is pretty clean but had Ivy Park opted for an all-black sole over the gum, we’d have bumped it up considerably on this list. The gum sole is nice, but it keeps this design from being the dominatrix (or Darth Vader, if you’re nerdy) sneaker it so desperately wants to be.

The wrinkled core black leather upper is accented nicely by some core black suede accents. Not the worst Super Sleek, but a bit far from the best.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72 Black at GOAT.

12. Ivy Park Adidas Nite Jogger Dark Green Frozen Yellow

This Dark Green Frozen Yellow Nite Jogger suffers from the same problem as the Maroon iteration, only this one isn’t quite as ugly. Instead of a traffic cone, it resembles a Mountain Dew bottle — which is better, if only a little.

All jokes aside, this iteration sold out almost instantly when it launched as part of drop 2. Aftermarket prices have settled around $150 for this pair in 2021. Not a bad pickup if you want to Do the Dew.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Nite Jogger Dark Frozen at GOAT.

11. Ivy Park Adidas Ultra BOOST Maroon

When the first Ivy Park collection dropped, this felt like the signature piece. While it’s not our favorite, it’s still pretty beloved. Featuring a double Maroon colorway atop a Solar Orange outsole, this design nails the futuristic fitness vibe that the Maroon Nite Jogger couldn’t quite master.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Ultra BOOST Maron at GOAT.

10. Ivy Park Adidas Nite Jogger Off-White

So far the IVY PARK Nite Jogger’s have suffered from a half-and-half presentation that just doesn’t work, but this mix of Off-White (not that Off-White, but wouldn’t that be something?), Ecru Tint and Dark Green just works.

It also brings something new to Adidas’ usual Nite Jogger offerings with a brighter presentation and an alternate lacing system that really shows off the silhouette’s cool geometry.

Find the Ivy Park Adidas Nite Jogger at GOAT.

9. Adidas IVY PARK Ultra BOOST Hi Res Yellow

While the second IVY PARK drop brought a lot new to the looks coming out of the label, it also acted as an opportunity to refresh the first drop’s best designs. This didn’t work for the Sleek Super 72, but this Hi-Res Yellow version of the Adidas Ultra BOOST knocks the original Maroon dip out of the park.

It’s every bit as extreme as the original, but the Hi-Res has some balance as well — with a gum outsole that matches up nicely with the blinding colorway.

8. Ivy Park Adidas Ultra Boost Icy Park White

Released as part of Ivy Park’s winter-focused Icy Park drop, this triple white iteration of the Ultra BOOST is an improvement over last year’s all-black version. The Ultra BOOST isn’t quite as hot as it was six years ago, but this Ivy Park iteration is great, offering a prime knit upper with TPU overlays, a BOOST midsole, a rubber gum outsole, and Ivy Park’s comfort-focused draw-string lacing system.

Swapping out that hideous volt outsole for the traditional gum was the right call!

Get the Ivy Park Adidas Ultra BOOST Icy Park at Adidas.

7. Ivy Park Adidas Forum Mid Metallic Silver

We’re happy to see Beyonce showing more love to the Forum Mid, which first debuted as part of Ivy Park drop 2. This shimmery metallic version was released as part of the Icy Park drop and features ankle straps, a multi-layered leather upper, and a luxurious silver metallic colorway.

As cool as it is, it’s our least favorite Forum Mid colorway out of the Ivy Park lineage.

Get the Ivy Park Adidas Forum Mid Metallic Siler at Adidas.

6. Ivy Park Adidas Forum Mid Cream

Everything we love about the Forum Mid Metallic Silver in a more functional and stylistically conservative cream colorway. But as a person who has owned their fair share of metallic sneakers, I’m here to tell you that these, while tamer, will age so much better.

Metallic colorways go in and out of style, but cream is much more timeless.

Get the Ivy Park Forum Cream Mid at Adidas.

5. Adidas IVY PARK Sleek Super 72 Maroon

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. This was our original number one pick, but as the years have gone on our perspective has shifted. That’s not a bad thing, it means Ivy Park continues to evolve, as this was the centerpiece of the original drop. The shape is IVY PARK’s most original, as it was adapted from Adidas’ Samba Silhouette to Bey’s personal specifications, and that mix of White premium leather and Dash Grey suede with subtle Maroon and Solar Orange accents works incredibly harmoniously.

