On Sunday, then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy seemed awfully confident. He’d just teamed up with House Democrats to avert a disastrous shutdown of the federal government. That had enraged fellow House Republicans, most notably Matt Gaetz, who vowed to bring a vote to remove him from the gig he just barely nabbed in early January. In response McCarthy tweeted this:
Jump less than 48 hours and McCarthy was successfully ousted from his Speaker job. What happens next is up in the air, but the immediate reaction was one of merriment. The jokes flew all over social media. The Daily Showgot in one of the best ones. So did the star of the film McCarthy seemed to be referencing when he told Gaetz and crew to, as he put it, “Bring it on.”
That film was, of course, Bring It On, the dueling cheerleader squad comedy from the year 2000, that starred Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union. The latter didn’t miss McCarthy’s apparent reference. And after McCarthy lost his gig, she offered him some side-eye.
McCarthy getting dissed by one of the stars of a movie he referenced isn’t as bad as what happened to fellow Republican Ted Cruz. McCarthy was simply spouting a phrase that inspired the title of a popular franchise. Cruz actually got into a fight with Cary Elwes, the star of his favorite movie, The Princess Bride. That must suck knowing that one of the stars of your favorite movie hates your guts. But most of us will likely never know that indignity.
From seasonally-inspired treatments to traveling for time-honored wellness traditions, we’ve broken down the top spa trends you need to know for fall of 2023 and where to experience them firsthand.
THE TREND — Traveling For Wellness
Hoshino Resorts
Would you travel across the globe if you could take part in another country’s spa traditions? I traveled all the way to Japan to visit a traditional Japanese onsen (well, for that and the sushi), and let me tell you, it was a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience.
An onsen is a Japanese traditional bath, usually found in regions with natural hot springs, and is deeply rooted in the country’s culture. At its best, it is soothing, calming, and elegant (in contrast to many American hot springs which can be… a tad seedy).
Where To Experience It:
Hoshino Resorts
At HOSHINOYA Tokyo, an urban twist on a traditional ryokan, they’re seeing a wave of younger travelers (under the age of 29) staying at the property (there’s been a 17% monthly increase in the demographic as of July 2023). The hotel’s general manager, Geunju Lee told me, “This year at HOSHINOYA Tokyo, we’re finding that younger people are looking for special ways to unplug and recharge.”
I chose this hotel because I got a two-in-one — a location in the center of the city and a true sanctuary. The top floor’s onsen baths are fed by hot spring waters drawn from 1,500 meters below the ground and located at the bottom of an open-roof chamber with high walls that frame the sky above. Through the open roof, guests are presented with a private viewing of the ever-shifting colors of the Tokyo night sky. At night, cool breezes blow in, bringing seasonal aromas with them.
In case you’ve never been to an onsen, note that you’ll be fully nude. Bring a small wash towel for the washing area (you need to rinse before getting in). Keep in mind, tattoos are a bit of a taboo for the Japanese’s older generation; however, this attitude is changing with younger generations, especially those living in the bigger cities.
THE TREND — Spa Menus Using Trending Seasonal Ingredients
VH Spa at Hotel Valley Ho
Pumpkin spice latte what?
Spas are catering to the younger crowd with trendy seasonal specials. These customized treatments not only address specific body needs but also offer a sensory journey aligned with the changing seasons. It’s essentially the “eat local” movement ported over to spa culture.
Where to Experience It:
The Lodge at Woodloch
At VH Spa at Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona, guests can choose from new menus of special treatments with ingredients from every season. In the fall, you can expect an Apple + Pumpkin Pie Massage that’s finished off with a pumpkin-orange enzyme foot treatment or a Whipped Elderberry Facial for an antioxidant-packed mask that leaves you with a golden glow. They also offer midweek “happy hour-esque” deals on treatments and unique offerings like chromotherapy saunas, CBD oils, and more.
Also, The Lodge at Woodloch (in Hawley, PA) incorporates body polishes inspired by the season. In fall, they use warming scents of pumpkin and spices for cozy comfort, and in the winter you’ll find an aromatic pick-me-up of coffee.
Spas around the world are now utilizing crystals throughout their treatments to enhance energy healing and alleviate stress. Many claim that incorporating crystals helps enhance relaxation and promote holistic well-being by harnessing the unique energy and soothing properties associated with these natural gems.
Where to Experience It:
The Ritz Carlton New York, Nomad
I tried the 90-minute Rose Quartz Remedy massage at the The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad and it was unlike any other massage I’ve ever gotten because it started off with a dry scrub. It’s a full-body massage and exfoliation treatment that began with a grounding tea ceremony. The powerful effects of Frangipani, Rose Geranium, and Palmerosa went to work, and the experience concluded with a scalp massage with rose quartz crystals which are believed to be connected to the heart chakra.
