It is a fact that the interest in whiskey culture has been increasing in many countries, as in our country, in recent years. With this increasing curiosity, whiskey brands are also looking for new ways to reach consumers.

While this quest pushes brands to make some innovations (product, label, communication, etc.), it also creates new concepts and phrases from time to time and compels them to create their communication strategies around this. These new concepts can be formed according to the wishes of the customers in today's conditions, and they can also come into our lives from the dusty shelves of whiskey history.

In this article, we have started to see on American whiskeys in recent years, but actually a very old whiskey term. “Bottled-In-Bond” I will share the story and meaning of the phrase.

What is Bottled-In-Bond?

Bottled-In-bond is a whiskey law enacted in America in 1897. According to this law, it was decided to put the phrase “Bottled-In-Bond” on whiskeys produced in accordance with the standards determined by the state.

Bottled-In-Bond The reason for the enactment of the law was that These are whiskeys that are available in large numbers on the market, have a very low quality and are not subject to any control. These whiskeys, which we can call "under the stairs", were sold under conditions not suitable for production, using many additional substances and in poor quality barrels/bottles.

These whiskeys not only pose a health threat to many consumers, but also lead to a decrease in consumer confidence in American whiskey in general.

With the Bottled-In-Bond law, it was aimed to prevent all these problems and over time, “Bottled-In-Bond” has become a phrase that gives confidence to the consumer.

What are the requirements for a Bottled-In-Bond of a Whiskey?

According to the law, Bottled-In-Bond whiskeys must be produced in accordance with the conditions stated below. The purpose of these conditions is to present the whiskey production process to consumers with certain standards by being supervised by the state.

For a whiskey to be Bottled-In-Bond:

• Must be produced in a single distillery.
• The distillery where the whiskey is produced must be stated on the label.
• If bottling is done in a different location than the distillery, this should be stated on the label.
• Production must have occurred in a single distillation season (January-June or July-December). In other words, the resulting whiskey should not consist of a blend of whiskeys that were distilled in distant times.
• Maturation period should be at least 4 years.
• Maturation must be in a warehouse that complies with government-supervised standards.
• Viskinin alkol oranı %50 seviyesinde (100 proof) olmalı.
• Production should only take place in America.

When we take a brief look at the items, we can say that the state has a serious control in the production process and a very high standard is sought in this category.

As I mentioned in the previous part of the article, the term Bottled-in-Bond started to be used in the 1900s. Although the usage has decreased in the following years, we see that the whiskeys in the Bottled-in-Bond category have been gradually increasing on the shelves in recent years.

To give a few examples of Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys;

• Jack Daniel's Bottled-in-Bond Tennessee Whiskey
• Catoctin Creek Rabble Rouser Bottled in Bond Rye
• Jim Beam Bonded
• Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond
• Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 6 years old
• Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. small batch
• Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
• Buffalo Trace EH Taylor Four Grain

What Is Bottle-in-Bond Used For Today?

Of course, it is a little difficult for us to answer this question without asking the whiskey manufacturers themselves. Therefore, with your permission, I would like to share my own interpretation on this subject.

At the beginning of the article, we mentioned that the phrase Bottle-in-Bond was issued for “under the stairs” whiskeys that do not meet the standards and are far from government control. Today, it is obvious that whiskey production is carried out under very strict controls (especially in America…).

Although there is no inscription on it, it is a known fact that all brands produce in accordance with the standards. For this reason, I don't think it would make much sense to talk about the use of the Bottle-in-Bond phrase as giving confidence to the consumer.

Here, the purpose of the brands has emerged in recent years. “Nostalgia (Longing for the Past)” I think it's catching the trend.

You may have already noticed how whiskey brands attach importance to their history and use it in their communications. The purpose of the whiskeys in the Bottled-in-Bond category is not much different. Embracing the rich past, communicating it and revealing the consumers' longing for nostalgia...

To give an example of this trend from different sectors: Coca Cola's sale of old bottle designs as a collection, Volkswagen's release of the famous Vosvos once again, the return of Nokia 3310 and the re-fashioning of many retro products…

Let's see if the use of Bottled-in-Bond will increase in the coming days or will it become history again as a failed marketing tool...

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