WTH is Bottled in Bond?

Back in the 1800s, whiskey was a major commodity in the United States.  Two main sellers exist, the distillers and the rectifiers.  Rectifiers sourced their whiskey from distillers, and did their ‘magic’ to the barrels.  In some cases, this was true art, making some exceptional whiskey.  But in many cases it was very shady business.  In an effort to make their whiskey look and (maybe) taste older they would add all kinds of things, such as rust, tobacco juice and even iodine.  They may also add a Neutral Grain Spirit like vodka to stretch it out.

Many distillers wanted to see the art of whiskey making more regulated.  This effort was led by Col. E. H. Taylor Jr (Who was not a Colonel nor a Jr, but that’s another story) of Buffalo Trace fame.  He felt that regulating whiskey would ensure quality to the public.  Isaac Bernheim, of I.W. Harper and Heaven Hill fame, argued against the act stating it would kill the art of blending.  On March 3^rd 1897, Taylor won and the bottled in bond act was passed by President Grover Cleveland. 

To encourage distillers to buy in, this act also allowed distillers following these rules to defer taxes until the whiskey was aged, rather than immediately.  This was a huge help to their finances and encouraged older whiskey to be made.  There were other rules as well:

• It must be made at the same distillery
• By the same distiller, during the same distilling season
• Aged four years minimum
• Aged in a Federally Bonded Warehouse under federal supervision
• Cut and Bottled at exactly 100 proof
• Can ONLY add water

As a result, you know what you are drinking is legitimate and pure (And hopefully good).  While todays whiskey is generally pure and good even if not BiB, the rules remain.  So if you buy a bottle with that Green John G. Carlisle wrap over the cork, you know if was made according to the rules above.