# What is the purpose of "Bottled in Bond" liquor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-bottled-in-bond-liquor/405323 "2007-05-24T05:14:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Hildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Johnny\_Hildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Hildo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-bottled-in-bond-liquor/405323/1 "2007-05-24T05:14:57Z")
Case in point: a bottle of Old Heaven Hill bourbon states that it is 80 proof and has been aged for 8 years. However, its 100-proof variety which IS bottled in bond makes no age claims whatsoever. All it’s doing is stating that it is 100-proof. So, why? My understanding is that bottled in bond liquor does nothing but sit inside a government warehouse. Why? To ensure that the alcohol content is really 100-proof? Doubtful. Aren’t there already regulatory government bodies in place that would make Old Heaven Hill admit if their booze wasn’t 80-proof and 8 years old? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-bottled-in-bond-liquor/405323/2 "2007-05-24T06:58:07Z")
“Bottle in bond” is solely used for tax purposes and not QA. To be bottle in bond, the alcohol must be: American straight whiskey bottled at a single distillary in a single season Aged four or more years Not less than 100 proof when bottled and only distilled water could have been used to lower the proof to 100. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-bottled-in-bond-liquor/405323/3 "2007-05-24T14:42:57Z")
Bottled In Bond came about waay back when when whisky was only sold by the barrel. Bottlers would pass off all sorts of adulterated dreck as brand-name whisky. The response was “Bottled In Bond.” That way got got a government guarantee that what you were purchasing was what the bottle said. By the by, Old Grand Dad Bonded is lightyears better than their regular bottling. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-bottled-in-bond-liquor/405323/4 "2007-05-24T17:41:15Z")
[QUOTE=SaintCad] “Bottle in bond” is solely used for tax purposes and not QA. To be bottle in bond, the alcohol must be: American straight whiskey bottled at a single distillary in a single season Aged four or more years Not less than 100 proof when bottled and only distilled water could have been used to lower the proof to 100. [/QUOTE] My understanding was that bottled in bond meant that taxes didn’t have to be paid until it was withdrawn from the bonded warehouse. If you are aging a whiskey for ten years, say, it clearly makes a big difference as to when you pay the taxes. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-purpose-of-bottled-in-bond-liquor/405323/5 "2007-05-24T18:01:27Z")
A quick check of [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottled_in_bond) shows I was correct. 😉