Month: November 2020

For those who weren’t satisfied with Hennessey Performance’s 700-HP “Goliath” tune of the Chevrolet Silverado, Specialty Vehicle Engineering is upgrading the 2021 model-year pickup with an extra 100 horses, an “OFF ROAD” designation and Yenko branding. 

With approval from GM, the New Jersey’s SVE now holds the rights to the Yenko brand created by the eponymous Pennsylvania dealership that famously pumped out custom pony cars from the 1960s-1980s. While a modern Yenko Silverado doesn’t have the classic allure of those sought-after builds, it does have a supercharged 6.2-liter LT1 V8 that sends 800 hp and 720 pound-feet of torque through a beefed-up six-speed automatic transmission. 

Motor Authority reports that the increased output requires forged pistons and crankshaft, ported heads, and a high-flow stainless steel exhaust that probably sounds evil. Six-piston Brembo brake calipers and Duralife 16.1-inch vented rotors provide much-needed stopping power for the super truck. 

To make the truck trail-worthy, SVE gave it a lofty 4-inch lift kit, Fox shock absorbers, a bolstered rear way bar and 20 inch rims wrapped in Nitto Ridge Grappler hybrid rubber. A few cosmetic upgrades include a vented hood, Yenko graphics, and a serialized placard from 1-50. And like Hennessey’s builds, the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado Yenko OFF ROAD comes with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty. 

Pricing isn’t currently available, but Motor Trend reports that SVE’s non-off-road Silverado Yenko costs $79,995, so expect a hike. Click here for more. 

Hi, my name is Anna, and I have a shoe obsession. Don’t believe me? After I ordered a pair of boots on Amazon, I decided to do some more shopping because, well, I’m a shoe hoarder. What was meant to be an evening of light browsing quickly turned into a night of me going down a crazy rabbit hole, and 38 tabs later, I now have a wish list of 43 pairs of shoes. Keep scrolling for the best styles I could find, from booties and sneakers to mules and loafers.

Every season, without fail, there’s a handbag that becomes so popular among editors, celebrities, and fashion influencers alike that it receives It-bag status. For fall and winter 2020, my money (and apparently that of so many of the fashion people I follow on Instagram) is on Balmain’s 1945 bag. I love so many things about this statement accessory, including the very on-trend gold-colored chain-link strap, the ultra-wearable black-and-white color scheme, and the iconic jacquard print from the Balmain archives that’s been beautifully reinvented for the modern woman. There’s also the versatility factor at play here, which is so important when deciding to invest in a luxury handbag. This fabulously oversize style can be worn in three ways—as a shoulder bag, a clutch, or opened up as a top-handle tote—making it the perfect accessory to style with just about any outfit for many seasons to come.

If you’re in NY, you can also shop the bag IRL at Balmain’s brand new Madison Avenue flagship store. (Trust me: It’s very much worth a visit). Oh, and in the meantime, I recommend you peruse some of the really chic fall outfits I’ve already spotted featuring the heritage brand’s in-the-know bag. I guarantee you’ll need no further proof after seeing these six chic looks with the 1945 front and center.

We’re not gonna lie, we get a lot of whiskey pushed across our desk. Nowadays most of it is is worthy as standards escalate, very few are swill, but even fewer rise to truly exceptional status. We sampled our way through over a hundred bottles to bring you this list here, an update on our “Best Of American Whiskey” breakdown we crafted last year. Every bottle counted here is new to 2020 — from small boutique distillers offering their first wares to venerable pillars of the bourbon world revealing deep cuts of their rarest honey barrels. So whether you’re buying these for your favorite whiskey nerd or hoarding them like Gollum, here are our favorite 25 new American Single Malts, Ryes, Bourbons and Innovators for 2020. 

