New York State’s Burgeoning Whiskey Appellation, Empire Rye

A robust designation of distillery and spirit standards

The concept of Empire Rye solidified in 2015 thanks to the efforts of six New York State craft distilleries. Today, the designation embodies several rigorous standards that aim to elevate an entire regional whiskey style and signify to consumers what’s in a bottle. More than a dozen distilleries have pledged to commit throughout 2019 and 2020, joining nine current producers. And this is just the …

Baselworld 2019: Watch Case Developments

Five striking selections with unusual shapes and materials

There’s no guarantee in the watch world quite like a case—the portion of the timepiece that holds it all together. It’s a protective container for the movement within (regardless of whether it’s automatic or Quartz). Most frequently, cases are simple circular, square or rectangular shapes designed to prevent damage to the innards first and foremost. But these five watches, seen at this year’s Baselworld watch …

Museum Attendance Under the Beyoncé Effect

With Art Newspaper’s annual international survey, Art’s Most Popular, to be published this week, details are already emerging about a milestone year in attendance. The Louvre saw more than a quarter more visitor than in previous years—a boost attributed to the Beyoncé and Jay-Z music video “Apeshit.” Elsewhere, the Tate Modern surpassed the British Museum for the first time in nine years. Portraits of President and …