As someone who prefers his whiskey to be 100 proof or higher, I often review bottled labeled as Bottled in Bond. Some of my friends have often asked what is Bottled in Bond?
What is Bottled in Bond?
The term bottled in bond is a label you will only see on American-made distilled beverages that have been aged and bottled in accordance with regulation laid out in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. In order to be labeled as bottled-in-bond the product must be made of one distillation season (January–June or July–December) by one distiller at one distillery. It must have been aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for at least four years and bottled at 100 (U.S.) proof (50% alcohol by volume). The bottled product’s label must identify the distillery where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled.
Why was Bottled in Bond Act Created?
The Bottled in Bond as was created due to the widespread quality drop of American whiskey. At the time of its passage many bottlers used iodine or tobacco to create color and flavor. Consumers wanted reassurances as to what they were consuming, so a standard of quality was created and the federal government because the guarantor of authenticity. In turn, the government gave the predicted a tax incentive to help ensure in proper account and the collection of taxes that we due.
The tax incentive allowed Distilleries to delay payment of the exercise tax on the stored whiskey until the aging of the whiskey was completed, and the supervision of the warehouse ensured proper accounting and the eventual collection of the tax. One of the biggest proponents of the act Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. join with then Secretary of the Treasury John G. Carlisle J to fight for the Bottled-in-Bond Act.
Why is it used now?
While the unchecked practices of the Bottle in Bond era are long gone, the practice has stayed alive out of tradition and romanticism. The sense of history around the act has had companies still embrace the act and use it as a selling point. There are a lot of 100 proof whiskey’s that don’t adhere to the practice, but those that do are considered by many to be superior. As a result, the asking price tends to be more.
Is the Bottle in Bond Act Limited to Whiskey?
No. Bottled in Bond is seen in Corn Whiskey, Rye and Bourbon.
