August 21, 2025 • 20 mins
Clifton dives into some of the hottest whiskey news of the year: Old Forester shakes things up with a sweet mash Birthday Bourbon, Four Roses unveils its 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch, and Elijah Craig tees off with the PGA Quail Hollow Championship Edition. How does this commemorative release stack up against past special collaborations? Plus, we celebrate the end of the SAG-AFTRA video game strike and what it means for the future of gaming.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Today on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast, Old Forester announces their new 2025 Birthday Bourbon,
but they're not alone because Four Roses also introduces their 2025 LE Small Batch.
Plus, I'm reviewing the PGA Quail Hollow Championship Edition from Elijah Craig.
(00:28):
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Bourbon Bytes Podcast. I'm your host Clifton and this
is the week of Thursday, August 21st, 2025. Thank you for tuning in to another episode.
Appreciate all the great feedback that's been coming in around the podcast lately.
Glad you guys are enjoying the Byte-Sized Reviews. And today is no different because
we have some really cool news in the world of whiskey and video games today, plus a review of
(00:52):
a bourbon that is a special edition release for 2025 that I had to pick up just for you guys.
But we do have some news to talk about, the first of which is breaking news from Old Forester.
They just announced their 2025 Birthday Bourbon. This year's expression is a 12-year-old bourbon
at 92 proof. But there's something unique about this release that's never been done before for
(01:16):
Birthday Bourbon. Now, if you listened to last week's episode, you know I reviewed Shenk's
Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey, and Sour Mash is actually the process that Old Forester has done
for all of their Birthday Bourbon releases. However, this year they are doing a sweet
mash bourbon whiskey. This means that they didn't use the setback from a previous batch of whiskey
(01:38):
during fermentation. They claim that this allowed the yeast to express its full character, creating
a flavor profile that's both delicate and complex. Now, this is in honor of their 25th Birthday
Bourbon release, which is this year's batch. It was drawn from 210 barrels, aged in Warehouse K,
floors 1 and 5. Now, what's interesting is all of these barrels were made in one day's production
(02:02):
back on April 5th, 2013, and they were selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and
Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo. They claim that this 92 proof release is an anomaly,
and it resulted in a silky and sweet flavor profile that shines at its proof. And I'll be
honest, there really isn't much in this press release. I mean, there are tasty notes and
(02:23):
nosing notes, but that's really all we know. It's like I said, a 12 year old 92 proof sweet
mash bourbon whiskey. Birthday Bourbon has been one to me that I always appreciate seeing and hearing
about, but it's not one that I seek out. I say that having owned two Birthday Bourbons in my
collection that have not been opened, but that's because I've had a chance to buy them at retail,
(02:44):
and my ultimate goal is to trade them for something that I actually want to drink.
I feel weird about this, and this is something that I've talked about with a lot of whiskey
friends, but not necessarily on the podcast or on YouTube. I would really like to make a good
trade for my Birthday Bourbons. My issue is I don't feel comfortable trading with strangers online.
I don't know. I see a lot of groups on Facebook where people trade bottles or they sell bottles,
(03:06):
and even when you avoid all the legalities of that, I just get really nervous. I guess
it comes from me, you know, in the past trying to sell things online and kind of getting scammed or
almost had my, you know, iPhone stolen years ago when I went to go meet someone to sell it.
I'm just really hesitant, and then when it comes to the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon bottle,
I mean, look at it. It is the most oddly shaped bottle you could ever try to mail someone, so
(03:29):
even shipping something like that is just, it's so intimidating, so I've kind of let my anxiety
get the best of me where I'm just holding onto these bottles, and I'm rotating them every now
and then just to kind of make sure that the corks don't, you know, go bad or anything,
but ultimately I'd like to trade them for other, you know, limited edition releases that I would
prefer to drink. Old Forester's really not been a flavor profile that's been a favorite of mine.
(03:51):
There have been a few exceptions, of course, which if you watch my reviews, you know,
I do have some really great Old Forester experience, but when I've tried Birthday
Bourbon in the past, it's been good, but it's not been something that I seek out, so will I
seek out this 2025 Birthday Bourbon? Most likely not, but if I get a chance to buy it at retail,
I'm not going to turn it down. I would hope to be able to trade it for something that I
(04:12):
will drink, whether it be a limited release from Buffalo Trace or Heaven Hill, something that I know
I'm going to love. I think that's what I would rather have than a bottle of birthday bourbon,
but if you get your hands on this one and you want to prove me wrong and tell me how exceptional
this release is, please do. I welcome it, and if you ever want to send me a sample,
I'd love to review it, but let me know if you guys have a chance to try this, if it's worth me taking
(04:35):
the splurge on maybe opening a bottle. We'll see. We'll see. Probably not, but, you know,
I do what you guys ask. This is all for you guys, so let me know. All right, well,
speaking of limited editions, Four Roses actually just announced their 2025 LE as well. This is the
2025 Small Batch Four Roses. They come out with one every year. It's released at Barrel Strength,
(04:56):
and this year is built around two standout 13-year-old batches delivering luscious notes
of apricot, vanilla, and caramel. They also say they added in a bold 19-year-old OESV
and OBSK casks to bring in layers of antique oak, rye, and depth for a truly balanced and complex
profile. So we got some really old Four Roses in this batch. It's not new to the Four Roses LE.
