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Rye whiskey doesn’t get enough love—so we’re fixing that.

In this episode, I’m breaking down my Top 6 Rye Whiskeys every home bar should have. These are bottles that actually get poured, not just admired on the shelf. Great flavor, solid availability, and strong value—whether you like your rye neat, on the rocks, or in a killer cocktail.

We’ll talk mash bills, proof, spice levels, and where each bottle really shines. From bold and punchy to smooth and approachable, these ryes cover all the bases:

The Core 6 Home Bar Ryes

• Old Forester Rye
• Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Rye
• Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye
• Pikesville Rye
• Sazerac Rye
• Jack Daniel’s Rye

And because the hunt is half the fun, I’m also sharing 3 bonus allocated rye bottles you should absolutely grab if you spot them in the wild—why they’re special, and whether they’re worth the hype (and the price).

If you think rye is “too spicy” or only meant for cocktails, this episode might just change your mind. 🥃

Perfect for whiskey drinkers looking to level up their home bar without chasing unicorns—or breaking the bank.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee #Rye Whiskey #Rye

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Every bourbon shelf doesn’t need unicorns, secondary prices, or bottles you’re afraid to open. What it does need are dependable, great-tasting bourbons that overdeliver for the price—bottles you can pour for friends, sip neat, or use in a killer cocktail without hesitation.

In this episode, I’m breaking down the 12 bourbons that are always on my home bar. These are bottles with fantastic quality-to-price ratio, consistent flavor, and real-world availability—the kind of bourbons you’ll actually drink, not just admire.

We’ll talk proof, flavor profiles, versatility, and why each one earns its place on the shelf, including:

• Wild Turkey 101
• Wild Turkey Rare Breed
• Russell’s Reserve 10 Year
• Knob Creek 9 Year
• Old Grand-Dad 114
• Baker’s 7
• Four Roses Small Batch Select
• Four Roses Single Barrel
• Old Forester 1910
• Old Forester 1920
• Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
• Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Bottled in Bond

Whether you’re building your first home bar or refining what stays within arm’s reach, this episode is all about drinking better—not chasing harder.

🥃 Cheers to bottles that punch above their price and never let you down.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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Bourbon has never been bigger—but is it on solid ground?

In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, Rob is joined once again by friend of the show Matt Carter to take a hard look at the current state of bourbon. From explosive growth and shifting consumer tastes to pricing fatigue, limited releases, and changing hype cycles, we break down where bourbon is right now—and where it may be headed next.

We discuss the biggest trends we’re seeing in 2025, ask the uncomfortable question of whether a bourbon “collapse” is coming, and share our predictions for what the bourbon world could look like in 2026.

Along the way, we crack open and taste three noteworthy releases:

• Old Grand-Dad 7 Year Bottled in Bond
• Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Bottled in Bond
• Jack Daniel’s Heritage Toasted

Is age still king? Does Bottled in Bond still matter? And what does “premium” even mean anymore?

Pour a glass and join us for an honest, no-hype conversation about bourbon’s past, present, and future.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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The egg is everywhere—and for good reason. In this episode, we make the case that the egg is the greatest food and ingredient ever created. From over-easy and sunny side up to omelets and scrambled eggs, the egg shines as the star of breakfast. But it doesn’t stop there.

Eggs elevate burgers, crown fried rice, finish enchiladas, and form the soul of iconic dishes like Pasta Carbonara. They’re essential in baking, foundational in fresh pasta, and quietly responsible for texture, richness, structure, and flavor across cuisines and cultures.

This episode is a love letter to the egg—its versatility, its simplicity, and its unmatched ability to transform food.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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In this warm and thoughtful episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, Rob sits down with a very special guest—Jaime Deleon’s daughter, Ashley, a young wine enthusiast beginning her journey into the vast and fascinating world of wine. Together, they dive into the real questions that new wine drinkers often feel too intimidated to ask.

She shares what excites her, what confuses her, and what sometimes feels overwhelming as she starts exploring bottles, regions, aromas, and flavor profiles. Rob & Jaime help break it all down—from understanding value and recognizing quality, to learning how to trust your palate, describe what you taste, and decide whether a wine is actually “worth it” for where you are in your own wine path.

