Clifton breaks down one of the boldest store picks he's tried in a while: a 128-proof Knob Creek Cask Strength Single Barrel from K&L Wine Merchants. Along the way, he dives into hot whiskey news, including the experimental 2025 Parker’s Heritage release, a Hungarian oak-aged "bourbon" from A. Smith Bowman, and legendary game developer Hideo Kojima’s critique of the modern video game industry. Plus, a listener call-in asks what releases Clifton’s most excited for in the second half of the year.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Today on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast,
Heaven Hill is back with a new Parker's Heritage release.
A. Smith Bowman Distillery explores Hungarian oak.
One of the biggest names in gaming has something to say about the modern video game industry.
Plus, I review one of the new Cast Strength Knob Creek single barrel picks at 128 proof.
(00:31):
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Bourbon Bytes Podcast,
a whiskey podcast with a gaming twist.
I'm your host, Clifton, and this is the week of Thursday, August 7th, 2025.
And if you're following the channel, you realize that I am not doing a live stream
this week because I am taking a trip up to Seattle with one of my best friends from
high school and even before that, Boy Scouts.
(00:53):
And we're going to go see a concert. We're going to go tour the city.
We're going to maybe drive out to one of the national parks.
So it should be a really good time, but I will not be live.
But I want to get this podcast out because there is some news and
reviews I wanted to get out in front of you guys.
Some of which I am very, very excited about and hope I get a chance to try.
This first one is coming to us from Bardstown, Kentucky.
This was just announced earlier this week.
(01:14):
This is the new 2025 Parker's Heritage Collection release from Heaven Hill.
So this one is a bit different than any of the ones I've seen recently.
So this is actually a blend of three different mash bills.
The minimum age is 11 years old, but they're considering it an
American whiskey because the culmination of all three of these.
So listen, this has a 15 year old Kentucky straight wheated bourbon
(01:38):
and 11 year old Kentucky straight corn whiskey and a 12 year old whiskey
aged in Rickhouse Y made exclusively from rye and malt.
So this is essentially a four grain American whiskey
made up of three different mash bills.
And I am very, very interested in finding out why.
(01:59):
So it says this mash bill was aged in unique
recast of the floors and then married together post aging.
It is being bottled at barrel proof, which is 122.5 proof,
non-chill filtered, of course, as with all other Parker's Heritage releases.
And it will be available beginning in September
for a suggested retail price of $179.99.
(02:20):
I, for the most part, been a huge fan of the Parker's Heritage series.
There have been a few misses in the releases that I've seen.
This one I have mixed feelings on.
One, I do love a four grain,
but I am interested in seeing why they chose to combine these three
very, very different mash bills.
And was it always the plan or are we combining three failed individual projects?
(02:45):
Maybe it's just me.
But when I first read the press release, I'm like,
oh, all three of these sound like really cool products.
But why are they being blended into a Parker's Heritage
where we can't really taste them individually?
I mean, an 11 year old straight corn whiskey from Heaven Hill,
would be amazing.
I would love to try that.
I know they had the older one that was I think it was the 19 year corn whiskey
they had as a special release a couple of years ago.
(03:08):
So like that in itself is interesting enough.
A 15 year old wheated bourbon from Heaven Hill sounds incredible.
And then a custom mash bill,
like they're just calling it an American whiskey of just rye and malt.
Maybe not as exciting as the first two,
but like I would be interested in trying it.
So why are we combining three really cool,
(03:28):
unique ideas that have never really been done before at Heaven Hill,
at least to my knowledge,
and blending them together to make a batch product?
I don't know.
I guess maybe it's just the pessimist in me.
I'm starting to say like maybe these are all just failed experiments.
They just didn't taste good on their own.
So they're like, let's let's blend them together and see what happens.
I don't want to think like that.
I would love to think that this was intentional,
(03:48):
that this was always the plan all along.
But it does make me very, very curious.
I do want to try it as with every Parker's Heritage release.
You know, it's definitely a try before you buy situation.
Now, a reminder, Parker's Heritage Collection,
they honor Parker Beam and his legacy in expanding the boundaries of American whiskey.
It says this 19th edition is a celebration of innovation and craftsmanship,
(04:10):
bringing together three bat mash bills and age statements
to create a complex, bold whiskey that truly stands out.
And with other releases, this is going to support ALS.
They've raised more than $1.4 million since the start back in 2013,
and it's gone towards ALS research and patient care.
So it all goes to a good cause.
(04:30):
I just feel like this release is kind of interesting.
I almost would have rather them release all three of these separately
and then maybe had a special release with them all together.
I just I can't even imagine how this thing tastes.
I definitely won't be blind buying this one,
especially at that price, you know, $179.99.
It's not a bad price for a limited edition bourbon.
I've paid much more than that, but I usually with Parker's Heritage,
(04:52):
I've at least tried it first or have just heard amazing, incredible things.
So this was one that I'm going to wait a little bit around
to see if some people have some reviews of it.
Maybe Heaven Hill will find me lucky enough to have a sample for review.
If so, you guys will be the first to hear.
But based on the description, I'm intrigued.
I just don't feel like I am willing to just blind buy this one.
(05:12):
It just sounds too strange and it doesn't mean it's going to be bad,
but it's definitely an interesting combination of three different mash bills.
So curious, have you guys seen this on the shelves yet?
Have you heard any reviews?
Let me know. I'm curious because I haven't seen anyone talk about this yet.
Like I said, it was just announced this week.
But yeah, that's definitely one that I would definitely be trying
(05:33):
before I buy is how I feel about it.
Now, in other news, there is another new release
that was just announced earlier this week as well.
This is the A. Smith Bowman Distillery.
They are releasing another experimental oak series release,
this time with Hungarian oak.
Now, this is the third release in the series that is exploring oak varietals,
(05:53):
and this is going to be available via an online lottery
running from August 11th through August 18th, 2025.
And you can find all the details about that lottery on their website,
asmithbowman.com/spirits.
There's a little banner right now at the top that you can see how to enter to win that.
