Bottled in Bond
Back in 1897 the United States government passed the “Bottled in Bond” act to try to counter the massive problem of counterfit American whiskey. Prior to the passage of the act, “straight” whiskies were adulterated with tobacco, iodine, methanol, and a wide variety of solvents and poisons. The government stepped in and passed the Bottled in Bond act, protecting the public. To be bottled in bond, a whisky must:
- Be bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof)
- Aged in a federally bonded warehouse in the US, under US Government supervision, for at least 4 years.
- Be the product of one distillation season, January-June or July-December.
- Have the label identify where it was distilled and aged.
More reading:
Gear Patrol article on Bottled in Bond.
Bourbon Justice, How Whisky Law Shaped America.