The spa’s director Rita Rroku-Berishaj told me, “Since opening a year ago, we’ve quickly seen wellness activities become an everyday essential in some visitors’ lifestyles. Amongst the millennial demographic, they love our clean, organic aromatherapy approach as well as the sustainable brands we’re partnered with such as Augustinus Bader and ESPA.”
It’s no secret the younger generations are drawn to the latest technologies, and that doesn’t end with phones and social media. Spas are keeping up on the latest opportunities and big ideas when it comes to how technology can enhance a wellness experience for the better.
Where to Experience It:
Carillon Miami Wellness Resort
At the Conrad LA, they offer high-tech wellness therapies delivered to what’s called a Recovery Cabin. These cabins tap into powerful neuroscience technology with NuCalm Recharge meditation that organically diffuses the stress response and improves the quality of sleep. In the cabins, guests can use the HigherDose Infrared PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) Mat, which helps to ease chronic pain, recover from workouts and aids total body relaxation. The innovation doesn’t stop there, the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort is a leader in wellness menus and offers “touchless wellness.” Think: prism light therapies, a wave massage machine, a Somadome meditation pod, and coming soon — a power plate to send tiny vibrations through your body.
WRITER’S PICK: THE TREND — Adding Sound & Light Into The Mix
SPA AT SEC-HE
Light and sound therapies are the next wave, literally (as in… light and sound waves). Whereas many spa treatments are unproven, freaking NASA is all in on light therapy. And the healing qualities of sound waves — aka music — have been well documented. It certainly tracks that spas, which have long thrown around words like “holistic” would start paying increased attention to the other sensory elements of relaxation beyond just physical touch.
Where to Experience It:
SPA AT SEC-HE
One of my favorite rooms at The Spa at Séc-he — which impressed me so much that it landed on the 2023 Uproxx Fall Travel Hot List — was the Acoustic Wellness Lounge. Sound therapy is gaining popularity for its proven benefits of lowering anxiety, stress, depression, sleep disorders, and high blood pressure. This room was lined with zero-gravity vibrational (and heated) loungers for binaural therapy. I loved this room because after a massage I always want to continue feeling ultra relaxed and I’m never ready to enter the real world… y’know, with other humans in it. I also usually want to take a nap.
This room allows not only for that nap but also offered the added benefit of audio therapy. On the left side, the loungers offered a variety of healing sounds. I was able to enjoy a guided breath-work session in 25 minutes (bonus!). Other options include chakra–sound waves to work on all six chakras, gamma meditation that focused on memory, perception, and compassion, vibrational wellness, meditation energy, and, my favorite ~sleep wave~. As someone who is chronically underslept, the power nap and deep sleep options were a godsend.
There was also a weight management option. I didn’t ask questions, I just hit “play” and hoped some weight was being magically redistributed while I relaxed.
“Not unlike Frankenstein, a lightning bolt has started its heart again!” he said. “It’s a really great show. It’s called Dos Apes, and with the pandemic we had to put it down. Dos Apes is alive, and that’s all I can say. There was nothing happening because of the writers strikes and stuff like that, but we’ll see. I’m not going to drown in projects like I was before, but that it is one of them that I really want to do and it might happen.”
“There’s a lot of detail from autobiographical things, but not just mine — also Walt Martin and Matt Barrick from the Walkmen have all kinds of stories,” he continued. “Tom, my brother, is essentially the hero of everything. Tom and I play ourselves, my wife isn’t in it, but the whole chemistry and DNA of the show is very different than anything I think that exists.”
There are two main phases to Chris Pratt’s career. There’s the seven seasons he spent playing lovably schlubby Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation. Then there’s when he got ripped to play heroes in the MCU, in the Jurassic World films, and so on. Actually there’s some overlap between these two epochs. Parks and Rec ran until 2015, while people first noticed how shredded Pratt had gotten in 2012. In fact Jacked Pratt got him into some trouble when he was still playing Doughy Pratt.
“There’s a scene that we wrote for the premiere where it called for him to take his shirt off. We realized we couldn’t do it — [he’d] look ridiculous,” Schur said. “Andy is not a guy who has a perfectly constructed human form with ripped abs and gigantic biceps.”
Again, this isn’t new news. Said interview is from 2015. But the tidbit has resurfaced in the new book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, which chronicles the storied rise of the comic book line’s film wing.
It’s worth noting that Pratt first got ripped not for Guardians of the Galaxy, the movie he almost gave up on, but for Zero Dark Thirty, in which he played the Navy SEAL who takes out Osama bin Laden. That came out in 2012, with some three seasons left of Parks and Rec. Surely it’s fun to go back and watch the show and see if you can spot Andy Dwyer, midway through, looking like an Adonis under his baggy clothes.
If September still feels like summer (since technically, most of the month lands in that season), October is when we notice that fall has officially arrived. If you live somewhere with seasons, you’re likely seeing leaves begin to change colors or grabbing a light jacket when you leave the house in the morning. When it comes to beer, you’re leaning toward darker, maltier, and potentially even pumpkin-flavored brews.
