The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was a set of legal regulations created by the US Government to standardize and authenticate the quality of American distilled alcoholic beverages, especially bourbon, wheated, and rye whiskey.

Prior to the time the Bottled in Bond act was legislated the American whiskey market was being decimated by inferior quality, unregulated booze. The influence of shadowy figures and complete lack of regulation meant that all sorts of things were being added to mash bills and stills to cheapen the final product.

The introduction of the Act helped standardize straight bourbon, wheated bourbon, and rye whiskey quality and galvanize the industry.

It also provided tax incentives for producers to work within the Act to make bottled in bond bourbon and to improve conditions across distillation, bottling, and consumption.

What is the Bottled in Bond Act in real terms?

Bottled in bond is a whiskey label that adheres to a set of legal regulations contained in the United States government’s Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits.

The regulatory jargon breaks down as follows:

• The whiskey must be the product of a single distillation season
• The distilled spirit must be made by one distiller at one distillery
• The distilled spirit must be at least four years old
• It must be stored and aged in government bonded warehouses
• The whiskey must also be at least 100 proof (50% ABV)
• Only water may be added to the mash bill

The Bottle in Bond Act 1897 is still in effect, but without the industry changing clout it once had as the liquor industry has modernized, and bonded whiskey has become less important as standards have increased.

If you purchase a bourbon whiskey or rye labelled Bottled in Bond the regulations from the Act must be met.

The following list of 9 bottled in bond bourbon and whiskeys are all quality options for you to try.