The entire first IVY PARK collection might revolve around this same color scheme, but it never works quite so perfectly as it does here. We’re hoping the Sleek Super’s success inspires IVY PARK to dabble in more original shapes.

4. Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek Boot

We’re glad to see Ivy Park show a lot of love to the Super Sleek silhouette, it’s the brand’s most original design and to see it here in boot form as the centerpiece of drop 3 shows a commitment to giving us something new out of Ivy Park, rather than relying solely on Adidas’ stock designs.

With a cloud white, off-white, and core white colorway, this leather and suede boot sits atop a chunky gum sole, with braided bungee detailing around the heel.

Get the Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72 at Adidas.

3. Adidas IVY PARK Forum Mid Green Tint

The IVY PARK Forum Mid Green Tint was Ivy Park’s first go at Adidas’ Forum Mid silhouette and it’s still the best! In fact, it’s one of the best colorways to come out of the Ivy Park brand.

The shoe still has that leather and suede construction of the low top, but the fastening strap looks less out of place here and that Green Tint colorway is just too damn fresh.

2. Adidas IVY PARK Nite Jogger Ecru Tint

The Ecru Tint Nite Jogger isn’t only the best IVY PARK Nite Jogger, it’s the best Nite Jogger colorway Adidas has ever dropped. That’s high praise and, honestly, if this sneaker said “Off-White” instead of “IVY PARK” it’d be going for thousands on the aftermarket.

Be thankful it isn’t!

It looks like something that would come from the mind of Virgil Abloh, only without the gimmicky tags or production numbers. Clean, classic, bold, and damn near perfect.

1. Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72

A future classic in the making. This Cloud white, off-white, core white makeup of the Super Sleek 72 is now Bey’s greatest contribution to the footwear game. It took a few attempts, but Bey finally found a way to build on what she did with drop 1’s Super Sleek (Our original number 1) with this all-white iteration out of the Icy Park drop. The way it swaps the originals laces with thicker braided laces, the mix of luxe leather and premium suede — it’s just so damn clean!

Get the Ivy Park Adidas Super Sleek 72 at Adidas.

For almost four decades, MTV has delivered intimate performances from some of the most popular acts in the world through their series Unplugged. While it’s been years since platform hasn’t attracted the attention it once did, it found some success in 2020, when the channel brought it back for at-home performances from the likes of Finneas, Kiana Lede, JoJo, and more. On Tuesday, BTS became the latest to appear on the show.

Seated in a room filled with arcade games, BTS kicked off the night by singing “Telepathy,” making it the group’s first live performance of the song. They also covered Coldplay’s “Fix You,” which is known to be one of their favorite songs and one that singer and dancer Jimin says gave them comfort during the pandemic. They also performed “Blue & Grey,” “Dynamite,” and “Life Goes On,” the last two being BTS’ most recent chart-topping singles.

“It’s really an honor to be part of the MTV Unplugged legacy where so many legends have performed,” the band’s leader RM said during their set. “We’re deeply thankful.” Singer Junghook added, “All the songs on our album are special to us. We don’t get many chances to perform our b-side tracks besides at our concert so we’re thrilled to perform them on MTV Unplugged.”

Once their MTV Unplugged set came to an end, BTS showed love to their fans with a warm message. “We were supposed to show you these stages at a live concert, so we’re sorry we had to do it remotely, but hope many of you still enjoyed it,” rapper Suga said. J-Hope, another rapper in the group, added, “We wait for the day when we can sing for you in person. We will do our best until then. We love you.”

You can watch the performances above.

There are not many people in sports quite like Luka Doncic. The Dallas Mavericks’ maestro mixes the ability to do the incredible with the sense of bravado to add an extra bit of flair to whatever he’s able to pull off. On Tuesday night, the Boston Celtics learned this lesson the hard way.

The Mavs and the Celtics played a thrilling, tight game on TNT that demanded Doncic went deep into his bag of tricks to pull out a win. He managed to do that and then some, scoring 31 points in a 110-107 victory that was capped off by a pair of monstrous triples, the second of which occurred with a fraction of a second remaining on the game clock.

The first came with Dallas trailing by one. Doncic brought the ball up the floor, getting hounded by Jaylen Brown and eventually getting the switch he wanted onto Daniel Theis. Then, in that way in which he does something so smoothly that it looks effortless, he busted out a step-back triple that got nothing but net. From the moment it left his fingertips, it was evident that he knew the shot was going in.

