This week in pop, Kesha celebrated Independence Day in the most literal sense, while Lana Del Rey and Quavo delivered “Tough” months after Quavo swore any dating speculation could be chalked up to “having hits.”
Check that out and more in Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
aespa — “Hot Mess”
aespa are big on debuts lately. The former Uproxx cover stars just released their debut full-length album, Armageddon, in May, but the K-pop supernovas have already moved on. Last week, “Hot Mess” served as aespa’s Japanese debut. The anthemic single’s video is, of course, full of Japanese pop culture references, and the lyrics are equal parts playful (“I’m a hot mess, hot mess / So if you like it, I can take you to my world”) and self-aware (“I’m a troublemaker, troublemaker / What’s so funny, funny?”). “Sun And Moon” and “Zoom Zoom” are packaged with “Hot Mess,” so, in other words, aespa fans never have to worry about staying fed.
Beabadoobee — “Ever Seen”
Beabadoobee previously released “Coming Home” and “Take A Bite” from her upcoming This Is How Tomorrow Moves album, and they’re both lovely, but “Ever Seen” is my favorite. Beabadoobee has a knack for poignantly accentuating sweet romance in the seemingly mundane; in this case, someone telling her she “had the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen” was all it took for Beabadoobee to feel “the highest I think I’ve ever been.”
Kesha — “Joyride”
Kesha released “Joyride” on Independence Day because she could. It’s her first independently released single since fulfilling her Kemosabe Records contract and settling her lengthy legal battle with Dr. Luke. The song contains everything that made fans fall in love with Kesha in the early 2010s. Reneé Rapp, who has long cited Kesha as an idol and recently welcomed her to the stage on tour and at Coachella, will presumably love the Mean Girls Easter egg in the catchy hook: “Beep beep, b*tch, I’m outside / Get in, loser, for the joyride.”
Lana Del Rey & Quavo — “Tough”
“Life’s gonna do what it does / Sure as the good Lord’s up above,” Lana Del Rey ethereally sings in the opening verse of “Tough.” Fittingly, the song finds Del Rey and Quavo doing what they do: Effortlessly make an instant hit. Del Rey’s voice sounds pristine, and Quavo’s flow is tight as ever, but the best part might be how seamlessly their voices gently harmonize in the chorus.
AJ Tracey — “Bubble Bath”
West Londoner AJ Tracey reminded everyone he can still rap with the best of them with “Bubble Bath,” a frenetic song bursting with Instagram caption-worthy bars like “I’m the reason your girl’s got no behavior” or “She could short hair, bob it, or curly.”
Jessie Ware & Romy — “Lift You Up”
Jessie Ware and Romy had been wanting to collaborate for years, as they expressed in the press release for “Lift You Up.” Debuting “Lift You Up,” a shimmering disco-pop delight, at Glastonbury 2024 feels like the ultimately worth-the-wait moment. More or less, it’s the best-sounding rumination spiral imaginable (“Why do I think too much but not at all? / Why do I back myself against the wall?”) and morphs into an empowering message about leaving the past in the past and embracing what (or who) helps them feel better now.
Lainey Wilson — “4x4xU”
While you’re calculating how many days remain before Lainey Wilson releases Whirlwind, listen to “4x4xU.” The love-soaked single is unapologetically country, as is Wilson, who who rides shotgun with her lover through the backroads to the stable in the “4x4xU” video. “Ain’t nowhere I’d rather be,” she belts. “Than in a 4×4 by you, babe.” Wilson is fresh off winning Best Country Album at the 2024 Grammys, and Whirlwind is shaping up as another viable contender.
Felix Jaehn Feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor — “Ready For Your Love”
The resurgence of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder On The Dancefloor” stoked the appetite for new music from Ellis-Bextor, and she delivered as the featured artist on Felix Jaehn’s “Ready For Your Love.” The pulsating, club-ready song finds Ellis-Bextor singing, in no uncertain terms, “I’m ready for your touch, it’s tearing me apart / I’m ready for your la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la / I’m ready for your love.”
Camylio — “Angel”
Camylio dropped the video for “Angel” simultaneous with his In The Light And Shadows EP. “My entire musical upbringing was listening to a weird combination of artists like The Weeknd and Hozier, but also Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes — truly a combination of light and dark,” the New York-bred, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter said of the EP. The description also applies to “Angel,” where Camylio’s gravelly voice sings of a delicate woman (yes, his angel) whose mere presence consumes him.
Louis The Child, Laszewo & Pluko — “Slow”
Months ago, Louis The Child and Pluko played an early version of “Slow” in Vegas, as they detailed on Instagram. The beat is infectious, and the drop is everything you want from an EDM/pop banger, but Laszewo’s vocals are what make “Slow” soar. The song lays bare every internal thought nobody wants to be the first to vocalize early in a romance.
As we get set for the release of EA Sports College Football in just over a week’s time, I have been thinking a lot about what would be fun paths to take with my coach in Dynasty mode. Naturally I want to build my alma mater, Georgia State, into a power, but the thing that has always made the game so fun — and have so much replay value — for me is the ability to bounce from school to school, building a program up and then moving on to the next.
Starting as a coordinator and working your way up the ladder to head coach at a top program is what makes Dynasty mode better than any other franchise/coach/GM mode, and this year they’re adding some new elements to that journey. For one, the coaching carousel is built out to being a five-week process with more chaos being caused when big programs poach a coach away from another, and as head coach you can hire and fire your coordinators. Beyond that, you have to build out your coach’s archetype between the three main categories: Recruiter, Motivator, and Tactician. Those choices will matter to what boosts you get in various areas, and also what schools may be interested in you. Recruiting pipelines also now attach to you as a coach, and schools will consider whether that matches up with their most fertile recruiting areas in the carousel.
While most of us will plot our own path, I got to thinking about what would be some fun actual coaching paths to try and follow in the game and came up with 12 paths that got 11 current (and one recently retired) coaches to where they are now. Some take you all over the country, while others are more regional, but each one offers a coordinator to head coach journey that could be pretty fun to try and replicate.
Nick Saban
The GOAT called it a career this year, and it feels right to put him on the list. The key here is to really augment your experience by mixing in some Madden stops with Cleveland and Miami to get a feel for the full Saban run. This is also obviously a Motivator/Recruiter combo archetype build, with your coordinators being heavy on the X’s and O’s.
DC: Michigan State
HC: Toledo
Play Madden for two weeks as the Browns
HC: Michigan State
HC: LSU
Play Madden for another two weeks as the Dolphins
HC: Alabama
Tom Herman
Tom Herman is a pretty great EA CFB pathway, because you get to really grind it out before reaching the top and then start all over again at FAU. It also would make a lot of sense for the increased importance of the pipelines for recruiting, as you’ll build a great base in East Texas. Archetype: Tactician/Recruiter.
OC: Texas State
OC: Rice
OC: Iowa State
OC: Ohio State
HC: Houston
HC: Texas
HC: FAU
Mario Cristobal
The key to playing Mario Cristobal Simulator is to only put your coaching points into recruiting. You are, under no circumstances, allowed to upgrade your game management skills, but you will sign the top class in your conference everywhere you go.
I think this might be my favorite one just for the schools and atmospheres you get to be a part of. LSU to Appalachian State is, particularly, a sick back-to-back, and toss in a stop at Tulane before UNC and Texas? Mack Brown’s lived quite the life. Archetype: Motivator/Recruiting.
OC: Iowa State
OC: LSU
HC: Appalachian State
OC: Oklahoma
HC: Tulane
HC: UNC
HC: Texas
HC: UNC
Gus Malzahn
Ride the Gus Bus through the heart of the south, winning a national title along the way until you get tossed to the road by Auburn and have to resurrect your career in Orlando. Archetype: Tactician/Motivator.
You’ll never go to a blueblood in the Sonny Dykes path, but you’ll make some stops at some fun programs and I bet you wouldn’t have to try manipulating the coaching carousel too hard to pull this rotation off. Archetype: Motivator/Tactician.
Rich Rod’s journey will truly take you all over this great nation and play in most every conference. You’d get to hit the AAC, ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, Sun Belt, and CUSA. Archetype: Tactician.
OC: Tulane
OC: Clemson
HC: West Virginia
HC: Michigan
HC: Arizona
OC: Ole Miss
OC: UL Monroe
HC: Jacksonville State
Don Brown
When you play Don Brown simulator, all roads lead back to Amherst. You’ll take some big-time defensive coordinator jobs, but the only place you’ll call home as a head coach is UMass. Archetype: Tactician.
DC: UMass
HC: UMass
DC: Maryland
DC: UConn
DC: Boston College
DC: Michigan
DC: Arizona
HC: UMass
Jim McElwain
The McElwain path is one you could probably end up doing by accident in the game. He climbed the ladder from offensive coordinator all the way to Florida head coach before getting dumped out and starting back over in the MAC. Archetype: Tactician/Motivator.
OC: Michigan State
OC: Fresno State
OC: Alabama
HC: Colorado State
HC: Florida
HC: Central Michigan
Kalen DeBoer
Another fun path is that of Saban’s successor at Alabama, as DeBoer will let you hit the MAC, Mountain West, Big Ten (traditional), Big Ten (new flavor), and SEC. Archetype: Tactician/Motivator.
OC: Eastern Michigan
OC: Fresno State
OC: Indiana
HC: Fresno State
HC: Washington
HC: Alabama
Lane Kiffin
I think the best part of the Lane Kiffin experience is it would really give you a great feel for what it’s like to be the golden child who ultimately has to actually make it on his own. You start with nothing but prestigious programs but you’ve exhausted your goodwill as a head coach and have to build it back at FAU and Ole Miss. Archetype: Tactician/Recruiter.
OC: USC
Play Madden For A Week
HC: Tennessee
HC: USC
OC: Alabama
HC: FAU
HC: Ole Miss
After concluding a slew of Asian tour dates in March to celebrate their release of Live Vol. 2, the Australian five-piece has taken the past three months to regroup and relish a season in their newfound home city of Berlin.
Now, the electropop band is gearing up to hit the road, this time in Europe. As if spending the glorious month of July touring around Europe wasn’t the cherry on top for both the band and their millions of fans, Parcels is soaring hot off their high from headlining Red Rocks Amphitheatre last month.
“Being back on tour has been like relearning to ride a bike. Relearning the highs and lows of trying to make the magic happen every night,” Parcels shared on social media. “But we’re starting to soar now, picking up the pace with our training wheels firmly abandoned.”
After completing their biggest tour yetlast year, performing at headlining shows and festivals across the globe and selling out venues in New York City and Los Angeles, Parcels is heading to their adopted home to celebrate the sweltering summer with their European fans. Kicking off their July tour in France on July 3rd, Parcels will grace stages in Belgium, Portugal, and Spain, with a concluding show in Austria on July 17th.
While the Berlin-based group won’t see themselves on a Berlin stage this summer, they are looking forward to the energy and buzz brought by their fans throughout Europe to bring back to their home city. Whether you’re itching for a European summer getaway or plan on concert hopping this summer and hitting up European stages, Parcels’ drummer Anatole “Toto” Serret has outlined his favorite places in Berlin, ones he looks forward returning to once the stage lights go out.
Best Place To Get Breakfast
I can’t recommend Atlas Café enough. I like getting my breakfast here, especially for a salty breakfast. I usually take away my coffee and a slice of tomato quiche, before going on a morning walk.