But this release sounds really, really cool.
So I have a picture of it here.
(06:13):
It is a Virginia limited edition whiskey is how they label it.
They say that the Abraham Bowman Oak series was about challenging
everything we thought we knew about aging whiskey,
says their head distiller, David Buck.
This experiment started more than 14 years ago
with former master distiller Truman Cox.
French oak and American oak dazzled us with impressive flavors.
And now Hungarian oak has delivered another delicious and unexpected whiskey.
(06:38):
In many ways, all positive.
Hungarian oak is the opposite of what we thought we would expect from an extended age whiskey.
Now, this is a blend of whiskeys aged for 12 years and charred Hungarian oak barrels.
It's bottled at 115 proof.
Now, it's interesting that it's being described as a bourbon on the tasting notes.
I'm seeing that on the press release as well.
They say this bourbon has a brown velvet color,
(06:59):
but nothing else in this press release mentions that it's a bourbon.
We're not seeing anything about the mash bill.
We're seeing it described as an experimental whiskey and unexpected whiskey,
but nothing about mash bill whatsoever.
So at least we have that to go off of.
At least it claims to be a bourbon in one line of this press release.
The label doesn't call it a bourbon.
It just says it's a Virginia whiskey.
So take that with a grain of salt.
(07:19):
It could just be a typo on the press release.
And it's also on their website, too.
That's definitely interesting.
I'm very excited to see it out in the world.
I'd love a chance to try it.
Now, with it being a lottery release, I'm probably never going to see the light of day
of this bottle.
But if you guys get a chance to try it, let me know.
Is it a bourbon?
Does it taste like a bourbon?
Or is it completely different?
Very, very curious.
(07:39):
Now, interestingly enough, our last piece of news does not come from the world of whiskey,
but the Bytes part of the Bourbon Bytes Podcast.
This is actually a gaming related article, and it's an actual interview with Hideo Kojima,
who is one of the biggest names in storytelling and video game history, especially with Japanese
video games.
He's known for creating the Metal Gear franchise and more recently, the Death Stranding series.
(08:02):
But he has some thoughts about the current state of the video game industry, and I find
it hard to disagree.
So he's speaking out in this recent article from SSENSE magazine, not Essence like normal,
but S-S-E-N-S-E dot com.
But they did an interview with him towards the end of last month, and he says that he
is disappointed with the state of the video game industry.
(08:25):
And this is a feeling that I feel like has been talked about, but hearing it from a big
name who is so quintessential in video game making, it kind of solidifies the fact that
a lot of us consumers have been saying over and over again.
For example, he thinks that that most interesting work is actually happening with indie games,
while big budget studios are churning out things that are safe and tremendously boring.
(08:48):
And those are his words.
And it makes you think, you know, I mean, a lot of games we're seeing, we're seeing
sequels or, you know, follow up spinoff releases of other games.
And as much as I do appreciate a good franchise, I do have to agree.
The games that I've really found to be falling in love with lately have been indie games.
I mean, we just played Split Fiction, which is from the creators of It Takes Two, and
(09:09):
it's such a fun, innovative game.
I mean, the world building, the storytelling, the characters are so dynamic and involved.
And I feel like a lot of time, like the big name game studios, they're kind of rehashing
the same thing over and over again.
Like, you know, there's a lot of military games that all kind of have the same formula.
He actually has a quote in this article saying like he doubts that any of them have actually
put together a gun in real life.
(09:30):
And then when they countered the question, I was like, yeah, and I actually know lots
of ways to kill people.
But he didn't elaborate on that part, which is kind of hilarious, honestly.
And it comes at an interesting time because Konami, which is the company that he was involved
with, is actually going to release Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, but a remake version
of it.
But they didn't involve him at all in the process.
(09:50):
So they asked him if he was going to play it and he laughed and said, no, I won't.
So it makes total sense why he would have this feeling when he is responsible for creating
such an interesting IP, not just with Metal Gear Solid, but Death Stranding as well.
I mean, that is very much a film like experience.
Apparently, he's a huge film buff, which is amazing.
He often puts commentary on social media of like movies he's enjoying and taking selfies
(10:13):
with different actors and things like that.
So he's a big film lover.
And you can just see the cinematography in the Death Stranding games.
I mean, it is the worlds are so dynamic.
The characters facial expressions are so, you know, human like.
I think that's what makes it special.
He brings the emotion to the characters.
You know, I think a lot of time these big studios care more about people playing online
and, you know, getting as many players they can, you know, cashing in on DLC and things
(10:35):
like that.
They're really losing the true storytelling element that made video games what they are.
For me personally, I will be way more interested in buying an indie game, especially when it's
a unique concept than I ever would be in, you know, picking up the seventh edition of
Call of Duty or, you know, whatever like that.
I mean, now that being said, you all know I love Grand Theft Auto in that series, but
I think Rockstar is one of the exceptions to the rule because they take so long on their
(10:58):
games.
They're not releasing a new game every year or every six months.
They're really taking their time to build a new world for their characters.
So I know maybe I'm a little bit biased because I do love Rockstar, but I think, you know,
when it comes to video games in general, there's very few big names in the industry that take
things that seriously and their craft so seriously, and we're seeing it way more with indie game
(11:20):
developers.
So I 100% support, you know, indie developers of games.
I used to have a segment on the podcast or maybe it was live streams.
It's been a couple years, but I would highlight different indie games and I would play them
on Twitch and kind of talk about like the stories of making them.
So I might bring that back.
I do love a good, you know, underrated game or a game that's kind of, you know, slowly
working its way up the charts.
(11:40):
I'd love to try it out and review it on the channel.
So you guys make sure to follow me on Twitch at Bourbon Bytes.
Have I been live?
I went live a couple days ago to play this game called Peak, which is a multiplayer game.
I've been playing the past few nights with Stephen and Fred from my Byte Club.
Been a ton of fun, but and then it's up there.
There's a new game coming from that developer too, and it's like, you know, blowing up.
