It has been a little over four years since Top Dawg Entertainment rapper Isaiah Rashad has released an album. He jokingly made light of his tendency to overthink and delay his projects with his perfectionism on his last album, 2016’s The Sun’s Tirade, but for his longsuffering fans, his release reticence is no laughing matter. However, today they were given a modicum of hope; Rashad appears to be filming a new music video with fellow Tennessee native Duke Deuce, which we’ve learned courtesy of TDE’s Top Dawg himself.
Although Top tends to be relatively quiet on his social channels, he broke his silence today with a video post on Instagram catching several seconds of the nighttime video shoot that saw Duke and Zay dancing in a parking lot, with Rashad clearly picking up on Duke’s signature exuberant energy. Meanwhile, Isaiah posted his own photo from the shoot to his Instagram Story, while Duke posted a solo clip of his spastic dance moves a day ago
Isaiah has slow-rolled this album, tentatively titled The House Is Burning, for a while, teasing the title during an Instagram Live stream, debuting a pair of songs at 2019’s Day N Vegas festival, and contributing “Why Worry” to Top Dawg Appreciation Week last year.
While fans have been waiting for the project for quite some time, Zay says he won’t release it without a guest feature from Young Dolph, so let’s hope the Memphis native can submit his verse in a timely manner and get the ball rolling in earnest.
Check out the video snippets from Top Dawg and Duke Deuce above.
It’s no surprise there have been some hiccups in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine across America. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were developed in just ten months’ time. Then, supply chains were hastily put together to get the vaccine across the third-largest country on Earth.
Add to that, medical professionals need a massive amount of supplies such as needles and vials to administer the shots, and vaccine centers made to accommodate thousands were put together overnight.
In most cases, these sites were created by local governments with little experience in mass vaccinations. So when a South Carolina drive-thru coronavirus vaccination site got backed up, the town’s quick-thinking mayor called in someone he knew he could help, a local Chick-fil-A manager.
Mt Pleasant public services staff & police diligently setting up for Friday drive thru Covid vaccination program at… https://t.co/anYXA9OIXM
Nobody knows how to get cars moving through a drive-through like folks in the fast-food business. The entire business model is getting people in and out as fast as possible.
On January 22, patients lined up at the Seacoast Church in Mount Pleasant were waiting over an hour to get their shots. So the town’s mayor, Will Haynie, called Jerry Walkowiak, the manager of a nearby Chick-fil-A.
“When I heard about it, I called Jerry and asked if he would come help us out,” Haynie said according to WPBF. “After he looked it over, he said, ‘There’s your problem right there. It’s backed up because you have one person checking people in.’ Then he showed us how to do it right.”
Walkowiak brought over a few volunteers, made some tweaks to the process, and then started waving people through.
Chic Fil A manager Jerry Walkowiak donating his professional drive thru experience to help our vaccination program… https://t.co/VFP57WXukV
Chick-fil-A has been the focus of boycotts for the better part of a decade after it was revealed in 2012 that its chairman, president, and CEO Dan T. Cathy donated millions of dollars to organizations seen as hostile to LGBT rights. In November 2019, the company announced it would not give any money to two groups that have been criticized as being anti-LGBT, the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, in 2020. Although the company has never said whether this change in charitable donations will be permanent.
But when it comes to this particular brand manager, his approach has been nothing short of a breakthrough for people trying to get vaccinated.
“We saw a little hiccup in their drive-thru system, and we needed some more people, so we gathered some of the wonderful Rotary volunteers and went down there and just was able to expedite the registration part,” Walkowiak said.
Once the new system was put in place, the wait time was drastically reduced from an hour-plus to just 15 minutes.
Haynie and Walkowiak’s partnership is a great example of communities coming together to do whatever they can to get people vaccinated so we can all move on from the pandemic.
Thank you, MSNBC and SC native @craigmelvin for getting out the story of how our community works together in… https://t.co/uG55nwEvO3
“Jerry got a phone call and dropped everything because he knows getting this vaccine out is a game-changer,” Haynie said. “This is what the light at the end of the long Covid tunnel looks like.”
Lady Gaga first met Tony Bennett a decade ago, hanging out backstage during a New York City gala performance. The two became “fast friends” and unlikely singing partners, recording and touring live together. Their 2014 duet album “Cheek to Cheek” debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, capturing the hearts of multiple generations. Gaga has often spoken fondly of Bennett in interviews, and for the past two years, the duo has been working on a new album together.