Where To Spend Your Afternoon
Hasenheide Park is one of the best places in Berlin to walk and relax. I like sitting on a bench there to have my breakfast and people watch. If you’re lucky there will be a trumpet player (literally me during COVID times) practicing his scales nearby.
Where To Shop For Fresh Food
Markthalle 9 is perfect for grocery shopping as it’s bustling with fresh products, cured meats and good coffees to keep you going. If you’ve got a big day ahead of you, this isn’t the time or place to skimp on caffeine.
Best Place To Get Lunch
I like to take the train to Charlottenburg for some Taiwanese dumplings at Lon Men’s Noodle House. Chili Wan Tans are a must and will leave you knackered on a hot summer day.
Best Vegan Dinner Spot
Oukan, hands down. After a sunset radler in Tempelhof, I like going to this fine dining vegan restaurant where my best friend is the head chef and the food doesn’t get more obscure. Don’t forget to make a reservation!
Where To Party
OHM used to be a battery room of a disused power plant. The sound is great and the dance floor becomes a living breathing organism that is inviting you in. After the lights come on, I know you’re thinking to head back home to end this day/night that seemed like it’s lasted a lifetime, but you’re in Berlin, and while sleep is calling, get on the M41 and get off at Vabali, for a spa, sauna, and a good nap on one of the waterbeds upstairs. From there, you’re on your own, it’s probably time to go home…
It’s officially cookout season! While the temps across the country are soaring, many of us aren’t just looking to “beat the heat.” We’re doubling down on it by firing up the grill and enjoying some delicious barbecue. While beer is a staple at cookouts — thanks to the wonders of modern refrigeration, coolers, and bags of ice — don’t overlook the beauty of pairing your next plate of barbeque with bourbon. Indeed, bourbon and barbecue pairings work just as well as those with beer, and with that increased ABV, you may even observe an uptick in your enjoyment (sorry, but it’s true!).
The biggest dilemma when considering what bourbon to bring to your next barbeque is deciding what bottle to tote along. It’s a delightful problem to have, isn’t it? We all want to share the good stuff, and there’s a certain joy in introducing our friends to a new, delicious bourbon. But maybe you don’t want to share every top-shelf bottle in your collection with cookout guests. Nobody wants that neighbor you can barely tolerate guzzling your prized bottles like it’s water, right?
It’s a fair concern.
At the same time, you never want to come to the party empty-handed, and bringing only the most generic bottles will betray your bonafides as a whiskey enthusiast. Your knowledge and taste are respected, and that’s why we’ve put together this list to help you make the best choice for your next cookout.
We’ve put together a foolproof round-up with the best bottles of bourbon to bring to summertime cookouts. These bottles will strike a balance of being readily available, high-quality, and relatively affordable — all crucial things to consider when deciding what whiskey you deem worthy of sharing with your best friends and those barely tolerable friends-of-friends alike.
Whether you’re preparing for summer’s next big shindig or standing in the liquor aisle right now, frantically trying to make a last-second shopping decision, we aren’t here to judge, only to help. So keep reading to discover the ten best bourbons to bring to a cookout!
Four Roses Bourbon is the brand’s most prevalent and affordably priced offering. New for 2024 is its revamped label design, though the consistent, high-quality flavor profile that fans have come to expect over the years remains unchanged.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Four Roses Bourbon begins with a touch of honeysuckle, the floral aspect of rosewater, and stone fruits like white peach and Golden Delicious apples.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is surprisingly spry, as the lean mouthfeel allows notes of black tea, white peach, and honey to coast over your tongue. A touch of vanilla and black pepper spice can be found as each sip transitions from midpalate to the finish, which adds a bit of nuance to the generally light flavor profile.
Finish: On the finish is where the sweet notes make their final stamp, with honey and vanilla leading the way as this pour succinctly falls off the palate.
Pair It With: Four Roses Bourbon is a strong contender to sip throughout the cookout. The relatively low proof will keep you from overindulging, leaving you plenty of time to save that impulse for all the delicious food.
Bottom Line:
While its position on this list might cause you to overlook Four Roses Bourbon as a summertime cookout option, that would be a foolish mistake. This bourbon works wonders as a secret weapon for large gatherings thanks to its approachable ABV and easy-to-appreciate flavor profile. Skip the ice and avoid the fuss of mixing this one into a cocktail; here’s your pro tip: pop this bottle into the freezer an hour before the cookout begins and serve it neat, chilled. It’s a complete game-changer for summertime sipping.
Buffalo Trace, the country’s oldest continuously operating distillery, has been in business for 200 years. It prides itself on creating consistent products, and that consistency is on full display in its flagship bourbon, Buffalo Trace.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose carries vanilla extract, youthful oak, and gooey caramel. If you stick your nose a bit deeper into your glass, then you’ll also uncover nuances like the aroma of honey, white pepper, and fresh red apples.
Palate: On the palate, Buffalo Trace remains true to its nosing notes, with caramel, oak, and vanilla kissing the tip of your tongue and billowing over your tongue. Swishing this whiskey in your mouth a bit will reveal some honey and turn the volume up on the oak tones, making for a straightforward but enjoyable sipping experience.
Finish: Closing out each sip of Buffalo Trace is the distinct flavor of caramel candy, oak, and red apple skin. While the finish isn’t extraordinarily long, that works in its favor, allowing the light flavor profile to maintain its refreshing qualities without marring your palate with too much complexity.
Pair It With: Buffalo Trace will pair extremely well with sides like pasta salad or grilled corn. It already has a flavor profile that skews on the lighter side, so reach for this pour before getting into the heavier dishes, and you’ll be good to go.
Bottom Line:
While it’s becoming increasingly coveted (and thusly more difficult to find in stores), the reason behind the scarcity is neither nefarious nor nebulous. Simply put, Buffalo Trace is a damn good bourbon. With a light and approachable flavor profile that can be crowd-pleasing whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or as the base of a cocktail, Buffalo Trace bourbon is an easy, affordable choice for your next cookout.
Maker’s Mark features an iconic bottle design, the same one they’ve been utilizing since their founding in 1953, and a mash bill that’s been used for just as long. This wheated bourbon is one of the best-selling whiskeys in the entire world, making it a ubiquitous sight on liquor store shelves.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, you’ll find a bit of corn pudding, vanilla extract, and indistinct red berry aromas wafting out of the glass. There’s also a bit of graham cracker sweetness and white pepper.
Palate: On the palate, Maker’s Mark greets the tongue with a bunch of honeyed graham cracker notes that soon make way for vanilla pod and cornbread. A second sip morphs the vanilla pod into a custard note, complete with caramelized sugar and some red berry compote.
Finish: The finish of Maker’s Mark features some mellow spice and more red berry compote, as those natural sugars fuse with vanilla notes to quickly dissipate from the palate.
Pair It With: Cole slaw, couscous salad, or kebabs will pair perfectly with Maker’s Mark. Like Four Roses bourbon, you’ll want to opt for some of those lighter sides when reaching for this bourbon to allow the mellow flavors to play off each other.
Bottom Line:
What are Maker’s Mark’s selling points as a bourbon to bring to cookouts? Its light flavor profile makes it a great whiskey to sip neat or on the rocks. Despite its modest proof point, it has a ton of flavor, so you won’t blow out your palate or scare off bourbon novices. Lastly, it’s incredibly easy to find and affordable, so you’ll have no trouble replacing the bottle if you run out before the last hot links come off the grill.
Wild Turkey 101, the iconic expression produced in Lawrenceburg, KY, has a rock-star reputation as a party bourbon. With a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, that spice-laden flavor profile is part of what made it famous.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Wild Turkey 101 is full of stewed cranberries, Christmas spices like nutmeg and clove, and a prominent combination of caramel and oak.
Palate: On the palate, Wild Turkey 101 opens with a fresh dusting of black pepper spice, which leaves your tongue perfectly primed for the mix of clove, spiced orange rind, and maraschino cherry flavors that take shape at midpalate. The mouthfeel is a tad lean, but the 101-proof point gives it some rough edges that allow you to wring the maximum flavor out of every sip.
Finish: The finish is again flush with baking spice as black pepper, nutmeg, and clove combine with a touch of toffee and cola nut. With a medium length, this finish is one that you’ll savor well after your final sip.
Pair It With: Wild Turkey 101 and barbecue chicken just belong together. While the uninitiated are gorging themselves on burgers and hot dogs, you’ll be elevating your game by doubling down on the spiciness of Wild Turkey 101 with the combination of spice, sweetness, and savoriness of those BBQ wings.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey 101 might conjure memories of raucous college parties for some people, but serious connoisseurs know that even with its party-friendly reputation, this is one of the best-kept secrets in bourbon. With a robust, spice-heavy profile, Wild Turkey 101 is bold enough to stand up to barbecue food’s big flavors and makes for a delicious, boozy cocktail. If your next batched Old Fashioned recipe includes this bourbon, your guests and bank account will thank us.
Woodford Reserve is well-known as the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, meaning it makes a great Mint Julep, but its versatility extends beyond the realm of cocktails. With an extensive history that traces back to 1812, Woodford Reserve is a classic bourbon produced today by the Brown-Forman Corporation, which also produces Jack Daniel’s and Old Forester.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Woodford Reserve is full of vanilla, oak, maple candy, and peanut shells. It’s an inviting medley that draws you in before impressing you with further aromas like brown sugar and orange pith.
Palate: On the palate, maple candy leads the way with a bit of toasted oak, coconut flakes, and vanilla flavors, finding the various corners of your mouth. The texture is surprisingly thin, making it a somewhat refreshing experience, as those sweet flavors swiftly seep into your tongue before diffusing as quickly as they came.
Finish: The finish remains true to the palate experience, with the flavor dissipating quickly but leaving a sweet, warming impression of vanilla, brown sugar, and maple syrup.
Pair It With: Woodford Reserve’s sweet, maple flavor profile is going to go great with your burgers, whether we’re talking about turkey burgers or classic grilled beef. Take the edge off those charred, savory notes with the sweet embrace of Woodford Reserve’s flagship bourbon.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve has a delightfully sweet, vanilla, and maple candy undertone that pairs exceptionally well with many typical spices in barbecue food. Being bottled at under 100 proof helps this bourbon bring the flavor without forcing you to douse the heat — the summer sun is already bringing enough of that to the party. Put your Woodford Reserve over rocks for a refreshing drink that you don’t have to overthink.
Old Forester’s Signature 100 Proof Bourbon takes the brand’s flagship 86-proof offering and significantly kicks up the flavor. This bourbon is made with a grain recipe of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old Forester 100 Proof greets the nose with a slightly medicinal cherry note that sets the stage for a layer of complementing aromas like caramel, barrel char, hazelnut spread, and moderate oak.
Palate: The medicinal cherry note from the nose of this whiskey shows up in a big way on the palate, streaking across the tongue and laying a foundation for accenting notes like oak, black pepper spice, and toasted almonds to blossom. The texture in the mouth is fairly robust and slick, which rewards repeat sips as the liquid begins to coat your palate.
Finish: The finish features black cherry and caramel notes and hangs on for a medium length, making this a great sipping whiskey for enjoying neat.
Pair It With: Old Forester 100 is ideal for pairing with hot dogs, sausage, bratwurst, or hot links. Picture this: applewood smoked dogs, fresh off the grill, combined with the lush black cherry notes from this bourbon? Yeah, that’s an easy win.
Bottom Line:
Old Forester 100 Proof is perfect for barbecue food pairings with a slightly denser flavor profile because it’s robust enough to go toe-to-toe with those smoky, savory flavors coming off the grill. Again, the price is right, but the quality that comes with that affordable cost is a flame emoji of its own.