(12:02):
So yeah, I mean, I think it's not a new story to hear, you know, someone feel this way about
the industry feeling like it's going a bit stale, but to hear it from such an iconic
person in the industry maybe has more levity to it.
And I'm hoping that game developers or the industry in general take something from this
interview.
So I really enjoyed reading it.
I'll link to it down in the description of this episode.
(12:22):
I'm just such a mastermind behind, you know, video game creation and storytelling.
Huge, huge fan of Hideo Kojima.
So definitely check it out.
All right.
Well, that does it for news this week.
Thank you for humoring my gaming news here as well.
We do have one more thing before we get into our whiskey review, and it is a new segment
of the podcast where I'm going to answer you guys' questions from your phone calls or text
(12:45):
messages.
Yes, I open up a phone number specifically for this podcast.
I'd done it previously on the last version, like season one of the podcast, but I decided
to reopen it because I think it would be fun to have you guys call in and leave some questions.
If you are curious about doing that, you can call me at 916-642-9837 or easier.
Remember, 916-64-BYTES, B-Y-T-E-S.
(13:09):
Of course, I had to find a Bourbon Bytes related phone number here, but we do have our first
caller who submitted a question for this week's podcast.
So let's go ahead and play that.
Hi, Cliffy.
So the first question I have is what new or limited releases are you looking forward to
most for the back half of 2025, either gaming or whiskey related?
(13:35):
Thanks.
Bye.
All right.
Well, if you didn't recognize that voice, that is our one and only Em.
She is one of our Bourbon Wrenches here on the channel.
She is incredible.
She's been a guest on the podcast before.
Thank you, Emily, for your question.
I'm excited to answer both versions of the question, both whiskey and video games.
But let's talk whiskey first.
This was a great time to ask this question because I actually got one of the bottles
(13:58):
that I've been looking for this year.
It's going to be what I'm reviewing this podcast episode, actually.
So if you saw the title and everything, this is the new Cask Strength single barrel select
from Knob Creek.
I am very, very excited to get my hands on the first that I've ever seen of the Knob
Creek Cask Strength releases.
And at 128 proof, I'm really, really excited to dive into this.
So we'll get into that in just a second.
(14:20):
But I do want to mention in terms of gaming, that's also a great question.
Originally, it was obviously Grand Theft Auto 6, but that got pushed to May of next
year.
So I had to take another look and think back at what games I am excited for.
And I saw one pop up on the list that's actually coming out on the eighth.
So basically, the day after you guys listen to this podcast, it's called Mafia (14:38):
The Old
Country.
As someone that really didn't grow up playing the Mafia games, but was aware of them for
I think they were from PS2 and PS3, I recently got a combo pack of them on Steam.
And I've just started replaying them, and they really hold such replay value even now.
You know, these are older releases, but they are open world games, which you guys know
(15:02):
I'm a huge fan of.
That's why I'm a big fan of the Grand Theft Auto series.
But they're very specifically focused on like Mafia mob crime families.
I love seeing some variety in the open world genre of video games.
Now, I don't know too much about this new release.
I don't know.
I assume it says it's a prequel to the first game.
So I assume we're going to be going back into the past to the 1940s, kind of like the Mafia
(15:22):
1 and Mafia 2 releases, but in like the new gen of graphics and everything like that.
I'm super excited to see how this comes out.
But it says that the premise of this game is it's going to be based during the 1900s in
the fictional town of San Celeste, which was previously featured in Mafia 2.
It's going to be set in like a Sicily, Italy kind of vibe.
It's based on the origins of the Sicilian Mafia.
(15:44):
The narrative follows Enzo Favara, who journeys from a childhood of indentured labor into
Sicily's sulfur mines and then joining a crime family.
So like I said, I'm very, very excited to see more about this.
I'm sure there's a trailer that I haven't watched yet, but that's definitely one of the
most anticipated games other than Grand Theft Auto.
I'm looking forward to this year.
So you may catch me on Twitch streaming this game soon.
(16:07):
I'm going to be out of town this weekend, but I'm going to definitely pick it up shortly
after release.
So thank you, Emily, for the question.
I appreciate you guys reaching out and asking something that you're interested in.
You guys feel free to give me a call.
Like I will take calls at any time and I will include them on future episodes.
A reminder, the phone number is 916-642-9837 or 916-64-BYTES.
(16:31):
Whatever is easiest for you to remember.
But call in, leave me a message.
I'd love to talk more to you guys and feature you guys on the show.
So cheers to that.
But we're not done here.
We're going to go into our Byte-Sized Review.
All right.
Well, as I teased earlier this week, I am reviewing the new Cask Strength Single Barrel
(16:55):
Select from Knob Creek.
Now, this is an upgrade to their standard Knob Creek Single Barrel Select program.
These releases aren't coming in at the standard 120 proof.
They're actually being bottled at Cask Strength, which is a first for the brand.
The only time I seen it was with that release that came out for travel that I reviewed earlier
this year.
But this one is a single barrel select from K&L Wine and Spirits, which is my local liquor
(17:17):
store.
This one's called Fifth Floor X Magic C. And they have a little bit of info about it here
on their website.
So let me go ahead and get this poured and then I'll read a little bit about it.
Now, this was part of actually three different picks that they did.
So they had a Magic A, Magic B, and Magic C. They're all different proof, but they're
all from the fifth floor of this rickhouse.
And the fifth floor is one of the higher floors.
(17:38):
They say that this is really saturated and it's the maximum amount of possible flavor
for the time that they've been aged.
So both of these are just under 10 years old.
They're bottled at nine years, just a few months before their 10th birthday.
So they are within the standard age range of recent Knob Creek picks.
But being barreled at 128 proof, I'm so excited to see what high proof Knob Creek or higher
(18:01):
proof Knob Creek is like, should I say.
So let's go and get this Magic A a nose.
Ah, yeah, classic Knob Creek nose.
I used to buy these all the time, especially when they were up there in age, you know,
from 10, 11, 12 years old.
Since they went back down to the nine year age statement, I've bought them occasionally,
but not with as much vigor as I had bought before.
