This week on the Bourbon Bytes podcast, Wild Turkey fans have a lot to be excited about.

We’re breaking down the return of one of Wild Turkey’s most legendary bottles: the new Austin Nichols Reserve 16 Year, inspired by the mythical “Cheesy Gold Foil” Wild Turkey release from the 1980s. This new 16-year-old bourbon comes from Camp Nelson Warehouse D, is bottled at 120 proof, and marks Bruce Russell’s first solo project with the brand.

We also cover two big Heaven Hill stories, including the Evan Williams America 250 Edition single barrel release bottled at 117.76 proof, plus the 2026 Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Collection, which is all about wheated bourbon this year.

Then it’s time for a Byte-Sized Review of K&L Wine and Spirits’ Every Drop “Living Legend” Bourbon, a 7-year-old, 107-proof independent bottling from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. They can’t officially say where it’s from… but let’s just say the clues are pretty loud.

At only $50, this might be one of the best Wild Turkey-adjacent bourbon values I’ve tasted all year.

🥃 Topics covered:

Would you pay $400 for the new Wild Turkey Gold Foil release, or grab multiple bottles of this K&L pick instead?

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro - Wild Turkey Gold Foil Returns

This week on the Bourbon Bytes podcast, we’re diving into new whiskey releases from Blue Run, Little Book, Very Old St. Nick, 15 Stars, and one of the strangest TTB labels I’ve seen in a while: a goat milk flavored whiskey from Tamworth.

On the gaming side, Microsoft is making headlines with 8,000-year Xbox bans for Forza Horizon 6 pirates, while Xbox Game Pass is adding a new Discord Nitro perk.

Then it’s time for a Byte-Sized Review of King of Kentucky 16 Year Bourbon.

This 2024 release from Brown-Forman is a 16-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 132 proof, with only about 5,100 bottles released. It shares the same mash bill as Old Forester 1924, but at six years older and full barrel strength, does it live up to the King of Kentucky name?

Expect deep oak, antique wood, cedar chest, dark roasted nuts, molasses, tannic richness, and a long finish.

🥃 Topics covered:

Would you pay $350 for King of Kentucky if you found it at retail?

00:00 Intro – Blue Run, Little Book, Xbox & King of Kentucky

This week on the Bourbon Bytes podcast, it’s my birthday episode, and whiskey news got weird in the best way.

Stitzel-Weller just announced a 31-year-old bourbon bottled at a wild 163.2 proof with a $3,000 price tag. Jack Daniel’s is teaming up with McLaren for the limited-edition Halo MK1 Tennessee Whiskey, and in gaming news, the new Steam Controller is already selling out while Halo 2 and Halo 3 remake rumors are heating up.

Then I dive into a Byte-Sized Review of Bernheim 20th Anniversary Wheat Whiskey from Heaven Hill.

This limited-edition Bernheim is 10 years old, bottled at 115 proof, and celebrates 20 years of one of the most unique American whiskey styles. I went in curious, but this one seriously surprised me with rich caramel, Halloween candy sweetness, balanced spice, and a finish that made me wonder why Bernheim doesn’t get more love.

🥃 Topics covered:

Would you pay $3,000 for a 31-year-old bourbon, or would you rather hunt down this Bernheim?

00:00 Intro – Stitzel Reserve, Jack Daniel’s & Bernheim

This week on the Bourbon Bytes podcast, we’re diving into a packed week of whiskey news before heading to Northern California for a Byte-Sized Review of Redwood Empire Haystack Needle.

Michter’s is releasing its first-ever Barrel Strength Sour Mash Whiskey, Maker’s Mark is back with a new edition of Star Hill Farm Whisky, Widow Jane is finishing bourbon in Tequila Ocho casks, Jack Daniel’s has a new hazmat rye release, and Four Roses is expanding its single barrel lineup.

Plus, we take a quick look at upcoming video game releases, including Forza Horizon 6 and 007 First Light.

Then it’s time for the main event: a review of Redwood Empire Haystack Needle, an 8 year, 7 month California bourbon single barrel pick from K&L Wine and Spirits, bottled at 119 proof.