Michter’s was recently voted the World’s Most Admired Whiskey Distillery, and its flagship bourbon is the most readily available example of why. For this expression, as well as the rest of its whiskey lineup, Michter’s uses a proprietary filtration process to optimize the flavor coming from its barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Michter’s US*1 Bourbon has a dense set of aromas that immediately appear well-refined. Notes like honeysuckle, brown sugar, raisins, and youthful oak fill the air, with each well-developed layer presenting itself distinctly.
Palate: On the palate, what’s immediately remarkable about this bourbon is the texture, as it gently coats your tongue with moderate warmth, and before you know it, the taste of brown sugar, raisins, and walnuts is suddenly everywhere on your tongue. That deceptively viscous texture works really well here and is a credit to Michter’s proprietary filtration process as well as their unique proof-point.
Finish: The finish is brief, with brown sugar and cinnamon coexisting harmoniously alongside new oak and clove, making for a gentle send-off after every sip.
Pair It With: Any chicken dish without barbecue. Chicken salad? Check. Chicken kebabs? Book it. Plain grilled chicken breast because you like to keep things simple? Perfect. This isn’t a combo you need to overthink.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s US*1 Bourbon is an ideal option to bring to a cookout because it perfectly threads the needle of being flavorful and affordable. You don’t have to worry about anyone turning up their nose at this selection because Michter’s was recently named the World’s Most Admired Whiskey brand and their flagship bourbon over ice sure hits a hell of a lot harder than the generic beer your other friends brought. Enjoy it with some rocks for refreshment, but feel free to sip this one neat if you’re in the mood to savor something great.
Early Times is a historic brand first launched in 1860 by John Henry “Jack” Beam, Jim Beam’s paternal uncle. In 2021, it was announced that the production of this bourbon would be moved from Brown-Forman, the brand’s previous owner, to the Barton 1792 Distillery under new owner Sazerac.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, there’s a strong Luden’s Wild Cherry cough drop note that is distracting at first but becomes increasingly enchanting over time. In addition to that artificial, berry-like sweetness, there are notes of ripe oranges, polished leather, and fresh hazelnuts.
Palate: On the palate, it’s the artificial cherry note and the polished leather from the nose that makes the biggest impression as each sip begins very sweet before trailing off into more typical, earthy bourbon notes like oak and nutmeg. Just as the flavors seemingly shift from the front palate to the mid-palate, so does the texture, which begins very slick and viscous before turning lean as the whiskey makes its way to the finish.
Finish: The finish on Early Times Bottled in Bond features a flourish of black pepper and barrel char, which wasn’t present at midpalate. The lengthy finish also showcases an additional pop of fresh hazelnuts, which adds a layer of balance to the entire affair.
Pair It With: With big flavor up front and a lean mouthfeel on the finish, you’ll want to pair Early Times Bottled in Bond with a dish that does the opposite — something with a party in the back and lingering savoriness. That means you’ll want to pair this with your grilled ribs. Let the bourbon sweetness do the up front, and that grilled meat can pick up the slack on the back end.
Bottom Line:
Early Times Bottled in Bond has a fruit-forward medley of flavors and substantive texture, allowing it to pair well with most barbecued food. Taking that into account, along with its depth of flavor and budget-friendly price point, are just some of the reasons why it deserves a place at your next summertime gathering.
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is the white label yin to Evan Williams Bourbon’s black label yang. Bottled at 100 proof, per the Bottled in Bond regulations, this bourbon was made to exacting specifications and can be readily found on most liquor store shelves.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Evan Williams Bottled in Bond hits the nose with a fresh pop of lemon zest, peanut shells, and a bit of menthol and honey.
Palate: On the palate, the whiskey presents a strong peanut shell presence with some tasty lemon citrus and a slight steeliness that cuts through the middle of the tongue and makes for an interesting tasting experience. Upon further inspection, that steeliness is reminiscent of heavy-mineral water, and the texture is a bit prickly, which rewards neat sipping as it reveals unexpected flavors. Think of the prickly sensation you get from eating Pop Rocks.
Finish: The short-to-medium finish features more peanut shell flavors along with black pepper spice and new oak.
Pair It With: This is the perfect pairing for cornbread, fresh fruit, or dessert. If you’re thinking of making watermelon and feta skewers, then the lemon zest from Evan Williams Bottled in Bond will work really well there. It will also add some dimensions to cornbread’s buttery, grain-forward flavor. Going with cake or pie for your dessert menu? Again, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond will make the perfect coupling with enough citrus and divergent sweet notes to elevate your last meal of the cookout.
Bottom Line:
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is delicious all on its own, thanks to a surprisingly bright flavor profile full of lemon zest, peanut shells, and sweet honey. That said, it’s also one of the best bourbons on the market to mix into cocktails, and though a simple highball will do, a refreshing Mint Julep or Paper Plane would also be ideal here. Thanks to that versatility and a flavor profile that will keep things light when charred food is weighing you down, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is one of the best bourbons to bring to a cookout.
The new and improved Jim Beam Black Label is the result of tireless tinkering from Master Distillers Fred and Freddie Noe. New for 2024, the long-standing Jim Beam expression now has an age statement and a slightly altered flavor profile designed to optimize the distillery’s 7-year-old bourbon profile.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Peanut brittle, bubble gum, and caramel are all featured prominently on the nose of Jim Beam’s 7-Year Black Label on the first pass. A second sniff introduces accenting notes of orange rind and leather.
Palate: The dense, substantial texture hits at first before a clash of peanut brittle, butter, and hazelnuts dances across the palate. There are notes of lemon zest and honey that take root on the roof of the mouth before the flavor of barrel char and black pepper usher in the transition to the finish.
Finish: Nutmeg and honey roasted peanuts show force on the finish along with some chocolate truffle dust as it warms the entire mouth and hangs around for an impressively long time.
Pair It With I’ll be honest here, Jim Beam’s 7-Year Black Label pairs well with just about every dish you can expect at the cookout. It has the citrus backbone to cut through savory dishes but enough complexity to hold up well against more robust flavors as well. If you want to drizzle a little over some poundcake, we promise not to judge. Hell, we’re liable to join you on that flavor journey because it sounds pretty amazing. On the other hand, if you want to go the health-conscious route and keep a glass of Jim Beam Black Label close to you while the salads and the fruit bowl are making their rounds, you’re smarter than the rest of the crowd — everyone knows simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.
Bottom Line:
What makes Jim Beam 7-Year Black Label bourbon so great for summer sipping is that it brings an abundance of approachable flavors to the table at a manageable proof point. If you’re looking to mix it up with a cocktail, Jim Beam Black Label has the backbone to provide some much-needed punch, but if sipping whiskey neat is more your speed, you’ll find layer after layer of deliciousness thanks to the extended time this bourbon spent aging. Jim Beam Black Label has the sweetness, spice, flavor, and wallet-friendly price to make it a winner. It should also have your full attention next time you’re wondering what whiskey to bring to a cookout.
Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
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Bacchae – Next Time
D.C. has long been one of the epicenters of cutting-edge punk music, most notably for its influential ‘80s hardcore scene that boasted the likes of Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Fugazi, among myriad others. Bacchae, whose work mines the catchy, pop-minded new wave of acts like The B-52’s and Blondie, is one of the most exciting groups to emerge there in the past several years. Their fourth album, Next Time, solidifies their penchant for a hook-forward, biting strain of punk rock.
Los Campesinos! – “KMS”
Emo legends Los Campesinos! are just over a week away from their first new album in seven years, All Hell. Before its imminent release, the Welsh septet has shared its final pre-release single, “KMS.” Featuring lead vocals from keyboardist Kim Paisey, “KMS” is another banger, heralding the long-missed cult favorites’ grand return.
Mercury Rev – “Ancient Love”
Psych-rock greats Mercury Rev are back. Their first album in five years, Born Horses, is slated for an early September release, but they’ve given us a preview of what’s to come in the form of lead single “Ancient Love.” Jonathan Donahue’s spoken-word vocals glide over a concoction of hazy soundscapes, intermittent piano riffs, and a steady, jazzy percussion pattern. For a group once described by the Denver mayor as “a bus idling out of control,” Mercury Rev make their meandering atmospherics sound as deliberate as they are natural.
Show Me The Body – “It Burns”
Show Me The Body’s iteration of hardcore punk is as delightfully unpredictable as ever on their new single, “It Burns.” Starting off like a conventional hardcore song, wiry guitars and pummeling drums guide the tune’s first 30 seconds or so, but they eventually yield to haunting piano and, almost immediately thereafter, growling industrial synth bass and punchy electronic percussion. “It Burns” shows SMTB at their most defiantly subversive.
Sumac – The Keepers Tongue
Recently, the experimental metal trio Sumac released The Healer, an epic, towering record that clocks in at over an hour with only four songs. Its remix EP, The Keepers Tongue, retains the original material’s gritty, gauzy sprawl while reinterpreting it. Moor Mother’s version of “World Of Light” and Raven Chacon’s take on “The Stone’s Turn” offer a new perspective on one of the best metal albums of the year.
Equipment – “Tequila Redbull”
Toledo’s Equipment push their guitar noodling to the crunchiest possible precipice on their new single, “Tequila Redbull.” Combining power-pop, emo, and early-aughts’ indie rock, Equipment conjures Death Cab For Cutie’s We Have The Facts And We’re Voting Yes and Teenage Fanclub as much as contemporary emo outfits like Oso Oso and Microwave. Still, Equipment is uniquely its own thing, and “Tequila Redbull” demonstrates as much with Jake Zander’s idiosyncratic vocals, hooky songwriting, and sticky-sweet choruses.
Anna McClellan – “Like A Painting”
The Father/Daughter signee Anna McClellan has largely stayed out of the public eye since 2020’s I Saw First Light. Aside from intermittent releases like a Lucinda Williams cover and a rarities compilation, the Omaha singer-songwriter has remained relatively quiet. Now, however, she’s back with a brand-new single, the chameleonic “Like A Painting.” Despite its conventional three-and-a-half-minute runtime, “Like A Painting” subtly shape-shifts like a symphonic orchestra, switching from single-note piano melodies to stumbling, staccato guitar notes. Here, McClellan demonstrates how she can make the typical sound anything but.
Oneida – “La Plage”
Experimental rockers Oneida are on the cusp of sharing their new record Expensive Air, which, at this point, is mere days away from release. Still, the Brooklyn quintet have graced us with another fiery single, “La Plage.” Built on cascading, menacing guitar riffs, explosive drums, and discordant noise, “La Plage” is another one for Oneida’s songbook of incendiary heaters.
Beabadoobee – “Ever Seen”
Beabadoobee, also known as Beatrice Laus, has been working with producer-mogul Rick Rubin on her forthcoming LP, This Is How Tomorrow Moves, which is scheduled for a mid-August release. “Ever Seen,” her latest single from the record, is another departure from the Britpop-indebted stylings of 2022’s Beatopia and 2020’s Fake It Flowers, instead opting for flowery, baroque instrumentation that flits behind Laus’ gossamer vocal timbre.
The Voidz – “Overture”
Julian Casablancas and the boys are back, but not with those boys; he’s back with the other boys: The Voidz. It’s been a long while since 2018’s Virtue, but Casablancas and co. will return in September with Like All Before You, and they’ve given us the briefest of previews imaginable with the one-minute instrumental piece, “Overture.” Composed of nothing but sparse organ-esque synth pads, “Overture” sounds like a foreshadowing message from a telegram, one sent from the future in order to prepare its recipient for what is soon to come.