(18:22):
Actually, I've been buying more than Knob Creek 12 year, just the standard 100 proof
version that I've been picking up Knob Creek picks.
But now that we're seeing them at actual cask strength, I think that brings a little bit
more of restored excitement for the releases.
Pricing wise, these come in at about $65, same price as the single barrel selects have
been.
But instead of being, you know, filtered down to 120 proof, these are being bottled
(18:44):
at cast strength, of course, non-chill filtered as well.
Yeah, nothing too crazy on the nose.
It definitely smells like a very well aged, very, you know, heavily oaked bourbon.
That's what I love the most about Knob Creek.
I always say they are like a saturated oak.
This oak has been drenched and like, you know, sucking up this bourbon and spitting it out
over and over again.
It sounds weirdly sexual, but I just mean the Kentucky heat, especially at the higher parts
(19:08):
of these rick houses.
I mean, there is so much going on with that that distillate in the wood, just, you know,
breathing each other.
OK, enough breathing this whiskey.
It's time to give it a taste.
Let's try this Knob Creek Cask Strength.
Cheers.
Oh, wow.
Yes.
OK, hmm.
I do think that there's a pretty good impact on the fact that this is higher proof
than normal.
(19:29):
I mean, it's hot.
Don't get me wrong, but you know what?
Sometimes I like a hot Knob Creek and this is definitely, definitely a hot Knob.
Um, I think that the flavor profile honestly kind of reminds me of some of the Booker's
I've had.
Some of the ones that I really enjoyed.
Actually, it's coming off as like an older oak.
It's not necessarily that like, like, you know, like I said, the sappy kind of oak,
saturated oak.
(19:50):
To me, it's dry.
It's a lot drier than a lot of Knob Creeks I've had.
Maybe that's just because it's from the upper floors of the rick house.
I mean, I think, you know, Knob Creek in general tends to be a little bit of a sweeter
bourbon, but with this being held high in the rick houses, it's going to take on way
more of that oak characteristic because heat rises.
Now, on second sip, I do find some of the more traditional sweetness that I love about
(20:10):
Jim Beam flavor profile.
It's not quite nutty, but I will say it's kind of a little bit in like the praline or
praline, wherever you're from, however you pronounce it, a little bit of a burnt caramel
kind of note.
And I think that's because it's reading that way because the oak is so dry.
It's coming across a little bit more of like, you know, an overcooked kind of sweet versus
like, you know, sometimes I'll say like a light caramel or like a creamy caramel.
(20:32):
This one's dark.
This one's a bit bitter, but it's still really, really nice.
But that being said, you know, I don't think this carries with it the depth of some of
those older picks that I've had in the past.
I mean, of course, you know, my brain instantly jumps to those like 14 and 15 year old ones
that quickly disappeared.
And I don't want to hold everything to that standard because, again, those were several
years ago.
They've not come out since.
But I do remember, you know, even when we weren't quite that high in age, we were having
(20:56):
some like 11, maybe 12 year old picks of it that were just so, so good.
I mean, even the Knob Creek 12, the 100 proof, like I said, it's like been a go to on my
bar.
I think 12 years for a Knob Creek and 12 years for an Elijah Craig are the sweet spot for
those whiskeys.
Now, not every whiskey I feel that way about, but I feel like once I've tried those two
at 12 year, not that I can accept, you know, them being younger.
(21:17):
It's just they've kind of set a bar for themselves.
And I keep expecting that bar to be at least met.
So do I think that this nine year cask strength single barrel select is as good as like a
12 year old, you know, 100 proof Knob Creek?
It really depends what you're looking for.
For me, I do love that, you know, the boldness of the flavor, the richness of the oak.
And I do appreciate that the proof boost we have here, it just feel like it's missing
(21:41):
a little bit of the age that we got on those older picks.
What I would love to see is they start releasing older barrels to be part of the single barrel
select program.
Especially with the ability for them to be higher proof.
Because again, these barrels, if they're sitting this high on the rickhouse, guess what?
That proof is going to go up and up and up as the temperature, you know, kind of pulls
the water out of that bourbon.
So I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw like 130 plus proof Knob Creek pick coming
(22:04):
in at, you know, 11, 12 years old.
That's what I would be excited for.
I think this is a step in the right direction.
I love that they didn't change the price, but they just upped the proof as a possibility.
That's really great.
I'm very excited for that.
But I still think with it being limited to a nine to 10 year old product, you're not
getting to see where Knob Creek or Jim Beam in general as a distillery excels.
They really do excel at that higher age statement, at least in my experience.
(22:27):
I do think this is a step in the right direction.
I just don't think that it's going to make me buy these as often as I used to.
Because there was a point where if I saw a Knob Creek single barrel pick, I'm buying
a Knob Creek single barrel pick.
But I'm definitely willing to keep a closer eye on it now, knowing that one, you know,
this one was close to 10 years old.
So maybe they're starting to get a little bit more stock aged for these releases.
(22:48):
But I'm also going to start looking at that proof because that makes a big difference.
So yeah, it's a great pick, and I'm very happy to have bought it for $65.
I just hope to kind of start seeing these go up in age, kind of like they used to be,
even if they don't get the full 14, 15 year age they used to be.
I would love to see something closer to 12 years old, kind of like we see with Elijah
Craig.
So that does it for this week's episode.
(23:09):
Let me know if you guys want to hear more gaming news like this scattered into the episode.
I would love to talk about it more.
I just don't know what level you guys are interested in.
Of course, if anything comes up with retro gaming or arcades or 80s, things like that,
I'm obviously going to mention them, which is kind of what inspired me with the Hideo
Kojima story earlier with it being such an iconic founder in the world of video games.
I had to talk about that.
(23:30):
But if there's any topics you guys are interested in, let me know.
Feel free to give me a call.
Like I said, we have the new phone's number set up if you guys want to leave me a message.
So anytime you want to reach me, you can call me at 916-642-9837 or 916-64-BYTES.
So yeah, leave me a message.