But a newly revealed development puts that endeavor into a whole different light: Bennett’s wife and son have publicly announced that the legendary 94-year-old jazz singer was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016.
In the latest issue of AARP magazine, writer John Colapinto describes meeting Bennett recently in the New York apartment he shares with his wife and primary caregiver, Susan. The picture he paints in the article is a familiar one for those who have experienced a loved one’s cognitive decline—alternating expressionless reactions and moments of lucidity with no seeming rhyme or reason. Susan says he can thankfully still remember family members, but he’s not always sure of what he’s doing or what’s happening. “Mundane objects as familiar as a fork or a set of house keys can be utterly mysterious to him,” Colapinto wrote.
Susan told AARP that they are fortunate in that her husband has tons of support and is able to still live a relatively normal life as his memory deteriorates. She wasn’t sure if he was going to be up to the task of recording an album, but they decided to try. Music is a surprisingly powerful tool for people with Alzheimer’s—even patients with severe and advanced dementia can have memories triggered with music—so Bennett’s neurologist encouraged him to continue making music for as long as he enjoys it.
So that’s what he’s done making this new album with Lady Gaga, which is set to be released this spring. However, he won’t be able to promote it himself through interviews or tours like he normally would. Even during the recording sessions, the evidence of his illness hit hard when he wasn’t singing, as Colapinto shared:
“In raw documentary footage of the sessions, he speaks rarely, and when he does his words are halting; at times, he seems lost and bewildered. Gaga, clearly aware of his condition, keeps her utterances short and simple (as is recommended by experts in the disease when talking to Alzheimer’s patients). ‘You sound so good, Tony,’ she tells him at one point. ‘Thanks,’ is his one-word response. She says that she thinks ‘all the time’ about their 2015 tour. Tony looks at her wordlessly. ‘Wasn’t that fun every night?’ she prompts him. ‘Yeah,’ he says, uncertainly. The pain and sadness in Gaga’s face is clear at such moments — but never more so than in an extraordinarily moving sequence in which Tony (a man she calls ‘an incredible mentor, and friend, and father figure’) sings a solo passage of a love song. Gaga looks on, from behind her mic, her smile breaking into a quiver, her eyes brimming, before she puts her hands over her face and sobs.”
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett have made a new album together, recorded through Tony’s battle with Alzheimer’s. This pa… https://t.co/oDRbox9xfb
Watching the mind of a loved one slip away is grueling to the point of feeling cruel. There’s no other way to put it. The friends and family of the approximately 5 million Americans who live with Alzheimer’s can attest to how hard it is, especially when the cognitive decline leads to forgetting even the most intimate of relationships.
The difficulty of Alzheimer’s makes it hard to destigmatize the disease. People should know that it’s not an immediate death sentence and that people can live a quality life with the support of their loved ones long after they’ve been diagnosed. We don’t need to hide away people with dementia—but we do need to understand how to interact with them as well as what to expect and not to expect.
And sometimes people with Alzheimer’s can surprise us. Susan said that despite the obvious cognitive decline, Bennett was still able to perform his music flawlessly, right up until his last public performance in March of 2020, when the pandemic put a halt to concerts. She said that he could seem very confused about where he was and what was going on backstage before a performance, but as soon as he heard “Ladies and gentlemen — Tony Bennett!” he would stride out on stage, smile at the audience, and sing his heart out like he’d always done. During every performance the past four years, Susan would worry he’d forget a lyric or get confused on stage. “I was a nervous frigging wreck,” she said. “Yet he always delivered!”
The entire AARP article is worth a read, as it profiles Bennett’s illustrious career, his life before and after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and how his family is handling the changes in him. It also includes some valuable information about dementia for people who are going through similar changes with their loved ones.
As the world awaits the release of the Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga collaboration, Bennett’s family and friends await the inevitable. Susan indicated that she’ll know the end is nearing when Bennett stops singing altogether. “Singing is everything to him. Everything. It has saved his life many times,” she told Colapinto, before once again pointing to the power of music.
“There’s a lot about him that I miss because he’s not the old Tony anymore,” she said. “But when he sings, he’s the old Tony.”
Today (February 1) marks the first day of Black History Month, and The Weeknd and Postmates decided to mark the occasion in a big way: The Weeknd chose a Black-owned Tampa restaurant, Mama’s Southern Soul Food, and donated 150 meals, delivered by Postmates, to frontline healthcare workers at AdventHealth Carrollwood. That’s near this year’s Super Bowl venue, Raymond James Stadium, where The Weeknd will be performing during halftime of the big game this upcoming weekend.