Four Roses bourbon is famous for having two unique mashbills and five proprietary yeast strains, which they combine to create 10 different recipes. Well, pretty much as soon as they started bottling single barrels from each recipe, fans have been arguing over which one is the best. Each combination of mashbills B and E with yeast strains V, K, O, Q, and F creates a slightly different flavor profile with its fair share of admirers.
Surprising fans, Four Roses recently announced that they would be adding two new mashbills to the mix. While doubling their flavor combinations is no small feat, in a recent conversation with Master Distiller Brent Elliott he stressed that the new mashbills have only just begun their life cycle in the past few months. That means we have years to go before we can actually taste those innovations. But, while we’re all excited about the potential of things to come, now is a great time to take stock of the 10 flavor dimensions Four Roses already produces.
So how do you decipher each of those recipe codes? It’s actually pretty simple. The first letter is always O, indicating the source of distillation which is always Four Roses. The second letter designates the mashbill, which we’ve noted currently has two variations — B and E. The third letter is always S, indicating that the recipe is a straight bourbon. Finally, the last letter is to indicate which of the brand’s five yeast strains is in the recipe.
Four Roses mashbill B is 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley while mashbill E is 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley. For future reference, new recipe 1 will be 52% corn, 43% rye, and 5% malted barley and new recipe 2 will be 85% corn, 10% rye, and 5% malted barley.
When describing the characteristics of its proprietary yeast strains the brand describes them in this way:
• V: Delicate fruit
• K: Slight spice
• O: Rich fruit
• Q: Floral essence
• F: Herbal notes
One of the most common questions Brent Elliott is asked is which of those recipes is his favorite. While he’s always been reticent to answer, he did reveal to us that OESK and OESV are his favorites for blending. Proclaiming that the sweet spot for those recipes is between 12 and 16 years of age he believes those are the ideal base for Four Roses’ annual Limited Edition Small Batch Expression.
“I think those are the core of what people expect from Four Roses,” Elliott said.
Before we get to tasting, what exactly does Four Roses do with all of those recipes? Their Four Roses Bourbon, aged for a minimum of 5 years, features a blend of all 10 recipes. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, aged for 6-7 years, features a blend of four recipes — OBSK, OBSO, OESK, and OESO. Four Roses Small Batch Select, also aged for 6-7 years, was an innovation that Brent Elliott himself introduced and it features a blend of six recipes — OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESV, OESK, and OESF. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon is, of course, always a single recipe. Finally, there are various limited edition offerings, and it should be noted that for the annual Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch there is always a different blend of well-aged bourbon from differing recipes.
Well… now I’m thirsty! With that primer out of the way, it’s time to crack open Four Roses’ recently-released Ten Recipe Tasting Experience so that we can taste and rank them from worst to best. As one last programming note, when these recipes are released as Four Roses Single Barrel they are bottled at cask strength, however, each of the samples in the tasting set is proofed down to 52% ABV which is the same proof as Four Roses Small Batch Select. Those of you hoping to create a cask-strength version of Four Roses’ flagship bourbon will still have to do so the old-fashioned way, by collecting a cask-strength single barrel from every recipe.
Four Roses Recipe OBSQ is described as having “rye and light floral character” which makes perfect sense. Mashbill B is Four Roses’ current high-rye recipe and the “Q” yeast is said to have a floral essence. OBSQ is a recipe that is only available in Four Roses Single Barrel and Four Roses Bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey cough drops, oak, and allspice steer the ship on this recipe, in that order. The rye spice is rather distinct here, and it has a slightly minty undertone with a touch of dark chocolate. The floral essence is also apparent, though the spice overtakes most of the saccharine sweetness.
Palate: Honey is prominent here but it melds well with oak and finds an abundance of black pepper at midpalate that follows through on the finish. The balance is a bit off — remember this is a proofed-down single barrel and as such is prone to such a feature — but overall the flavor is a bit restrained as the top notes leave no room for any strong tertiary flavors.
Finish: The finish on this whiskey is dry and there’s a touch of pink eraser that emerges. Texturally it’s a bit grainy which doesn’t complement the overtly floral character of the flavors that are left after each sip.
Bottom Line:
The OBSQ recipe when tasted blind was easily my least preferred of the group. I can certainly see the OBSQ recipe playing well in a blend, where it has an opportunity to support a sweeter and earthier base. However, this particular expression of the recipe just lacks the balance and depth of flavor necessary to shine on its own.
9. Four Roses Recipe: OBSF
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
Four Roses’ OBSF recipe is said to have “delicate rye and mint” with high-rye mashbill B combined with the herbal tones from yeast strain F. The OBSF recipe was one of the components in Four Roses’ award-winning 2017 Al Young 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Surprisingly vegetal with dark chocolate, allspice, and lavender showing up in a major way. Herbal tea and spearmint are definitely at the core of this recipe but there are certainly some interesting accents, allspice chief among them, that help to elevate the nose of this whiskey.
Palate: Maple candy, honey, black pepper, and a surprising vegetal aspect reminiscent of radicchio come through. Talk about interesting. On another sip, the vegetal note identifies itself more overtly as mintiness and the mouthfeel is warming without being overwhelming.
Finish: More minty flavors with a touch of clove, caramel, and barrel char begin to blossom on the finish. It has a medium length that works well with the overall flavor profile.
Bottom Line:
While the flavors in this OBSF expression aren’t as harmonious as I would like, several impressive notes work well on their own. OBSF is one of those recipes that distinctly knows what it is and does well to take you to its preferred destination from nose to palate and through the finish. While it may have placed ninth, this recipe is well above the OBSQ for me but just a hair behind the next recipe.
8. Four Roses Recipe: OESQ
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
Four Roses’ OESQ recipe is described as having “delicate grains and floral character” combining the high-rye mashbill with the Q yeast’s floral essence. OESQ is a recipe that can only be experienced as a single barrel offering or in Four Roses Bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Toffee and vanilla bean are immediately evident with a little leather and mocha that come wafting out of the glass soon thereafter. All told this is a dark, sweet nose that benefits from the added nuance that leather and mocha provide, with each of the aromas coming through distinctly with a good degree of refinement.
Palate: The whiskey enters the mouth with an earthy impression as the flavors of nutmeg and dark chocolate lead the way. Add that to a touch of mocha and clove which causes it to give the impression of chalkiness that implores you to suck your teeth. This deft balance of semi-sweet chocolate and gentle, earthy baking spices just works.
Finish: Caramel and toffee rise to the fore after chewing and savoring the whiskey. The finish also has a lot of black pepper and charred red pepper, adding to the overall ashen, grainy feel that works well with OESQ’s subtle sweetness.
Bottom Line:
OESQ has a well-defined identity of subtly sweet, earthiness that’s elegantly balanced. It’s not difficult to see why it might overpower a blend, which goes to explain why it’s not showcased in Four Roses Small Batch or Small Batch Select, but on its own, this recipe can reach some pretty high highs. Fun fact: OESQ was last featured in a Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition in 2011.
7. Four Roses Recipe: OBSV
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
The OBSV recipe from Four Roses showcases delicate fruit from the V yeast and rye spice thanks to the high-rye mashbill B. OBSV is notable for being the only recipe that goes into every single bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel — not to be confused with the cask strength Four Roses Single Barrel. OBSV is also a featured player in Small Batch Select and made a notable appearance in the 2008 Limited Edition Small Batch Mariage Collection.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of allspice and date syrup comes bursting out of the glass with formidable salted caramel and oak trailing in their wake. Some dried strawberries develop over a few spins of the wrist and continue to blossom alongside the appearance of some faint dark chocolate aromas.
Palate: Dense caramel comes barreling over the palate with cocoa powder contributing to the well-refined yet restrained sweetness in this pour. Unlike the chalky textural aspect of OESQ, this recipe shows an almost oily mouthfeel that works well with the abundance of sweetness in the whiskey. Lastly, notes of oak are evident as the whiskey travels further back on the palate, and a doughy aspect also begins to take root.
Finish: More chocolate, again taking the form of cocoa powder, and oak develops on the back end of every sip. The finish also introduces a few dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg as well, pushing the complexity to another level and rewarding repeat sips. As those notes hang around with moderate length, one is left to savor the well-done medley.
Bottom Line:
OBSV is a robust bourbon recipe that’s clearly a crowd favorite for the fact that it checks the most boxes. High-rye bourbon recipes are popular for a reason, and this one is as representative of the category as they come, with just enough well-laid deviations from the norm to hold any connoisseur’s attention.
6. Four Roses Recipe: OESK
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
Take a close look at Four Roses’ OESK recipe, high in corn with the “slight spice” yeast strain, because it is a sight to see. Want some proof? 12 of the last 14 Limited Edition Small Batch expressions have featured OESK in the blend.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Clove and nutmeg lead the way with this alluring nose while toffee can be found at the periphery flittering through the air. One word that comes to mind? Versatile. This OESK plays a lot of the traditional “bourbon aroma” hits and accents them with a slightly herbal tone and some gentle oak.
Palate: Mellow baking spices come tumbling over the tongue at first with a lot of red apple, and candied ginger flowing soon thereafter. The mouthfeel on this OESK recipe is a bit quotidian but the punch of flavor that it packs with each sip is formidable, and the freshness of the fruit notes in particular is worth savoring.
Finish: Features like white pepper, fresh Granny Smith apples, rich vanilla, and clove can be found on the finish of OESK. The baking spice is truly what punches through the most, leaving a slight tingling sensation behind.
Bottom Line:
Sure, all ten Four Roses recipes display some of the brand’s core elements but OESK is definitely one of the more middle-of-the-road expressions, and that’s meant in a good way. OESK is a winner in that it displays many of the hallmark mellow spice that Four Roses is known for as well as more classic bourbon notes like caramel, oak, and chocolate.
5. Four Roses Recipe: OBSO
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
OBSO utilizes Four Roses’ low corn mashbill B and the rich fruit yeast strain and it can be found in cask-strength single barrels, Four Roses Bourbon, and Four Roses Small Batch.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: One of the more floral noses of the entire bunch, this expression of OBSO is full of lavender honey and bright cherry notes. With impressive barrel char gaining steam on the back end the aromas in this recipe are sweet and inviting without becoming perfume-like with the notes of barrel char serving to balance it all out.
Palate: A touch of coconut and tobacco leaf splash across the palate just before a bright cherry flavor — reminiscent of Luden’s cough drops becomes expressive at midpalate. Additionally, the oily texture and a faint indication of menthol come through and fuse well in concert with the coconut and tobacco leaf notes.
Finish: The finish brings with it a fair bit of additional barrel char and toasted coconut along with a touch of clove that does a good job of corralling the sweet cherry flavor and curbing the floral aspect from the nose.
Bottom Line:
This recipe might lead heavily with the cherry notes but it’s everything buried underneath that makes it a winner, from the coconut to the menthol this is perhaps the recipe that best balances sweetness with more atypical flavors. While the nose is not particularly alluring, the palate springs to life and delivers a cornucopia of complexity that’s hard to beat.
4. Four Roses Recipe: OESF
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
OESF is comprised of Four Roses’ high corn mashbill and “herbal notes” yeast strain. While it’s blended into Four Roses Bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch Select, and available in Four Roses cask-strength single barrels, it was only featured once in the Limited Edition Small Batch…way back in 2014.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is the nose for me among them all, with the aromas of clove and caramel beautifying the air alongside the faint scent of leather and well-aged oak with black cherry. The nose immediately invites you in and closes the door behind you, as I found myself hanging my nose over the glass for minutes after this was first poured.