I'm happy to answer it on next week's podcast or a future stream or maybe just listen to
it while I'm trying to fall asleep at night and enjoy hearing your voice.
(23:53):
But with that, this has been the Bourbon Bytes Podcast.
Cheers, and I'll talk to you guys next episode.
Today on the Bourbon Bytes Podcast,
Heaven Hill is back with a new Parker's Heritage release.
A. Smith Bowman Distillery explores Hungarian oak.
One of the biggest names in gaming has something to say about the modern video game industry.
Plus, I review one of the new Cast Strength Knob Creek single barrel picks at 128 proof.
(00:31):
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Bourbon Bytes Podcast,
a whiskey podcast with a gaming twist.
I'm your host, Clifton, and this is the week of Thursday, August 7th, 2025.
And if you're following the channel, you realize that I am not doing a live stream
this week because I am taking a trip up to Seattle with one of my best friends from
high school and even before that, Boy Scouts.
(00:53):
And we're going to go see a concert. We're going to go tour the city.
We're going to maybe drive out to one of the national parks.
So it should be a really good time, but I will not be live.
But I want to get this podcast out because there is some news and
reviews I wanted to get out in front of you guys.
Some of which I am very, very excited about and hope I get a chance to try.
This first one is coming to us from Bardstown, Kentucky.
This was just announced earlier this week.
(01:14):
This is the new 2025 Parker's Heritage Collection release from Heaven Hill.
So this one is a bit different than any of the ones I've seen recently.
So this is actually a blend of three different mash bills.
The minimum age is 11 years old, but they're considering it an
American whiskey because the culmination of all three of these.
So listen, this has a 15 year old Kentucky straight wheated bourbon
(01:38):
and 11 year old Kentucky straight corn whiskey and a 12 year old whiskey
aged in Rickhouse Y made exclusively from rye and malt.
So this is essentially a four grain American whiskey
made up of three different mash bills.
And I am very, very interested in finding out why.
(01:59):
So it says this mash bill was aged in unique
recast of the floors and then married together post aging.
It is being bottled at barrel proof, which is 122.5 proof,
non-chill filtered, of course, as with all other Parker's Heritage releases.
And it will be available beginning in September
for a suggested retail price of $179.99.
(02:20):
I, for the most part, been a huge fan of the Parker's Heritage series.
There have been a few misses in the releases that I've seen.
This one I have mixed feelings on.
One, I do love a four grain,
but I am interested in seeing why they chose to combine these three
very, very different mash bills.
And was it always the plan or are we combining three failed individual projects?
(02:45):
Maybe it's just me.
But when I first read the press release, I'm like,
oh, all three of these sound like really cool products.
But why are they being blended into a Parker's Heritage
where we can't really taste them individually?
I mean, an 11 year old straight corn whiskey from Heaven Hill,
would be amazing.
I would love to try that.
I know they had the older one that was I think it was the 19 year corn whiskey
they had as a special release a couple of years ago.
(03:08):
So like that in itself is interesting enough.
A 15 year old wheated bourbon from Heaven Hill sounds incredible.
And then a custom mash bill,
like they're just calling it an American whiskey of just rye and malt.
Maybe not as exciting as the first two,
but like I would be interested in trying it.
So why are we combining three really cool,
(03:28):
unique ideas that have never really been done before at Heaven Hill,
at least to my knowledge,
and blending them together to make a batch product?
I don't know.
I guess maybe it's just the pessimist in me.
I'm starting to say like maybe these are all just failed experiments.
They just didn't taste good on their own.
So they're like, let's let's blend them together and see what happens.
I don't want to think like that.
I would love to think that this was intentional,
(03:48):
that this was always the plan all along.
But it does make me very, very curious.
I do want to try it as with every Parker's Heritage release.
You know, it's definitely a try before you buy situation.
Now, a reminder, Parker's Heritage Collection,
they honor Parker Beam and his legacy in expanding the boundaries of American whiskey.
It says this 19th edition is a celebration of innovation and craftsmanship,
(04:10):
bringing together three bat mash bills and age statements
to create a complex, bold whiskey that truly stands out.
And with other releases, this is going to support ALS.
They've raised more than $1.4 million since the start back in 2013,
and it's gone towards ALS research and patient care.
So it all goes to a good cause.
(04:30):
I just feel like this release is kind of interesting.
I almost would have rather them release all three of these separately
and then maybe had a special release with them all together.
I just I can't even imagine how this thing tastes.
I definitely won't be blind buying this one,
especially at that price, you know, $179.99.
It's not a bad price for a limited edition bourbon.
I've paid much more than that, but I usually with Parker's Heritage,
(04:52):
I've at least tried it first or have just heard amazing, incredible things.
So this was one that I'm going to wait a little bit around
to see if some people have some reviews of it.
Maybe Heaven Hill will find me lucky enough to have a sample for review.
If so, you guys will be the first to hear.
But based on the description, I'm intrigued.
I just don't feel like I am willing to just blind buy this one.
(05:12):
It just sounds too strange and it doesn't mean it's going to be bad,
but it's definitely an interesting combination of three different mash bills.
So curious, have you guys seen this on the shelves yet?
Have you heard any reviews?
Let me know. I'm curious because I haven't seen anyone talk about this yet.
Like I said, it was just announced this week.
But yeah, that's definitely one that I would definitely be trying
(05:33):
before I buy is how I feel about it.
Now, in other news, there is another new release
that was just announced earlier this week as well.
This is the A. Smith Bowman Distillery.
They are releasing another experimental oak series release,
this time with Hungarian oak.
Now, this is the third release in the series that is exploring oak varietals,
(05:53):
and this is going to be available via an online lottery
running from August 11th through August 18th, 2025.
And you can find all the details about that lottery on their website,
asmithbowman.com/spirits.
There's a little banner right now at the top that you can see how to enter to win that.
But this release sounds really, really cool.
So I have a picture of it here.
(06:13):
It is a Virginia limited edition whiskey is how they label it.
They say that the Abraham Bowman Oak series was about challenging
everything we thought we knew about aging whiskey,
says their head distiller, David Buck.