(05:23):
They've always included older bourbons in there, but it's interesting this is just limited to
that 13 and 19 years old, and now it's being bottled at 109 proof, which is on par with
previous releases. Just for reference, last year's 2024 release was 108.2 proof. The year before that
was 108 proof, and before that 109 proof. So still in that same territory. We haven't had a high proof
(05:45):
release since the 2021 limited edition small batch. That one was 114.2 proof. But yes, this one is 109,
like I said, 13 years and 19 years. I love to see it. Kind of similar to how I feel about Old
Forester. Those two, I know that they are highly sought after special releases that come out
every year, but they're just not ones that I seek out myself. They're not my favorite flavor
(06:08):
profile. Not to say they're not going to be exceptional bourbons, but I'd rather leave those
for people that enjoy those flavor profiles. If I have a chance to try this, I'd love to, but it's
not a bottle that I'm going to seek out for myself. But I had to tell you guys about it because I know
a lot of you guys are huge Four Roses fans. Looking at you, Alfonso. All right, and lastly, I do want to
give a huge shout out for the fact that the SAG-AFTRA video game strike is over. Now, this is
(06:35):
something that ended back in July, but I didn't really talk about it because at that point, I
wasn't really focusing on video game news as much. I work in the television and film industry, so I
saw another side of a SAG-AFTRA strike, you know, just a couple years ago. I'm so glad to see that
both parties found a deal that worked for them. This one particularly had to do with AI and using
(06:56):
AI in place of human performers. It's kind of when generative AI kind of blew up in the, you
know, a couple years back, and rightfully so, voice actors were scared. They were scared they were
going to use their, you know, personas they built for these games and just continue to use an AI
version. That way, they don't have to hire them for lines, which is really scary and sad because
(07:17):
voice actors make games. I'll say my partner is a huge fan of the Genshin Impact game, and I know
that there are so many quests and scenes in that game that aren't voiced because of the strike
itself, and I don't mind reading captions on a video game, but when you know that that line could
have been voiced by an actual actor, and the only reason they're not voicing it is because of this
(07:39):
strike, and they're fighting for their rights to their own IP, their own voice, it makes you really
feel for that industry. It's something that we don't really talk too much about in general,
unless you're a bit of a gamer or, like I said, in the TV or movie industry, but
you're right to your voice. I mean, that's something that I think voice actors particularly
hold dearly, so when these big studios are saying like, hey, well, we can take your voice model,
(08:04):
and we can, you know, manipulate it in a certain way to add dialogue to games, but not pay you,
which is the biggest issue, that's what some people had issues with, but I'm glad to see
that voice actors have finally reached a conclusion where they're feeling they're being treated fairly.
The agreement that was reached in July says that SAG-AFTRA members would be guaranteed
annual wage increases for three years, increased compensation for union games,
(08:28):
and some guardrails to prevent American game companies from giving their work to AI,
including consent and disclosure requirements for AI digital replica use, and the ability for
performers to suspend consent for the generation of new materials during a strike. I'm sure there's
more details to it than that, but it is worth mentioning. It's the big issue. As much as I do
(08:48):
love the ever-evolving AI use across, you know, not just the industry, but society,
you got to be careful with it, because sometimes, you know, I'm not for AI taking jobs,
especially in the creative fields, whether it's a photographer, a, you know, graphic designer,
a voice actor, or even a screen actor. I don't want AI to kind of take that place, and I don't
(09:12):
think we're there yet as a society, but we're getting pretty dang close. So, I think it's
important to set up these guardrails now, and prevent people's likenesses and their voices
to be taken from them, and them not getting any kind of compensation or, you know, consent to it.
That's the biggest issue, and I'm glad to see there's a resolution. So, like I said, a little
bit of old news, but I wanted to mention it because now that we're talking video game news,
(09:34):
it's something that's been on everyone's minds lately. So, yeah, congratulations to those members,
and I hope to continue to see more voice acting reappear in games that it was kind of missing in
the past because of the strikes. So, yes, get out there, do work, get paid. All right, well,
that does it for the news portion of this podcast. Now, it's time to get into our Byte-Sized Review.
(10:03):
All right, well, I am very excited for this week's Byte-Sized Review, because it is reminiscent of
one that I reviewed back in 2023 that blew my mind with how good it was for the price.