Palate: Oak and butterscotch candy combine with a distinct sugared apple note on the initial sip, with the liquid coming across a bit earthy and austere at first. On the second pass, those sweet notes begin to unfurl over your palate and seep into your senses with a mouth-coating viscosity and lip-smacking richness.
Finish: Nutmeg and barrel char help to provide a mellow spice kick on the tail end with just a bit of apple cider encroaching on all that earthiness and keeping it in check throughout the moderately lengthy finish.
Bottom Line:
This is the earthiest recipe of the bunch with the most subdued sweetness, but it surprisingly works. I struggle to relegate any of these to merely being “blending recipes” but like the OESV, OESF strikes me as an ideal blending component despite its standalone beauty. That’s probably because while this recipe is a Jack of all trades, it’s also a master of none and thus suited for everyday drinking but doesn’t rise to the level of the final three.
3. Four Roses Recipe: OESV
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
The OESV is notable in that it’s the highest percentage recipe in Four Roses Bourbon, providing the base for the brand’s flagship blend. Rye-forward while using the brand’s “bright grains” yeast, Master Distiller Brent Elliott cited it as one of his favorite recipes for incorporating in Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: With aromas emerging out of the glass like red berries, pear, sandalwood, allspice, and caramel this recipe hits yet another nail on the head. The fruit notes in particular are both hallmark Four Roses notes but also nuanced and offer a touch of variety with the trademark allspice note benefitting from the help of a little clove and sandalwood.
Palate: The palate on this OESV single barrel is grain forward with a bit of honeyed cornbread, clove, and that last bite into a pear core — the part that’s more bereft of sweetness. Taking a second pass you’ll notice that the allspice from the nose begins to creep in and it plays really well with the grain-forward flavors. The viscous texture is just the cherry on top, as that serves to carry each of the disparate flavors to the back of your molars where they cling for dear life.
Finish: The lengthy finish introduces barrel char and dark chocolate chunks with more fresh pear to the party and they’re all welcome guests — who doesn’t love more chocolate?
Bottom Line:
Stop me if you’ve heard this before but this is yet another crowd-pleasing recipe in the Four Roses portfolio. Similar to OESF this OESV recipe checks a ton of boxes but it actually excels with regards to the mouthfeel and finish while delivering some of the refined distinct flavor notes that make Four Roses so enjoyable.
2. Four Roses Recipe: OESO
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
Four Roses’ high corn mashbill meets their rich fruit yeast for this recipe. OESO is a component in Four Roses Bourbon and Small Batch bourbon but it also made an appearance in the Jim Rutledge 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Single Barrel back in 2007.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Floral notes kick things off with rye spice and peanut brittle floating in soon after. As some slight smoke introduces itself there’s also a touch of dark chocolate which draws you in for deeper inhalation. Once you take that deep breath, more aromas like herbal tea and even some slight paprika will be there to greet you with open arms.
Palate: Herbal tea and black pepper blast off on the palate with a lot of sweet, bright maraschino cherry flavors and a touch of honey. This is one for the sweet-toothers but the herbal tea notes are joined by a touch of menthol at midpalate which is a refreshing break in the middle of all those sugary notes.
Finish: A few dashes of black pepper, cinnamon, apple chips, and gentle tannic tones form a ring around the sweet notes from the palate. With only a moderate length, it’s impressive that these new notes, and the addition of fresh clove, really put a bow on every sip, providing the perfect climax to OESO’s nuanced flavor profile.
Bottom Line:
OESO’s bright cherry notes really send this pour into the stratosphere but on your journey to outer space, it offers plenty of stars to see along the way. Peanut brittle, herbal tea, and menthol notes all make stunning appearances and the restrained finish allows the perfect amount of time for all of those disparate parts to pull themselves together and reach their full potential.
1. Four Roses Recipe: OBSK
ABV: 52%
The Whiskey:
For the final stop on our 10-recipe tasting set, we’ve got Four Roses’ OBSK which is their high rye mashbill and their “slight spice” yeast.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Oak, chocolate, and caramel fuse together to make a sort of bourbon Snickers bar on the nose. There’s faint allspice to be found and even a touch of lavender which does a great job of stealing some attention away from the stars of the show. Perhaps it’s the power of suggestion but after a few waves of the hand, there’s even the aroma of nougat coming through along with a heavy increase in the spice levels.
Palate: The dried cherries and caramel combine with vanilla extract and oak for a very balanced and sweet palate that comes across as incredibly rich. There’s chocolate truffle dust, almost like a chocolate wafer at midpalate, and then some marzipan as it transitions to the finish. The oily, viscous texture on this pour really aids the chocolate note most of all, giving the impression of a liquid milk chocolate cocktail.
Finish: The finish really cranks up the marzipan and caramel while the vanilla morphs into a vanilla pod with a few shakes of clove. The length of it is actually surprisingly long which, again, aids the chocolate notes in each pour and a touch of black pepper closes things out nicely.
Bottom Line:
This recipe really resonates with me and fits squarely in the wheelhouse of bourbon I love. The sweet notes are manifold and they’re well-developed to boot but they never overwhelm either your nose or your palate. Particularly the nose is where gentle baking spices serve to corral all of the confectionary goodness. While there are recipes in the Four Roses cookbook that do one thing well, and a few that do two or three things well, OBSK is the singular recipe that does everything well which is what makes it the very best of them all.
Blackpink member Lisa has only played a handful of solo shows, none in the United States (unless you count the time she performed on The Tonight Show in 2021). But that’s about to change. The “Rockstar” singer has been announced as one of the headliners for New York City’s Global Citizen Festival on September 28, alongside Post Malone, Doja Cat, Rauw Alejandro, and Jelly Roll. The event will be hosted by Hugh Jackman (who can also sing).
“We are thrilled to join forces with Lisa for what will be her first ever solo performance at a music festival,” said Katie Hill, senior VP, head of music, entertainment, and artist relations at Global Citizen. “Lisa is not only an incredible performer, but also a powerful advocate, leveraging her voice and platform to drive action on some of the most urgent challenges our world is facing.”
The Global Citizen Festival is an annual event held in Central Park “where fans take actions toward ending extreme poverty in order to earn free tickets,” according to the organization’s website. “Our festivals bring together Global Citizens, artists, activists, world leaders, philanthropists, corporate leaders, and more, with one collective mission: end extreme poverty now.”
To get free tickets, you can download the Global Citizen Festival app and “take action on issues that matter to you.” You can also purchase tickets for anywhere from $99 (general admission) to $3,000 (ultimate VIP).
People haven’t been hitting the fast food drive-thrus like they used to. We don’t have to cite any numbers to confirm that, all we have to do is watch all the big fast food chains scrambling to win us back. And they’re definitely trying to do exactly that — because last month all the big brands dropped a new affordable value meal.
And we don’t mean “affordable” adjusting for inflation. Most of these meals hover around $5. That’s certifiably cheap! Good thing too, because $5 is the amount of money consumers feel is fair for fast food quality. Could the brands have gotten away with an $8 meal? Maybe! But $8 doesn’t really feel like a deal, especially when you consider the typical flagship combo meal will run you around $12 minimum.
Suddenly, fast food brands can offer us value once again! And while it makes us a bit mad that they’ve been happy to rip us off until they actually started losing money — we’ll take it! Eating fast food is about convenience, so we’re going to keep doing it as long as it’s financially convenient.
But that got us thinking: which brand is offering you the best bang for your buck? We found out by picking up each new value meal and ranking them from worst to best tasting. Here is who came out on top.
7. Carl’s Jr. — 2 for $6 Chicken Tender Wraps
Carl’s Jr.
Price: $6
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Carl’s Jr. certainly tried with this one, but we’d hardly call selling two menu items no one asked for or wants for $6 a “deal.”
So this one is ranking dead last for us, and that’s before we even get to what the dish tastes like. If for some reason you’re curious, the Chicken Tender Wraps come in three variations, Ranch, BBQ, or Santa Fe, and consist of a single chicken tender wrapped in a tortilla with lettuce, and topped with cheese, and one of the above sauces.
The chicken tender is fine, the tortilla is terrible and undercooked, the lettuce is flavorless, and the tiny sprinkle of cheese is downright offensive. You’re better off ordering chicken tenders than bothering with this lazy menu remix.
If I must rank the individual tenders, I’m going:
1. Santa Fe. 2. BBQ 3. Ranch
But honestly, just an order of fries will be more enjoyable than this “dish.”
The Bottom Line:
The sort of fast food deal we’re all better off ignoring until they come up with something better.
Like Carl’s Jr, Jack in the Box didn’t exactly get the message that people aren’t willing to eat fast food if it is too expensive, this deal is fine, but it’s not great. $5 will get you two Jumbo Jacks, a burger that is, at best, mid.
The beef patties in the Jumbo Jack are bland, they’re more texture than they are flavor. Most of the flavor comes from the thick-cut pickles, which give the burger an earthy tang, and the ketchup and mayo, which offers a sweet, bright, and mildly savory finish.
The burger is fine enough, but I rather JiB pair a single burger with fries and a drink rather than a whole other burger.
The Bottom Line:
You’ve certainly had a better burger in fast food, and the deal here isn’t good enough to justify a trip to the JiB drive-thru.
The price of this one surprises me. Taco Bell is famous for the value of its menu. You can feed a whole party of four for under $20, that’s a rarity in fast food. So I’m a bit puzzled as to why Taco Bell’s value meal is so expensive.
$7 gets you a drink, a Chalupa Supreme, a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, a Double Stacked Taco, and chips with nacho cheese sauce. Everything in this meal works, the Chalupa Supreme features a thick tortilla loaded up with Taco Bell’s zesty ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and tomato. It’s delicious and it’s satisfying.
The Beefy 5-Layer Burrito is a classic, it consists of a large flour tortilla loaded up with beans, beef, cheese, sour cream, and a layer of nacho cheese sauce. It’s a cheesy beefy masterpiece!
The Double Stacked Taco, I’m less sold on. This is just a crunchy taco, wrapped in a flour tortilla with some nacho cheese sauce binding it together. It’s fine, but honestly, I find the regular crunchy taco superior as the single layer of tortilla allows you to focus on the flavor of the beef.
The Nachos and cheese sauce are a throwaway item, cinnamon twists would’ve been a better option.
The Bottom Line:
Overall this is a decent deal, but you can probably find a better way to spend $7 at Taco Bell.
KFC’s Taste of KFC deal is pretty damn solid. $4.99 gets you two Original Recipe drumsticks, mashed potatoes, and a biscuit.
The Original Recipe chicken is KFC’s best product, the skin isn’t as crispy as you expect from fried chicken but the flavor is a wonderful mix of thyme, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, floral paprika, and a gentle hint of celery salt.
This dish offers a lot of flavor in a single bite of chicken that is made all the better when you use the drumstick as a spoon for the mashed potatoes and gravy. The only real downside of this dish is you don’t get a drink.
The Bottom Line:
Delicious. A mix of KFC’s best foods for just $5. It hits the spot, but it probably won’t satisfy a big appetite.
This is probably the highest Burger King has ever placed in one of our fast food rankings but credit where credit is due, this is a damn good deal.
The best part of this meal is that you have options. For $5 you can choose between a Whopper Jr, a Bacon Cheeseburger, or a Chicken Jr. alongside a four-piece order of nuggets, fries, and a drink. That is straight-up a full meal, so points to BK for that alone.
