A new year is here, and Eat Drink Smoke does it the only way that makes sense — by waiting until the calendar actually turns.

In this episode, Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy reveal their Top Three Bourbons of the Year, based not on hype or releases, but on everything they actually reviewed on the show in 2025. No Top 10 lists. No arguments about rankings. Just the bottles that stayed with them.

Fingers lays out his value-driven list, keeping every pick under $50, including:

• Kirkland Bottled-in-Bond from Costco

• 2XO American Oak

• And his top pick: Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye

Tony counters with a memory-based list that ignores price entirely, featuring:

• Espy House George 1794

• Keeper’s Heart Irish & American Whiskey (110 proof)

• And a surprise number one that isn’t a bourbon or a rye: Bacoo 12-Year Rum

Along the way, they discuss:

• Why 2025 was a strange year for bourbon

• How palate changes affect what sticks with you

• The difference between “good” and “memorable”

• Why value still matters — even when it doesn’t

• And whether calling it “Bourbons of the Year” still makes sense

They’re also smoking the Oliva Master Blends 3 Churchill, breaking down flavor, strength, construction, and pairing as the conversation moves from reflection to anticipation.

Next week: Cigars of the Year.

Follow Eat Drink Smoke on social media!

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IG: @EatDrinkSmokePodcast

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The legend of Stanley Stiers — an 11-year-old Iowa boy who allegedly murdered his family and classmates on Halloween in 1923 — bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain masked killer who wouldn't appear on screen for another 55 years. | #WDRadio WEEK OF JANUARY 04, 2026
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HOUR ONE: Was Stanley Stiers the real-life inspiration for Michael Myers in 1978’s John Carpenter film, “Halloween?” (The Real Michael Myers) *** The last known words of Peter Rugg were “Let the storm increase! I will see home tonight in spite of the last tempest, or I may never see home!" Over two-hundred years later and he has yet to make it home – but that hasn’t stopped his tempest! (The Eternal Ride of Peter Rugg) *** Imagine attending college for several years, only to find out that the whole time you’ve been studying on top of the corpses of thousands of mental patients. That’s exactly what happened in 2013 when The University of Mississippi made plans to expand parking for their students and staff. (The Corpses Under The University of Mississippi) *** Dealing with a ghost or two is awful enough – but what if you’re attacked by a whole gang of ghouls? It was reported as real news in 1889’s Chicago Tribune! (A Whole Gang O’ Ghosts) *** People With Super Powers!
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HOUR TWO: It’s rumored that an arcade game from 1980 might lead to the real death of its players. We’ll look at the death curse of Berzerk. (The Berzerk Death Curse, And The Polybius Urban Legend) *** And another arcade game in the early 80s was surrounded by controversy – because the game never existed, despite so many saying it did. Or did it exist? We’ll look at the urban legend of Polybius. (The Urban Legend of Polybius)
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SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Michael Bryson disappeared on August 5th, 2020 from Hobo Campground at Umpqua National Forest. He has yet to be found. (The Disappearance of Michael Bryson) *** When it comes to cryptids, you have many to choose from – Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the chupacabra, the list goes on and on. But I’m willing to bet nowhere on the list of your favorite cryptids, or even the cryptids you’ve ever heard of, do you have an entry for “The Belled Buzzard” of Texas. (The Belled Buzzard Legend) *** When the Black Plague arrived at Eyam's doorstep in the 17th century, its villagers were forced to choose between life or certain doom. It’s the tragic tale of England’s Plague Village. (The Black Plague Comes to Eyam)
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SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT’S SHOW:“People with Super Powers” from Paranormality Magazine: https://weirddarkness.com/magazine“The Berzerk Death Curse” by Cat DeSpira: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckk96tv
“The Polybius Conspiracy” by Ryan Houlihan for InputMag.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8h6v8z“The Real Michael Myers” from Casper McFadden at TheMorbidLibrary.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yvj6ueze, and from TheScareChamber.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/vmew9uvb; “Halloween” theme piano solo by Noud van Harskamp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T9m-fj8K9c, “Halloween Kills | Epic Orchestral Theme” by Mike Chibante: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E82MEfQiffk
“The Disappearance of Michael Bryson” posted at Strange Outdoors:

A Chinese shopping mall's radical solution to bathroom smokers accidentally preaches one of the most uncomfortable truths in Scripture.