October is a great month for beer drinkers with a lot to offer from a sprawling variety of beer styles. Oktoberfest-style beers, Vienna lagers, pumpkin beers, and even darker, bolder beers are starting to make their respective appearances. The fact that it’s a sort of tricky weather month means it’s a great beer month. Random 80-degree day? Grab an IPA or pilsner. Cloudy, cold, and rainy? It’s brown ale, porter, or even stout time.
We decided to help map out your October imbibing by picking eight great, new, seasonal beers that pair perfectly with the season. Keep scrolling to see them all.
The October beer list is complete without a spooky beer, right? Well, this beer might have a Halloween-themed name but there’s nothing scary about this “hoppy dark ale” brewed with roasted barley, Blackprinz malt, and hopped with Chinook, Saaz, and Crystal hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all chocolate, roasted malts, dried fruits, and light floral hops. The palate is a mixture of freshly brewed coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate, caramel, dried fruits, and gentle floral, piney hops at the end. It’s a nice mix of malts and hops.
Bottom Line:
This black IPA is a great entry into fall. It’s bold, malty, and bittersweet. All in all, it’s a great beer for the season’s brisk days.
Not all of your October beer choices need to be dark, robust, and malty. The recently released Grimm Ambient Fizz: Koyo Berry is a respite from a month otherwise dominated by those beers. This sour beer was fermented and aged in oak barrels with wild yeast and bacteria. It was fermented a second time with Oishii Koyo berries.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of ripe berries, lemon peel, funky yeast, and oaky wood begin your tasting journey with this unique beer. Sipping it reveals a sour, tart, slightly sweet beer loaded with strawberries, raspberries, lemongrass, and oak flavors. It’s refreshing, effervescent, and highly memorable.
Bottom Line:
This sparkling, tart, refreshing beer is a great break from the inevitable Marzen-style beers, Vienna lagers, and darker beers that make an appearance in October.
Brewed with Pale and Munich malts, Bronx Brewing’s annual take on the classic Oktoberfest beer leans toward the Marzen-style side of things. It’s known for its mix of sweet, caramel malts, roasted flavors, and floral, earthy, herbal hops. It’s a very well-balanced fall sipper.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of roasted malts, biscuit-like malts, caramel, and floral, earthy hops begins everything off right. A palate of bready malts, toffee, roasted malts, and more floral, herbal, noble hops rounds everything together nicely. All in all, a great example of an American-style Oktoberfest beer.
Bottom Line:
After you’ve enjoyed traditional Oktoberfest beers, try an American craft version like Das Bronx. You’ll be happy you did.
This annual pumpkin beer begins with 3,000 pounds of locally sourced pumpkins. It’s spiced with cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and French Saison yeast. While spiced, it’s known for its light, pumpkin-forward flavor profile that sets it apart from the other overly sweet, spiced beers on the market.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find notes of roasted pumpkins, caramel malts, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other spices. On the palate, you’ll find a ton of toffee, ripe pumpkin, cinnamon sugar, and nutmeg. It’s sweet, spiced, and surprisingly well-balanced.
Bottom Line:
In a market of over-the-top pumpkin beers, Troegs’ Master of Pumpkins is a well-balanced, flavorful option that will make you rethink the style.
Cellarmaker Brass Boots
Cellarmaker
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
Brewed with Dark Crystal, English Maris Otter, and Honey malts, this ESB (extra special bitter) is known for its mix of bready malts, toffee, and dried fruits. It’s malty, sweet, and well-balanced. Perfect for a chilly fall day.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of bready, caramel malts, and nutty sweetness greets you before your first sip. On the palate, you’ll find notes of freshly baked bread, sticky toffee pudding, candied almonds, dried fruits, and gentle herbal hops. Overall, this is a malty, sweet beer well-suited for fall weather.
Bottom Line:
While well-balanced, this is a malt-forward beer that drinks perfectly on an unseasonably cool fall evening.
When it comes to cool fall days, we can get behind the idea of having a flannel Friday even if it’s just in beer form. It’s listed as a “hoppy amber ale”, but it seems more like a mix of a red IPA and a brown ale. It’s known for its roasted malts, caramel, and floral hops.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of sweet caramel, candied orange peels, roasted malts, and floral, piney hops start everything off on a perfect foot. Drinking it brings forth notes of roasted malts, toffee candy, orange peels, and resinous, piney hops.
Bottom Line:
This malty, citrus-filled, piney beer is like the beer equivalent of pulling on a soft, warm flannel shirt on a chilly fall day.
Ska Brewing Double Modus
Ska Brewing
ABV: 9%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
If you’re an IPA fan, you’ve probably enjoyed a pint (or two) of Ska Brewing’s flagship IPA Modus Hoperandi. Recently, the well-known Colorado brewery decided to turn things up to eleven with its new Double Modus DIPA. This imperial version of the well-known IPA is 9% and is known for its dank pine and ripe citrus flavors.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is an aromatic mix of tropical fruits, tangerine, lime peels, and dank, resinous pine. The palate is a symphony of pineapple, caramel malts, lemongrass, orange peels, and a wallop of dank, spicy, piney hops. The finish is loaded with citrus and pleasantly bitter, biting pine needles.