So, back in 2023, Elijah Craig partnered with the Ryder Cup to release a special edition
small batch bourbon that was aged with toasted European oak casks. And that whiskey, if you
(10:28):
check back on my channel, was one of my favorite whiskeys of the year. So, I saw there was a new
collaboration with the PGA this year, and I had to pick it up. Now, doing further research, I see
that last year they did a similar collaboration, and this one kind of follows a similar format to
last year versus the 2023 release. So, last year, they actually picked whiskeys from Heaven Hill
(10:54):
Rickhouse's P, 1G, and A to symbolize PGA. So, they took the letters of the Rickhouse's and used it
to make a small batch from those specific Rickhouses. Now, I didn't have the 2024 release,
but I'm seeing they're doing something a little bit similar here in 2025 with this PGA release.
(11:16):
This one is for PGA Quail Hollow in 2025, 94 proof, just like all the others. But this year,
they are pulling bourbons selected from Rickhouse's Q and H1, aka QH Quail Hollow. So,
I will say it's not quite as exciting as doing a special European toasted oak like they did with
(11:37):
the release from back in 2023, but it's still exciting to see a exclusive blend of a small batch
of Elijah Craig, especially coming from the distillery. I have high hopes for it. Maybe not
as high of hopes as I had for them back in 2023 with the Ryder Cup edition, but I had to pick
it up because I love that one so much. I want to see if they're keeping up the quality with this
(12:02):
one. So, let's go ahead and pour the 2025 PGA Championship Elijah Craig small batch. Now,
of course, this is a commemorative bottle, so it has a special gold icon on the top of the cork.
This is PGA Quail Hollow 2025. Now, the reason for this release and other previous releases is
Elijah Craig is the official bourbon of the PGA Championship. They've been a sponsor for several
(12:27):
years now, but I do appreciate them doing a little bit something different, you know,
rather than just being the sponsor and not doing a special release. I do commend them for that.
And fun fact, Quail Hollow Club is in Charlotte, North Carolina, which being born or raised near
Charlotte, North Carolina my entire life, I've never heard of Quail Hollow Club. That just shows
what tax bracket I wasn't in. This does have a little bit of a special place in my heart because
(12:49):
of that, but I don't know. Is it bad that I feel like I'm already starting to feel like it's a
little gimmicky with it being from Rickhouse's Q and H1 to honor Quail Hollow? I don't know.
I'll reserve my judgment until I have a taste of it because maybe these are their best Rickhouses.
I mean, this could be a Coy Hill situation, you know, you never know. But let's go ahead and give
(13:11):
this small batch Elijah Craig a nose. Oh yeah, classic Elijah Craig. That's really good. I mean,
listen, as much as I joke around about this, you know, kind of feeling a bit gimmicky,
you gotta, you gotta admit classic Elijah Craig is no joke for the price. I mean,
it is one of my favorite, uh, I wouldn't say bottom shelf, but like a lower priced bourbon
(13:32):
under $30. Elijah Craig always gets my recommendation. I've been a fan of it since
I first started my whiskey journey. And then even now, yes, I do prefer the cask strength releases at
a barrel proof, but I will say Elijah Craig is one that I recommend to so many people that are
looking to get into bourbon. My mom, who is a beginner bourbon drinker, all she really drinks
(13:53):
is Elijah Craig small batch. I mean, that's just kind of like what she goes to. She gravitates
towards it. She found it and she likes it. And there's nothing wrong with that. So no dissing on
Elijah Craig at all. And I will say I did only pay, I think $30 for this special edition of it.
It's not like it's a special finish or a special toast. Um, but it nonetheless, it's a cool bottle
with a really cool, um, label on it and a little gold placard in their cork. So let's go ahead and
(14:20):
give this special 2025 release a taste because the nose it's good. I mean, it's, it's classic
Elijah Craig. It's caramel. It's sweet. It's a little bit of like a bakery note, which is something
I always get with Heaven Hill products. I will say not too much oak on the nose. I mean, it's,
it's leaning more towards like a younger flavor profile. Again, I don't have an age statement on
this. It reads a little young on the nose, but let's see how it tastes. Cheers. Hmm. Yeah, that's
(14:47):
just, that's just solid Elijah Craig. I mean, it's hard to say anything bad about it. This, this tastes,
you know, in line with other Elijah Craig small batches I've had, I've had a lot of single barrels,
even at the lower proof of 94, there's been a bit more complex, a bit more nuanced than this one.
And I do know that they pulled this from warehouses Q and H1, you know, in tribute to the PGA.