For this taste test, I went with what I think is the best option — the Whopper Jr. The Whopper Jr. has this addictive charred flavor alongside thick raw onion rings, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo on a small sesame seed bun. I prefer the Jr. to the full-size Whopper as the meat-to-bread ratio is a little bit better here, allowing you to taste that charred beef in all its glory.
The fries, while not my favorite, are pretty good (they’re fried potatoes, it’s kind of hard to f*ck up this dish), while the nuggets offer a zesty flavor that is easily enhanced by dunking them in some smokey BBQ sauce.
The Bottom Line:
One of the best deals in fast food. It’s like a greatest-hits package of BK’s best menu items.
I’m going to call Burger King and McDonald’s essentially a tie. What you lose in variety here (your only sandwich option is a McDouble or McCrispy) you gain in flavor, because McDonald’s is better than Burger King. Marginally better, but still better.
The obvious pick here is the McDouble, and as weird as the McDouble is (there is an uncanny fake quality about this burger, it looks like an alien’s version of Earth food) sometimes that signature McDonald’s flavor is just too addicting to pass up on.
The burger build consists of two pieces of thin beef, two slices of American cheese, chopped lightly grilled onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. It’s one of the only burgers I’d describe as “sweet,” which is a weird way to describe a savory cheeseburger but I’m not going to sit here and pretend lightly sugared beef doesn’t taste magical, no matter how uncomfortable the thought makes me.
Paired with this burger is an order of what is perhaps fast food’s best french fries, a four-piece chicken nugget (which is the perfect amount not to overstay its welcome), and a drink of your choice. There is nothing not to like about this meal, if you’re already a McDonald’s fan, this is the ideal combination of foods from its menu.
The Bottom Line:
Reason alone to hit up a McDonald’s drive-thru immediately. That’s what a meal deal should inspire, and this one delivers 100%.
Simply put, you’re not going to find this level of quality at any of the other fast food restaurants. It’s the only burger on this list that is made from fresh beef, and for that reason alone, this wins. It also helps that it tastes better than everything else.
The Wendy’s Biggie Bag features your choice of a Crispy Chicken Sandwich or a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, a four-piece order of nuggets, fries, and a drink. Obviously, the right move is the Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. The burger is juicy, beefy, savory, and topped with the best bacon in all of fast food. This beef + this bacon alone is worth $5.
If however you rather have a chicken sandwich, this is a great one! The chicken is tender and crispy, and you can choose between spicy, which has a strong cayenne kick, or classic. Now, this isn’t a Popeyes or Chick-fil-A-level chicken sandwich, but it comes pretty close. We can’t say that about any of the other brands out there.
To me though the Junior Bacon Cheeseburger is the right choice because you also get a side of chicken nuggets, which will satiate your craving for crispy fried chicken. Wendy’s fries aren’t the best, but they aren’t bad either, so while this meal isn’t a perfect 10/10, it comes closer than any other meal on this list.
The Bottom Line:
Fast food’s best tasting deal. If you only want to spend $5 a week (or day) on fast food, Wendy’s is the best choice.
While it may not be as popular as bourbon, rye whiskey is still a surging category. Although bourbon is America’s national spirit, what many people don’t know is that before Prohibition, rye whiskey was king. These days, the category is making yet another resurgence, as we’re again seeing brands embrace the more spice-driven flavor profile that rye can bring to the table. It also helps that rye whiskey has a tendency to mature more quickly at a young age, meaning that craft distilleries can compete with legacy producers much sooner — evening the playing field and leading to competition in the market that raises the level of quality for consumers.
This is no blip on the map; rye whiskey has an extensive history in the U.S. that rivals that of bourbon, and with so many producers embracing the category, we’ve seen an influx of ryes that indeed beat out the best bourbon in the world in blind tastings. So in the wake of us tasting and ranking the 24 best bourbons of 2024 (so far) it felt right that we should turn our attention to American whiskey’s other major category.
Don’t worry, American Single Malt Whiskey is well on its way too.
To start, we compiled a list of the top 40 rye whiskeys that we tried so far this year and then tasted them all blind to remove any bias or preconceived notions. The list runs the gamut from ongoing releases that fans already know and love to brand-new releases from nascent producers who have never previously received coverage here at UPROXX. As for the results, well, read on to see them for yourself!
Here’s the full list of our top 24 rye whiskies — 16 bottles from the original tasting not having made the cut — of 2024:
All Points West Mid-Atlantic Pot Still Rye
Blue Run Emerald Rye
Brook Hill Rye Whiskey
Bulleit Rye 12-Year-Old
E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Rye
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye
Kings County Empire Rye Single Barrel
Knob Creek 10-Year-Old Rye
Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Rye
Never Say Die Rye Whiskey
New Riff Old Riff Rye Whiskey
Old Forester 100 Proof Rye
Peerless Rye
Pinhook 8-Year Vertical Series Rye
Raconteur Rye
Rare Breed Rye
Rossville Union 6-Year Bottled in Bond Rye
Sagamore Bottled In Bond Rye
Southern Star Rye
Starlight Distillery Toasted Series Double Oaked Rye
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye is a new expression from the mega-brand that debuted in 2023. The newly minted ongoing release is bottled in bond and joins Triple Mash and Tennessee Whiskey in the Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lavender honey, celery, and dill seed lead on the nose of this one. Maple candy with slight salinity and a nice dose of black pepper also makes up the aroma notes here.
Palate: The vegetal notes from the nose lead the charge on the palate, with clove and oak following suit. At midpalate is where the maple candy starts to assert itself more forcefully. However, lavender honey remains at the fore while a slight touch of lemon zest buoys all of those sweeter notes, keeping things relatively light and refreshing with a moderate texture.
Finish: As this sip dissipates, it ends with the flavor of Smarties candy and a few more dashes of black pepper as the mouthfeel dulls and the brief finish tapers off.
Bottom Line:
Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye is not only a fantastic bang-for-your-buck bottle, but it’s just damn good in its own right. The big-time maple notes that permeate the rest of Jack Daniel’s whiskey are much more subdued here, allowing a ton of interesting rye flavor to assert itself. This whiskey is also incredibly versatile, and though it begs to be enjoyed neat, it’s sure to do a bang-up job in a cocktail like a Sazerac.
23. Kentucky Peerless Distilling Small Batch Rye Whiskey
The modern Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. has been on the scene since 2015, and like many other brands, it opted to forgo releasing an unaged spirit at its start. Rye whiskey was their first release, and their now 3-year-old flagship rye continues to be their bread and butter.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Buttered wheat toast and herbal tea perfume the air with a nice proofy punch — that’ll wake you up. With the aroma of vanilla cone and peppercorns providing some support in the background, this is an earthy, subtly sweet nose.
Palate: Once this pour reaches your palate, it continues to translate with earthy tones of clove, gentle oak tannins, and black tea with hazelnut cream. The mouthfeel is light and spry, with a slightly citric flavor that gives some zip to the midpalate.
Finish: The finish has whipped cream and black pepper in spades that run down your chest, but it grips the palate with some oaky astringency before it goes.
Bottom Line:
Peerless Rye is made using the sweet mash process, wherein the fermenters are completely emptied and cleaned for each batch of whiskey they make. That meticulous process is most evidenced by the liquid’s ‘clean’ mouthfeel and distinctly layered rich flavors. Peerless Rye is a standout because it delivers an extra kick of flavor with these deceptively zippy barrel-proof small-batch offerings.
All Points West is a small distillery located in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey. Its rich pot still whiskey follows more historical methods, which is a point of emphasis and pride for Founder and Head Distiller Gil Spaier.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This impressively vivacious nose smacks of spearmint gum, stewed peaches, and pot-still funk. There’s clove and maple syrup to be discovered after a few waves of the hand and swirls of the glass, as well as some walnut shell and black pepper.
Palate: A warming wave washes over your palate on the first sip that perfectly hits the Goldilocks zone of being “just right.” There’s an oiliness in the texture and caramel-inflected spearmint notes that soon clear space for maple syrup and a vegetal note of sweet pickles.
Finish: The finish on this whiskey is marked by a nondescript floral note and more cooked peaches before a nice touch of black pepper spice cuts through the viscousness and sends you on your way with a smile.
Bottom Line:
All Points West Mid-Atlantic Pot Still Rye is fantastic stuff, but what’s really remarkable is that it clearly knows what it wants to be. This is rye whiskey of another era, and because of that, it captures a dense, uniquely flavored profile that’s exceedingly impressive in a modern landscape of monkey see, monkey do.
Rossville Union’s Bonded Rye joins not only Ross & Squibb’s underrated Rossville Union lineup but also parent brand MGP’s prolific rye output. The distillery was pumping out rye under the Seagram’s banner at a high clip for decades before the more recent rye resurgence and all of that expertise is on display with their in-house brands. Rossville Union first debuted in June of 2018 but this Bonded version was launched in 2023 thanks to Ross & Squibb Master Distiller Ian Stirsman.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this rye is really grain-forward at first — think wheat biscuits — but once that top note blows off it’s all mint, vanilla, and cinnamon. Dried cranberries, cucumber, and meaty Brazil nut aromas further enhance the nosing notes and make for an intriguing introduction.
Palate: Have you ever had the pleasure of stirring apple juice with a cinnamon stick? That flavor is readily apparent on the palate here before the more earthy wheat biscuit note resurfaces and brings some black pepper, brown sugar, and lemon peel in tow.
Finish: The surprisingly dense mouthfeel is aided by a bit more baking spice on the finish, which is medium-to-long and continues to carry the apple and cinnamon notes from midpalate through the end.
Bottom Line:
Rossville Union’s Bottled in Bond Rye is a fascinating case study of zagging while others are zigging. Sure, MGP is now famous for popularizing the 95% rye, 5% malted barley recipe, and they supply some of the most awarded American whiskey brands on the market, but the fact they opted for a new high malt mash bill of 51% rye and 49% malted barley with this release — and delivered satisfying results — is highly commendable.
Old Forester 100 Proof Rye was seemingly designed to be a bartender’s best friend. Featuring a mash bill of 65% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, and 15% Corn and owned by Brown-Forman this is one of the more ubiquitously available bottles on the list.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spiced nuts, warm and blended with paprika and red pepper, really pops on the nose here. The aroma of aloe vera, orange rind, and sweet honey also hang in the air and whet the palate before your first sip.
Palate: More peanuts find the flat of the tongue, and paprika with caramel swirls and vanilla extract fan out to the periphery and climb up the roof of the mouth. The mouthfeel is, frankly, a bit sparse, but who gives a damn when you’re able to enjoy such a refined flavor profile executed in such a delightful balance?
Finish: The finish finds charred red peppers and a hint of date syrup with barrel char as it saunters away with a medium length.
Bottom Line:
Delivering an excellent sipping experience for under $30 should be on every distillery’s bucket list, and with this expression, Old Forester might be the preeminent example in the rye category. This is a thoroughly balanced and exceedingly enjoyable rye at an awesome price.
Blue Run Golden Rye is the crown jewel in the brand’s rye lineup. While they’ve also released the tasty Emerald Rye to respectable fanfare, this lower-proof offering, which will reportedly be the final batch in the lineup, is a tad more crowd-pleasing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose greets you with honey and graham crackers and comes across as distinctly sugary at first. After a few swirls, you’ll begin to uncover some of the white pepper hiding underneath and a touch of grassiness to boot.