Bottom Line:
If you already enjoy Ska Modus Hoperandi, you’re going to love this elevated, 9% double IPA version. It’s every flavor you enjoy, heightened.
You might have heard of Stowe, Vermont’s von Trapp Brewing, but did you know that it’s the same family so famously portrayed in ‘The Sound of Music’? Well, not only do they sing, but they also make flavorful, award-winning, European-style beers. One of their best is its Vienna Lager. Brewed with German-sourced malts and hops, it’s a great American take on the classic beer style.
Tasting Notes:
This beer starts everything off right with a nose of freshly baked bread, roasted malts, wet grass, and floral, herbal, earthy hops. The palate continues this trend with a ton of biscuit-like malt sweetness followed by freshly cut grass, toffee, and a ton of noble, floral, fresh hops. The finish is sweet and lightly bitter.
Bottom Line:
As American-made Vienna lagers go, you’d have a tough time finding one better and more authentic than von Trapp’s version.
On Tuesday Kevin McCarthy made history. It wasn’t good history, mind you. Instead he earned two unfortunate milestones: He became the first House Speaker to be removed, and he became the House Speaker with the shortest tenure, beating Michael Crawford Kerr, whose stint ended in 1876 after he died of tuberculosis. After the vote the jokes came flying. A good candidate for the best — or at least the coldest — wasn’t about McCarthy. It was about the man who initiated his ousting.
The man was Matt Gaetz, who’s been a thorn in McCarthy’s side for most of 2023. In January, the MAGA lawmaker helped drag out McCarthy’s ascent to the Speakership over 15 humiliating votes. After McCarthy sought Democrats’ help in averting a disastrous shutdown of the federal government, Gaetz vowed to hold a vote to remove him. And so he did. And removed McCarthy was. But the victory was pyrrhic: After all, it earned him a sick burn from The Daily Show’s Twitter/X account.
“Refreshing to see Matt Gaetz f*ck someone over 18,” the comedy news show’s account wrote.
That, of course, is a reference to Gaetz’s own dalliance with almost losing his House gig. Starting in late 2020, he was the subject of a federal investigation into his ties to a sex trafficking ring. One story alleged that Gaetz had unwittingly had sex with a minor. He was ultimately never charged, but over the summer the House Ethics Committee opened their own investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and other possible offenses.
As for McCarthy, he’s probably not doing so hot right now. But if he needs some cheering up, he can check out The Daily Show’s Twitter/X feed.
This week saw the release of a ton of great new pop music. Ed Sheeran, Feid, and more are back with brand-new albums to enjoy. Bad Bunny detailed falling in love. And Beyoncé, while not on this week’s list, announced the Renaissance Tour film is coming.
Check out the rest of Uproxx’s Best New Pop Music roundup below.
Bad Bunny — “Un Preview”
Bad Bunny’s “Un Preview” is a steamy new single that many suspect might be about the singer’s romance with Kendall Jenner. “Baby, I’m not scared / Of trying you and falling in love again,” he sings in Spanish, according to the English translation from Genius.
Ed Sheeran — “That’s On Me”
Ed Sheeran is tapping into the season with his new album, Autumn Variations. As a significant theme of the record details emotional struggles, whether it’s his own or recognizing it in others, “That’s On Me” makes it clear as Sheeran is running through his thoughts to process pain.
PinkPantheress — “Mosquito”
In PinkPantheress’ bubbly “Mosquito,” she seems to find herself wanting more time with a lover. Still, she manages to flip the script in the supporting video, as she goes on a shopping spree with her girls — proving that those are some of the best things that life can provide.
aespa — “Better Things (Raye Remix)”
aespa’s “Better Things” was originally co-written by Raye, who has now also delivered an empowering remix of the K-Pop hit. As she adds in a new rap verse, it gives another dig to a guy who wasted the girls’ time. “I ain’t tell you straight, I’ll tell you all over the airwaves,” Raye notes.
Empress Of, Rina Sawayama — “Kiss Me”
Empress Of is supporting Rina Sawayama on her current North American tour that kicked off this week — and now they have a collaborative song together too. “Kiss Me” brings the dreamy vibes as the two channel their inner (and outer) angels.
XG — “Puppet Show”
“Imagine a world where we could play different roles / Where girls be takin’ control,” XG declares in their new song. The hyped-up anthem finds the girl group reclaiming their power by using the concept of turning boys into their puppets.
VTSS, Boys Noize — “Steady Pace”
VTSS and Boys Noize are ready to party on their “Steady Pace” collab, delivering the heat on a club hit and a Y2K pop-inspired video to match. Most of it is carried by the beat, as it depicts a fun night out on the town.
