About 120 years ago, a group of Kentucky distillers felt the requirement to standardize American Bourbon’s quality to end adulterine whiskey production and its illegal distribution. Their efforts led to the enforcement of the Bottled in Bond Act that provided branded and legal protection for the best of the best. Thereon you could say Bottled-in-Bond whiskey is as authentic as it gets. An American symbol that stands for its quality incorporated since 1897.
A 21st Century Bottled in Bond Success Story.
It’s amazing how many people have those light bulb moments around really great wine or spirits that just set them off for good. Let’s look at such a story that has a lot to do with the Bottled in Bond legacy.
Every year whiskey advocates bestow the highest honor in the whiskey business. The winner of 2019, 35-year-old Nicole Austin is responsible for a mesmerizing concoction called “George Dickel 13 Year Old Bottled in Bond Bourbon (or Tennessee Whiskey“). Nicole quoted, “I want people to know my era will be all about authenticity, quality, and transparency. Bottled-in-Bond is the best proxy we have for that in the American spirit business”.
Nicole has a degree in chemical engineering, and she was searching for ways to make a career out of it until she walked into a Brooklyn bar. The whiskey she was served changed her life.
One Of Those Amazing Traits Bib Protects.
Another way of augmenting the standard and quality of certain products is by continuing the adherence to traditional practices and techniques in production and even packaging. A great example would be Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey. Tennessee is famous for its strong whiskey legacies.
Did you know that Jack Daniel’s has been using water directly from a natural resource to make their ever famous Tennessee whiskey? For more than a century, water from cascade springs in central Tennessee has been one of the raw materials of this old whiskey brand. Although not an official requisite, the above fact alone as a feature enriches and adheres to the authenticity factor that the Bottled in Bond Act stands for. Quality and originality.
A few analogies that serve as BiB regulations for whiskey production are things like distilling in the same season, minimum aging of four years in wooden barrels, zero flavoring, being one hundred proof, etc. If using water from freshwater resources was a mandate, Jack Daniel’s would have outshined and become second to none.
Let’s conclude by looking at three of the best American Whiskeys that consider ‘Bottled-in-Bond’ as a passionate pursuit rather than a mere regulation.
Old Tub Bottled-in-Bond
Old Tub Bottle-in-Bond is many’s favorites for a reason. If you fancy one of these, you can only get some directly from the Jim Beam Distillery. The limited availability of this four-year sour mash with big flavors had driven up its exclusivity, which stuck to the brand. However, today you can get it as a yearly release. It’s got a big nose of corn and honey-roasted peanuts, which is even better in cocktails.
Jack Daniel’s Bottled in Bond
Jack Daniel’s Bottled in Bond can be safely assumed to be the best among the affordable range of Tennessee whiskeys. What’s even more complimenting is the fact that it shares its beginnings with the Bottle in Bond Act in the 1890s. In addition to sharing the same era, this savory bourbon is a solid reminder of Jack Daniel’s commitment to quality, which is exactly why BIB was enforced in the first place.
New Riff
Being a relatively new entrant, New Riff stood out by furnishing their entire range with Bottled in Bond liquor. Their line-up mainly includes bourbon and high-rye whiskeys that also come in single-barrel versions.
Summary
That’s it! Some of the best Bottled in Bond whiskeys, a success story of a 35-year-old in the liquor business, and the greatest regulation passed ever that quickly evolved to become great brand value. What more do you need to say cheers!