This episode is honest, educational, relatable, and full of encouragement. Whether you’re brand new to wine or mentoring someone who is, this conversation opens the door to a more approachable and enjoyable journey.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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2025 was the Year of Italy for Bottles & Bites Without Borders. From Tuscany to Piedmont, Sicily to Friuli, Rob dives back into all five Italian regions explored this year and breaks down the wines, the culture, the surprises, and the discoveries that left a mark.

In this episode, Rob uncorks the highlights of the Italian series—what he loved, what challenged him, which grapes over-delivered, and why Italian wine continues to be one of the most rewarding deep dives for any wine lover. We revisit iconic styles like Chianti Classico, Barolo, and Etna Rosso, but also celebrate the under-the-radar gems that deserve more attention in 2026.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned wine geek, this episode serves as a fun, fast, flavorful recap of Italy’s most exciting wine regions.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, Rob sits down with wine expert and friend of the show, Jaime Deleon, to dive deep into the newly released Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2025. We break down how many wines each country landed on the list—and whether we actually agree with the rankings.

Rob and Jaime also share how they use the Top 100 list in their own wine journeys, and offer practical, no-nonsense advice for how you, the consumer, can make the most of it. Is it a shopping list? A discovery guide? A marketing tool? We’re talking about all of it.

From the strengths and limitations of the 100-point scoring system, to the sometimes eyebrow-raising prices attached to these wines, to the trends this year’s list reveals across regions and styles—it’s all here, with plenty of insight, perspective, and laughs along the way.

Pour a glass and join us for a fun, honest, and informative breakdown of one of the wine world’s biggest annual releases.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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As wine drinkers lean increasingly toward whites for their freshness and lower alcohol, the shift into fall and winter brings back that familiar craving for red wine. But what if you want the comfort and complexity of a red—without the big alcohol punch?

In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, Rob sits down with Advanced Sommelier Jaime Deleon to explore the world of low-alcohol red wines you can enjoy as the weather cools. From elegant Pinot Noir and juicy Gamay, to vibrant Mencía, volcanic Etna Rosso, Grenache, and more, we break down what makes these wines so drinkable and delicious.

Jaime also dives into the role of climate—how cooler regions help keep alcohol levels naturally lower, and which places around the world are producing the best balanced reds right now.

Whether you're looking for a cozy, weeknight-friendly pour or a bottle that won’t knock you off your feet, this episode is packed with approachable recommendations and sommelier insight.

Pour a glass and join us!

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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In this episode, we dive into a controversial take: fine dining isn’t worth the hype — or the price tag.

Sandra and I recently visited a so-called “authentic Italian” fine dining restaurant, and let’s just say… it was anything but.

The service was polished but clueless, the Bolognese tasted like grocery-store jarred sauce, the wine list was marked up five times retail, and they even tried to upsell us on a membership just to get reasonable wine prices.

Oh — and they rushed us out in 45 minutes while calling it “a luxury experience.”

Valet parking and white tablecloths don’t equal quality. We talk about:
 🍝 When fine dining becomes factory dining
 🥂 The wine markup madness
 ⏱️ Why “premium” shouldn’t feel rushed
 👎 How marketing tries to justify mediocrity
 💡 And why simple, soulful food often beats the fancy stuff

Let’s explore why the best meals aren’t always the ones with the highest price tag — and what diners should demand instead.

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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 As the weather cools and comfort food takes center stage, the wines we crave start to change too. In this episode of Bottles & Bites Without Borders, Rob Clark sits down with Advanced Sommelier Jaime Deleon to explore the perfect wines for fall. From soulful reds that pair beautifully with stews and roasts to whites that still shine when the temperatures drop, we dive into the bottles that give you that warm, cozy feeling — like a good meal and great company on a crisp autumn evening. Whether you’re sipping by the fire or at the dinner table, this is your guide to wines that taste like the season itself. 

🎙 Rob Clark — Host of Bottles & Bites Without Borders
Exploring the world of food, wine, and whiskey—one bottle and bite at a time.

🌐 Website: www.bottlesandbiteswb.com
📸 Instagram: @bottles_bites_wb
🐦 X (Twitter): @foodwhiskey
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/533352930766813
📧 Email: [email protected]

#food #whiskey #bourbon #wine #homecook #cook #BBQ #foodie #Italy #barolo #cabernet Sauvignon #france #italy #spain #napa #scotch #pizza #coffee 

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