Jeremy Zucker — “This Time”
“Maybe I’m a hypocrite, nope, I’m just an idiot,” Zucker opens with on “This Time,” an emotional take about someone with a disregard for his feelings, as his quiet vocals match the mood. Still, the video puts a focus on the fans, who help lift him back up.
Feid — “Luces De Tecno”
Feid returned this week with his new album, Mor, No Le Temas A La Oscuridad. The reggaeton performer collaborated with everyone from Sean Paul to Rema. He also is fully able to deliver a great solo track, including the nightclub tale on “Luces De Tecno.”
Mae Muller — “Nervous (In A Good Way)”
Mae Muller’s debut album, Sorry I’m Late, also dropped this week — with the Eurovision performer ushering in her pop girl era by not holding anything back. “I just wanted to capture that naivety,” she shared of “Nervous (In A Good Way),” which is detailing a pure kind of a love.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
On Tuesday, Kevin McCarthy’s stint as Speaker of the House ended it as it began: in abject humiliation. After less than 10 months on the job, a vote to oust him, brought on by his mortal enemy Matt Gaetz, ended in triumph. House Democrats sided with a slim cabal of MAGA hardliners, bringing the final vote to 216 versus 210. What happens next is anybody’s guess. But for now, a lot of people, including Democrats, aren’t exactly verklempt.
Vote to Remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House Succeeds: 216-210
There was another record McCarthy broke: He had the shortest Speaker stint since Michael C. Kerr, who served from December 1976 through August 1876, when he died of TB.
If McCarthy goes down today he will have had the shortest Speakership since Michael C. Kerr (December 1875-August 1876). He died of tuberculosis. pic.twitter.com/NEAQIOAgR0
Things seemed bad for McCarthy even before the final vote had concluded.
Someone from Capitol Hill staff just came through the House speaker’s lobby to tell reporters they can’t get between the speaker and his security detail when McCarthy leaves the chamber. To which a reporter asked, “What if he’s not speaker anymore?”
Perhaps it wasn’t wise for McCarthy to trash Democrats on Face the Nation Sunday, shortly after they helped him avert a government shutdown.
Still can’t get over this clip. Not that Democrats were inclined to help McCarthy but shitting on them on the cusp of a vote to save his job is so unbelievably dumb https://t.co/LFI1iI3MnY
— Michael A. Cohen (NOT TRUMP’S FORMER FIXER) (@speechboy71) October 3, 2023
Some reflected on the brevity of McCarthy’s tenure as Speaker.
Others pointed out that McCarthy was the latest person to be destroyed by siding with Donald Trump.
Now I don’t know if you’ve heard this theory or not but some people say that every person who comes into close contact and associates himself with Donald Trump has a terrible outcome.#ETTD
That includes other GOP representatives, who proved again that today’s Republican Party is in shambles.
Chip Roy goes after Gaetz: “You want to come at me and call me a RINO you can kiss my ass! You go around talking your big game and thumping your chest on Twitter. Come in my office and have a debate mother —-!” pic.twitter.com/mk6Qv6PfC6
For years, a meme has circulated the internet displaying a headshot of Troy Aikman and Jay-Z side-by-side. In these headshots, the Hall of Fame quarterback looks remarkably like Jay-Z in the face. It’s easily the closest cross-racial lookalikes we have in popular culture (if you’d like to see a close second, please look up Future and Meryl Streep).
Until recently, neither Jay-Z nor Aikman had addressed the viral meme comparing their likeness. Fortunately, ESPN’s Pablo Torre did the hard hitting journalism and asked Aikman about the meme on an episode of Pardon The Interruption, which Torre then brought up on his podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out.
Oddly enough, Aikman never explicitly states that he thinks he looks like Jay-Z, only that the meme is so good that he initially thought the images could be manipulated by AI. Fortunately, this meme predates the AI revolution, so we can safely assume Aikman thinks he looks like a white Jay-Z.
Aikman mentioned the meme has popped onto his feed a few times, so hopefully, it’s inspired him to get into a few Jay-Z albums. America needs the two men to take a photo together to finally give us a real, side-by-side look. Until then, we’d like to thank Pablo Torre for getting to the bottom of this.
American whiskey is a fun category. The main reason being that American whiskey can… kind of be anything it wants to be. It doesn’t suffer from the restrictions that bourbon and rye have to adhere to. In the past, that meant that blenders would throw any old crap into a batch and bottle it to cut corners. But those days are long behind us, thanks to consumers demanding good whiskey no matter what’s on the label.
What does this all mean? It means it’s time for a brand-new American whiskey blind taste test.