(15:09):
But I will say that flavor-wise, I'm not detecting anything special about this. Even reading the
press release, there's not anything specifically about flavor notes. It's just about being a
special release. You know, being a tribute to Quail Hollow. I'll go in for another taste and
let's see if it has anything different. But yeah, this is classic Elijah Craig, and there's nothing
wrong with that. I mean, if anything, it almost has less of an oak impact than other Elijah Craigs
(15:32):
I've had. And maybe that's because certain single barrels pull out those flavors more. When I'm
a store that does a single barrel store pick that's not a cast strength, I trust them for
looking for those notes that really make this a standout bourbon. Elijah Craig, I think, always
has a nice oakiness to it. This one, not so much. But again, we don't know the age of this. We assume
it's the regular age statement of their small batch. I mean, this is a crowd pleaser. It's sweet.
(15:56):
It's a little bit of like a toasted baked good note that I always get when Heaven Hill products.
If you've been following for a while, you'll know that's not anything groundbreaking at all.
This is standard Heaven Hill distillate, but that's not bad by any means, especially
at 94 proof and only 30 bucks or less. I mean, I think that's what you expect with paying this
amount of money. You know, I wouldn't say it's that long of a finish. It's definitely more of
(16:18):
like a medium to short finish, but it has a lot of bit of like a toasted vanilla that I think
really lingers on the back end of it and really just all the way through this bourbon. I think
vanilla and caramel and toffee, everything you expect from a classic bourbon are here.
They're definitely not the most expressive compared to some single barrel releases,
but they are there. They are good. And yeah, there's not much to complain about. I hesitate
(16:42):
to say this is really a step up from Elijah Craig small batch. It really does feel like a
very, very similar bourbon to that. But again, you're paying a similar price point. If you see
this for retail, like I said, MSRP on it was $36. I found it for 30. Check your area. Don't overpay
for this one by any means. I will say that special release from 2023. The Ryder Cup to me was worth
(17:03):
a premium. It just had a very unique flavor profile. It just was a really special release.
And one of my top whiskeys of 2023. This doesn't compare. This doesn't compete. And I don't think
it's necessarily trying to. I think it's supposed to be more of a commemorative special release
from the distillery to honor their partnership with the PGA. And I think if that's all it's
meant to be, it does a good job. I mean, it's it's solid. I can see them having bottles of
(17:27):
this to buy at the, you know, the tournament or cocktails made with it or whatever. Again,
wasn't there. I don't know what they did with it, but it's a solid release. And I feel like I kind
of owe it a score based on price and availability and, you know, limited release saidness of it.
And I think this is right in the middle of the road. I think to me, like Elijah Craig is an
(17:48):
exceptional bourbon at the price. I think I would give regular Elijah Craig for the price, you know,
a six out of 10, really. But I think this is being a special release, being a special bottle,
a really cool label. I would probably bump it up to a seven out of 10 for the price. You know,
if you're only paying 30, 36 dollars, it's worth picking up, especially if you are an Elijah Craig
fan or a fan of the PGA or you just want a commemorative bottle with a good story. I think,
(18:12):
you know, there's nothing wrong with it. Don't go out of your way to buy it. Trust me, there are
other bottles where I'm like, yeah, it's been a little bit more than retail. This one, I don't
think it's worth it unless you really, really care about that game. Maybe you were there,
maybe you got engaged during the game or, you know, who knows? Other than having a commemorative
value, I think this is perfectly priced at the 30 to 36 dollar point. I give it a seven out of 10.
(18:35):
I just think it's a good bourbon. Good price. Cool story, I guess, if you really care about it.
I mean, if you see this for the same price as a regular Elijah Craig, give it a try. I think
it's similar in flavor, but you have a cool bottle to come with it. So there's that. All right.
Well, that does it for this week's Byte-Sized Review. They're not all going to be hitters,
and I think that's something I want to acknowledge. I feel like I've been highlighting a lot of
(18:56):
really good bourbons on this podcast, and I want to say that there's some times where something
doesn't quite, you know, exceed my expectations. This is the perfect example of something not quite
meeting my expectations based on a previous release, but meeting my expectations of the
brand. So nothing too crazy, nothing too groundbreaking, but I hope you enjoyed
listening to this week's episode. Quick reminder, you can call in and leave your comments or
(19:17):
questions for any future podcast. I had one a couple of weeks back, but I haven't had one in a
while. You can call in at 916-642-9837 or, easy to remember, 916-64-BYTES. You can leave me a message,
ask me a question, just make a comment. I will respond to it on next week's episode.
You can also leave a message on Discord if you're not yet a member of our community.
(19:40):
Why not? It's an amazing community of whiskey-loving friends. bourbonbytes.com has all the
links. There's a link to the Discord there, as well as our Instagram, our YouTube, our podcast,
everywhere you can find me on the web, bourbonbytes.com. But most of all, I want to say
thank you so much for listening to this week's episode. It really does mean a lot to me.