This bottle completely surprised me with bright red fruit, strawberry shortcake, dark chocolate, oak, and a finish that makes me wonder if Redwood Empire is helping define the future of California whiskey.

🥃 Topics covered:

Would you pay $130 for a craft California bourbon like this?

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro – Michter’s, Maker’s, Jack Daniel’s & Redwood Empire

Whiskey got wild this week.

Eagle Rare just announced a 30-year-old bourbon priced at $12,500, Elijah Craig is back with another PGA Championship bottle, and Booker's Bourbon returns with its first batch of 2026.

I also break down:

Then I give my full Byte-Sized Review of Knob Creek Blender’s Edition to see if Beam has a real hit on its hands.

🥃 Is it better than standard Knob Creek?

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro – Welcome to Bourbon Bytes

00:52 Eagle Rare 30 Costs $12,500

04:42 Buffalo Trace Distillery Opens New Cafe

06:36 Elijah Craig PGA Championship Bourbon

07:59 Booker's Bourbon Big Easy Batch 2026-01

09:54 New TTB Labels: Old Forester + Heaven Hill

12:22 Byte-Sized Review – Knob Creek Blender’s Edition

21:04 Outro + Byte Club Shoutouts

Whiskey might be changing in a big way.

A recent appeals court ruling could potentially make home distilling legal in the United States - a move that could reshape the entire whiskey landscape. But that’s not the only shift happening right now.

This week on Bourbon Bytes, I break down:

And of course, I’m reviewing Kentucky Senator Bourbon "Jim Bunning" Release #7 to see if it lives up to the hype.

🥃 Is the whiskey boom changing direction?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Timecodes:

Bourbon is getting strange… and expensive.

This week on Bourbon Bytes, I'm breaking down some of the wildest whiskey news stories of the moment: from Costco’s viral “hot dog bourbon” to Knob Creek’s new Blender’s Edition, Buffalo Trace’s latest experiments, and Angel’s Envy pushing further into ultra-premium territory.

But after all the hype, the real question is… do we actually need all this innovation?

To find out, I review the new Ardbeg 10 Cask Strength—a surprisingly simple release that might prove great whiskey doesn’t need gimmicks.

Is bourbon innovation going too far? And can a classic Scotch still outperform it all?

🥃 Topics:

👇 Let me know:

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro – Bourbon Is Getting Weird

This week on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast, I'm breaking down some of the biggest whiskey news stories of the moment—plus a first impression review of a brand new Bardstown Bourbon Company release.

🔥 Topics include:

🎮 Plus, a major shakeup in the gaming industry with layoffs at Epic Games.

🥃 Then we dive into a Byte-Sized Review of the Bardstown Bourbon Company Cascadia Garryana Oak Finish — a rare oak, toasted finish bourbon with a smoky, tobacco-forward profile and surprising sweetness.

Is it worth the price… and the trip to the distillery?

00:00 – Intro & Episode Preview

This week on Bourbon Bytes, I’m breaking down one of the biggest trending topics in bourbon right now — recent news and rumors surrounding Green River’s master distiller.

What’s actually confirmed? What’s speculation? And what could it mean for the future of the brand?

Then, I dive into a full review of the brand-new Sazerac Full Proof Rye Whiskey from Sazerac.

Buffalo Trace fans have been waiting for a higher-proof version of this classic rye — but does it actually deliver?

I cover:

The latest Green River updates and what we know so far

Nose, palate, and finish of Sazerac Full Proof Rye

How it compares to standard Sazerac Rye

Whether it’s worth buying at MSRP

Note: Any discussion of Green River is based on publicly available information and industry speculation at the time of recording.

On this week’s Bourbon Bytes Podcast, we’re covering some of the biggest whiskey news stories of the week before diving into a cult-favorite bourbon review.

Topics include:

🥃 Remus Experimental Series Wheat Whiskey

Then for this week’s Byte-Sized Review, I’m tasting Evan Williams 12 Year Red Label Bourbon, a Heaven Hill export that’s become a favorite among bourbon fans.

Often only available in Japan, this bottle has developed a reputation for delivering well-aged bourbon at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Does it live up to the hype?

Let’s find out.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro – Whiskey News + Today’s Review