Below, I’ve gathered 12 bottles of American whiskey across several spheres of influence in the whiskey world. There are wheat whiskeys, blends of ryes and bourbons, region-specific straight whiskeys, and even blends of Irish and American whiskeys (which used to be a huge thing in American whiskey way back in the day). That makes our lineup today the following bottles of American whiskeys:
Whiskey War Double Double A Blend of Straight Whiskeys
Old Elk Straight Wheat Whiskey
Blackened Cask Strength A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks
Whiskey Jypsi Legacy “The Journey”
Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish + American Single Barrel Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels
The Beverly Reserve Barrel Strength American Whiskey
American Hell House Legend American Whiskey Finished with Oak Staves
J. Rieger & Co. 2023 Monogram Whiskey Kansas City Whiskey Solera Reserve
Four Walls The Better Brown Made with a Blend of Irish Whiskeys and American Rye Whiskeys
Little Book Chapter 07: Retrospect
Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof Batch: B923
After blindly tasting these whiskeys (thanks to my wife for setting this one up for me), I ranked them based solely on taste. But the taste is never just “the taste” — it’s texture, depth, balance, and how it makes one feel. Luckily, some really good whiskeys were on this panel, making this a fun tasting. Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Nose: There’s a sweet sense of salted caramel on the nose that gives way to dried chili pepper, old wet leather sheets, pink peppercorns, and a hint of burnt orange rinds over cider-soaked cinnamon bark and raw waffle batter with a whisper of pecan.
Palate: The palate hits that burnt orange and caramel note harder as minor keys of winter spice, fruit cake, and rum raisin darken the taste.
Finish: The end has a sense of pitchy firewood and sweet oak next to smudging sage and spearmint-chocolate tobacco just dusted with lemon pepper from the 90s.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a nice and deep whiskey. It’s a tad warm on the finish, but a rock will solve that.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Brown spice and dry hay drive the nose toward soft cherry and apple with a nice foundation of creamy vanilla and some mild honey sweetness.
Palate: Peach cobbler with malted vanilla ice cream pops on the front of the palate next to yeasty doughnuts dusted with cinnamon sugar, a hint of nutmeg, and some clove before dark fig jam leads to a moment of cedar kindling.
Finish: The cedar flourishes on the finish as woody spices, creamy honey, soft dry grasses, and a whisper of dry grains round out the end.
Initial Thoughts:
This is another nice pour. It’s dry but that’s not a knock. I did want to water it though as I’m guessing there’s a lot more here than what presents on a neat pour.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hints of back porch wicker on a sunny day under a cedar tree mingles with dark chocolate with a hint of salt layered with dried cherry and toasted coconut next to salted caramel lattes.
Palate: Rich bourbon vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone leads to a sugary berry syrup with a hint of cinnamon and clove on the light palate.
Finish: Cinnamon-spiced vanilla tobacco rounds out the short-ish finish.
Initial Thoughts:
This had a touch of nostalgia built into a good classic American whiskey profile. It was a little hot on the finish. It was almost begging for ice.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a hint of old dried roses on the nose that leads to caramel-crusted doughnuts dusted with cinnamon next to a whisper of dried cranberry and turkey roasting herbs.
Palate: The cranberry leans toward dried cherry dipped in chocolate with a dash of woody baking spices over honey-dipped kindling with a dash of fresh pipe tobacco.
Finish: That pipe tobacco takes in the tart red cherries and woody spice as a lush vanilla base with rich caramel and soft nuttiness slowly warms your palate with sharp winter spice barks and burnt orange.
Initial Thoughts:
This is complex and lush. This is a winner neat and probably explodes with more flavors with a touch of water to let it really bloom in the glass.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich vanilla custard with a hint of cotton candy drives the nose toward pecan waffles with salted butter and real maple syrup next to hints of apple fritters, nutty fruit cake, and a touch of leathery tobacco.
Palate: The taste opens with creme brûlée swimming in more maple syrup as deep and rich vanilla tobacco leads to softer notes of almond, malted chocolate, and a hint of winter spice mixes.
Finish: The vanilla creaminess and spices meld on the finish with a touch of spiced warm apple cider, soft almond, and mincemeat pies all grounded by rich and real maple syrup sweetness that nearly takes on a rock candy vibe.
Initial Thoughts:
This came across as very sweet overall, but there was a sense of balance over time.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Pecan waffles with plenty of butter, vanilla, and caramel open the nose toward maple syrup, cinnamon sticks, red chili pepper, and toasted marshmallows.
Palate: The pecans take on a cookie vibe on the palate as brown butter and rum raisin mingle with cinnamon syrup cut with orange and a whisper of chocolate.
Finish: That cinnamon and orange get buttery and lush with a sense of nut cake covered in caramel drizzle with a flake of salt and tobacco before a warming sense of chili arrives on the very end.
Initial Thoughts:
This was nutty and full of cinnamon. It was very even-keeled and went down very easily.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich caramel, boot leather, and allspice drive the nose toward soft raspberry ice cream and a sense of sweet honeydew and maybe even some caramelized watermelon.
Palate: More caramelized fruit leads to woody winter spices, a light sense of dried lavender, rosewater, and almost rich cotton candy just kissed with apple or pear.
