What is Bottled-in-Bond?

The Bottled-in-Bond Act was passed in 1897 as a way to protect people from drinking tainted whiskey. But what is bottled-in-bond and how has this tradition continued today? We break down everything you want to know about bottled-in-bond whiskey.

What does Bottled-in-Bond Mean?

In order for a spirit to be considered bottled-in-bond, it must be made by one distiller at a single distillery in one season aged in a federally bonded warehouse under federal government supervision, then cut and bottled at exactly 100 proof.

The only thing you can add to bottled-in-bond whiskey is pure water. The designation does not guarantee quality of the spirit, but instead it guarantees that the whiskey is pure. Today, we expect our spirits and our food to be pure, but in the 1800s there were no laws requiring selling pure food or drinks.

The History of Bottled-in-Bond

In the 1800s whiskey was delivered to taverns in barrels, and there was little guarantee that what was delivered was even whiskey. At best, whiskey would be delivered with fake colorings and flavorings. At worst, whiskey would be delivered with formaldehyde, glycerine, or even wood chips in it. 

The federal government stepped in with the first consumer protection law. In 1897, the Bottled-in-Bond law was passed and required distilleries to deliver a pure product. The law gave drinkers and distilleries the assurance that what they were producing and drinking was, in fact, whiskey. 

Following the Bottled-in-Bond law, the federal government started passing many consumer protection laws, providing everyone with the confidence that the food and drinks we buy today are pure.

Bottled-in-Bond Today

Although there is less fear of tainted whiskey these days, many distillers are carrying on the tradition of bottled-in-bond whiskey. 

Because of the strict requirements, bonded whiskey is seen by distillers as one of the hardest things to make. The four-year aging requirement brings about a stronger leather and tobacco taste to the whiskey, and the bigger proof lets the whiskey stand up well in cocktails. 

More and more distilleries are producing bonded whiskies, but it does not stop there. Whiskey is not the only spirit that can be bonded. Some distillers are starting to experiment with bonded spirits like apple brandy or aged applejack. 

Eight Oaks Bottled-in-Bond

At Eight Oaks, we created a single-barrel, almost five-year-old, bottled-in-bond, bourbon whiskey, named Veterans Cut.

It was double distilled and aged to perfection in a hand-selected white oak barrel and has balanced notes of vanilla and honey, a touch of smoke, and a slightly peaty finish with notes of spice and dried cherry.

Veterans Cut is released as part of our continued effort to support our community. The last release supported Northwestern Lehigh Veterans Memorial.

Keep an eye out for another release of our bottled-in-bond bourbon whiskey in the future!

At Eight Oaks we don’t just make whiskey, we make a difference™. 

Tell us what you want to see in future blog posts. You can do that by sending your feedback to Josh at jvandenberg@eightoaksdistillery.com. 

We’ll work as many questions into future posts as we can, and for those topics selected we’ll make sure to send you a fun prize pack.