American Single Malts

Corsair Tennessee Single Malt

Another of our MAXIM favorites in the American Single Malt category, anything from Corsair is worth picking up. They have a great range of flavor, from their singular Triple Smoke (with barley smoked in peat, beech and cherry wood) to their superb Oatrage (made of oats, 6-row malt and coffee malt). In September the erstwhile Bowling Green, Kentucky now Nashville distillery just released their Tennessee Single Malt, not to be confused with Tennessee Whiskey (largely like a bourbon with the added step of filtering through charcoal chips). Corsair starts with their 100% two row malted barley American single malt aged in first use American oak, the tiny (15- and 30-gallon) casks lending the whiskey a honeyed character. It is then finished in ex-Caribbean rum casks adding complexity and balance with the Caribbean rum’s sweet and spicy character. Only 600 total bottles were made, so if you can’t find it just pick up the Oatrage or Triple Smoke instead, you won’t be disappointed. $70 SRP/ 44% ABV

Westland “Outpost Range” Garryana 5 American Single Malt

Consider Seattle’s Westland the Bruichladdich of America — a distillery dedicated to experimenting deeply and creatively with all forms of terroir. Except where Bruichladdich plays with Islay barley and peat strains, Westland experiments with the Pacific Northwest’s provenance in their famed American Single Malts. Their new Outpost Range aims to further these terroir experiments adding three new expressions to their core single malts. And while two are still a ways from release (Colere in 2021 and Solum in 2023), their Garryana 5 bottle is out now. The 5th edition of Garryana experiments with a higher percentage of casks made from Garry Oak than any previous edition — a local wood which Westland claims to have pioneered in the world of whiskey. Combine the wood with locally grown barley and peat sourced from a bog only a short drive from the Seattle distillery, and you have an American Single Malt with more local pride than the Seahawk’s 12th Man. $150 SRP/ 50% ABV

Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 10-Year-Old Single Malt

There’s a lot of magic happening in Colorado these days, and not just in the mushrooms they legalized. The state is making some of the best whiskey in the world these days, none better than Stranahan’s. This summer they released Mountain Angel, their oldest and rarest bottle ever and the first and only 10-year-old American single malt. A bunch of craft beer-influenced elements go into the Stranahan’s cauldron, including pristine Colorado mountain spring water, 100% local Rocky Mountain barley, brewer’s yeast and American new charred barrels. Because of the Denver’s distillery’s mile-high altitude and dry climate, the 10-year-old Mountain Angel saw an angel’s share loss on par with a Scotch aged twice as long. The Good: a liquid with candied apple, tobacco and dark chocolate flavor boasting a sensuous, oily mouthfeel; undoubtedly the best Stranahan’s to date. The Bad: not much liquid survived the decade of aging, so fewer than 500 bottles were made. Because of that dearth if you cannot find Mountain Angel substitute with Blue Peak, Stranahan’s first new core product since 2017, aged four years in 53-gallon new American oak and finished via the Solera process. They just put together a kit for the holidays with everything needed to make their signature Highland cocktail at home (rocks glasses, mixing glass, bar spoon, zester, ice cube mold, simple syrup, black walnut bitters and Blue Peak bottle). $130 SRP/ 47.3% ABV  – Stranahan’s Blue Peak Cocktail Pack: $125 SRP/ ABV 43%

Virginia Distillery Co. Dr. Jim Swan Courage & Conviction

Earlier this year the Virginia Distillery Company released the first of its “Courage & Conviction” American Single Malt honoring their founder Dr. George G. Moore. For autumn the second batch nods to the late Dr. Jim Swan, a renowned name in whiskey circles who consulted with award-hording distilleries spread across the planet, from Taiwan’s Kavalan to Wales’ Penderyn all the way to Tel Aviv’s Milk & Honey. Dr. Swan’s expertise was on how warm climates affect cask aging, and was a fundamental influence in the entire Courage & Conviction line. One of the proud founding members of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, VDC takes the craft seriously — using only 100% North American malted barley and aging their spirit for a minimum of three years in various casks (65 bourbon, 32 re-coopered cuvée wine, 18 fino, oloroso and PX sherry) for a singular recipe that offers a spectrum of flavors, from caramel and butterscotch to blood orange and vanilla custard, ending with notes of toasted pecans. $100 SRP / 46% ABV

Ryes

Hillrock Estate Distillery x Anthrax ‘Evil Twin I and II’ Single Barrel Double Cask Rye