Make sure to follow me on whatever platform you are listening on. Thank you for giving me another
(20:02):
opportunity to give an episode to you. Cheers! I will see you this Thursday night on my live stream,
and otherwise, I will talk to you guys next episode. This has been the Bourbon Bytes Podcast.
Cheers, and I'll talk to you next week. Bye!
Today on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast, Old Forester announces their new 2025 Birthday Bourbon,
but they're not alone because Four Roses also introduces their 2025 LE Small Batch.
Plus, I'm reviewing the PGA Quail Hollow Championship Edition from Elijah Craig.
(00:28):
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Bourbon Bytes Podcast. I'm your host Clifton and this
is the week of Thursday, August 21st, 2025. Thank you for tuning in to another episode.
Appreciate all the great feedback that's been coming in around the podcast lately.
Glad you guys are enjoying the Byte-Sized Reviews. And today is no different because
we have some really cool news in the world of whiskey and video games today, plus a review of
(00:52):
a bourbon that is a special edition release for 2025 that I had to pick up just for you guys.
But we do have some news to talk about, the first of which is breaking news from Old Forester.
They just announced their 2025 Birthday Bourbon. This year's expression is a 12-year-old bourbon
at 92 proof. But there's something unique about this release that's never been done before for
(01:16):
Birthday Bourbon. Now, if you listened to last week's episode, you know I reviewed Shenk's
Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey, and Sour Mash is actually the process that Old Forester has done
for all of their Birthday Bourbon releases. However, this year they are doing a sweet
mash bourbon whiskey. This means that they didn't use the setback from a previous batch of whiskey
(01:38):
during fermentation. They claim that this allowed the yeast to express its full character, creating
a flavor profile that's both delicate and complex. Now, this is in honor of their 25th Birthday
Bourbon release, which is this year's batch. It was drawn from 210 barrels, aged in Warehouse K,
floors 1 and 5. Now, what's interesting is all of these barrels were made in one day's production
(02:02):
back on April 5th, 2013, and they were selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and
Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo. They claim that this 92 proof release is an anomaly,
and it resulted in a silky and sweet flavor profile that shines at its proof. And I'll be
honest, there really isn't much in this press release. I mean, there are tasty notes and
(02:23):
nosing notes, but that's really all we know. It's like I said, a 12 year old 92 proof sweet
mash bourbon whiskey. Birthday Bourbon has been one to me that I always appreciate seeing and hearing
about, but it's not one that I seek out. I say that having owned two Birthday Bourbons in my
collection that have not been opened, but that's because I've had a chance to buy them at retail,
(02:44):
and my ultimate goal is to trade them for something that I actually want to drink.
I feel weird about this, and this is something that I've talked about with a lot of whiskey
friends, but not necessarily on the podcast or on YouTube. I would really like to make a good
trade for my Birthday Bourbons. My issue is I don't feel comfortable trading with strangers online.
I don't know. I see a lot of groups on Facebook where people trade bottles or they sell bottles,
(03:06):
and even when you avoid all the legalities of that, I just get really nervous. I guess
it comes from me, you know, in the past trying to sell things online and kind of getting scammed or
almost had my, you know, iPhone stolen years ago when I went to go meet someone to sell it.
I'm just really hesitant, and then when it comes to the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon bottle,
I mean, look at it. It is the most oddly shaped bottle you could ever try to mail someone, so
(03:29):
even shipping something like that is just, it's so intimidating, so I've kind of let my anxiety
get the best of me where I'm just holding onto these bottles, and I'm rotating them every now
and then just to kind of make sure that the corks don't, you know, go bad or anything,
but ultimately I'd like to trade them for other, you know, limited edition releases that I would
prefer to drink. Old Forester's really not been a flavor profile that's been a favorite of mine.
(03:51):
There have been a few exceptions, of course, which if you watch my reviews, you know,
I do have some really great Old Forester experience, but when I've tried Birthday
Bourbon in the past, it's been good, but it's not been something that I seek out, so will I
seek out this 2025 Birthday Bourbon? Most likely not, but if I get a chance to buy it at retail,
I'm not going to turn it down. I would hope to be able to trade it for something that I
(04:12):
will drink, whether it be a limited release from Buffalo Trace or Heaven Hill, something that I know
I'm going to love. I think that's what I would rather have than a bottle of birthday bourbon,
but if you get your hands on this one and you want to prove me wrong and tell me how exceptional
this release is, please do. I welcome it, and if you ever want to send me a sample,
I'd love to review it, but let me know if you guys have a chance to try this, if it's worth me taking
(04:35):
the splurge on maybe opening a bottle. We'll see. We'll see. Probably not, but, you know,
I do what you guys ask. This is all for you guys, so let me know. All right, well,
speaking of limited editions, Four Roses actually just announced their 2025 LE as well. This is the
2025 Small Batch Four Roses. They come out with one every year. It's released at Barrel Strength,
(04:56):
and this year is built around two standout 13-year-old batches delivering luscious notes
of apricot, vanilla, and caramel. They also say they added in a bold 19-year-old OESV
and OBSK casks to bring in layers of antique oak, rye, and depth for a truly balanced and complex
profile. So we got some really old Four Roses in this batch. It's not new to the Four Roses LE.