This experiment started more than 14 years ago
with former master distiller Truman Cox.
French oak and American oak dazzled us with impressive flavors.
And now Hungarian oak has delivered another delicious and unexpected whiskey.
(06:38):
In many ways, all positive.
Hungarian oak is the opposite of what we thought we would expect from an extended age whiskey.
Now, this is a blend of whiskeys aged for 12 years and charred Hungarian oak barrels.
It's bottled at 115 proof.
Now, it's interesting that it's being described as a bourbon on the tasting notes.
I'm seeing that on the press release as well.
They say this bourbon has a brown velvet color,
(06:59):
but nothing else in this press release mentions that it's a bourbon.
We're not seeing anything about the mash bill.
We're seeing it described as an experimental whiskey and unexpected whiskey,
but nothing about mash bill whatsoever.
So at least we have that to go off of.
At least it claims to be a bourbon in one line of this press release.
The label doesn't call it a bourbon.
It just says it's a Virginia whiskey.
So take that with a grain of salt.
(07:19):
It could just be a typo on the press release.
And it's also on their website, too.
That's definitely interesting.
I'm very excited to see it out in the world.
I'd love a chance to try it.
Now, with it being a lottery release, I'm probably never going to see the light of day
of this bottle.
But if you guys get a chance to try it, let me know.
Is it a bourbon?
Does it taste like a bourbon?
Or is it completely different?
Very, very curious.
(07:39):
Now, interestingly enough, our last piece of news does not come from the world of whiskey,
but the Bytes part of the Bourbon Bytes Podcast.
This is actually a gaming related article, and it's an actual interview with Hideo Kojima,
who is one of the biggest names in storytelling and video game history, especially with Japanese
video games.
He's known for creating the Metal Gear franchise and more recently, the Death Stranding series.
(08:02):
But he has some thoughts about the current state of the video game industry, and I find
it hard to disagree.
So he's speaking out in this recent article from SSENSE magazine, not Essence like normal,
but S-S-E-N-S-E dot com.
But they did an interview with him towards the end of last month, and he says that he
is disappointed with the state of the video game industry.
(08:25):
And this is a feeling that I feel like has been talked about, but hearing it from a big
name who is so quintessential in video game making, it kind of solidifies the fact that
a lot of us consumers have been saying over and over again.
For example, he thinks that that most interesting work is actually happening with indie games,
while big budget studios are churning out things that are safe and tremendously boring.
(08:48):
And those are his words.
And it makes you think, you know, I mean, a lot of games we're seeing, we're seeing
sequels or, you know, follow up spinoff releases of other games.
And as much as I do appreciate a good franchise, I do have to agree.
The games that I've really found to be falling in love with lately have been indie games.
I mean, we just played Split Fiction, which is from the creators of It Takes Two, and
(09:09):
it's such a fun, innovative game.
I mean, the world building, the storytelling, the characters are so dynamic and involved.
And I feel like a lot of time, like the big name game studios, they're kind of rehashing
the same thing over and over again.
Like, you know, there's a lot of military games that all kind of have the same formula.
He actually has a quote in this article saying like he doubts that any of them have actually
put together a gun in real life.
(09:30):
And then when they countered the question, I was like, yeah, and I actually know lots
of ways to kill people.
But he didn't elaborate on that part, which is kind of hilarious, honestly.
And it comes at an interesting time because Konami, which is the company that he was involved
with, is actually going to release Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, but a remake version
of it.
But they didn't involve him at all in the process.
(09:50):
So they asked him if he was going to play it and he laughed and said, no, I won't.
So it makes total sense why he would have this feeling when he is responsible for creating
such an interesting IP, not just with Metal Gear Solid, but Death Stranding as well.
I mean, that is very much a film like experience.
Apparently, he's a huge film buff, which is amazing.
He often puts commentary on social media of like movies he's enjoying and taking selfies
(10:13):
with different actors and things like that.
So he's a big film lover.
And you can just see the cinematography in the Death Stranding games.
I mean, it is the worlds are so dynamic.
The characters facial expressions are so, you know, human like.
I think that's what makes it special.
He brings the emotion to the characters.
You know, I think a lot of time these big studios care more about people playing online
and, you know, getting as many players they can, you know, cashing in on DLC and things
(10:35):
like that.
They're really losing the true storytelling element that made video games what they are.
For me personally, I will be way more interested in buying an indie game, especially when it's
a unique concept than I ever would be in, you know, picking up the seventh edition of
Call of Duty or, you know, whatever like that.
I mean, now that being said, you all know I love Grand Theft Auto in that series, but
I think Rockstar is one of the exceptions to the rule because they take so long on their
(10:58):
games.
They're not releasing a new game every year or every six months.
They're really taking their time to build a new world for their characters.
So I know maybe I'm a little bit biased because I do love Rockstar, but I think, you know,
when it comes to video games in general, there's very few big names in the industry that take
things that seriously and their craft so seriously, and we're seeing it way more with indie game
(11:20):
developers.
So I 100% support, you know, indie developers of games.
I used to have a segment on the podcast or maybe it was live streams.
It's been a couple years, but I would highlight different indie games and I would play them
on Twitch and kind of talk about like the stories of making them.
So I might bring that back.
I do love a good, you know, underrated game or a game that's kind of, you know, slowly
working its way up the charts.
(11:40):
I'd love to try it out and review it on the channel.
So you guys make sure to follow me on Twitch at Bourbon Bytes.
Have I been live?
I went live a couple days ago to play this game called Peak, which is a multiplayer game.
I've been playing the past few nights with Stephen and Fred from my Byte Club.
Been a ton of fun, but and then it's up there.
There's a new game coming from that developer too, and it's like, you know, blowing up.
(12:02):
So yeah, I mean, I think it's not a new story to hear, you know, someone feel this way about
the industry feeling like it's going a bit stale, but to hear it from such an iconic
person in the industry maybe has more levity to it.
And I'm hoping that game developers or the industry in general take something from this
interview.
So I really enjoyed reading it.