Meanwhile, The Weeknd is presumably busy getting ready for his big performance. He spoke about it in a recent Billboard interview, saying that he aims to make it a high-production experience, saying, “We’ve been really focusing on dialing in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience, and we want to do that with the Super Bowl.”
There were rumors that his performance would run for around 24 minutes, making it twice as long as a traditional halftime show. However, those rumors were debunked, with a Pepsi publicist correcting, “The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show featuring The Weeknd will be roughly 12 to 13 minutes in length, as it has always been.”
The Weeknd won’t be the only artist performing in Super Bowl-related events, as Verizon just announced a post-game concert featuring Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, and others.
Dustin Diamond’s Saved by the Bell co-stars are paying tribute to the actor, who died earlier today at 44 years old from stage 4 lung cancer.
“Dustin, you will be missed my man. The fragility of this life is something never to be taken for granted. Prayers for your family will continue on,” Mario Lopez, who played A.C. Slater, tweeted. Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris) wrote that he was “deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dustin Diamond, a true comedic genius. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Looking back at our time working together, I will miss those raw, brilliant sparks that only he was able to produce. A pie in your face, my comrade.” On Instagram, Tiffani Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski) called life “extremely fragile and it’s something we should never take for granted. God speed Dustin.”
Lark Voorhies (Lisa Turtle) has yet to post anything, but two weeks ago, she sent her “special love and special best wishes” to Diamond after he was hospitalized. “Dustin, all the many in your close circle who know you to be the great person that you are, are truly pulling for you and praying for the best outcome,” she wrote.
Dustin, you will be missed my man. The fragility of this life is something never to be taken for granted. Prayers for your family will continue on… pic.twitter.com/BnxY9XgN5g
Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dustin Diamond, a true comedic genius. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. Looking back at our time working together, I will miss those raw, brilliant sparks that only he was able to produce. A pie in your face, my comrade.
Diamond appeared in 248 episodes of the Saved by the Bell franchise as Screech, according to TVLine. He did not appear in the recent revival, but as Slater explained in the Peacock series, Screech is canonically on the International Space System with his robot, Kevin.
While the future of Disney’s Black Panther movie franchise got more complicated in 2020 after the death of star Chadwick Boseman, the universe of the franchise will soon get bigger with a Wakanda-focused TV series coming to Disney+. Deadline reported on Monday that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler will help make Wakanda, a show set in the fictional vibranium-rich nation.
According to the report, the show is part of an extended deal with Proximity Media to develop for television.
The deal is great news for those looking to get deeper into Wakanda and explore the variety of characters who appeared in Black Panther and the subsequent Avengers film after the first movie’s release. And it speaks to how much trust Coogler has earned to tell that side of the Marvel Universe’s story. Disney’s chairman certainly had some complimentary words for Coogler, who is also working on a sequel to Black Panther.
“Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation,” said Bob Iger, Executive Chairman, The Walt Disney Company. “With Black Panther, Ryan brought a groundbreaking story and iconic characters to life in a real, meaningful and memorable way, creating a watershed cultural moment. We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship and look forward to telling more great stories with Ryan and his team.”
It’s far too early to know exactly who will be involved in the Wakanda-based show, but it’s going to be a lot of fun to speculate about in the coming months.
Music fans can’t wait for the pandemic to quiet down enough for concerts to come back, but in some cases, that has already happened. Things are looking pretty normal in New Zealand, where Earthgang performed earlier this year. Flaming Lips also put on some “Space Bubble Concerts” where both the band and audience were encased in their own giant plastic bubbles, like the ones Wayne Coyne has used on stage for years. Those were apparently a success, as the band has announced that more bubble shows are on the way, on March 12 and 13 in Oklahoma City.
In a December interview, Coyne spoke about the then-upcoming shows with Consequence Of Sound, saying that he believes the bubble concerts are safer than some everyday activities: “I would say that they’re safer than going to the grocery store. We have people that will make you put on your mask and make you leave if you don’t comply. That doesn’t happen at the grocery store. A guy could be standing next to you and not think the coronavirus is real. I don’t want to get in a fight at the grocery store. So that part of it, I believe that we’re in control, and we would be the ones who say you have to put on a mask. It wouldn’t be up to another concertgoer. It would be up to the ones running the show. I wish more places were like that. I wish more places took control.”