Palate: The palate is, again, light and sweet, with sugar cookie, graham cracker, and a dollop of honey gracing the tip of the tongue. A pop of candied ginger and a gentle kiss of lemon zest can be found as this transitions to the finish. With regards to the mouthfeel, it’s almost effervescent with a light and lively tack that pairs well with the flavor wheel.
Finish: The finish continues the trend of honey and lemon with some delicate rye spice, helping to prevent things from becoming too dessert-like. It’s short to medium, but that, too, works here.
Bottom Line:
The palate of contemporary American whiskey drinkers is beginning to come around. While high-octane bruisers continue to enjoy popularity, pours with more finesse and nuance are beginning to make their mark — and it’s those drinkers that Blue Run Golden Rye is for.
18. Starlight Distillery Toasted Series Double Oaked Rye
Starlight Toasted Series Double Oaked Rye is a brand new expression from Borden, Indiana’s pride and joy. The distillery operated as a winery for generations before more recently developing a distilling program that has been cranking out world-class rye whiskey over the past few years. The Toasted Series was launched earlier this year and will become an ongoing release for the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is spearmint heavy with some confectioners sugar, allspice, and honey as accenting aromas. If you spend some more time with it, you’ll also unlock aromas like toasted brown marshmallows and nutmeg.
Palate: Woah, this pour comes alive on the palate in a significant way. What’s immediately remarkable is the balance the flavors display as they each line up, one behind the other, to strut their stuff. Take a little clove and dark chocolate-covered vanilla cone, then splash it together with some orange rind expression over a bed of toasted oak, and you’ve got yourself one tasty pour.
Finish: Allspice returns to the fray on the finish, along with a rising impression of spearmint gum. The finish is medium length and that works just fine here.
Bottom Line:
Starlight has a ton of underappreciated rye in stock. From their Old Rickhouse Rye to all of their finished rye projects, it seems like they can’t miss. What’s unique to appreciate here with their Toasted Series Rye is how the distillery’s typically lean-and-clean texture is a bit burlier in this case, which carries with it a bit more flavor.
Baltimore, Maryland might be famous for The Wire but the Sagamore Distillery is a real-life example of the city’s grit in the best way possible. This 6-year Bottled in Bond expression is 100% distilled in Maryland and features a blend of two straight rye whiskeys of differing mashbills.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Sagamore’s Bottled in Bond 6-year rye is marked by gobs of gooey caramel, vanilla ice cream with mint sprigs atop, and leather. This whiskey has a wonderfully dense nose that primes the palate for what seems as though it will be a sumptuous sipping experience.
Palate: The mouth is met with a viscous liquid that leads with honeyed mint tea before turning a bit floral and introducing some sticky toffee. The rye coats your palate at first, but that quickly dissipates and leaves a bit of an opening as it transitions to the finish.
Finish: Wow, so despite that brief lull in action, the finish picks up with the flavor of fresh nectarines and white pepper with young oak that proceeds with impressive length.
Bottom Line:
While Sagamore has long been distilling, they’ve also long been sourcing their liquid from Indiana — which is no crime. But the inauguration of their Maryland-distilled whiskey is exciting not just for those who support craft distilling but for rye fans who want to see more well-made products on the market. This is one such product.
Never Say Die gets its name from the fateful story of a foal who supposedly was poured a shot of whiskey and went on to win a horse race. Tall tales aside, this brand is intriguing because it leans into its tagline “Kentucky provenance, English character” by utilizing whiskey sourced from Danville, KY, that spent 5 years aging there before being sent to White Peak Distillery in England for additional resting before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Blimey! Maple candy and clover honey come tumbling over the rim of the glass to greet the nose, with a faint red licorice note, polished leather, and a slightly vegetal aroma of dill. Vanilla and butterscotch can also be found after some time.
Palate: A bit of bubblegum hits the tip of the tongue while the vanilla aspect from the nosing notes really comes out on the palate at first splash. Those initial flavors are bolstered by notes of brioche, candied walnuts, and sweet Red Vines licorice candy.
Finish: Oh, and the finish is full of vanilla pod, buttercream, black pepper, and young oak. It dissipates away slowly and gives a surprisingly more bourbon-like impression than one would expect.
Bottom Line:
With a proprietary mashbill of 56% Rye, 33% Corn, and 11% Malted Barley to go with an atypical maturation process, Never Say Die Rye is wholly unique and uniquely delicious. If you can’t surmise where the liquid might be sourced from, then you should know that one of the world’s foremost fermentation experts, Dr. Pat Heist, helped Never Say Die’s founders establish their brand.
Widow Jane hails from the Red Hook neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, and is primarily known for its stellar blends of sourced whiskey. For its Paradigm Rye, however, they’ve kicked things up a notch—still utilizing that sourced stock but blending it with their own distillate and proofing it down with their signature mineral water from the Rosendale Mines in New York.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bit of cloying, almost artificial sweetness, perfumes the air at first. On a second whiff, a distinct mint tea aroma melds well with the scents of celery seed and chalky sweetness reminiscent of Smarties candies.
Palate: Wow, the palate is resplendent with honey and mint tea before that lovely Smarties candy note arrives at midpalate. Add to that just a touch of oak and a warm, viscous mouthfeel, and this is a pour that you will revel in on the second sip more than the first. And then the third more than the second.
Finish: A touch of tobacco leaf and golden raisins accent the back end of each sip, which has just enough staying power to allow you to savor those well-balanced flavor notes.
Bottom Line:
One of the bigger surprises of this entire blind was how this pour performed — it simply deserves respect. While the art of blending has been slow to receive its due credit in the American whiskey world, Widow Jane is leading the change with precocious expressions like Paradigm Rye.
Wilderness Trail is one of the pioneers of sweet mash American whiskey, and while their standard rye has helped to cause a major shift in the market, their latest 7-year release, which debuted in 2023, is looking to change the game again. Age-stated ryes have become all the rage, and Wilderness Trail is well-positioned to ride the wave.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of maple candy sweetness, gentle rye spice, and mellow oak tannins. There’s black pepper and a bit of butterscotch, along with some umami notes that permeate the nosing notes.
Palate: The texture of this whiskey is surprisingly spry, as bubblegum and buttered popcorn come across the palate at first. After chewing the whiskey, a maple candy note comes forth. That maple candy note soon fuses with milk chocolate, nougat, and caramel as the texture becomes leaner and a few more baking spices come into play. Imagine nutmeg and black pepper sprinkled over a Milky Way bar and you’re not too far off.
Finish: The finish is where a fair amount of mint and rye spice is hiding out, a pleasant reminder that you’re sipping a rye whiskey. The finish is also silky and long-lasting, a credit to the whiskey.
Bottom Line:
Wilderness Trail is well-regarded for making high-quality whiskey, and its rye casts the brightest spotlight on its capability. For this new 7-year release, the flavor profile leaves behind the more minty tones in its 4-year product to introduce darker sweet notes that translate well at a higher age.
Rare Breed is well-regarded as one of the most reliable high-quality whiskies on the market, courtesy of the reputation established by its bourbon expression. Launched in 2021, Rare Breed Rye has been building on that reputation and features a blend of 4, 6, and 8-year-old straight rye whiskeys.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rye spice floats through the air at first, but it isn’t alone. The aroma of chocolate truffle dust, orange buttercream, sorghum sugariness, and shaved ginger soon appears in spades. There’s also a bit of nutmeg and a few floral notes on the nose as well.
Palate: Orange blossom and buttercream hit the tip of the tongue in addition to some lovely honeyed mint tea flavors. As you swirl the whiskey on your tongue, chocolate mousse notes begin to develop at the mid-palate. Finally, there are hints of nutmeg, almonds, and a strong oak presence.
Finish: The finish is lengthy and full of robust baking spice that rises in prominence. More chocolate truffle and mint sweetness provide balance, along with black pepper and clove.
Bottom Line:
Rare Breed Rye is one of the most underrated expressions in Wild Turkey’s world-class portfolio, but as the brand continues to get liquid to lips, that shouldn’t be a problem because tasting is believing. This is one of the best readily available rye whiskeys on the planet.
12. Kings County Barrel Strength Empire Rye Whiskey
Kings County operates out of the Brooklyn Naval Yard and is highly regarded as New York’s oldest distillery. It’s also one of the inaugural Committed Members that got legislation passed to officially recognize “Empire Rye” as a designation. That means 75% of the mash bill must be New York State-grown rye and aged for a minimum of two years, among other specifications. This particular single barrel is over three years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: French vanilla and dates are immediately evident on the nose, along with some sassafras, toffee, and plenty of barrel char.
Palate: On the palate, you’ll find those rich dark notes take the lead, with toffee and barrel char being the main players. On the periphery, there’s a bit of smokiness, some piquant lemon zest, a touch of mintiness, and some of the French vanilla from the nose.
Finish: The finish is long and buttery, with a drizzle of honey serving to lighten up the overall flavor profile.
Bottom Line:
Kings County’s Empire Rye is a revelation in that it’s a far departure from their bourbon’s much darker, more brooding profile. The light notes of lemon zest and honey cling to the palate and make this one rye you’ll want to savor over the course of hours, not minutes.
Pinhook has been going strong for a few years now with its Vertical Series, but this new rye expression might be the highlight. Blended from just 32 barrels, the limited edition release uses rye whiskey from MGP of Indiana.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes are full of orange zest, green apple, and burnt sugar. There are also aspects of brown sugar, flaky pie crust, butter, and rich mint floating in the air around the glass.
Palate: On the palate, all of those notes come together, and it tastes buttery like a chocolate croissant. With a slick texture, it generously coats your mouth and carries a bit of black pepper up the roof while brown sugar sweetness pools at midpalate.
Finish: The finish is a deft balance of gentle baking spice, fresh mint, and buttered chocolate croissant that goes on and on. Seriously, you’ll still be enjoying this one long after your last sip.
Bottom Line:
Pinhook’s 8-Year Vertical Series Rye isn’t the first exceptional bottle in the lineup, but it is, in fact, the best. Future iterations of this expression, which will be released annually until the liquid turns 12, have a new high bar to reach.
Southern Distilling Co., out of Statesville, North Carolina, is putting out some incredibly underrated whiskey. Their wheated bourbon is getting a lot of attention, but their rye is secretly the show’s star. This blend of straight ryes is finished in ex-bourbon barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bunch of honeycombs and fresh mint aromas leap out at you when you first whiff of this whiskey, along with some green tea, vanilla ice cream, and sugary cucumber.
Palate: Honeyed mint tea with matcha makes the first impression of this whiskey a stellar one. Add a bit of dried strawberry and juicy orange. Southern Star’s rye has a delicious and weighty palate that rolls over your tongue and impressively coats the roof of your mouth along with your tongue.
Finish: The finish has an iron grip as the honey makes you suck your teeth to reveal more dried fruit and a floral note of rosewater. Black pepper and cucumber can be found on this lengthy finish as well.
Bottom Line:
Here’s another stunning new rye ready to compete with the big boys. As aforementioned, Southern Distilling Co. is starting to turn heads with its superlative whiskey, and if you’re a fan of excellent rye, then you need to add this to your shopping list immediately.
9. Raconteur Rye
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ABV: Average Price:
The Whiskey:
Raconteur Rye is the brainchild of veteran whiskey writer David Jennings, the founder of Rare Bird 101. For this release, he partnered with the Woodwork Collective to create a wholly unique blend of rye whiskeys. One of those ryes was finished in rare Mizunara casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Clove, chocolate, and nougat make an initial strong impression on the nose before notes of candied pecans, faint cedar, and alluring orange pith also punch through.