And then, Luka magic happened. Doncic brought the ball up the floor following a made layup by Brown that tied things up, only he had zero plans for overtime. Doncic hoisted one up from deep while getting double-teamed, but the best efforts of the Celtics were for naught.

Sometimes there’s not much to do other than tip your cap and acknowledge that you got beat. Boston had to do this on Tuesday, all because Doncic decided the Mavericks were going to win, and he’s one of the few players on earth with the ability to make that sort of decision become an inevitability.

This week, we’re heading deep into really good bourbon whiskey territory — the truly special (and sometimes rare) bottles. Not every bourbon listed below is going to be a one-off limited edition or single barrel. Some are just high-quality cask strength editions.

Still, these bourbons are all pretty fantastic. And definitely unique. Look for the phrase “classic bourbon flavors” to pop up less and less in the tasting noes from here on out.

A little warning: these bourbons are going to vary in price wildly. Since many of these bourbons aren’t nationwide releases, it will all come down to availability in your region. Moreover, liquor store and delivery service prices will vary depending on demand. Good luck out there.

The ten bottles below are chosen according to taste and listed according to price. There’s no ranking here. It’s just ten tasty-as-all-hell bourbon expressions worth checking out if you’re ready to take your whiskey drinking up a notch.

Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky

ABV: Varies

Average Price: $70

The Whisky:

This wheated bourbon is a small-batch masterpiece. The juice is a blend of up to 19 barrels from the Maker’s warehouses. The whiskies are hand-selected according to distinct flavor characteristics to build a masterful end product. Once the whisky is married, it goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfiltered, and ready to drink.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of bourbon vanilla on the nose with touches of burnt caramel, charred oak, and a hint of dry bales of straw. The taste brings about a spicy tobacco chewiness that’s cut with more vanilla and hints of dried apricot. The end is slow, leaves your tongue buzzing with tobacco and spice, and has a mellow vanilla roundness.

Bottom Line:

This is a great bourbon for the vanilla-heads out there who want a bold-yet-classic bourbon. Once you crack the seal, the expression really benefits from a touch of water or a single rock to help it bloom in the glass.

Woodinville Bourbon Cask Strength

ABV: 59.72%

Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

This is Woodinville’s award-winning bourbon with no proofing at all. The juice is a grain-to-glass experience with locally grown Washington grains (corn, rye, and barley), matured in Washington state for around five years. After those five years, barrels are hand-selected for their precise flavor and are small-batched and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes:

Dried cherries and plums mingle with a hint of tobacco spice, soft cedar, vanilla husks, and cornmeal on the nose. The body of the sip leans into almost burnt toffee sweetness and bitterness that leads towards dark chocolate-covered almonds with a touch of salt with more of that spicy tobacco and a hint more of fruit. The end is long and touches on the soft wood, tobacco, nuttiness, bitter chocolate, and a hint of sweet/savory fruit (kind of like honey-roasted pumpkin).

Bottom Line:

This is one of those bottles that is going to be hard to find outside of Washington state (especially at this price). Still, if you do get your hands on a bottle, give it time to bloom with a little water. And then take your time with it and let those notes build across your senses.

Noah’s Mill

ABV: 57.15%

Average Price: $73

The Whiskey:

This small-batch bourbon from Willett Distillery hits a lot of high marks. The brand keeps their cards pretty close to their chest when it comes to mash bills (they use four for their bourbons), barrel ages, and so forth. This whiskey used to carry an age statement of 15 years but that was dropped due to demand.

What we do know is that after aging the small-batched bourbon goes into the bottle unfussed with and at close to barrel proof.

Tasting Notes:

Maply syrup-covered walnuts greet you with a sense of dark dried fruit and a hint of rose water. The taste holds onto those notes while adding in an almost sherried plummy depth with a whisper of caramel apple and orange oils. The vanilla and oak kick in with a rich depth and well-rounded lightness to the sip as it fades slowly away.

Bottom Line:

This really is an easy-drinking whiskey that deserves a little time and water to really enjoy. That water will reveal a little bit of dark chocolate walnut bar depth, giving it more complexity with a bitter-sweet end.

Booker’s Bourbon

ABV: Varies

Average Price: $74

The Whiskey:

Jim Beam’s very high-end Booker’s Bourbon is a rolling small-batch release. Each batch is a combination of hand-selected barrels that dial into a specific flavor profile. The overall end result is a bourbon that’s built to be sippable above all else.