I'll link to it down in the description of this episode.
(12:22):
I'm just such a mastermind behind, you know, video game creation and storytelling.
Huge, huge fan of Hideo Kojima.
So definitely check it out.
All right.
Well, that does it for news this week.
Thank you for humoring my gaming news here as well.
We do have one more thing before we get into our whiskey review, and it is a new segment
of the podcast where I'm going to answer you guys' questions from your phone calls or text
(12:45):
messages.
Yes, I open up a phone number specifically for this podcast.
I'd done it previously on the last version, like season one of the podcast, but I decided
to reopen it because I think it would be fun to have you guys call in and leave some questions.
If you are curious about doing that, you can call me at 916-642-9837 or easier.
Remember, 916-64-BYTES, B-Y-T-E-S.
(13:09):
Of course, I had to find a Bourbon Bytes related phone number here, but we do have our first
caller who submitted a question for this week's podcast.
So let's go ahead and play that.
Hi, Cliffy.
So the first question I have is what new or limited releases are you looking forward to
most for the back half of 2025, either gaming or whiskey related?
(13:35):
Thanks.
Bye.
All right.
Well, if you didn't recognize that voice, that is our one and only Em.
She is one of our Bourbon Wrenches here on the channel.
She is incredible.
She's been a guest on the podcast before.
Thank you, Emily, for your question.
I'm excited to answer both versions of the question, both whiskey and video games.
But let's talk whiskey first.
This was a great time to ask this question because I actually got one of the bottles
(13:58):
that I've been looking for this year.
It's going to be what I'm reviewing this podcast episode, actually.
So if you saw the title and everything, this is the new Cask Strength single barrel select
from Knob Creek.
I am very, very excited to get my hands on the first that I've ever seen of the Knob
Creek Cask Strength releases.
And at 128 proof, I'm really, really excited to dive into this.
So we'll get into that in just a second.
(14:20):
But I do want to mention in terms of gaming, that's also a great question.
Originally, it was obviously Grand Theft Auto 6, but that got pushed to May of next
year.
So I had to take another look and think back at what games I am excited for.
And I saw one pop up on the list that's actually coming out on the eighth.
So basically, the day after you guys listen to this podcast, it's called Mafia (14:38):
The Old
Country.
As someone that really didn't grow up playing the Mafia games, but was aware of them for
I think they were from PS2 and PS3, I recently got a combo pack of them on Steam.
And I've just started replaying them, and they really hold such replay value even now.
You know, these are older releases, but they are open world games, which you guys know
(15:02):
I'm a huge fan of.
That's why I'm a big fan of the Grand Theft Auto series.
But they're very specifically focused on like Mafia mob crime families.
I love seeing some variety in the open world genre of video games.
Now, I don't know too much about this new release.
I don't know.
I assume it says it's a prequel to the first game.
So I assume we're going to be going back into the past to the 1940s, kind of like the Mafia
(15:22):
1 and Mafia 2 releases, but in like the new gen of graphics and everything like that.
I'm super excited to see how this comes out.
But it says that the premise of this game is it's going to be based during the 1900s in
the fictional town of San Celeste, which was previously featured in Mafia 2.
It's going to be set in like a Sicily, Italy kind of vibe.
It's based on the origins of the Sicilian Mafia.
(15:44):
The narrative follows Enzo Favara, who journeys from a childhood of indentured labor into
Sicily's sulfur mines and then joining a crime family.
So like I said, I'm very, very excited to see more about this.
I'm sure there's a trailer that I haven't watched yet, but that's definitely one of the
most anticipated games other than Grand Theft Auto.
I'm looking forward to this year.
So you may catch me on Twitch streaming this game soon.
(16:07):
I'm going to be out of town this weekend, but I'm going to definitely pick it up shortly
after release.
So thank you, Emily, for the question.
I appreciate you guys reaching out and asking something that you're interested in.
You guys feel free to give me a call.
Like I will take calls at any time and I will include them on future episodes.
A reminder, the phone number is 916-642-9837 or 916-64-BYTES.
(16:31):
Whatever is easiest for you to remember.
But call in, leave me a message.
I'd love to talk more to you guys and feature you guys on the show.
So cheers to that.
But we're not done here.
We're going to go into our Byte-Sized Review.
All right.
Well, as I teased earlier this week, I am reviewing the new Cask Strength Single Barrel
(16:55):
Select from Knob Creek.
Now, this is an upgrade to their standard Knob Creek Single Barrel Select program.
These releases aren't coming in at the standard 120 proof.
They're actually being bottled at Cask Strength, which is a first for the brand.
The only time I seen it was with that release that came out for travel that I reviewed earlier
this year.
But this one is a single barrel select from K&L Wine and Spirits, which is my local liquor
(17:17):
store.
This one's called Fifth Floor X Magic C. And they have a little bit of info about it here
on their website.
So let me go ahead and get this poured and then I'll read a little bit about it.
Now, this was part of actually three different picks that they did.
So they had a Magic A, Magic B, and Magic C. They're all different proof, but they're
all from the fifth floor of this rickhouse.
And the fifth floor is one of the higher floors.
(17:38):
They say that this is really saturated and it's the maximum amount of possible flavor
for the time that they've been aged.
So both of these are just under 10 years old.
They're bottled at nine years, just a few months before their 10th birthday.
So they are within the standard age range of recent Knob Creek picks.
But being barreled at 128 proof, I'm so excited to see what high proof Knob Creek or higher
(18:01):
proof Knob Creek is like, should I say.
So let's go and get this Magic A a nose.
Ah, yeah, classic Knob Creek nose.
I used to buy these all the time, especially when they were up there in age, you know,
from 10, 11, 12 years old.
Since they went back down to the nine year age statement, I've bought them occasionally,
but not with as much vigor as I had bought before.
(18:22):
Actually, I've been buying more than Knob Creek 12 year, just the standard 100 proof
version that I've been picking up Knob Creek picks.
But now that we're seeing them at actual cask strength, I think that brings a little bit
more of restored excitement for the releases.