SERMON TRANSCRIPT…https://weirddarkness.com/COTU-TransparentBathroomStalls

Weird Darkness® and Church Of The Undead™ are trademarked. Copyright © 2025.
#WeirdDarkness #ChurchOfTheUndead #ChristianPodcast #WeirdNews #TransparentDoors #GodSeesEverything #EvangelicalSermon #WalkInTheLight #BibleTeaching #ViralChina

Pittsburgh's Congelier Mansion saw so much death — from a wife's bloody revenge to a doctor's gruesome experiments to workers found dead in the basement — that some believe the Devil himself reclaimed it in a 1927 explosion.

IN THIS EPISODE: The dark and strange history of the Congelier Mansion in Pittsburgh is lost to time, but not to those who’ve heard the stories. (The House The Devil Built) *** A chance meeting brings two people love, then marriage… then jealousy and murder. (The Bitter Fruit of a Jest) *** He terrified citizens in Australia in the 1990s – suspected of at least twelve murders, and sentenced to seven life terms in prison. His name was Ivan Milat. (Serial Killer Ivan Milat) *** How can a young woman remember herself being old? (Hannah’s Past Lives) *** A toddler plays with an imaginary friend – who ends up being his deceased grandmother whom he has never met. (Panteletas) *** In 1972 an aircraft crashed into the Florida Everglades - and has become one of the most famous aircraft flights in the annals of the supernatural. (Ghosts of Flight 401) *** A young girl is beaten and abused as a child, ignored by her family and schoolmates, and ended up crying each night alone in her room… although she was not truly alone. (Who Is With Me) *** There is no doubt that something puzzling did happen hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Scientists, historians and locals admit this particular place is shrouded in mystery. (Unexplained Phenomenon in Ancient Ireland) *** Skyquakes. Mistpouffers. Seneca Guns. The mysterious booms in South Carolina have many names, but no one knows what causes them. (Mysterious Booms in South Carolina) *** A man had apparently leapt off the roof of a building, committing suicide. That would’ve been the end of it, except that police found a note in the man’s pocket with instructions on how to find the pieces of his girlfriend. (The Zach and Addie Murder/Suicide) *** No one paid much attention to Kaspar Hauser when he strolled into Nuremberg one morning in 1828. But that would soon change. (The Enduring 200 Year Mystery of Kaspar Hauser) *** When a man goes to prison, only to come home a year later and find his wife with another man, you know the ending already. (The Brown Tragedy) *** A woman’s body was found in a secluded Texas home, sitting upright in a rocking chair in front of a mysterious altar. The murder of Olivia Mabel is so strange that authorities are asking for your help in solving the mystery. (The Bizarre Death of Olivia Mabel)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:02:01.738 = Show Intro
00:05:24.743 = The House The Devil Built
00:11:48.540 = Hanna’s Past Lives
00:13:33.398 = The Bitter Fruit Jest
00:20:13.564 = *** Who Is With Me?
00:25:42.497 = Serial Killer Ivan Milat
00:28:47.613 = Pantaletas
00:31:44.374 = The Ghosts of Flight 401
00:38:16.916 = *** Bizarre Death of Olivia Mabel
00:45:34.863 = The Brown Tragedy
00:52:31.214 = Unexplained Phenomenon in Ancient Ireland
00:59:29.887 = *** The Enduring 200 Year Mystery of Kasper Hauser
01:04:04.466 = Mysterious Booms Plague South Carolina
01:08:30.288 = *** The Zach And Addie Murder-Suicide
01:17:29.747 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES – and/or --- PRINT VERSION to READ or SHARE:“The House The Devil Built” posted at The Occult Museum (link no longer available)
“The Bitter Fruit of a Jest” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder By Gaslight: http://bit.ly/2WtC2Cy
“Serial Killer Ivan Milat” by Robert Keller (link no longer available)
“Hannah’s Past Lives” was submitted anonymously
“Pantaletas” submitted by Michy from Upcycle Creations: http://bit.ly/2WqMwCx
“Ghosts of Flight

This episode brings together leaders from valet services, investment banking, employee benefits and accounting to explore how early life experiences shaped their leadership styles. Each guest reflects on growing up with responsibility at a young age through sports, paper routes, family businesses, and leadership roles among peers. Athletics played a major role, teaching teamwork, adaptability, humility, and the importance of putting results on the board—whether on the court, the track, or the ice. Working early instilled discipline, time management, and respect for people across all walks of life. Family influence, particularly lessons around integrity, problem-solving, and independence, emerges as a common thread. Together, their stories show how foundational experiences translate into people-first leadership and long-term professional success.
 