Tasting Notes:

Batches will vary. But one thing you can expect is boldness tied to vanilla, oak, worn leather, spicy tobacco chew, crunchy apples, and plenty of ripe cherries (it is Beam after all). The body of these expressions tends to lean rich and full-bodied — almost oily — while being soft on the tongue. The finishes are designed to be long and highlight the flavor profiles that were built into the dram.

Bottom Line:

This is a great gift bourbon. Prices are going to vary along with which batches you’ll come across. But the point is that they’re usually pretty special and worthy of expanding any bourbon drinker’s palate/knowledge.

Widow Jane Aged 10 Years

ABV: 45.5%

Average Price: $74

The Whiskey:

This is sourced Kentucky bourbon by way of Upstate New York. The hand-selected barrels are sent to New York where they’re blended in small batches (no more than five barrels), proofed with New York spring water, and bottled. What you’re paying for here is the exactness of a whiskey blender finding great barrels and knowing how to marry them to make something bigger and better.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a creamy vanilla pudding up top with a slight woody edge (as if the whole vanilla pod was dropped in the bottle) next to Christmas spices and a hint of orange zest. That orange carries onto the taste as notes of marzipan, dark chocolate-covered cherries, and maple syrup mingle with more vanilla creaminess and mild spice. The end amps up those spices as the oak becomes charred with a bitter dark chocolate edge.

Bottom Line:

This is a great example of the power of sourcing whiskey. The blend is impeccable and will shut up anyone who dares besmirch sourced whiskey.

Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Cask Strength

ABV: 59.8%

Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

Jefferson’s Ocean is an experiment in finishing that’s pretty unique. The blenders pull in six to eight-year-old whiskeys sourced from four Kentucky distilleries. They marry those barrels and then re-barrel the whiskey, load them onto a ship, and sail those barrels around the world for almost a year. The best of those barrels are married and bottled at cask strength with no additional fussing.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear crème brûlée vibe on the nose with touches of orange zest, cinnamon toast, slightly singed marshmallow. The taste dives into salted caramel notes with hints of Almond Joys covered in dark chocolate next to a savory fruit edge. That fruit turns figgy as the end fades slowly, hitting on spicy tobacco warmth and a final touch of fresh mint.

Bottom Line:

While this one will be a little harder to find, it’s worth checking out. If you do find it, take your time, open it up with water or a rock, and dig in to find those velvety flavor notes.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

ABV: Varies

Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is all about finding the best barrels in the Heaven Hill warehouses and letting that whiskey shine on its own. These are released three times a year (we’re tasting the January 2021 release below) and have been winning award after award. The whiskey in the bottle is generally at least 12 years old and bottled with no cutting down to proof or filtration whatsoever.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a real throughline of sunny berry brambles (blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry) next to orange oils and a touch of oakiness on the nose. That fruit and oak will carry through on the palate as hints of buttery toffee, rich vanilla, and peppery spice mingle on the tongue and set your lips abuzz.The end tends to be slow and velvety with the spice, fruit, oak, and vanilla all blending nicely until the last drop.

Bottom Line:

This is a fine f*cking dram of whiskey. It’s bold, drinkable neat (though it is warm without water or a rock), and will expand your palate. Those berry notes really do shine with a bridge between the stems/leaves and the actual ripe berries on their vines.

It’s lovely.

Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon

ABV: 47.5%

Average Price: $76

The Whiskey:

This craft expression from Colorado is a high-altitude grain-to-glass experience. The whiskey is made from locally grown corn, wheat, rye, and barley. That distillate is then rested for over three years in oak at those aforementioned high Colorado altitudes. The barrels are then small-batched and the juice is proofed down with Rocky Mountain water.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a very clear sense of orange oils supported by hints of white pepper, mild oak, a touch of honey, and slightly bitter tea. The palate amps up that black tea as the body of the sip becomes rounded like a vanilla pudding spiked with those orange oils and a few cinnamon sticks. The end is slow but subtle as the vanilla, orange, spice, and white pepper fade away, leaving you with a slight tobacco buzziness.

Bottom Line:

This is a great entry point into the deeper world of Law’s line of whiskey. It’s also one of the best cocktail candidates on the list, especially if you’re going with a Manhattan or Sazerac.