Finish: The end is light but does lean into the sweetness of the cotton candy and the dryness of the florals with a slight oakiness and minerality.
Initial Thoughts:
This was solid but very standard whiskey.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: French toast leads to rich maple syrup on the nose before veering into candied orange, grilled peach, old cedar bark, and rich pipe tobacco with a sense of salted buttercream.
Palate: Pecan pies and cream soda drive the palate toward Black Forest cake, spiced winter nut cakes, rum raisin, and vanilla cookies with a hint of almond oil and fig.
Finish: The end leans into the winter cake of it all with tons of spice, brandy-soaked fruits, and nuts next to old cedar and tobacco braided together in an old leather pouch.
Initial Thoughts:
This has incredible balance and depth. It just keeps going without overpowering any particular moment or flavor note. Bravo.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hints of dried chilis, old leather, vanilla-laced honey, apple tarts, and caramel candy mingle on the nose.
Palate: The Irishness arrives in spades on the palate with bright apple orchard vibes next to flora honey, a hint of yellow straw, light nutshells, and a moment of sultanas just kissed with caramel.
Finish: The apple swings back around on the finish with a sense of fresh apple cider just kissed with cinnamon and caramel before fading toward leathery malt.
Initial Thoughts:
This has a great mouthfeel with soft and creamy textures driving the nose, palate, and finish. It was on the lighter side overall, but still delivered.
Taste 10
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Clove-studded oranges open the nose with a bold sense of salted caramel, dark chocolate sauce, floral honey, and old vanilla cookies just kissed with almond oils and confectioner’s sugar before hitting light notes of old earthy cellars full of old firewood and leather boots.
Palate: That floral honey opens the palate with a soft vanilla cake covered in rich buttercream amped with marzipan and salted toffee before chili-laced chocolate tobacco drives the whole taste back toward earthiness and whiskey-worn oak.
Finish: The end has a soft warmth that slowly builds with winter spice barks, clove-spiked mulled wine, black-tea-soaked dates, rum raisin, and candied orange peels and cherries with a touch of malted chocolate cookies and vanilla tobacco rolled with smudging sage and dry cedar bark.
Initial Thoughts:
This is BOLD. It’s very warm but somehow not hot. All the flavor notes just shined from top to bottom.
Taste 11
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fresh loaves of whole grain bread vibe with rich oaky winter pieces on the nose before soft vanilla cake, hints of dry grass, old leather tobacco pouches, and a touch of dried orange round things out.
Palate: Rich buttery toffee drives the palate toward clove-laced honey next to dry orange oils, salted caramel, rum raisin, and hints of cedar bark braided with smudging sage and dry tobacco.
Finish: Piney honey and salted caramel attach to the tobacco as dry straw and back porch wicker lead to a sense of dry winter spice and soft caramel candy corn.
Initial Thoughts:
This started off very strong but then got so hot at the finish it sort of drowned a lot of the nuance out. This was screaming for an ice cube.
Taste 12
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a soft sense of a pile of firewood cut from an old fruit orchard next to dark chocolate oranges with a flake of salt and a drop of honey with a hint of vanilla cake frosted with apple cinnamon butter frosting.
Palate: The palate has a lightly smoked cherry vibe next to clove and allspice with a sense of lush and creamy eggnog and vanilla-cherry tobacco stuffed in a slightly pitchy pine box.
Finish: The end really leans into the cherry tobacco with a layer of mild chili spice and more of that soft and sweet orchard firewood.
Initial Thoughts:
This is a very well-balanced whiskey with great nuances throughout the nose, palate, and finish. This is a masterfully built whiskey.
Part 2 — The American Whiskey Ranking
Zach Johnston
12. American Hell House Legend American Whiskey Finished with Oak Staves — Taste 7
This new whiskey from Lynyrd Skynyrd celebrates the cabin, Hell House, where the original band came together. The whiskey in the bottles is made and bottled by Bespoke Spirits out in California based on the current band’s multiple tastings and tinkering.
Bottom Line:
I’m going to say it again, this is solid-yet-standard stuff.
The second edition of Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof is here. This edition is made with a mash bill of 51% winter wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. That whiskey was then left to age for seven to nine years before prime barrels were chosen for batching. Once batched, the whiskey went into the bottle 100% as-is at cask strength.
Bottom Line:
This is a very hot whiskey with a good profile. You’re just going to need time, water, and/or ice to fully experience it.
10. Blackened Cask Strength A Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks — Taste 3
This new line from Metallica’s Blackened is all about the cask-strength versions of their now-classic “sonically-enhanced” blend of straight whiskeys. In this case, the blend is a mix of bourbon and rye that are batched and re-barrelled in black brandy casks that are blasted with, you guessed, Metallica tunes during the finishing maturation. Finally, those barrels are batched and bottled as-is at barrel strength.