Hudson Valley’s Hillrock Estate Distillery spearheads the American “Field-to-Glass” movement by growing all their own organic barley on premises, malting it with Scottish peat at the first American malthouse built since the Prohibition, mashing and distilling via Vendome copper and brass pots, and then aging the juice all on their family farm. This is stuff for true whiskey connoisseurs. Should we be surprised to count Anthrax among the Living converted? Joining Alice In Chain’s collab with FEW (not to mention Metallica x Dave Pickerell’s surprisingly good Blackened blend), the New York metal gods have teamed up with Hillrock Estate to bottle their own limited edition Double Cask Rye, dubbed Evil Twin I. Handpicked by guitarist Scott Ian (who apparently had quite a pleasurable time combing through barrels), the single barrel supplied only 238 numbered bottles meaning the run sold out quicker than a guitar shred. Evil Twin II drops next month but that’s also a single barrel so will also sell out quick, so may we suggest Double Cask Rye –1er Cru Sauternes Finished — the same foundational nectar as in the Evil Twins, but these are then matured for almost two months in exotic French Premier Cru Sauternes wine casks. The third cask not only adds wonderful notes of candied orange peel, flower blossom, peach skin, and citrus lemon, but also a buttery element to the already honeyed liquid. $160 SRP/ 60% ABV

Rabbit Hole “Founder’s Collection” Boxergrail Kentucky Straight Rye

We’re big fans of Kentucky distillery Rabbit Hole, especially founder Kaveh Zamanian’s Heigold high rye bourbon and their original Boxergrail Straight Rye (SFWSC Gold Medal (2020); NYWSC “Best of Class” and Double Gold Medal (2019)). This holiday Rabbit Hole is launching the first bottle under their new Founder’s Collection umbrella, for which Zamanian hand selects honey barrels and bottles them at cask strength in numbered editions. The Founder’s Collection Boxergrail Straight Rye is culled from the first batches of rye whiskey Zamanian ever made at their first Kentucky distillery (95% rye / 5% malted barley mash bill), and packages it in a beautiful gold foil blue box with hand numbered bottle. Only 1,315 sequentially-numbered bottles will be released. $195 SRP / 57.3%

Pinhook Tiz Rye Time 4-Year

Rather than trying to perfectly reproduce a consistent flavor profile like most volume brands, Pinhook’s philosophy is to tap a barrel at just the right moment, whenever it’s uniquely ready, to highlight its best attributes at that exact moment in time. So like a fine wine each year the profile changes — the vineyard stays the same, but the wine within changes annually. The ninth year into their Vertical Series vintages, 2020’s Tiz Rye Time 4 Year marks the first straight rye in the annual collection (as an ode to its Kentucky home, each bottle is dedicated to one of Bourbon Lane Stables’ promising young thoroughbreds — in this case a three-year old colt). Proofed at 97 with a high rye mashbill (95% rye / 5% malted barley), the hot Tiz Rye Time 4 Year features spicy notes of tangerine peel, cinnamon and clove. $45 SRP / 48.5% ABV

High West A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act VIII

Since 2006 High West has been having fun with the whiskey artform and earning awards along the way. They recently released a pair of barrel-finished cocktails (Manhattan and Old Fashioned) we sipped in the back of a pickup truck watching Bert Kreischer perform, and not only was the ready-to-drink packaging super useful but the spirit inside closely echoed a bar-made concoction. Thank the excellent base High West bourbon and rye blend, plus real demerara simple syrup (Old Fashioned) and two types of vermouth (Manhattan) all married and matured in rye barrels. But it’s the eighth edition of their A Midwinter Night’s Dram that currently has our mouths watering. When Lysander noted “The course of true love never did run smooth,” in Shakespeare’s comedy he certainly wasn’t taking about the Utah distillery’s limited edition Rendezvous Rye finished in French oak port barrels — the perennial release regularly forces collectors to start scouring liquor store shelves. Think luscious flavors like brandied cherries, fig jam and quince paste leading to a long finish of mulling spices and dates. $100 SRP/ 49.3% ABV

Frey Ranch Straight Rye Bottled-In-Bond

The Frey family dates all the way back to 1854 farming in the Lake Tahoe area, but in 2006 decided to try their hand at distilling. And boy were their instincts sharp, as Frey Ranch came out of the gate at the beginning of the year with a very highly rated Straight Bourbon (90 points by Wine Enthusiast). Unlike some distilleries who claim to be “farm to glass,” every single grain of their Winter Cereal Rye was grown on their farm in Fallon, and is then mashed, distilled and aged on that same 1,500-acre spread. Since it’s certified Bottled-In-Bond that means their Straight Rye is aged for a minimum of four years and bottled at exactly 100-proof. Only 5,400 bottles of northern Nevada’s finest slated for release, and unfortunately for now only available in state — but worth the snooping the digital marketplace for. $60 SRP / 50% ABV