Four Roses OBSK Cask Strength Single Barrel

ABV: 60%

Average Price: $78

The Whiskey:

Every year, Four Roses releases very limited special single barrel drops. In short, the distillery makes ten different bourbons to mix into their expressions. For this expression, they go through their warehouses to find the “honey barrels” that hit just the right notes after eight to 12 years of aging and bottle those barrels untouched by water or filtering.

In this case, the “OBSK” stands for their “number two” mash bill with a very high rye component (60 percent corn, 35 percent rye, and five percent malted barley) that’s fermented with their own “Yeast K” which highlights slight spice.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of dark chocolate cut with spicy cinnamon Red Hots, a touch of vanilla cream, rich toffee, and a whisper of old oak. A cherry flourish arrives but it’s more like a chocolate-covered cherry with a brandy center next to more cinnamon, light dustings of black pepper, and sweet woodiness. The end builds to a spicy tobacco chew and buzz and the cherry becomes brighter, the cinnamon gets woody, and the toffee and chocolate meld into a well-rounded silky sweetness.

Bottom Line:

If you can snag one of these for this price, you’re doing well. Older versions will cost far more. Still, this is a very velvety whiskey that’s dialed into each flavor note. It really blooms with the addition of some water or a rock.

Take your time enjoying this one.

Rabbit Hole Heigold

ABV: 47.5%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

Rabbit Hole started out by contracting out its whiskey production (they controlled the mash bills and maturation as opposed to buying ready-to-use barrels). Once Pernod Ricard came along, Rabbit Hole was able to start distilling and aging its own juice. So depending on which bottle you come across, you might still be getting their contract distilled whiskey or their own-make, both of which are a fairly high-rye bourbon with 70 percent corn, 25 percent rye, and five percent barley that’s aged for at least three years.

Tasting Notes:

The whiskey opens with a slight black licorice edge that leads towards clove-studded oranges next to a hint of cherry cola. The taste builds on those notes and adds in spicy tobacco, a touch of marzipan covered in dark chocolate, and light cedar. That cedar lasts through the slow finish as hints of spice, marzipan, and cherry cola pop back in.

Bottom Line:

This is an interesting dram that works really well as a cocktail base. It’s also a fine sipper, especially with a little water or a rock to really let nuttier and more savory notes shine through.

Perhaps you weren’t expecting deep talk from MC Hammer. And yet the “U Can’t Touch This” rapper recently shared an academic-style paper on Twitter that he said focused on the “visibility of philosophy of science in the sciences, 1980-2018.” After a follower tried to refute some of the claims he made in the article, MC Hammer expanded on his deep thoughts over social media.

Said Twitter user claimed philosophy is a “flirtation with ideas” while science is a “commitment to truth.” MC Hammer completely disagreed, which prompted him to write a detailed response. “You bore us,” he said. “If science is a ‘commitment to truth’ shall we [cite] all the historical non-truths perpetuated by scientists? Of course not. It’s not science vs philosophy … It’s science + philosophy. Elevate your Thinking and Consciousness.” He added, “When you measure include the measurer.”

After another user claimed his thoughts turned “Black males” away from science, MC Hammer doubled down on his stance. “Perhaps you read it too fast or comprehension is a challenge,” he said. “I CLEARLY and UNEQUIVOCALLY STATE That SCIENCE + PHILOSOPHY are compatible and I reject Science vs Philosophy. You are spreading non truths and disinformation. My support of STEM and Black in STEM is unmatched.”

Hammer’s deep thinking — as well as a long list of reading recommendations, including philosopher and historian Michel Foucault — caught people by surprise. Many showed love to the final part of his message: “When you measure include the measurer.” Many shared their reactions online:

A busy night in the NBA featured a hectic ending in the Eastern Conference with the unlikeliest of heroes. In a game that was tight for all 48 minutes of action, the Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Atlanta Hawks, 112-111, powered by a 29-point outing in 34 minutes of work by standout guard Collin Sexton.

However, Sexton didn’t hit the bucket that won the game, as he instead set up undrafted rookie Lamar Stevens for the brightest moment of his young NBA career. Following a missed runner by Young that was hauled in by the former Penn State standout, Sexton pushed the ball up the floor, and instead of calling a timeout and letting the Hawks set up their defense, Cleveland played things out.

