Most whiskey lovers recognize bonded bourbon as a trusted label for quality. The bottled-in bond bourbon has existed for nearly a century. There have been changes in its style and packaging over the years.
The bottled-in bond bourbons are aged for at least four years and have 100 proof. If you have never tried bottled-in bond whiskeys, we will try to help introduce some great ones to you in this article.
#1. George Dickel Bottled in Bond
ABV: 50%
Age: 13 years
Distillery: Cascade Hollow distilling co., TN
Price: $41.99
One of the best things that I like about the George Dickel brand is that they produce great whiskeys at an affordable price. They taste great with cocktails as well. One thing that I like about this bottled whiskey is that the label on the bottle provides a good explanation of the product.
Tasting Notes
Nose: The smell of the George Dickel has hints of honey, oak, cherry, and toasted vanilla. It feels warm and gives a perfect amount of intensity.
Palate: When you sip it, you will get hints of spices, woody oak, and sweet toffee pudding.
Finish: The finish is dry and pleasing. It gives a taste of dry oak and spice. It hits really hard and then quickly fades as well.
#2. Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond
ABV: 50%
Age: 7 years
Distillery: Heaven Hill, KY
Price: #42.99
Heaven Hill is one of the most well-known brands all over the world. It recently discontinued its 6-year old bottled in bond bourbon and released the 7-year old bottle. This 7-year-old bottled-in bond had a more vast distribution network than the previous one. It is 100% proof and is made from just one distillery. I really like the way it smells from sweet to spicy.
Tasting Notes
Nose: When you first smell it, it gives the smell of vanilla, oak, and caramel. Along with this, you will get a hint of saddle leather, tobacco, and honey in the background. Overall, the smell is well balanced and pleasant.
Palate. When you take your first sip, you get a taste of oak and spice. The tobacco and leather notes come next. When you try to chew it, it tastes like roasted caramel, cocoa, dry nuts, orange peel, and oak. Your mouth may feel dry.
Finish. The finish is medium to long with the taste of spice and caramel. Along with these, you will get the taste of oaks, cherries, and vanilla.
#3. Old Forester 1897
ABV: 50%
Age: NAS
Distillery: Brown-Forman Distillery, KY
Price: #47.99
In the mid-19th century, the old forester whiskey had been one of the favorites.The 1897 name was given after the bottled-in-bond act of 1897. It was the first bottled in bond whiskey in America. With 100% proof like other bottled in a bond whiskeys, it gives more heat to the palate. It has a dark, brownish amber hue when poured.
Tasting Notes
Nose. When you first smell it, it gives an aroma of rich, charred oak along with floral elements. Next, you will feel a light sting from the alcohol, which is warm and nice overall.
Palate. When you take the first sip, it gives a great mix of sweet and spice. After that, you will get a taste of fruit flavors along with hints of caramel, vanilla, and oak. It is well balanced with sweetness and spice.
Finish. The taste of this whiskey stays for a long time on the tongue. The spicy notes of cinnamon and cloves remain in the mouth, leaving a great aftertaste.
#4. Old Grand-Dad Bonded
ABV: 50%
Age: 4 years
Distillery: Jim Beam, KY
Price: $21
The bottle of old grand-dad features a portrait of Basil Hayden, a distiller. It is one of the most affordable high-rye bottles in the market. It makes a great base when mixed with cocktails. If you are looking for a mix with cocktails, this is a must-try and will keep you warm in the colder months.
Tasting Notes
Nose. It gives a smell of sweet corn, charred oak, and caramel at first. You will get the scent of cinnamon the most, but it provides a great balance of sweet smells and keeps it manageable and perfect.
Palate. When you take the first sip, you will get a taste of cinnamon sugar along with vanilla and butterscotch flavor. It is quite pleasant and has great intensity.
Finish. You will get some flavors of caramel and sugar at the start and then get a taste of spice and oak. The finish is medium and full of a warm feeling with a hint of white pepper at the end.
#5. Evan Williams Bottled-in-bond
ABV: 43%
Age: NAS
Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery
Price: $12
The Evan Williams bottled in bond whiskey is the top-selling bourbons all over the world. It is one of the most excellent bourbons and is priced reasonably. You can have it neat as it gives a great taste and even mixes it with a soft drink.
Tasting Notes
Nose. It gives a smell of sweetness and hints of vanilla, caramel, dark fruit, ginger, and spice.
Palate. When you take the first sip, it hits the mouth with some sweet caramel, vanilla, cherries and is followed by a hint of nuttiness in the middle of the palate. After that, it settles in the mouth without giving any spicy flavor.
Finish. The finish is quite long and dry. It is followed by some lemon flavor. It is slightly sweet and gives a mix of caramel, dried orange peel, and marshmallows.
#6. Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in bond
ABV: 50%
Distillery: Heaven Hill, KY
Age: NAS
Price: $27.49
The Rittenhouse rye is one of the best whiskeys at an affordable price. It is aged four years. Its flavor is warm and inviting and gives a spicy flavor from the rye content. Rittenhouse is one of the best whiskeys to have at your home bar, and can be mixed into a cocktail.
Tasting Notes
Nose. You will notice a nice mix of fruits and grains when you smell it. The dry bananas and peaches are mixed with hints of grain. When taken neat, you will notice aromas of cashews and berries.
Palate. When you take a sip, it brings out more vanilla, cacao, wood, and a bold, spicy rye flavor at the end. It gives a nice balance of fruit and spice overall.
Finish. The finish is leathery and long. It has flavors of cinnamon, cherries, and rye content. The finish is a bit sweet, herbal, and spicy, along with some hints of dried orange peels. It leaves the mouth dry after some time.
#7. Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond
ABV: 50%
Distillery: Willett Distillery
Age: NAS
Price: $22
The Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond is Willett’s own juice. It is not sourced from any other distillery. It gives a great balance along with notes of caramel and butterscotch with a bit of spice flavor. It is a light bourbon with a sweet taste and is versatile.
Tasting Notes
Nose. It gives the smell of caramel, mint, and cherry syrup. The aromas are a bit light and grassy. The smell of this one is unique and does not match with any bond bourbons.
Palate. When you sip it, you will get the taste of corn, vanilla, and spices, followed by nutmeg and cinnamon with some dried cherries in the background. The notes of caramel are outstanding, and the rye content is present with some floral notes.
Finish. The low burn at the back fades out quickly. However, it leaves notes of clove, cinnamon, and pepper at the end. You will get a dry and peppery finish for some time. Overall, it gives an average finish.
#8. Early Times Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Distillery: Brown-Forman Distillery
Age: 4 years
Price: $25
This bottled in bond has a mash bill of 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley. It is aged for four years in a warehouse and is distilled by only one distillery. The bottle shape is traditional with a round body and shoulder with a long neck, so it is easy to pour the drink into the glass.
Tasting Notes
Nose. You will get honey and orange peel aromas, and it fades out into caramel at the end. Overall the notes are well balanced and pleasant.
Palate. When you sip it, you will get a taste of sweet caramel and corn in the mouth that gives a creamy and rich texture.
Finish. It gives a pleasant and warm finish with some spice followed by sweetness. This spicy and sweet finish gives an excellent balance and makes it enjoyable with a long-lasting finish.
Parting Words
In this article, we picked eight bottled in bond bourbon whiskeys made at distilleries across the country. All these whiskeys are aged for at least four years and are 100% proof. These are some of the great options that you should try, and will do great to get you started into your exploration of bottled in bond whiskeys.
