Scotch Tariffs Are Dead, Whiskey AI Is Here & Locke + Co Reviewed

This week on the Bourbon Bytes podcast, we’re wrapping up July with a shorter episode packed with whiskey news, AI controversy, celebrity whiskey moves, and a bourbon review with a meaningful story behind it. The 15-month U.S. tariff on Scotch is officially over, but will bottle prices actually come back down? Then we look at CASKD AI, a new whiskey-focused artificial intelligence tool built for Scotch enthusiasts, collectors, market valuations, and bottle research. Beyoncé is also making a major move in the whiskey world by taking full ownership of SirDavis American Whisky after originally launching the brand with Moët Hennessy. Does this mean more SirDavis releases are coming? We also cover new releases from Bib & Tucker, Dancing Goat Distillery, and Bulleit, including a bottled-in-bond bourbon, older MGP-sourced whiskey, American single malt, and the new Bulleit ’87 bourbon-and-rye blend. Then it’s time for a Byte-Sized Review of Locke + Co Big Blaze Bourbon. This Colorado-finished Kentucky bourbon supports firefighters and first responders, with 10% of sales benefiting Grand County, Colorado. The whiskey is finished with charred Aspen discs sourced from the East Troublesome Fire area, creating a story-driven bottle with toasted oak, vanilla, muscadine grape, bitter chocolate, and sweet vanilla finish. Small correction: I accidentally refer to the brand as “Locke + Key” in the audio, but the correct name is Locke + Co. 🥃 Topics covered: • Scotch tariffs officially ending • CASKD AI and whiskey research • Beyoncé taking full ownership of SirDavis Whisky • Bib & Tucker 8 Year Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon • Dancing Goat 10 Year Bourbon and American Single Malt