Innovation

Traverse City Whiskey Co. American Cherry Edition

Traverse City Whiskey Co, aka ‘The Whiskey of the North,’ is growing quickly in acclaim largely due to its Barrel Proof expressions. On the side they also craft some great mixologist tools, including delicious jarred Premium Cocktail Cherries that make an affordable substitute for Luxardo branded options. The Michigan distillery infuses more than 10-lbs of these Montmorency sour cherries in each barrel of their bourbon (corn 75% / rye 21% / malted barley 4%) to create their American Cherry Edition. Despite the volume the cherry flavor isn’t cloying or overwhelming — more of a subtle sweetness that complements TCWC’s vanilla finish. While this bottle proof is more widely available, TCWC also have a new far more rare limited Cask Proof edition if you can find it. $40 SRP / ABV 35%

Widow Jane Decadence Bourbon

Widow Jane’s signature 10-year bourbon is already a thing of hedonistic delight, luscious and silky on the tongue. Their brand new Decadence expression raises the indulgence to the next level, taking their 10-year bourbon and finishing them in American Oak Barrels that previously held Crown Maple syrup. Coincidentally we’ve tried the Hudson Valley’s artisanal syrup before tasting Decadence (labeled “bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup”), and now Crown Maple gets to return the f(l)avor — we have to say the collaboration is fireworks on both sides, with Widow Jane’s already luscious bourbon being blessed even further with whiffs of maple sweetness. $80 SRP / 45.5% ABV

Barrell Craft Barrell Armida

Barrell Craft Spirits do not distill their own juice, but rather have earned a name in the market by hunting, finding and blending obscure barrels and aging them into product coveted the world over. Single cask bottles like their recent Batch 024 and Batch 025 sell out quick, as do their new expressions Honey Badger! and Butter Cake. But it is BCS’s new Barrell Armida — named after founder Joe Beatrice’s mom, so you know it’s gotta be special — that finds its way on this list. The limited-edition release takes three straight bourbons finished separately in Pear Brandy, Jamaican Rum and Sicilian Amaro Casks and blends them to create a unique and complex whiskey that pairs ripe, floral pear notes with hints of spice and citrus. $90 SRP / 56.06% ABV

Distillery 291 “M” Colorado Rye

Distillery 291 founder Michael Myers has told us his flagship 291 Colorado Whiskey tastes like the holy matrimony of rye whiskey and maple syrup, but his new M expression finished in maple syrup barrels “takes it to a whole other level.” Similar to Widow Jane, Distillery 291 sells their barrels to a maple syrup producer in Wisconsin for their barrel-aged maple syrup, some of which are then returned to Colorado for Myers to play with. The experiment went so well Distillery 291 created their first new label in 5 years. Their aspen-stave-finished Colorado Rye already boasted silky viscosity, the maple M indeed takes it to a new level of mouthfeel and flavor — think rye bread French toast in liquid form. Only 800 bottles to be released for the holidays. $105 SRP / 62.5% ABV

FEW Immortal Rye

The pride of Evanston, Illinois, FEW Spirits excels in innovating the artform. Last year we sang the praises of their Cold Cut which used cold brew to proof their bourbon. No not an infusion, mind you, rather they used actual coffee to substitute for water in bringing their whiskey down to 93-proof. Insane in concept, but delicious in execution. This year their Immortal Rye repeats the magic trick, except the Lake Michigan distillery taps Denver’s The Tea Spot “8 Immortals” tea to proof their cask-strength Straight Rye (70% rye / 20% corn / 10% malted barley) instead of coffee. So cold-extracted tea instead of cold brew coffee, with the Chinese hand-harvested Dancong oolong adding subtle harmonies of peach, honey, and dragon fruit to the rye’s peppery spice vocal. Only 6,000 bottles.  $45 SRP / 46.5% ABV

Laws Whiskey House Centennial Straight Wheat Whiskey

Only established in 2011, Laws Whiskey House is yet another Colorado startup making a name for itself as a grain-to-bottle distiller. While they make plenty of traditional browns, including several Bottled in Bond expressions, its Laws’ Centennial Straight Wheat that we’re handpicking for this roundup. Surprisingly it’s the only wheat whiskey on this list, as we really enjoy the category. Laws’ offering mashes the eponymous ‘centennial’ heirloom grain for its whiskey, grown exclusively for Laws in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. As is de rigueur for wheats, Centennial’s smoothness and gentle palate are its calling cards — but since Laws uses a rare pre-industrial spring varietal the whiskey offers a more diverse spectrum of flavors than one can summon from commercial Monsanto wheat. Laws is also packaging a 100 mL Holiday 4-Pack (Four Grain Straight Bourbon, San Luis Valley Straight Rye, Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey and the Centennial) for a deliverable tasting flight, the ideal way to familiarize yourself with an upcoming label. $70 SRP / ABV: 50%

