Bourbon Bytes Podcast

New releases from Knob Creek and Woodford Reserve lead off the show, plus a quick spotlight on Tomatin’s Year of the Horse 14 Year. On the gaming side, RuneScape’s 25th anniversary and two upcoming games (including a national park sim) make for great convo. Then it’s review time: George Dickel x Leopold Bros Three Chamber Rye brings a bright, floral curveball and earns a 7/10 at MSRP.

I'm back from a short break and kicking off the new year with a packed episode of the Bourbon Bytes Podcast! This week we're catching up on the biggest whiskey stories you may have missed — including a brand new Old Fitzgerald from Heaven Hill, a cask strength release from High West, and a look at the highs and lows of Irish whiskey through the end of 2025. But the star of the show is a very special viewer-sent sample: Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B. I finally sit down to give this legendary bourbon an honest review — no hype, no pressure, just my genuine thoughts on whether Lot B still earns its place in the modern bourbon world. Navigate the full episode below using the chapter markers!   00:00 – Episode Teaser: Bourbon News + Lot B Review00:33 – Welcome Back from the Mid-Season Break01:39 – Whiskey News #1: Old Fitzgerald Fall 2025 (11 Year BIB)03:18 – Whiskey News #2: High West Cask Strength Bourbon Announced05:21 – Whiskey News #3: Frey Ranch 100% Barley Whiskey07:28 – Whiskey News #4: Wyoming Whiskey National Parks #5 – The Tetons09:52 – Irish Whiskey Boom vs Teeling’s 91% Profit Drop13:20 – Van Winkle Lot B Bourbon (Byte-Sized Review)22:03 – Final Score: Van Winkle Lot B22:55 – Outro: Thanks, How to Listen, and Share Bourbon Bytes

The last Bourbon Bytes Podcast episode of 2025 closes the year with reflections on where bourbon is headed next and a full review of Willett’s newest release. Clifton shares candid thoughts on the current state of the industry before diving deep into the Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Cask Strength Bourbon, breaking down its flavor, value, and whether it lives up to the Willett name. An honest, no-hype sendoff to the year in whiskey. 00:00 – Welcome & Final Episode of 2025 02:30 – End-of-Year Reflections & 2026 Outlook 04:32 – Where Bourbon Bytes Is Headed Next 08:06 – Thoughts on the Bourbon Market in 2026 12:20 – Byte-Sized Review: Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Bourbon 23:05 – Listener Questions & Closing Thoughts

In this episode, Clifton shares his excitement over several 2026 whiskey releases spotted via new TTB filings — from Knob Creek 12 Cask Strength to an Old Grandad 114 Single Barrel and Rittenhouse’s upcoming 10-Year BIB. After the news, he reviews Copperworks’ brand-new Kilt Lifter Whiskey, a five-year American Single Malt distilled from Pike Brewing’s iconic “Kilt Lifter” ale mash. The pine-heavy nose surprises him, but the palate and finish win him over, earning a high score and a potential spot in his Top 10 Whiskeys of 2025.

In this episode, Clifton breaks down several end-of-year whiskey releases — including Clyde May’s new cask-strength pick, Central Waters’ Great Blue spirits launch, and State Line’s first-ever rye. He also dives into Copper & Kings’ major relaunch under new owners before reviewing one of the most unique whiskies he’s tried all year: Bruichladdich Laddie Rye, a 7-year Islay-grown rye/malted barley hybrid aged in first-fill bourbon and virgin oak casks.