Palate: The cedar from the nose transforms into oak on the palate as the first sip envelopes your tongue in the flavor of buttercream. Wow, as you sit back and appreciate this sip, it’s difficult not to marvel at how well put together this bottle is. The texture is robust and silky, with chocolate and dried strawberries pooling at midpalate while a dusting of clove flits up the roof of the mouth along with a bit of peanut brittle.
Finish: Nutmeg and some charred red pepper flesh are relegated to the finish, but their inclusion elevates the experience. There’s also some brown sugar that sneaks in, too.
Bottom Line:
Raconteur Rye is an incredibly strong first offering from this pair of collaborators. It’s both immediately enjoyable but also challenges you to seek each layer of flavor. Rest assured, those flavors will be well-defined once they are found.
Willett Family Estate bottlings are legendary in both the bourbon and rye whiskey world, with high-end expressions in both categories that fetch tens of thousands of dollars on the secondary market. They take choice barrels of rye and bottle them at cask strength for their standard four-year-old expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of fresh red grapes and candied green apple is really rich on the nose, with butterscotch and a faint bit of fudge and polished leather adding to the affair.
Palate: Dark chocolate, savory dates, butterscotch, and some clove come through in a major way on the incredibly dense palate. The whiskey itself just feels heavy, rolling over your tongue while subtly coating it.
Finish: A medium-long finish where leather and milk chocolate leave a welcome impression along with black pepper and, surprisingly… bay leaves? That’s not what you might expect but it’s there and it delivers.
Bottom Line:
Willett Family Estate Rye is so polarizing because of the variety that exists under the brand’s banner, but when you find exceptional barrels, you’ll understand the hype. This particular single barrel is full of magic and goes to show why folks say that rye can be truly special, even at only four years of age.
Bulleit 12-Year Rye is back again after being originally released in 2019. The 2024 edition actually contains whiskey from the first release, which, if you do the math, means there’s much older whiskey in this blend.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Green caramel apple aromas fill the glass and waft over the rim with a touch of honeyed mint tea, allspice, buttercream, and sweet oak. There’s also a distinctive floral aspect that draws you in.
Palate: Oak and allspice take the lead, but those notes are soon supplanted by a dollop of caramel, a mint milk chocolate shake, and the crisp green apple found on the nose.
Finish: Sweet oak and white pepper are abundant on the finish, which has a medium length that gently recedes, leaving you craving the next sip.
Bottom Line:
Look, Bulleit’s 95% rye and 5% malted barley grain recipe is famous for a reason — it’s a crowd-pleaser that helped redefine the category. With some added age, the whiskey takes on a richer depth of flavor and delivers an incredible value that’s well worth taking advantage of while supplies last.
Knob Creek has been putting out stellar rye for a long time, but their brand new 10-year-old expression was released in early June and is now the oldest age-stated rye in the Knob Creek lineup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Knob Creek 10-Year Rye is oaky with an intriguing note of petrichor to go along with dark chocolate and a Brazil nut meatiness.
Palate: Pecans and nutmeg are the standout flavors on the palate of this pour, with a bit of wheat toast and honey bolstering this fine-tuned and expertly balanced whiskey. The robust mouthfeel defies its modest proof and serves as a fat red cherry on top.
Finish: More honey and wheat toast define the back end of this pour, while a touch of barrel char contributes to the outstanding finish as well.
Bottom Line:
Knob Creek’s regular 7-year rye is not exactly my jam, but that’s not because it’s flawed. It’s just okay. Ironic then that adding some oakiness is just what it needed to turn the dial from ehh to eleven. This is sure to be a new standard for a lot of rye enthusiasts, and it should be.
5. Ol’ New Riff Bottled In Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
Ol’ New Riff is a bit of an oxymoron and doubly so because this “Ol’” expression is the newest release in New Riff’s lineup. With a grain bill of 65% balboa rye, 30% heirloom corn, and 15% two-row malted barley, this expression has only been on the market since mid-May 2024.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Admire the air out of this glass as the aroma of candied walnuts and paprika combine with leather, Red Vines, and figs. Then, go in for a second whiff as vanilla and clove appear out of nowhere.
Palate: More ripe figs can be found on the palate, along with an abundance of delicious nutmeg and root beer notes. Plumbing the substantive mouthfeel reveals further flavors like coffee bean and hazelnut spread.
Finish: The finish is where the hazelnut shines, along with a bit of barrel char and cinnamon. It’s also surprisingly long-lasting, and I hate to say that when tasted blind, it did have something of a “dusty” quality, making it seem “Old.”
Bottom Line:
The name of this whiskey is a bit too tongue-in-cheek for my liking, but your tongue-in-cheek will absolutely adore the liquid itself. New Riff has mastered Bottled in Bond whiskey and the sweet mash process, especially with their rye expressions. This is the finest example of their mastery yet.
E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye has long been teased, hitting the TTB website a few years back, but it’s finally ready for market in 2024. Aged at Buffalo Trace Distillery, this brand-new release marks the second rye expression in the E.H. Taylor lineup, joining E.H. Taylor Jr. Straight Rye, which is Bottled in Bond.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of thick honeycomb, sweet peas, restrained mint, and chocolate truffle dust accent the air around the glass after pouring this dense whiskey. The proof seems tame and allows you to dip your nose into the glass and truly explore each layer of flavor, with some gooey caramel, peanut brittle, and charred red pepper also making an appearance.
Palate: The texture is immediately dense on the palate. This robust rye whiskey brings plenty of Manuka honey, rich chocolate truffle dust, and freshly picked mint rolling over the tongue in a viscous wave. On the second sip, the proof becomes more evident as the flavor of charred red pepper and vanilla ice cream’s sweetness fuse with a touch of cayenne and white pepper.
Finish: The finish is remarkably lengthy and mouth-warming as the liquid penetrates every corner of your palate and gives your upper chest a gentle hug full of clove, mint, and peanut brittle.
Bottom Line:
Expectations were high for E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye as a brand-new cask-strength bottling from one of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s most well-regarded whiskey lineups. The results are as follows: those expectations have been exceeded. Despite its significant proof, this rye whiskey couples an impressive approachability with a remarkable depth of flavor that will leave you sucking your tongue and parsing additional layers long after your last sip. It’s stunning to think that this is just the first release in what will surely be a well-received and highly sought-after line extension from America’s oldest continuously operating distillery.
Wild Turkey’s Master’s Keep series has been their premium annual offering since it was first inaugurated back in 2015. Now, as the series reaches its ninth year, they’ve opted to release just the second rye whiskey under the banner with Triumph.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet green apple notes play well with candied orange peel, cinnamon, and clove for this dense and remarkably well-balanced nose.
Palate: Don’t read too much into this, but it tastes like old books on the tip of the tongue. There’s a slightly dusty quality to it that melds well with the bounty of brown sugar and green apples found at midpalate.
Finish: Brown sugar, black pepper, and vanilla cone are the defining aspects of this finish, which is medium length but don’t worry — it lasts just long enough for you to savor it before returning to the well.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey’s latest Master’s Keep edition lives up to its name by delivering one of the best damn rye whiskeys Wild Turkey has ever released — surpassing even the superlative Cornerstone release from 2019. If you’ve been paying close attention to how good Wild Turkey’s rye output has been over the past few years, then that shouldn’t surprise you. This is most certainly a Triumph.
Brook Hill is the latest revived brand under the Rare Character banner. With a history that dates back to the turn of the 19th century, the modern-day Brook Hill is now releasing exclusive bourbons and rye, with only 6 single barrels of the rye hitting the market so far this year.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Milk chocolate, like the milk in a bowl after you finish your Cocoa Puffs, and sweet mint are most immediately alluring on the nose. Stick around a while, and you’ll also find chunks of toffee, polished leather, and paprika contributing to this dark and brooding nose.
Palate: Candied walnuts hit the palate along with a big spoonful of brown sugar before that Cocoa Puff milk note begins to pool at midpalate, whetting the edges of your tongue. Paprika and barrel char are relegated to the shotgun seat as some nutmeg, Smarties candy, and dried cranberries steer the ship before this transitions into the finish.
Finish: Almost chalky as the texture grips the back of your tongue before tapping out. There’s some oak and nuttiness on the finish, along with drops of honey, but despite the impressive length of those flavors, you’ll probably be on your second glass before you truly appreciate them.
Bottom Line:
Brook Hill came out of the gate strong, but then, that’s what Rare Character has become known for. They don’t half-step when it comes to new releases, and ever since introducing Brook Hill to the market in 2023, they’ve been batting 1.000. Step right up and see what the hype is all about.
Michter’s is known for being meticulous with their releases, and not just the ultra-premium ones, utilizing proprietary custom filtration for each of their whiskeys. For 2024’s 10-year single barrel, Michter’s uses yet another custom filter to ensure this year’s version is different from years prior while maintaining the expression’s award-winning quality.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Huge scoops of vanilla ice cream with mint sprigs melt out of the glass. With Manuka honey and gentle leather accents in the background, this is such a classic Michter’s rye nose that it’s immediately identifiable. And awesome.
Palate: Rich buttercream, fresh cinnamon bark, creamy milk chocolate, crisp red apples…need I go on? Michter’s always does an incredible job with whiskey at a lower proof, and these 10-year expressions offer the grandest stage for them to showcase that prowess. Here, the mouthfeel is jaw-dropping, and the richness of the flavors hit you in lush waves, one after another, but they never threaten to overwhelm your senses. There’s enough runway for each excellent flavor note to take flight.
Finish: The finish undulates away gently after a considerable length of time, sucking your teeth for more hazelnut cream and sweet oak tones.
Bottom Line:
In a year (so far) full of legendary rye whiskeys, it should be enough to tell you, dear reader, that Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Rye stands head and shoulders above the rest. This is one of the whiskeys that will define the year, and if you aren’t already in love with rye, then the 2024 Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel is Cupid’s arrow in a bottle.
We don’t talk about Russell Crowe‘s late 1990s, early 2000s run enough. In a seven-year span, the actor starred in L.A. Confidential, The Insider, Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind (maybe not his finest film, but a Best Picture-winning hit nonetheless), and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. He was nominated for Best Actor three years in a row! The South Park parody was the icing on the Australian cake (so, Lamingtons?). But while the world waits for more adventures on the oceans, which are now battlefields, another of Crowe’s films from this era is getting a sequel, albeit without his involvement.
Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for Gladiator II, which sounds pretty great. Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel stars Paul Mescal as Luicus, the son of Lucilla, played by returning cast member Connie Nielsen. He’s “forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people,” according to the synopsis.
The cast also includes Pedro Pascal as Roman general Marcus Acacius and Denzel Washington as “pretty fucking cruel” powerbroker Macrinus. You will be entertained.
When asked by Vanity Fair what Gladiator II is really about, Mescal replied, “What human beings will do to survive, but also what human beings will do to win. We see that in the arena, but also in the political struggle that’s going on outside of my character’s storyline, where you see there’s other characters striving and pulling for power. Where’s the space for humanity? Where’s the space for love, familial connection? And ultimately, will those things overcome this kind of greed and power? Those things are oftentimes directly in conflict with each other.”
Gladiator II, which also stars Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, and Derek Jacobi, opens in theaters on November 22.
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The global ‘Rockstar’ herself, LISA of BLACKPINK is joining us on Sept. 28 in Central Park! Click the link 
to get your tickets, and if you’re as excited as we are, drop a comment below 
(@GlblCtzn) 