This turned out to be quite the decision. Atlanta’s defense tried to double Sexton, who tossed the ball to Stevens on the wing. He blew past Young, Jarrett Allen sealed off Kevin Heurter, Danilo Gallinari made a business decision, and Stevens got to play the hero.

Stevens has worked his way into Cleveland’s rotation with his defensive versatility, and has showed the ability to use his athleticism to play above the rim on offense several times. He did a little bit of everything on Tuesday night — eight points on 4-for-5 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 16 minutes of work off the bench — and to top it all off, he managed to give his team a hard-fought win.

The United States Postal Service has been through a lot in the last six months, with new Trump appointee Louis DeJoy coming under fire for making so many severe changes that the mail has slowed down. Some even thought it was part of a dastardly scheme to help his boss steal the election in a year heavily reliant on mail-in ballots. But though DeJoy, for complicated reasons, remains in power, there are some better changes afoot: They’re getting new, sleeker mail trucks! One catch: A lot of people think they look Pixar-esque.

According to The New York Post, the USPS unveiled their replacement for the iconic Grumman LLV trucks that have long crept across the country, delivering mail in rain, snow, etc. This new truck has a much lower front hood, which now looks, as the Post puts it, like “the front beak of a duck.” That leaves plenty of room for a much, much taller windshield.

You won’t see them everywhere at once; they’re slated to roll out over the next 10 years, replacing their beat-up predecessors. Moreover the design isn’t finalized. That’s good because when images hit the internet, everyone made the same Pixar joke, tacitly comparing them to the automobiles with giant eyes in their windshields in the series Cars.

At least one person went with another animation favorite.

Mind you, this doesn’t mean the designers should go back to the drawing board. Who doesn’t want to live in Pixar’s Cars? In any case, this is far, far from the worst thing that’s happened under Louis DeJoy’s watch.

(Via The New York Post)

Ever since the failed MAGA coup of January 6, the GOP has had a decision to make: Is it the party of Donald Trump and QAnon, peddling conspiracy theories and known lies, or is it what it used to be, which is…well, not quite that. While Senate Minority Leader has signaled he wishes to return to the before-time, new lawmakers like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert want to take it in new and dangerous directions. On his Tuesday Fox News show, Tucker Carlson seemed to try to thread the needle between the two only to leave people wondering if he was playing dumb or if he actually was dumb.

Carlson spent a segment trying to disprove the existence of QAnon, the fanciful theory that has poisoned many a mind, including Marjorie Taylor Greene’s. He detailed how he and his staff spent a day — a whole day — cruising the information superhighway, attempting to find something whose online existence is pretty well-documented. And yet they couldn’t find squat.

“It’s worth finding out where the public is getting all this false information — this ‘disinformation,’ as we’ll call it,” Carlson had the stones to say. But he and his staff found nary a QAnon. “We checked! We spent all day trying to locate the famous QAnon, which in the end we learned is not even a website. If it’s out there we could not find it. Then we checked Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Twitter feed, because we have heard she traffics in disinformation, as CNN told us. But there’s nothing there.”

One could say Carlson wasn’t fooling anybody, but people were genuinely confused if he was being fake-dumb or sincerely stupid. Some went with fake-dumb.

Others sincerely stupid.

Some thought it was just BS.

His viewers, incidentally, may not agree with him on this point.

But some claimed Carlson simply has contempt for them.

Whatever the case, if he was trying to find QAnon, he wasn’t looking hard enough.

In fact, he could have simply checked his own network’s website.

Some suggested he pretend he can’t find another group.

While arguments about “snubs” and other subplots are part of the NBA All-Star discussion each year, there are also awesome stories, particularly when it comes to first-time selections. In 2021, one such example is New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, who is enjoying a fantastic season that was rewarded with a bid to the NBA’s marquee mid-season event.

The Knicks were in action shortly after the announcement, hosting the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden, and Randle received a bit of additional recognition in the form of a congratulatory video from his mother.

This is fantastic, and it seemed as if Randle was quite appreciative, even in the middle of a game. The talented forward is averaging 23.2 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game this season, acting as a primary playmaker for the Knicks and helping to lead New York to improved results. From there, Randle is converting 41 percent from three-point range, a career-best mark, and the Knicks entered the night with a 15-16 record that has the team in the midst of the playoff race in the East.

Big-picture goals are certainly noteworthy but, on this night, Randle can hopefully bask in some of the congratulations that come with what he’s accomplished. None matter more than the support of family, and this was simply a cool moment.