(05:23):
They've always included older bourbons in there, but it's interesting this is just limited to
that 13 and 19 years old, and now it's being bottled at 109 proof, which is on par with
previous releases. Just for reference, last year's 2024 release was 108.2 proof. The year before that
was 108 proof, and before that 109 proof. So still in that same territory. We haven't had a high proof
(05:45):
release since the 2021 limited edition small batch. That one was 114.2 proof. But yes, this one is 109,
like I said, 13 years and 19 years. I love to see it. Kind of similar to how I feel about Old
Forester. Those two, I know that they are highly sought after special releases that come out
every year, but they're just not ones that I seek out myself. They're not my favorite flavor
(06:08):
profile. Not to say they're not going to be exceptional bourbons, but I'd rather leave those
for people that enjoy those flavor profiles. If I have a chance to try this, I'd love to, but it's
not a bottle that I'm going to seek out for myself. But I had to tell you guys about it because I know
a lot of you guys are huge Four Roses fans. Looking at you, Alfonso. All right, and lastly, I do want to
give a huge shout out for the fact that the SAG-AFTRA video game strike is over. Now, this is
(06:35):
something that ended back in July, but I didn't really talk about it because at that point, I
wasn't really focusing on video game news as much. I work in the television and film industry, so I
saw another side of a SAG-AFTRA strike, you know, just a couple years ago. I'm so glad to see that
both parties found a deal that worked for them. This one particularly had to do with AI and using
(06:56):
AI in place of human performers. It's kind of when generative AI kind of blew up in the, you
know, a couple years back, and rightfully so, voice actors were scared. They were scared they were
going to use their, you know, personas they built for these games and just continue to use an AI
version. That way, they don't have to hire them for lines, which is really scary and sad because
(07:17):
voice actors make games. I'll say my partner is a huge fan of the Genshin Impact game, and I know
that there are so many quests and scenes in that game that aren't voiced because of the strike
itself, and I don't mind reading captions on a video game, but when you know that that line could
have been voiced by an actual actor, and the only reason they're not voicing it is because of this
(07:39):
strike, and they're fighting for their rights to their own IP, their own voice, it makes you really
feel for that industry. It's something that we don't really talk too much about in general,
unless you're a bit of a gamer or, like I said, in the TV or movie industry, but
you're right to your voice. I mean, that's something that I think voice actors particularly
hold dearly, so when these big studios are saying like, hey, well, we can take your voice model,
(08:04):
and we can, you know, manipulate it in a certain way to add dialogue to games, but not pay you,
which is the biggest issue, that's what some people had issues with, but I'm glad to see
that voice actors have finally reached a conclusion where they're feeling they're being treated fairly.
The agreement that was reached in July says that SAG-AFTRA members would be guaranteed
annual wage increases for three years, increased compensation for union games,
(08:28):
and some guardrails to prevent American game companies from giving their work to AI,
including consent and disclosure requirements for AI digital replica use, and the ability for
performers to suspend consent for the generation of new materials during a strike. I'm sure there's
more details to it than that, but it is worth mentioning. It's the big issue. As much as I do
(08:48):
love the ever-evolving AI use across, you know, not just the industry, but society,
you got to be careful with it, because sometimes, you know, I'm not for AI taking jobs,
especially in the creative fields, whether it's a photographer, a, you know, graphic designer,
a voice actor, or even a screen actor. I don't want AI to kind of take that place, and I don't
(09:12):
think we're there yet as a society, but we're getting pretty dang close. So, I think it's
important to set up these guardrails now, and prevent people's likenesses and their voices
to be taken from them, and them not getting any kind of compensation or, you know, consent to it.
That's the biggest issue, and I'm glad to see there's a resolution. So, like I said, a little
bit of old news, but I wanted to mention it because now that we're talking video game news,
(09:34):
it's something that's been on everyone's minds lately. So, yeah, congratulations to those members,
and I hope to continue to see more voice acting reappear in games that it was kind of missing in
the past because of the strikes. So, yes, get out there, do work, get paid. All right, well,
that does it for the news portion of this podcast. Now, it's time to get into our Byte-Sized Review.
(10:03):
All right, well, I am very excited for this week's Byte-Sized Review, because it is reminiscent of
one that I reviewed back in 2023 that blew my mind with how good it was for the price.