Hudson Back Room Deal Straight Rye

Hudson helped pioneer the Empire State’s rise in bourbon making, cementing its position as one of the most important American locales for whiskey. And since NYC has gone through its share of challenges lately, Hudson is going in deep on the Big Apple. Their new packaging nods to New York’s famed subway system utilizing san-serif fonts, bright, monoblock colors and names that evoke the boroughs’ culture (e.g. flagship Bright Lights, Big Bourbon and Do The Rye Thing). Meanwhile the spirits inside have matured — you can thank the invaluable Yoda-like guidance of David Stewart, the oldest tenured Malt Master in Scotland (almost 60-years leading The Balvenie, a William Grant & Sons sibling). Hudson’s first new product in 7 years is our favorite: Back Room Deal is a limited edition straight rye (95% rye / 5% malted barley) finished in Scotch barrels that originally came from Hudson, and were shipped to Scotland to age peated single malt… we’re guessing The Balvenie’s peated offerings. And then they’re shipped back to New York for Hudson to use. It’s the quid pro quo type of deal the Sleepless City was built upon. $40 SRP / ABV 46%

Bourbons

Hirsch The Horizon Straight Bourbon

Uber whiskey nerds will recognize the name A.H. Hirsch, as the investment banker is credited with bottling back in 1974 what some consider the best American bourbon ever produced. A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16-Year-Old is the stuff of legend, with entire books written about the “Best Bourbon You’ll Never Taste”. This summer the label was resurrected by San Francisco’s Hotaling & Co. with Hirsch’s The Horizon, with more expressions in its Selected Whiskeys collection coming next year. The Horizon celebrates “The Spirit of the Journey” with a blend of mostly (94%) 5-year-and-4-month aged bourbon (75% corn / 21% rye / 4% malted barley) with a splash (6%) of 6-year-old high-rye mash for added spice and complexity. As Hirsch was imagined to appeal to true aficionados exacting batch specs are printed on every label. Given its heritage The Horizon aims for classic bourbon appeal with whiffs of sweet cornbread and vanilla complimented with warm flavors of cinnamon and oak. $40 SRP / 46% ABV

Uncle Nearest 1884 Premium Small Batch Tennessee Whiskey

After about a century and a half Nathan “Nearest” Green is finally getting some of his long overdue appreciation. Widely recognized as the Godfather of Tennessee Whiskey, Uncle Nearest is credited with perfecting the Lincoln County Process (filtering the spirit through sugar maple charcoal) that famously separates Tennessee Whiskey from bourbon. He’s also finally widely acknowledged as the man who taught some guy named Jack Daniels how to make whiskey (the ex-slave was Jack’s first Master Distiller). While 1856 Premium Aged is the crown of the label it released in 2017 so we’re going to tip our hat to the most affordable of the bunch, the 1884 Premium Small Batch. The 7-year-old whiskey’s namesake comes from year Uncle Nearest retired, and since its lower proof it makes for an easy sipper. A clean, light-colored Tennessee Whiskey with slight butter and sugar cookie notes honoring the man who pioneered the art form. Sure 1884 came out at the end of last year, but given Nearest had to wait 150 years for some love we can fudge a couple months. $50 SRP / 46.5% ABV

Baker’s Bourbon

Legendary distiller (and Jim Beam’s grandson) Booker Noe created Baker’s Bourbon  as an homage when his cousin, Baker Beam, retired in 1992. Along with Basil Hayden’s, Knob Creek and Booker’s, Baker’s launched the soon-to-be-landmark Jim Beam Small Batch Bourbon Collection. Apparently Baker was quite the motorcycle-riding, black leather jacket-wearing rebel, so Booker wanted to craft a spirit as unique in nature. Last year Baker’s returned to the Jim Beam lineup as a single barrel product, aged at least seven years to maximize the vanilla notes pulled from the virgin American oak. This year’s bottle is aged over eight years, and since each bottle is filled from one singular honey barrel every edition of Baker’s will be unique — much like the man it was named after. And since it’s bottled at 107-proof the bourbon packs enough punch to make the perfect Old Fashioned or boulevardier — although its sufficiently multifaceted and rich to be sipped neat. Jim Beam just announced a “Behind The Barrel” experience where you can enter the Barrel ID from your Baker’s to learn about your bottle’s unique journey from start to finish, and therefore its distinctive characteristics. You may even win an exclusive tasting with Freddie himself. $60 SRP/ 53.5% ABV