Pricing wise, these come in at about $65, same price as the single barrel selects have
been.
But instead of being, you know, filtered down to 120 proof, these are being bottled
(18:44):
at cast strength, of course, non-chill filtered as well.
Yeah, nothing too crazy on the nose.
It definitely smells like a very well aged, very, you know, heavily oaked bourbon.
That's what I love the most about Knob Creek.
I always say they are like a saturated oak.
This oak has been drenched and like, you know, sucking up this bourbon and spitting it out
over and over again.
It sounds weirdly sexual, but I just mean the Kentucky heat, especially at the higher parts
(19:08):
of these rick houses.
I mean, there is so much going on with that that distillate in the wood, just, you know,
breathing each other.
OK, enough breathing this whiskey.
It's time to give it a taste.
Let's try this Knob Creek Cask Strength.
Cheers.
Oh, wow.
Yes.
OK, hmm.
I do think that there's a pretty good impact on the fact that this is higher proof
than normal.
(19:29):
I mean, it's hot.
Don't get me wrong, but you know what?
Sometimes I like a hot Knob Creek and this is definitely, definitely a hot Knob.
Um, I think that the flavor profile honestly kind of reminds me of some of the Booker's
I've had.
Some of the ones that I really enjoyed.
Actually, it's coming off as like an older oak.
It's not necessarily that like, like, you know, like I said, the sappy kind of oak,
saturated oak.
(19:50):
To me, it's dry.
It's a lot drier than a lot of Knob Creeks I've had.
Maybe that's just because it's from the upper floors of the rick house.
I mean, I think, you know, Knob Creek in general tends to be a little bit of a sweeter
bourbon, but with this being held high in the rick houses, it's going to take on way
more of that oak characteristic because heat rises.
Now, on second sip, I do find some of the more traditional sweetness that I love about
(20:10):
Jim Beam flavor profile.
It's not quite nutty, but I will say it's kind of a little bit in like the praline or
praline, wherever you're from, however you pronounce it, a little bit of a burnt caramel
kind of note.
And I think that's because it's reading that way because the oak is so dry.
It's coming across a little bit more of like, you know, an overcooked kind of sweet versus
like, you know, sometimes I'll say like a light caramel or like a creamy caramel.
(20:32):
This one's dark.
This one's a bit bitter, but it's still really, really nice.
But that being said, you know, I don't think this carries with it the depth of some of
those older picks that I've had in the past.
I mean, of course, you know, my brain instantly jumps to those like 14 and 15 year old ones
that quickly disappeared.
And I don't want to hold everything to that standard because, again, those were several
years ago.
They've not come out since.
But I do remember, you know, even when we weren't quite that high in age, we were having
(20:56):
some like 11, maybe 12 year old picks of it that were just so, so good.
I mean, even the Knob Creek 12, the 100 proof, like I said, it's like been a go to on my
bar.
I think 12 years for a Knob Creek and 12 years for an Elijah Craig are the sweet spot for
those whiskeys.
Now, not every whiskey I feel that way about, but I feel like once I've tried those two
at 12 year, not that I can accept, you know, them being younger.
(21:17):
It's just they've kind of set a bar for themselves.
And I keep expecting that bar to be at least met.
So do I think that this nine year cask strength single barrel select is as good as like a
12 year old, you know, 100 proof Knob Creek?
It really depends what you're looking for.
For me, I do love that, you know, the boldness of the flavor, the richness of the oak.
And I do appreciate that the proof boost we have here, it just feel like it's missing
(21:41):
a little bit of the age that we got on those older picks.
What I would love to see is they start releasing older barrels to be part of the single barrel
select program.
Especially with the ability for them to be higher proof.
Because again, these barrels, if they're sitting this high on the rickhouse, guess what?
That proof is going to go up and up and up as the temperature, you know, kind of pulls
the water out of that bourbon.
So I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw like 130 plus proof Knob Creek pick coming
(22:04):
in at, you know, 11, 12 years old.
That's what I would be excited for.
I think this is a step in the right direction.
I love that they didn't change the price, but they just upped the proof as a possibility.
That's really great.
I'm very excited for that.
But I still think with it being limited to a nine to 10 year old product, you're not
getting to see where Knob Creek or Jim Beam in general as a distillery excels.
They really do excel at that higher age statement, at least in my experience.
(22:27):
I do think this is a step in the right direction.
I just don't think that it's going to make me buy these as often as I used to.
Because there was a point where if I saw a Knob Creek single barrel pick, I'm buying
a Knob Creek single barrel pick.
But I'm definitely willing to keep a closer eye on it now, knowing that one, you know,
this one was close to 10 years old.
So maybe they're starting to get a little bit more stock aged for these releases.
(22:48):
But I'm also going to start looking at that proof because that makes a big difference.
So yeah, it's a great pick, and I'm very happy to have bought it for $65.
I just hope to kind of start seeing these go up in age, kind of like they used to be,
even if they don't get the full 14, 15 year age they used to be.
I would love to see something closer to 12 years old, kind of like we see with Elijah
Craig.
So that does it for this week's episode.
(23:09):
Let me know if you guys want to hear more gaming news like this scattered into the episode.
I would love to talk about it more.
I just don't know what level you guys are interested in.
Of course, if anything comes up with retro gaming or arcades or 80s, things like that,
I'm obviously going to mention them, which is kind of what inspired me with the Hideo
Kojima story earlier with it being such an iconic founder in the world of video games.
I had to talk about that.
(23:30):
But if there's any topics you guys are interested in, let me know.
Feel free to give me a call.
Like I said, we have the new phone's number set up if you guys want to leave me a message.
So anytime you want to reach me, you can call me at 916-642-9837 or 916-64-BYTES.
So yeah, leave me a message.
I'm happy to answer it on next week's podcast or a future stream or maybe just listen to
it while I'm trying to fall asleep at night and enjoy hearing your voice.
(23:53):
But with that, this has been the Bourbon Bytes Podcast.
Cheers, and I'll talk to you guys next episode.
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