So, back in 2023, Elijah Craig partnered with the Ryder Cup to release a special edition
small batch bourbon that was aged with toasted European oak casks. And that whiskey, if you
(10:28):
check back on my channel, was one of my favorite whiskeys of the year. So, I saw there was a new
collaboration with the PGA this year, and I had to pick it up. Now, doing further research, I see
that last year they did a similar collaboration, and this one kind of follows a similar format to
last year versus the 2023 release. So, last year, they actually picked whiskeys from Heaven Hill
(10:54):
Rickhouse's P, 1G, and A to symbolize PGA. So, they took the letters of the Rickhouse's and used it
to make a small batch from those specific Rickhouses. Now, I didn't have the 2024 release,
but I'm seeing they're doing something a little bit similar here in 2025 with this PGA release.
(11:16):
This one is for PGA Quail Hollow in 2025, 94 proof, just like all the others. But this year,
they are pulling bourbons selected from Rickhouse's Q and H1, aka QH Quail Hollow. So,
I will say it's not quite as exciting as doing a special European toasted oak like they did with
(11:37):
the release from back in 2023, but it's still exciting to see a exclusive blend of a small batch
of Elijah Craig, especially coming from the distillery. I have high hopes for it. Maybe not
as high of hopes as I had for them back in 2023 with the Ryder Cup edition, but I had to pick
it up because I love that one so much. I want to see if they're keeping up the quality with this
(12:02):
one. So, let's go ahead and pour the 2025 PGA Championship Elijah Craig small batch. Now,
of course, this is a commemorative bottle, so it has a special gold icon on the top of the cork.
This is PGA Quail Hollow 2025. Now, the reason for this release and other previous releases is
Elijah Craig is the official bourbon of the PGA Championship. They've been a sponsor for several
(12:27):
years now, but I do appreciate them doing a little bit something different, you know,
rather than just being the sponsor and not doing a special release. I do commend them for that.
And fun fact, Quail Hollow Club is in Charlotte, North Carolina, which being born or raised near
Charlotte, North Carolina my entire life, I've never heard of Quail Hollow Club. That just shows
what tax bracket I wasn't in. This does have a little bit of a special place in my heart because
(12:49):
of that, but I don't know. Is it bad that I feel like I'm already starting to feel like it's a
little gimmicky with it being from Rickhouse's Q and H1 to honor Quail Hollow? I don't know.
I'll reserve my judgment until I have a taste of it because maybe these are their best Rickhouses.
I mean, this could be a Coy Hill situation, you know, you never know. But let's go ahead and give
(13:11):
this small batch Elijah Craig a nose. Oh yeah, classic Elijah Craig. That's really good. I mean,
listen, as much as I joke around about this, you know, kind of feeling a bit gimmicky,
you gotta, you gotta admit classic Elijah Craig is no joke for the price. I mean,
it is one of my favorite, uh, I wouldn't say bottom shelf, but like a lower priced bourbon
(13:32):
under $30. Elijah Craig always gets my recommendation. I've been a fan of it since
I first started my whiskey journey. And then even now, yes, I do prefer the cask strength releases at
a barrel proof, but I will say Elijah Craig is one that I recommend to so many people that are
looking to get into bourbon. My mom, who is a beginner bourbon drinker, all she really drinks
(13:53):
is Elijah Craig small batch. I mean, that's just kind of like what she goes to. She gravitates
towards it. She found it and she likes it. And there's nothing wrong with that. So no dissing on
Elijah Craig at all. And I will say I did only pay, I think $30 for this special edition of it.
It's not like it's a special finish or a special toast. Um, but it nonetheless, it's a cool bottle
with a really cool, um, label on it and a little gold placard in their cork. So let's go ahead and
(14:20):
give this special 2025 release a taste because the nose it's good. I mean, it's, it's classic
Elijah Craig. It's caramel. It's sweet. It's a little bit of like a bakery note, which is something
I always get with Heaven Hill products. I will say not too much oak on the nose. I mean, it's,
it's leaning more towards like a younger flavor profile. Again, I don't have an age statement on
this. It reads a little young on the nose, but let's see how it tastes. Cheers. Hmm. Yeah, that's
(14:47):
just, that's just solid Elijah Craig. I mean, it's hard to say anything bad about it. This, this tastes,
you know, in line with other Elijah Craig small batches I've had, I've had a lot of single barrels,
even at the lower proof of 94, there's been a bit more complex, a bit more nuanced than this one.
And I do know that they pulled this from warehouses Q and H1, you know, in tribute to the PGA.
(15:09):
But I will say that flavor-wise, I'm not detecting anything special about this. Even reading the
press release, there's not anything specifically about flavor notes. It's just about being a
special release. You know, being a tribute to Quail Hollow. I'll go in for another taste and
let's see if it has anything different. But yeah, this is classic Elijah Craig, and there's nothing
wrong with that. I mean, if anything, it almost has less of an oak impact than other Elijah Craigs
(15:32):
I've had. And maybe that's because certain single barrels pull out those flavors more. When I'm
a store that does a single barrel store pick that's not a cast strength, I trust them for
looking for those notes that really make this a standout bourbon. Elijah Craig, I think, always
has a nice oakiness to it. This one, not so much. But again, we don't know the age of this. We assume
it's the regular age statement of their small batch. I mean, this is a crowd pleaser. It's sweet.
