Bourbon Bytes Podcast

Willett Family Estate 4 Year Bourbon Review & Whiskey Dreams for 2026

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

Copperworks Kilt Lifter Whiskey Review & Huge New Whiskey Releases Coming in 2026!

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

An Islay Rye?! Bruichladdich Laddie Rye Review + Big Whiskey & Gaming News

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.

Best 2025 Black Friday & Cyber Monday Whiskey Deals + Town Branch Imperium Bourbon Review

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:🥃 Dark Arts Cellar Sale details🥃 Deanston 15 Year Tequila Cask Black Friday Drop🥃 Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam & High West Merch Discounts📘 Whiskey Advocate 2-Year Subscription Deal🔥 Byte-Sized Review: Town Branch Imperium Bourbon (MMXXV)

Is the Bourbon Boom REALLY Over? + Ben Holladay BIB Review

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.

Garrison Brothers Sonora Review + Michter’s 20 Year Bourbon Returns

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:🥃 The return of Michter’s 20-Year-Old Bourbon🥃 Little Book Infinite Edition II – a blend of Beam family legacy🎮 Call of Duty Black Ops 7 launch week🎮 Indie spotlight on Videoverse and PS5-exclusive Code Violet
 
00:00 - Intro & Welcome Back01:06 - Whiskey News: 2025 Michter’s 20 Year Bourbon03:26 - Whiskey News: Little Book Infinite Edition II05:02 - New Whiskeys from Still Austin, Castle & Key, Old Potrero, Paul John08:55 - Woodford Reserve x Markarian 2025 Holiday Bottle10:08 - Video Game News: Call of Duty Black Ops 7, Videoverse, Code Violet13:02 - Byte-Sized Review: Garrison Brothers Sonora Bourbon22:18 - Closing & Upcoming Live Stream Guests

2025 Russell’s Reserve 13 Year Bourbon Review & BIG News from Jack Daniel's

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:
Jack Daniel’s massive new 3-liter bottle
Glencairn Glass celebrating 25 years
Big new Scotch and single malt releases from Arran, Cutty Sark, and East London Liquor Company
Lost Lantern’s bold new American Single Malt collection
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.

Bourbon Boos Finale 💀: The Smokiest Surprise Yet - Smokehead Single Malt Scotch Review

Clifton closes out Bourbon Boos 2025 with a bang — and a cloud of smoke! 💨This week’s spooky pour is Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch, a bold, affordable peated whisky that just might be the surprise of the series. For under $40, does it hold its own against bigger Islay names?
Plus, new whiskey announcements from around the world:🥃 Heaven Hill’s Grain-to-Glass Specialty Barrel Series🌴 The Glenlivet 12-Year Jamaica Edition Rum-Cask Finish🪵 A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 13 and Old Overholt Cask Strength 12 Year
Tune in for peat, price talk, and one last Halloween pour that proves not every spooky bottle is a trick. 🎃

Pineapple in My Scotch? Buchanan's Made Me Do It

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:🔥 Elijah Craig Barrel-Proof Rye💪 Russell’s Reserve’s Highest-Proof Bourbon Yet🤖 The Rise of “Whiskey House” — A Fully Automated Distillery
Grab your glass (and maybe some ice) — it’s time to get spooky, sweet, and slightly skeptical.

Bourbon Boos: $16 Tennessee Whiskey Terror & BTAC 2025 Bombshells

This week’s Bourbon Boos review might be the scariest pour yet… Clifton cracks open a $16 bottle of King’s Creek Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey, a bottom-shelf mystery brand with no known distillery and a whole lot of red flags. Does it surprise him, or haunt his palate forever?
But before the horrors begin, we’ve got MAJOR whiskey news:
✈️ Flaviar’s $270 “FlaviAIR” Advent Calendar takes flight🔥 Kilchoman drops an 11-Year Sherry Cask Scotch🥃 New American whiskey releases from Copperworks, Sagamore, Milam & Greene, and Pinhook🦬 AND the full Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 lineup, featuring the first-ever E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond addition
Then it’s time for a truly frightening pour in this week’s Bourbon Boos Byte-Sized Review.