The Miksologist

You may have seen some whiskies with the phrase “Bottled in Bond” or “Bonded” while perusing the shelves of your local vendor. Going on nothing but anecdotal evidence, these whiskies all seem to be on the lower shelves and don’t have the look of quality hooch.

Old Turkey? Wild Grandad? Buffalo Beam? You get the idea. These bottles have old timey labels that invoke images of hobos looking to get drunk rather than to enjoy a good beverage.

But maybe those hobos are on to something.

The phrase “Bottled in Bond” has a very specific, and legal, meaning. To earn the BiB label, a whiskey must be:

1. produced in one distillation season (usually January-June, sometimes July-December);
2. by one distiller at one American distillery;
3. aged 4 years in a warehouse that is secured by the U.S. government; and
4. bottled at 100 proof/50% ABV.

These rules were put into place in the late 1800s to make sure consumers were getting what was advertised. It was one of the first, if not *the* first, times the U.S. government stepped in to protect consumers. There were also tax benefits for the distillers, but that’s neither here nor there. Like bourbon, a whiskey can only have the BiB label if it is made in the United States.

Both before and after Prohibition the BiB mark was one of quality. However, the whiskey industry sat on their laurels and refused to change with the times. Smirnoff’s wildly successful marketing in the 70s and 80s increased the marketshare of vodka considerably, and this increase was at the expense of whiskey. Younger folks during this time saw whiskey, especially BiB whiskey, as the stodgy drink of their parents and grandparents.

These days, people are starting to come back around to the joys of BiB whiskey. The higher ABV (most whiskey is in the 80 proof/40% ABV range) allows for a more powerful flavor. Bartenders are fans of BiB as it they appreciate how the stronger flavor holds up in cocktails.

So go out there, grab a bottle of Wild Grandad, and enjoy some of the fruits of Big Government regulations! Just not too much. Be responsible, etc.