Bottom Line:
This one is a no-brainer buy for cask-strength whiskey fans who also love Metallica. It’s good whiskey that will play well over the rocks or in a bold whiskey-forward cocktail.
This Colorado whiskey is made with 95% Red Winter wheat supported by 5% malted barley. The whiskey rests for five years high up in the Rockies before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was a dry pour of whiskey, which leads me to believe it’ll be great in a cocktail (adding texture to the base spirit).
8. Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish + American Single Barrel Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels — Taste 5
This new release from Keeper’s Heart up in Minnesota blends Irish whiskey with American Rye. Once batched, that whiskey was re-barreled into a maple syrup barrel for another rest. Once that barrel hit the right notes, it was bottled as-is with a hint of proofing water.
Bottom Line:
This was on the sweeter side of things. That said, that makes this a great candidate for making a whiskey-forward cocktail and drawing back the added sugar.
7. Whiskey War Double Double A Blend of Straight Whiskeys — Taste 1
This Ohio whiskey is hewn from a rye-heavy mash bill. That spicy juice is then rested in new American oak for a spell before being vatted and re-barreled into another brand-new American oak barrel, all adding up to five years of mellowing. Those barrels are then batched and bottled as-is.
Bottom Line:
This is good stuff that’ll work in any pour — neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.
6. The Beverly Reserve Barrel Strength American Whiskey — Taste 6
This new release from The Beverly is a limited edition small batch at barrel strength. The blend in the bottle is 60% straight bourbon from Iowa and 40% Indiana rye. Those barrels were batched and bottled at Cedar Ridge in Iown for The Beverly, yielding only 550 bottles.
Bottom Line:
If you dig high-rye bourbons at cask strength, this is going to be your jam. I’d pour it over a big ice cube for slow sipping.
5. Four Walls The Better Brown Made with a Blend of Irish Whiskeys and American Rye Whiskeys — Taste 9
The team from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenny) have released their first permanent mainstream whiskey. This new release is an Irish American whiskey made with American rye and Irish whiskey (a blend of malt and grain whiskeys). The whiskey is batched in the U.S. and proofed down to a very dive-bar-friendly 80-proof.
Bottom Line:
This has great texture and soft notes that take the thinner Irish whiskey to deeper depths. It’s just … nice. I can see this working wonders in a simple whiskey cocktail or on the rocks for easy everyday sipping.
This release takes Michter’s signature Kentucky Sour Mash — which doesn’t have enough corn or rye to be either bourbon or rye whiskey — and finishes it in toasted barrels. In this case, those barrels are first air-dried for 18 months and then lightly toasted barrel before the whiskey is filled in. Finally, the booze is batched and bottled with a good dose of that Kentucky water.
Bottom Line:
This is where we get into the truly interesting stuff. This has so much going on with a great balance. It works really well neat, but I’d add a little water and time to really find the deeper notes hiding in this one. That’s especially true if you’re an oak head.
This new whiskey is from country star Eric Chruch. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of American whiskeys. 70% is a corn-fueled Indiana bourbon that’s at least eight years old. 21% is a Canadian rye that’s 20 years old. And 9% is an American single malt that’s four years old.
Bottom Line:
This is another that was just really tasty. It’s nuanced and brings deep rye-forward bourbon notes. Drink it however you like to drink your whiskey.
You know it’s fall whiskey season when Freddie Noe drops a new Little Book. Chapter 7 is a big blend of mostly bourbon and rye barrels with a single malt (finished in applewood smoked barrels) thrown in for good measure. The bourbons in the batch are four to 18 years old while the ryes are four to 10 years old. The final batch is bottled 100% as-is.
Bottom Line:
This was a bold and deep whiskey that’s only off the number one spot for being a heater. It needs a single rock to calm it down and then it’ll explode with beautifully nuanced flavors.
1. J. Rieger & Co. 2023 Monogram Whiskey Kansas City Whiskey Solera Reserve — Taste 8
This whiskey is made with Rieger’s classic Kansas City blended whiskey, which is a mix of straight bourbon, straight rye, and light corn whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey is re-barreled into 10 huge Oloroso sherry butts that held 15-year-old Oloroso Especial and were 50 to 100 years old when shipped to Kansas.
Bottom Line:
This was the most enticing and tasty pour of the panel. It just works from top to bottom while providing a familiar yet deep American whiskey profile. I wanted to go back to this one immediately as a slow sipper on a lazy day.
Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the American Whiskeys
Zach Johnston
When purchasing from this blind tasting, the top 5 is really the sweet spot. If you’re looking lighter, try the Four Walls or Whiskey Jypsi. If you’re looking for boldness and warmth, go for the Michter’s or Little Book. If you’re looking for balance and beauty, then Rieger’s Monogram Whiskey is the play.
That all said, there’s not a bad whiskey on the list. Re-read my tasting notes. Maybe something unique and very “you” will jump out. Go for it! Hit that price link and see if you can find it in your neck of the woods. Enjoy!
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