Jim Beam Lineage

Further elaborating on their rich Kentucky heritage, Jim Beam’s aptly named Lineage looks much more recently for its inspiration. Whereas Baker’s Bourbon reaches back a couple generations for its muse, the Lineage expression unites the two most recent of Jim Beam’s Master Distillers: Fred and Freddie Noe, the illustrious house’s 7th and 8th generation family distillers. The first bourbon collaboration between the father and son, Lineage aged for 15 years at the Clermont, Kentucky rickhouse where it seeped generous vanilla, caramel and spice notes from the virgin white oak. The barrel was then hand-picked by Fred and Freddie to take on the serious honor of being the first Jim Beam whiskey to bear Fred’s name on the bottle. Beautifully packaged in a wood box with Jim Beal seal embossed in glass, consider Lineage a drinkable baton. $250 SRP / 55.5% ABV

Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve 2003

The amicable raconteur Master Distiller Eddie Russell took over from his dad Jimmy a couple years back, and ever since taking the baton from the living legend he’s been pushing the venerable brand in new directions. Case in point: Russell’s Reserve 2003, which is the third expression in Wild Turkey’s relatively new “Vintage” series. Handpicked by Eddie and knighted to represent the apex of the brand, the barrel which held Russell’s Reserve 2003 matured for 16 years in the Lawrenceburg rickhouse. Like everything truly special in life, Russell’s Reserve 2003 will never be repeated by the illustrious Kentucky distillery, making this one of the most coveted bottles of the year. Although the MSRP may say $250, if you find a box for twice this price pick it up quick — it’ll soon be a collector’s treasure. They say the nectar hints to their product in the mid-80s, but we’ll have to take their word for it. Expect notes of sweet baking spices, confectioner’s sugar, caramel and butterscotch bursting from the dark amber nectar. (Fun side note: on a recent Zoom when asked who he’d have a drink with if he could choose anyone, Eddie called out his dad’s best friend/bourbon rival Booker Noe, highlighting the spirit’s longstanding comradery.) $250 SRP (yeah right) / 44.75% ABV

Blue Run 13-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

What do you get when a Nike designer, one of Facebook’s first employees, a hospitality executive, a political advisor, a philanthropist and a Hall Of Fame whiskey distiller walk into a bar? Blue Run Bourbon of course, a project born of the collective’s deep love of whiskey (and we’re guessing astute marketplace analytics). The critical member of the cabal is Jim Rutledge, the man responsible for building Four Roses into the revered label it is today (over half-a-century there, including 20 years as Master Distiller). While the Blue Run team acquired a treasure chest of 13-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon barrels, it was Rutledge who handpicked the final blend from some 30 versions before settling on the final recipe. While quite strong (113 proof), Blue Run is an exceptionally smooth bourbon offering waves of brown sugar and maple, shaping this juice as the quintessential drug for bourbon junkies. Of course with a Nike designer on board the packaging is also top notch, utilizing a heavy, hand-numbered bottle with beautiful profile and gold butterfly medallion. Only 2,600 bottles of the first run of Blue Run so keep eyes peeled. $170 SRP / ABV 56.5%

Parker’s Heritage Collection 10 Year Old Heavy Char Bourbon

Heaven Hill, 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, is a bastion of independent bourbon making offering everything from affordable labels (Evan Williams) to the most premium. Their Parker’s (named after late Master Distiller Parker Beam, cousin of Jim Beam’s aforementioned Baker Beam) defines the latter, its 14th edition Heritage Collection experimenting with char levels to study how it plays with flavor. Using Heaven Hill’s established Bourbon mash (78% corn / 12% malted barley / 10% rye) and aging it for 10 years in Level 5 heavy char barrels — as opposed to their regular Level 3 — distillers note how qualities like stave penetration of the liquid helps develop rich notes of caramel and maple syrup. Because Mr. Beam died of ALS Heaven Hill donates a portion of all Parker’s to research, and have so far raised more than one million dollars toward ALS via their previous 13 Heritage Collection editions. $120 SRP/ 60% ABV