However, not all medical professionals are convinced that this type of concert is safe, or that it isn’t. Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School Of Public Health, recently told The New York Times, “There is no evidence about the efficacy — or lack thereof — of these bubbles from an infectious disease transmission point of view. So, in theory, if air filtration is good, protective barriers can helpfully augment and reduce risk of transmission, but I would be hesitant to attend a concert in a bubble at the moment unless this has been assessed further.”
Flaming Lips is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Trump era has led to the rise of a particularly gag-worthy slogan in centrist-lib circles: “BELIEVE IN SCIENCE.”
It’s clearly well-intended, a way to draw a line between the sharer on one side and the misinformation and magical thinking of the Trumpists on the other. Yet it does so by ironically co-opting the language of religion, and it’s based on a fundamentally naive assumption that science is or has ever been fully extricable from politics.
InThe Same Breath, a documentary from Chinese-born, U.S.-resident Nanfu Wang (One Child Nation), Wang examines the way the politics of COVID have coerced the science of it, and all the ways both the Chinese and American governments have sacrificed their citizens for the sake of political expedience. For as much as both countries like to contrast themselves with the other to prove their superiority, they turn out to have a lot of similarities. She spares neither in her assessments and rather than compare and contrast which system works better, she aims to force both to admit what went wrong so that we can evolve rather than simply entrench.
During the government’s botched response to COVID-19, Anthony Fauci, immunologist and director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been hailed as essentially the avatar of “believe in science,” the opposite of Donald Trump and the latest in a line of similarly-received would-be #resistance saviors that include James Comey and Robert Mueller. That’s why it’s so jarring to see Wang repeatedly show footage of Fauci telling 60 Minutes back in March, “there’s no reason to be walking around with a mask.”
Wang is perhaps the ideal teller for this story, a director who knows firsthand how China handled the virus early on and who refuses to whitewash their attempts to cover it up. Yet for Wang the US version felt like deja vu. She examines the clear parallels between the way China downplayed early warnings about the virus until it was politically convenient, with the way US officials, like Surgeon General Jerome Adams, exhorted the public to “STOP BUYING MASKS” in the early days of the virus, only to have to reverse themselves just weeks later, contributing to general confusion in the process.
Even after seeing what she had in China, Wang admits to buying into what officials were saying, downplaying the virus in the US. It was just easier to believe that it wasn’t that big a deal. This all gives Wang a great deal of credibility as a storyteller. Sundance is often a place for selling easy truths to center-left liberals, like that “science is real!” and all those anti-mask protestors are just ca-raaazy looney tunes weirdos. Yet Wang boldly refuses to let Fauci off the hook. Even now, Fauci says he doesn’t regret initially telling Americans not to wear masks, whitewashing it as merely a necessary measure to keep people from hoarding masks. Even if that was the goal and he achieved it in that narrow context, he clearly lost some credibility in the process and added credence to a harmful narrative. Pained as she is to film the anti-mask protesters spreading false information, Wang doesn’t simply demonize them. She tries to get at the roots of this irrational response.
In China, the government used the virus as a parable to illustrate Chinese resilience and the superiority of their one-party system, all the while drastically downplaying the actual number of deaths, which In The Same Breath suggests are at least 10 times the official numbers. In America, Trump is gone, and Fauci has been named Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser. But the virus is still here. And Wang wonders aloud, if we don’t acknowledge the mistakes that led us here, how could we ever hope to do better the next time something like this happens?
‘In The Same Breath’ premiered at Sundance this week and will hit HBO later this year. Vince Mancini is onTwitter. You can access his archive of reviewshere.
One of the best running jokes of Cobra Kai (including within its infuriatingly good third season) is how bad Johnny Lawrence is at the Internet. To his credit, he finally learned how to log in (and even send a message on “The Facebook”), which led him to a very special reunion. Still, one really can’t expect him to be able to navigate the streaming wars, but if anyone really wants to know what William Zabka’s character is doing to ride out this pandemic winter, the Cobra Kai writers have got you covered.
“Send it to the internet!” would be the shout heard inside the dojo, but as one might expect, things aren’t too sophisticated for Johnny at home. Via Entertainment Weekly, here are some tips that the Cobra Kai creative team crafted. The first one here isn’t the worst idea, but things get messier from there:
– “Fire up that VCR and let Sly take you away. If you start watching Rocky III, Demolition Man, Rambo II, Cliffhanger, Rocky IV, Tango & Cash, and Over the Top at midnight on Valentine’s Day, Stallone wins a semi rig just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.”
– Stop ordering food from some guy’s car on your smartphone app. Bologna is nature’s way of thanking us — and it’s good with pretty much everything. I fry mine in butter. But you can eat it cold with pickles. If you have people over, melt some Velveeta on top and make it fancy. You’re welcome.”
