How Whiskey Got Its Cred: Bottled-in-Bond

Let's hop in a time machine to 1897. Teddy Roosevelt had just been appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Thomas Edison had just patented the kinetoscope (only 120 more years to binge-watching Netlfix!). It was a wild era, and the spirits world was no exception.

In those days, the spirits industry was plagued by shady dealers and bootleggers who frequently adulterated moonshine and other non-aged spirits with colorants, flavorings, and even straight-up poison, and passed it all off as legitimate spirits. This widespread deceit left drinkers basically playing Russian roulette with every bottle.

Then came the Bottled-in-Bond Act. This was America's first real consumer protection law for booze. The goal: lock in authenticity and quality, and keep colorants and chemicals out of your glass. The law required distillers to check a few crucial boxes. First, the liquid had to come from one distillery, in a single distillation season (either spring or fall). Second, it needed at least four years in a U.S. bonded warehouse. Finally, it had to be bottled at 50% ABV with a label that identified the distillery and, if different, where it was bottled. No shortcuts, no exceptions. 

But tastes change. When high-proof offerings became less fashionable, distilleries started abandoning the bottled-in-bond label. Why keep pushing 100-proof spirits when consumers wanted lighter, easier sips?

Flash forward to now, and bottled-in-bond is making a comeback. People want transparency, the real deal - especially in a world where marketing can muddy the waters. And bartenders are loving these higher-proof spirits for craft cocktails with maximum flavor.

So here we are, over a century later, raising a glass to the Bottled-in-Bond Act. There are indeed specific phrases, certifications, and specifications that provide customers with confidence in the quality of the products they purchase. It was revolutionary then, and it’s still shaping how we pick our whiskey today. Call it old-school cred or just plain honesty, but in an era of flashy gimmicks, this label stands out as the genuine article - no shady additives, no guesswork. Raising a toast to that!

-Goodjuice