As the earliest initiative of regulatory standards for whiskey, the U.S. government established the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897, which required an extra hurdle for any American distillery that wanted a more premium seal of approval on their bottles. Aside from the baseline standards for a given spirit, the liquid had to be aged for at least four years (as opposed to the two-year minimum for straight whiskey or bourbon) and come from a single distillery during a single distilling season. Likewise, the U.S. government had to oversee the aging process in a federally bonded warehouse. In recent vintage, bottled-in-bond bourbon has become increasingly rarer. However, there are a handful of distilleries that have become known for partaking in this stringent set of guidelines.
Today, George Dickel unveils its fourth-ever Bottled-In-Bond expression, culled from the same fall of 2008 distilling season selection that was used to bottle the 11-year whiskey back in 2020. It’s been two years since that release, which garnered a plethora of awards and recognition, and now the Tennessee distillery goes back to those same barrels to see how the liquid has aged in the meantime.
Aged now for 13 years in total, the newest release continues to flourish with notes of fruit and nuts, with cherry, cedar, and almond on the nose, but with even more balance and complexity than before. Bottled at 100 proof, this expression was built from a mashbill consisting of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley prior to entering the distillation process over a decade ago. It was mellowed with chill charcoal to achieve the brand’s signature creamy smoothness.
George Dickel’s Bottled-In-Bond Fall 2008 Aged 13 Years should be arriving in stores this month for around $45. Head over to the distillery’s website to learn more.