(15:56):
It's a little bit of like a toasted baked good note that I always get when Heaven Hill products.
If you've been following for a while, you'll know that's not anything groundbreaking at all.
This is standard Heaven Hill distillate, but that's not bad by any means, especially
at 94 proof and only 30 bucks or less. I mean, I think that's what you expect with paying this
amount of money. You know, I wouldn't say it's that long of a finish. It's definitely more of
(16:18):
like a medium to short finish, but it has a lot of bit of like a toasted vanilla that I think
really lingers on the back end of it and really just all the way through this bourbon. I think
vanilla and caramel and toffee, everything you expect from a classic bourbon are here.
They're definitely not the most expressive compared to some single barrel releases,
but they are there. They are good. And yeah, there's not much to complain about. I hesitate
(16:42):
to say this is really a step up from Elijah Craig small batch. It really does feel like a
very, very similar bourbon to that. But again, you're paying a similar price point. If you see
this for retail, like I said, MSRP on it was $36. I found it for 30. Check your area. Don't overpay
for this one by any means. I will say that special release from 2023. The Ryder Cup to me was worth
(17:03):
a premium. It just had a very unique flavor profile. It just was a really special release.
And one of my top whiskeys of 2023. This doesn't compare. This doesn't compete. And I don't think
it's necessarily trying to. I think it's supposed to be more of a commemorative special release
from the distillery to honor their partnership with the PGA. And I think if that's all it's
meant to be, it does a good job. I mean, it's it's solid. I can see them having bottles of
(17:27):
this to buy at the, you know, the tournament or cocktails made with it or whatever. Again,
wasn't there. I don't know what they did with it, but it's a solid release. And I feel like I kind
of owe it a score based on price and availability and, you know, limited release saidness of it.
And I think this is right in the middle of the road. I think to me, like Elijah Craig is an
(17:48):
exceptional bourbon at the price. I think I would give regular Elijah Craig for the price, you know,
a six out of 10, really. But I think this is being a special release, being a special bottle,
a really cool label. I would probably bump it up to a seven out of 10 for the price. You know,
if you're only paying 30, 36 dollars, it's worth picking up, especially if you are an Elijah Craig
fan or a fan of the PGA or you just want a commemorative bottle with a good story. I think,
(18:12):
you know, there's nothing wrong with it. Don't go out of your way to buy it. Trust me, there are
other bottles where I'm like, yeah, it's been a little bit more than retail. This one, I don't
think it's worth it unless you really, really care about that game. Maybe you were there,
maybe you got engaged during the game or, you know, who knows? Other than having a commemorative
value, I think this is perfectly priced at the 30 to 36 dollar point. I give it a seven out of 10.
(18:35):
I just think it's a good bourbon. Good price. Cool story, I guess, if you really care about it.
I mean, if you see this for the same price as a regular Elijah Craig, give it a try. I think
it's similar in flavor, but you have a cool bottle to come with it. So there's that. All right.
Well, that does it for this week's Byte-Sized Review. They're not all going to be hitters,
and I think that's something I want to acknowledge. I feel like I've been highlighting a lot of
(18:56):
really good bourbons on this podcast, and I want to say that there's some times where something
doesn't quite, you know, exceed my expectations. This is the perfect example of something not quite
meeting my expectations based on a previous release, but meeting my expectations of the
brand. So nothing too crazy, nothing too groundbreaking, but I hope you enjoyed
listening to this week's episode. Quick reminder, you can call in and leave your comments or
(19:17):
questions for any future podcast. I had one a couple of weeks back, but I haven't had one in a
while. You can call in at 916-642-9837 or, easy to remember, 916-64-BYTES. You can leave me a message,
ask me a question, just make a comment. I will respond to it on next week's episode.
You can also leave a message on Discord if you're not yet a member of our community.
(19:40):
Why not? It's an amazing community of whiskey-loving friends. bourbonbytes.com has all the
links. There's a link to the Discord there, as well as our Instagram, our YouTube, our podcast,
everywhere you can find me on the web, bourbonbytes.com. But most of all, I want to say
thank you so much for listening to this week's episode. It really does mean a lot to me.
Make sure to follow me on whatever platform you are listening on. Thank you for giving me another
(20:02):
opportunity to give an episode to you. Cheers! I will see you this Thursday night on my live stream,
and otherwise, I will talk to you guys next episode. This has been the Bourbon Bytes Podcast.
Cheers, and I'll talk to you next week. Bye!
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