Velveeta sure makes everything fancy. The tips only spiral further, including Johnny’s recommendations for reading material (with lots of “babes”), mixology, and fitness when the power goes out. Viewers might also remember that Johnny and warm beer are quite the Easter egg, but hey, we need input like this to stare down the time we’ll have to wait for Season 4 to materialize. In the meantime, the More Than Miyagidocumentary on Pat Morita will arrive via iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, and Google Play, on February 5
And guess what? The $40-$50 range just might be the sweet spot for bourbon. This is where you’re going to get real-deal single barrel expressions that can stand up to bottles twice the price, where the craft industry really starts to shine with unique bottles and grain-glass-gems, and where you find 10-year-old bourbons that outkick their coverage by a big margin. Plus $40-$50 feels relatively affordable for most drinkers.
The bottles of bourbon featured below are our favorites at their price point — taste being the only factor. However, limiting our list to just 10 bottles was pretty tough, so we’re sorry if we missed your favorite dram. Obviously, these prices will vary from state to state and from store to store. Some of you might get lucky and snag certain expressions for less than what we listed; others may have to pay a little more.
Jim Beam’s Single Barrel is the height of the brand’s prowess in making accessible whiskey. The juice is pulled from less than one percent of the barrels warehoused by Beam, ensuring that the juice is the best of the best. Those barrels are hand-selected by Beam’s masters to hit just the right bourbon notes while still tasting like a classic Jim Beam expression.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a real classic notion of bourbon on the nose with plenty of caramel popcorn, vanilla pods, and an almost toasted oakiness. The palate delivers on those notes while adding a spicy/cherry tobacco with a hint of honey, cut with orange oils. The finish bolsters the spiciness to Christmas spice levels while allowing the cherry and oak to shine on the slow end.
Bottom Line:
At this price, you really can’t beat this as a single barrel sipper, especially with some ice. We’d argue this makes for a great cocktail base too, if that feels do-able for you.
This is a true highwater mark for Wild Turkey. Father and son team Jimmy and Eddie Russell walk the musty rows of their warehouse to find the absolute best ten-year-old barrels to create this fine expression. The hand-picked barrels are married and then cut with soft Kentucky limestone water to bring the whiskey down to a very enjoyable 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
This is quintessential bourbon.
There’s a nose that touches on rich caramel apples, vanilla pods, Christmas spices, and charred oak. The oak kicks up a notch as notes of orange oils dance with dark chocolate (especially when water is added) while those spices and apples mingle with an almost tobacco chewiness. The oak then mellows towards a soft cedar flavor, with hints of worn leather as the fruit, spice, and vanilla all fade out very slowly.
Bottom Line:
This really is a fine sipper. Though, you need to take your time. Add a little water or an ice cube. Swirl. Nose. Taste. Repeat.
Let the expression bloom and filter through your senses.
Angle’s Envy garnered fame for sourcing barrels of whiskey and giving them unique cask finishes. Their signature expression is their small-batched bourbon finished in port casks. They take eight to 12 barrels and marry them before transferring the juice to port casks for an additional three to six months of resting.
Tasting Notes:
Bourbon-y notes of vanilla and caramel mingle with port-y notes of dried fruits and fatty nuts with a hint of maple syrup. That maple syrup creates the foundation where bright red berries pop next to hints of toast dripping with Nutella, more vanilla, and a touch of sweet oak. The fade is fairly slow with the nutty chocolate, fruit, and vanilla lasting the longest.
Bottom Line:
While this is positioned as a sipper, it makes one hell of a cocktail. Try it in your next Manhattan or old fashioned.
This small-town craft distillery is making some of the finest grain-to-glass whiskey on the market. Their signature bourbon is a wheated bourbon that utilizes grains grown within 100 miles of the Wyoming distillery. The juice is aged for at least four years before it’s small-batched, proofed with local water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The vanilla and caramel on the nose are creamy to the point of feeling like a stiff pudding with a hint of wildflowers. The palate holds onto those flowers and pudding while adding cinnamon sticks warming in browned butter with a note of cedar. That spice broadens out to a Christmas spice vibe as a buttery toffee sweetness and mouthfeel lead you toward a finish that’s just the right length.
Bottom Line:
This really is a stellar sip of whiskey. Make sure to add a little water to really let those flavors shine. Once you’ve become familiar with the sip, start experimenting with your favorite cocktails.