Indoor and Outdoor Herbs

Chris Markowski, the Watchdog on Wall Street, discusses the pervasive issues within the financial industry, including the lack of media coverage on Wall Street fraud, the influence of advertising on public perception, and the challenges faced by smaller firms in a landscape dominated by 'too big to fail' institutions. He emphasizes the importance of integrity in financial advising and the need for a shift towards genuine client care and wealth building.

A strange sickness documented since the 1600s causes its victims to see the people around them as edible — and several who caught it killed and ate their own families.

IN THIS EPISODE: The Wendigo is terrifying enough – with its backstory claiming it is the creation of a person who chose to become a cannibal, and ended up twisting up into the legendary monster. But that’s just it – so far, it’s only just a legend. We have no solid proof of its existence. But even more horrifying than the Wendigo is Wendigo Psychosis – something that is not a legend at all. (Wendigo Psychosis: When Humans Become Monsters) *** Lauretta Lyons was killed in her own home on June 9th, 1966. And now, so many decades later, authorities are still at a loss as to who committed the murder. (The 1966 Murder Rockford Police Failed: Witnesses Identified the Killer — But He Was Never Charged) *** What does it feel like to die? We obviously won’t know personally until we die ourselves, as it’s hard to talk to someone about their experience of dying if they are… well… dead. But Reverend J.T. Mann can describe it – as he was hanged… died… and then came back to life to tell the story of what happened to his soul while he was gone. (The Man Who Came Back From the Noose: Rev. J. T. Mann) *** We’ll look at a few other legendary creatures and cryptids that have some interesting stories attached to them! (Mythical Creatures You've Probably Never Heard Of)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Face of the Wendigo
00:00:50.500 = Show Open
00:02:54.563 = Wendigo Psychosis: When Humans Become Monsters
00:13:34.059 = *** Mythical Creatures You've Probably Never Heard Of
00:27:18.914 = **** The 1966 Murder Rockford Police Failed: Witnesses Identified the Killer — But He Was Never Charged
00:34:53.557 = The Man Who Came Back From the Noose: Rev. J. T. Mann
00:39:54.302 = *** A Ouija Board, a Demon House, and a Lifetime of Terror
00:52:11.523 = Show Close

*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“Wendigo Psychosis” by Kathy Weiser for Legends of America: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ymvwr3cr
“More Mythological Monsters” by Estelle for ListVerse: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/dd9dy63a
“The 1966 Murder Rockford Police Failed: Witnesses Identified the Killer — But He Was Never Charged” by Kathi Kresol for Haunted Rockford: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ysmfm8ap
“The Man Who Came Back From the Noose: Rev. J. T. Mann” by Robert A. Waters for the website Kidnapping, Murder and Mayhem: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/82vvt58p
“A Ouija Board, a Demon House, and a Lifetime of Terror” by Weirdo family member, Reverend Terry Wheless=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: May 19, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/WendigoPsychosis
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning v

Christmas week calls for something familiar.

So Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy go back to the well with Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye (Voyage 26, Double Barrel, 96 proof) — sweet, lush, easy-drinking, and absolutely the kind of pour you reach for when you’re fighting off a cold and trying to pretend you’re “fine.”

Also in this Happy Hour:

• The IRS finally bumps the jackpot reporting threshold (about time)

• Why Vegas keeps charging more while giving less

• Costco’s possible redesign… including scanning your membership card for the food court (hot dog security is real now)

• And a story so weird it has to be true: an Amazon driver allegedly petting a porch cat… and then walking off with it

This is Eat Drink Smoke in peak form: cigars, bourbon, food, travel complaints, retail therapy, and a little “what is wrong with people?”

Follow Eat Drink Smoke on social media!

X (Formerly Twitter): @GoEatDrinkSmoke
Facebook: @eatdrinksmoke
IG: @EatDrinkSmokePodcast

The Podcast is Free! Click Below!

Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Stitcher 
Spotify

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.