Today, March 3, 2025, is celebrated in the world of whiskey as Bottled-in-Bond Day.
Raise a glass in celebration of whatever bourbon you’d like. But to make it extra special, raise a glass from the Colonel E.H. Taylor Collection from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Most of the 13 expressions in the collection are bottled-in-bond.
Okay, you see the phrase “bottled-in-bond” all the time, but what does it really mean?
The Bottled-in-Bond Act, approved on this day in 1897 by the United States federal government, assured whiskey buyers they were getting “the real deal.” (Ironically, the act wasn’t enforced until about four years later, but that won’t stop us from celebrating.) It set a higher standard for safety and quality that had simply not been in place before. With this development, what the label promised, the bottle had to actually deliver. (No tobacco spit, iodine, shoe polish, prune juice, or other unsavory additives were to be found in a bottle with the new B-in-B label on it.)
The general feeling today is that the Bottled-in Bond Act, 128 years ago today, saved and revolutionized the whiskey industry.
Why toast to (and with) the venerable Colonel? Edmund Haynes Taylor, Junior was the founder of the O.F.C. Distillery, that is today known as Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. In addition to being an innovator in the whiskey industry, Taylor was the visionary leader of an effort that eventually became the Bottled-in-Bond Act. They don’t call Colonel Taylor “the father of the modern bourbon industry” for nothing.
To honor Colonel Taylor, today Buffalo Trace will begin taking applications from charities for another round of the 100 Bourbon Sets for 100 Charities initiative. Last year on Bottled-in-Bond Day, Buffalo Trace announced that the inaugural effort raised more than $134,000 in 36 states “for a variety of causes dedicated to veteran services, youth education and programming, cancer treatment, animal rescue and adoption, among many others.”
The number 100 is an homage to the 100-proof requirement in the Bottled-in-Bond Act.
Beginning today, charities can apply to receive “lineups from some of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s most sought-after brands, including E.H. Taylor Jr., Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, Weller and more.” They can then raffle off the bourbon sets to raise money for their non-profit organizations.
Interested charities can apply here.
“It is incredible to see the work being done by nonprofit organizations around the country and we believe Taylor would be proud to know his legacy continues to bring such a positive change to countless communities,” said Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “The 100 Bourbon Sets for 100 Charities initiative celebrates those who, like Taylor, have a passion for improving the world. We are proud to support nonprofit organizations in their efforts to better lives and communities.”
So, on this Bottled-in-Bond Day, raise a toast to great whiskey and the amazing charities out there working hard to make this world a better place. Cheers!
The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897
The Bottled in Bond Act is often credited with being the first consumer protection act in United States history. If the following set of strict guidelines were met, the federal government placed a green stamp on bottles of barrel-aged spirits:
1. Were distilled in the same distilling season, either spring (January to June) or fall (July to December).
2. Distillation occurred at a single distillery.
3. Aged for a minimum of four years.
4. Bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV) if domestic.
5. Label must identify the distillery who made it.
6. Label must identify the bottling location if different than distiller or distillery.
7. Only water could be added.
Source: American Distilling Institute
“It is incredible to see the work being done by nonprofit organizations around the country and we believe Taylor would be proud to know his legacy continues to bring such a positive change to countless communities. The 100 Bourbon Sets for 100 Charities initiative celebrates those who, like Taylor, have a passion for improving the world. We are proud to support nonprofit organizations in their efforts to better lives and communities.”
Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director, Buffalo Trace Distillery
Colonel Brian G. Miller is the Editor of Whiskey Network Magazine. His column, The Bourbon Tutor, covers the latest in bourbon tourism, events, culture, and history. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. You can reach him at [email protected]