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Speaking of Heaven Hill and wood charring exercises, their latest limited edition Elijah Craig expression takes their regular Small Batch, always aged a minimum of 12 years, and then places it in specially made barrels from the Independent Stave Company. The new American oak was extensively experimented on with various chars and toasts to bring forward dark sugar notes to balance the original Small Batch’s smoke and sweetness. To achieve these results the wood was air-dried for a year and a half, and then toasted and flash-charred to moderate temperature and time. All this wood experimentation is appropriate under the Elijah Craig label, as the “Father of Bourbon” is renowned as the first distiller to age his white lightning in charred oak back in 1789. $50 SRP/ 47% ABV

Sweetens Cove Tennessee Bourbon

When you hear a cabal of celebrities got together to launch a spirit line, you’d be forgiven for an unsolicited eyeroll. Such is the case when sports superstars Peyton and brother Eli Manning, Andy Roddick, Jim Nantz and more join forces to release a high-priced bourbon dubbed Sweetens Cove. Skepticism would be understood, but the 100 barrels of 13-year-old Tennessee bourbon from which Sweetens Cove is sourced is some exceptional brown. A hat tip is also due to Marianne Eaves, the former Master Distiller of Castle & Key and Brown-Forman blender whom the Cove team tapped to blend the barrels into five batches (she also happens to be Kentucky’s first female Master Distiller since Prohibition). The first batch released in May and made our Father’s Day Guide, and the second released in September. Although the source of the bourbon is a kept secret, some speculate that given its Tennessee provenance, 13-year age and specific mashbill (84% corn / 8% rye / 8% malted barley) that it’s sourced from George Dickel. Given the quality of whiskey that comes from Cascade Hollow, that can only be a good thing. $200 SRP / 50.7% ABV

How to Drink It

Nachtmann Punk Whisky Decanter Set

You’ve scoured the dark corners of the web and secured your rare single cask at probably triple the MSRP. Good hunting, sport! Now you can’t just throw that bottle on a dusty bar shelf – you need the right decanter and matching tumblers to properly display your pricey tipple. Nachtmann Crystal’s Punk Whisky Decanter Set updates the 19th-century Bavarian crystal maker’s venerable nobility with a more youthful appeal, the light from its studded exterior playing beautifully with your favorite whiskey’s amber hues. The perfect holiday gift for the homies… or yourself. $150 SRP

Your next listening experience is going to put you in the driver’s seat in a speedy, refined and crystal-clear way: Trust us on that, because NYC-based audio brand Master & Dynamic just teamed up with Lamborghini on a stylish new line of headphones and earphones.

It makes perfect sense that two brands obsessed with only the finest would put their collective minds together to update two Master & Dynamic styles that are sure to please both those who love iconic rides and those who love excellent sound quality.

The Master & Dynamic x Lamborghini partnership takes both the MW65 Active Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones and MW07 PLUS True Wireless Earphones and finetunes them in a way that’s so precise, it could only be done with the help of the Italian supercar maker.

Each offering makes use of both striking colorways and classic Lamborghini touches, specifically by way of Alcantara® in the headphone varieties. The Italian technical material is used throughout Lambo interiors, making for a unique pair of headphones that celebrate the best of the best in design.

The earphones draw design inspiration from Lamborghini’s classic finishes, and it’s equally fitting that the partnership focuses on the most crisp sound quality in the business. Three colorways provide highly distinctive style, as does the use of the Lamborghini “Y” motif on each style.

“Sound resonates with Lamborghini: the peerless noise/rumble of a Lamborghini aspirated engine has a highly sensory and emotive appeal,” said Katia Bassi, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer of Automobili Lamborghini.

The models themselves should be every bit as high-quality as you’d expect from both Master & Dynamic and Lamborghini, with investment-level price tags to match (the headphones retail for $549 and the earphones will sell for $349). Each item is available via both Master & Dynamic and Lamborghini’s webstores.

The next time you want sound quality that makes you second-guess everything else you’ve been listening to, get headphones that’ll rev up your listening experience from Lamborghini and Master & Dynamic.