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 Review

The final Bourbon Bytes Podcast episode of 2025 is here, and it’s a big one.

In this episode, Clifton wraps up the year with honest reflections on the future of Bourbon Bytes, the bourbon industry heading into 2026, and a "Byte-Sized Review" of the brand-new Willett Family Estate Small Batch 4 Year Cask Strength Bourbon.

Willett is one of the most polarizing names in whiskey, and this new four-year-old, cask strength release has sparked plenty of debate. Is it a promising step forward for Willett’s own distillate, or does the price and presentation lean too hard on hype?

Clifton breaks down the nose, palate, finish, value, and expectations while also sharing broader thoughts on availability, pricing, and what bourbon drinkers may see more of in the coming year.

Whiskey news, honest reviews, and real talk to close out 2025.

Cheers, and see you in 2026 🥃

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

This week on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast, Clifton breaks down a massive wave of upcoming whiskey releases for 2026 — including the rumored return of Knob Creek 12-Year Cask Strength, a newly labeled 7-Year Old Grandad 114, Penelope’s new Madagascar Cognac Finish, Blood Oath Pact 12, Lou Gehrig Remus Reserve, a permanent Templeton Rye Double Oak, and a special 250th Anniversary Rittenhouse 10-Year Bottled-in-Bond.

Then, it’s time for a Byte-Sized Review of one of the most unique American Single Malts of the year: Copperworks Kilt Lifter Whiskey — a collaboration decades in the making between Copperworks Distilling and Pike Brewing. A wild pine-forward nose gives way to a layered palate with floral brightness, cinnamon oatmeal, and a sweet Cinnabon-like finish. At $60 and 100 proof, Clifton calls it one of the most “recognizable and memorable” whiskeys he’s tried all year.

Plus: Civilization VII gets a major free DLC update, and two new games hit the market this week — Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Switch 2 and Microsoft Flight Simulator (PS5), complete with its new Stranger Things “Hawkins” expansion.

00:00 - Intro & Why 2026 Whiskey Releases Are Exploding

01:20 - Knob Creek 12 Cask Strength: The Return?

03:03 - Old Grandad 114 Single Barrel (7-Year!)

04:12 - Penelope Madagascar Cognac Release

04:43 - Blood Oath Pact 12 Red Wine Finish

05:49 - Remus “Lou Gehrig” Reserve Mashbill Breakdown

07:24 - Templeton Rye Double Oak Announcement

08:23 - Rittenhouse 10-Year Bottled-in-Bond for 250th Anniversary

09:57 - Whiskey of the Year: Elijah Craig Barrel-Proof Rye

11:58 - Gaming News: Civ VII Free DLC + Huge Updates

14:47 - Gaming News: Metroid Prime 4 & Microsoft Flight Simulator Stranger Things Pack

15:52 - Byte-Sized Review: Copperworks Kilt Lifter Whiskey

23:46 - Closing & Tease for Next Week’s Tequila Cask Review

This week, Clifton covers some of the final big whiskey drops of 2025, including new releases from Clyde May’s, Central Waters’ new Great Blue line, State Line Distillery’s debut 5-year rye, and the dramatic relaunch of Copper & Kings under new ownership. Then it’s time for one of the most surprising pours of the year: Bruichladdich Laddie Rye — a 100-proof, 7-year Islay-grown rye-and-barley hybrid that tastes like nothing else on the market.

Plus: Palmer Luckey’s newest retro console — the ModRetro M64 — might be the most exciting gaming hardware of the year.

It’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday Week, and I’m sharing the best whiskey deals, distillery sales, merch discounts, and bottle drops worth your money this season. Whether you’re stocking your bar or shopping for bourbon lovers, I’ve got the highlights you need so you don’t have to scan every mailing list yourself.

Then, I crack open the 2025 Town Branch Imperium Bourbon — a 105-proof, wheated bourbon blend with notes of dark chocolate–covered cherry, caramel, and cedar-driven oak tannin. Is it worth the $120 price tag? I share my honest verdict.

Episode includes:

This week, Clifton digs into one of the biggest questions in whiskey: Is the bourbon boom finally over? After years of price hikes, expansions, and dwindling enthusiasm from younger drinkers, the numbers might finally be catching up. In this episode, he breaks down why the boom may be slowing — and why that might actually be good for bourbon fans.

Then stick around for a Byte-Sized Review of a bottle he’s never tried before: the Ben Holladay 6-Year Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon. This Missouri-made BIB surprised him with dusty vintage notes, toasted sweetness, and a mash bill that might be one of the most exciting non-Kentucky profiles in years.

Plus: new whiskey releases from Buffalo Trace, Barrell Craft Spirits, Blade & Bow, and more.

This week, Clifton dives into the newest limited-edition release from the Lone Star State: the Garrison Brothers Sonora Bourbon, a seven-year, 108-proof expression finished in rye barrels. Crafted under the guidance of Samantha Olvera, Texas’s first female Latina distiller, Sonora is more than just a whiskey, it’s a celebration of women shaping the future of bourbon.

Plus, he covers the biggest whiskey headlines of the week, including:

00:00 - Intro & Welcome Back

This week, Clifton dives into one of the most talked-about limited releases of the year — the 2025 Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Bourbon. Is the $200 price tag justified, or is nostalgia doing the heavy lifting?

Plus, there’s a full flight of whiskey news, including:

And in this week’s Byte-Sized Review, Clifton gives his honest first-crack take on Russell’s 13 — from the oak-heavy nose to the vanilla-bean palate and long, spicy finish.

Clifton closes out Bourbon Boos 2025 with a bang — and a cloud of smoke! 💨

Plus, new whiskey announcements from around the world:

Tune in for peat, price talk, and one last Halloween pour that proves not every spooky bottle is a trick. 🎃

It’s another Bourbon Boos review, and this week Clifton braves one of the strangest bottles yet — Buchanan’s Pineapple “Spirit Drink.” 🥃🍍

Technically not even whisky, this scotch-based pineapple blend surprised him more than expected. Is it a tropical treat or a tiki bar tragedy? Tune in to find out!

Plus, this week’s whiskey news covers:

Grab your glass (and maybe some ice) — it’s time to get spooky, sweet, and slightly skeptical.