Yes, this is technically a gimmick whiskey. The expression was released as a tie-in to Kingsman: The Golden Circle. But, that doesn’t really matter with this exceptional bottle of whiskey. The barrels are all hand-selected from the hottest corners of the warehouse and small-batched to create a deep character and bold presence.
Tasting Notes:
Moist, dark chocolate cake with cloves and oak mix with a flourish of vanilla on the nose. The taste holds onto the spice and amps it into Christmas spice territory with a focus on woody cinnamon next to worn leather and buttery toffee. A dry floral note arrives late with a burst of orange that leans creamy (almost like a sherbert) comingling with all that vanilla and toffee.
Bottom Line:
This really is meant to be sipped slowly with a little water or ice. It takes a while for some of those deeper floral and creamy notes to arrive, so don’t rush. When they do pop, this whiskey becomes very hard to put down.
Bob Dylan’s Tennessee Bourbon is a very enjoyable and a (surprisingly) un-gimmicky treat. The juice is a high-rye bourbon that’s aged for up to eight years before Heaven’s Door’s blender gets his hands on the barrels. Then the whiskeys are blended to highlight classic bourbon notes.
Tasting Notes:
Notes of vanilla sit next to a slight oakiness with an almost rye bread crust sourness and bitterness. The sip leans into the vanilla, creating a creamy texture as wisps of apricot and cherry mingle with mild brown spices. The finish is long and hits on that vanilla cream, all the fruit, and mild spice while leaving you with a final nod to the charred oak at the end.
Bottom Line:
While this is fine as a sipper (a little water will reveal some powdery dark chocolate), it really shines best as a cocktail base.
This bottle from Beam Suntory marries Kentucky Bourbon, California wine, and Japanese whisky blending in one bottle. Legent is classic Kentucky bourbon made by bourbon legend Fred Noe at Beam that’s finished in both French oak that held red wine and Spanish sherry casks. The juice is then blended by whisky blending legend Shinji Fukuyo.
Tasting Notes:
Plummy puddings with hints of nuts mingle with vinous berries, oaky spice, and a good dose of vanilla and toffee on the nose. The palate expands on the spice with more barky cinnamon and dusting of nutmeg while the oak becomes sweeter and the fruit becomes dried and sweet. The finish is jammy-yet-light with plenty of fruit, spice, and oak lingering on the senses.
Bottom Line:
This is built as a workhorse whiskey. Sip it, mix with it, enjoy it. [When we lead whiskey tastings, this is the one we serve first to offer a “baseline” of standard, enjoyable, sippable bourbon.]
Michter’s really means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Buttery caramel and peaches mix with creamy vanilla and oak on the nose. The vanilla really shines as the peach almost takes on a grilled edge as it gets sweeter and adds a whisper of smoke next to peppery spice. The spice kicks up and warms the senses as the slow fade embraces stone fruit, toffee, and more vanilla with a final kick of charred oak.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that’s built as a workhorse bourbon. And while we dig it as a sipper on the rocks, it’s truly a killer cocktail base for any whiskey cocktail.
This is classic Bulleit Bourbon that’s aged up to ten years before it’s blended and bottled. These barrels are hand-selected to really amplify and highlight the classic flavors that make Bulleit so damn accessible in the first place.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lot going on with butter and spicy stewed apples, maple syrup, Christmas cakes full of nuts and dried fruit, and a hint of savory herbs all pinging through your olfactory. The palate brings about smooth and creamy vanilla with plenty of butter toffee, sourdough crust, more X-mas spice, cedar bark, and a hint of dried roses. The finish is long, warming, and really embraces the toffee and spice.
Bottom Line:
Make sure to add in a rock or some water to really let this one bloom in the glass. Then take your time enjoying this monster sip.
Four Roses’ most recent single barrel is from only one of their ten recipes/bourbons. In this case, that means the juice is a high-rye (35 percent) bourbon that’s fermented with yeasts that highlight “delicate fruit” in the body of the whiskey. The bourbon is then barely touched with water to bring it down to a very drinkable 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Pears roasted in maple syrup and cinnamon sticks counter a very creamy vanilla base on the nose. The taste holds onto that roasted pear feel while adding a spicy tobacco buzz alongside dates, plums, and walnuts. The sip is pure velvet as the fade slows way down while hitting the nuttiness, plumminess, stewed and spicy fruitiness, and creaminess along the way.
Bottom Line:
This is a killer single barrel expression that could cost twice as much. It’s also inexpensive enough that you don’t have to fret over using this quality sipper as a solid cocktail base.
