⚡ Bourbon of the Year Contender

Unbound Spirits

The Story: Unbound Spirits is producing some of the best bourbon on the market, hands down. I met co-founder Martin Pazzani at the American Craft Spirits Conference a few months back, then did a Zoom tasting with Martin and his co-founder and master blender, Kerry Shaw Brown. Their process is unlike anything in the category. Kerry uses a variety of new and old world techniques in the ever-changing maritime climate to shape their bourbons. Finally, they transport the smaller, high-end American charred oak casks to bottling on Lake Michigan where hundreds of thousands of waves rock them.

Holdfast: A blended bourbon, wheated and high-rye. Classic notes of toffee and vanilla with a rye kick on the finish. An excellent introduction to the portfolio. Neat, one large rock, or a killer Old Fashioned. 86 proof, $53.

The Maelstrom Batch #4: Sensational from the first sip. Rich caramel, toasted almonds, and oak on the palate. This is the nightcap that turns into two more, revealing more complexity with each pour. Enjoy it neat to admire the nuances. 92 proof, $120.

The Maelstrom, Saga Series Batch #1, The Reckoning: The Saga Series is a rotating set of extremely small-batch Maelstrom expressions, each with its own character. Batch #1 is a cask strength, nine-year-old straight bourbon I loved tasting side by side with Batch 4. Complex and evolving, with caramel, smoke, coffee, and a touch of baking spice on the finish. It does not drink like 122 proof. Smooth neat, but it really opens up with a few drops of water. An absolute stunner. 122 proof, $125.

The Mettle Take: Check out Unbound Spirits online. And if you find yourself in Wisconsin, add their tasting room to your must-visit list.

Not the bottle they expect. The one they remember.

LP Collection: Where Do I Begin?
Guest Contribution by Brian Rossetti of Holt Hill Audio

LP curation and building a record collection is a thing again, and it's easy to dive into the vinyl pool without getting in over your head. We sell a lot of turntables and LP-centric systems, and the new reality is simple: there's an exciting feeling that comes with owning your music. The entire tactile process of pulling a record, removing it from its sleeve, cleaning it, and dropping the needle is still gratifying for me, and I've got a lot of years of this ritual behind me.

Records today are expensive though, and there are many levels of quality and value. First editions, remastered, mono. So many choices. But let's start here.

1. Buy what you listen to.
Don't feel like you need to start with classic 70s arena rock unless that's your fast lane. That said, those LPs tend to sound better than newer pressings because they were engineered better in the studio. Classic rock albums had entire rooms mic'd appropriately, down to individual microphones on every drum in the kit. Makes total sense that vinyl with that level of engineering would sound incredible, provided you have a setup able to unpack all that gold.

2. Stream to buy.
Many of our customers use a streamer as a simple vehicle to help them decide what vinyl to chase. If you're streaming the same album cover to cover a couple of times a month, you should own it on wax. Streaming is a great way to discover new music and will help you figure out what's worth going after.

3. Go to record shops.
The lifeblood of all collectors is the record shop. Get to know the owners and managers. Consult with them and ask for help with both music selection and sourcing that hard-to-find Paul Weller, Vanessa Fernandez, or Bob Mould LP. They are tremendous resources and live to interact with other collectors and newbies eager to learn.

Follow these simple guidelines and build your collection with confidence.

Brian G. Rossetti, Holt Hill Audio

How to Build Muscle After 40

Building muscle after 40 isn't harder because you're getting old. It's harder because most guys stop training consistently, eat too little protein, and don't recover like they used to. Get these three things right and you can still add muscle well into your 40s, 50s, and beyond.

Prioritize protein.
Aim for 30 to 40 grams of high-quality protein per meal, spread throughout the day. Most active men looking to build muscle should target roughly 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, though some resistance-trained men may benefit from more. Chicken, Greek yogurt, eggs, lean beef, fish, cottage cheese, and whey protein are all excellent choices.

Lift progressively heavier.
Your body only grows when it's challenged. Add a little weight, squeeze out another rep, or improve your form over time. You don't need to max out every workout. Consistent progress beats heroic effort.

Recover like it matters.
Muscle is built after the workout, not during it. Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep, take at least one or two recovery days each week, and don't underestimate walking, mobility work, and hydration. Recovery becomes more important as you get older.

The Mettle Take
You don't stop building muscle because you turn 40. You stop building muscle when you stop giving your body a reason to grow.

Train with focus, fuel with purpose.