December 23, 2019

By Wall of Whiskey

Whiskey Bottle Lingo

Part 2

If you missed Part 1 check it here

Ok What Else?

We learned about a few terms in the first post and here we'll continue our JOURNEY OF UNDERSTANDING!

Let's continue with:

1. Bottled-In-Bond

This was a relatively new term for me in that I've heard it thrown around but never gave it any credence.

Bottled-In-Bond was a piece of legislature originally known as The Bottled In Bond Act of 1897.

This was the first government requirement for labeling in American History and set the precedent for food labels as we know them today.

Don't Drink Me

Back during the first boom of American Whiskey there was a ton of great product coming out of Kentucky. There was also a ton of very poisonous liquid coming out too.

Things like gasoline colored with caramel to simulate the good stuff.

The Regulatorrrrrrrrs

This new act ensured the quality of Whiskey with this stamp of approval based on these qualifications:

Must be the product of One distillation season Must be produced by One distiller at One Distillery Must be aged for at least 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. Gov supervision Must be bottled at 100 proof

To be Bonded was to be of assured quality.

2. Chill Filtered/Non-Chill Filtered

Whiskey that is below 46% ABV will go slightly cloudy when ice is introduced due to the esters and fatty acids present.

Chill filtering removes most of these "impurities" and leaves a clear product which is perceived as more desireable.

This is done by lowering the temperature of the whiskey and passing it through layers of tightly-knit metallic mesh multiple times to remove all unwanted particles.

However some believe that it may end up changing the flavor profile just enough to make the whiskey less desirable since it removes some of the particles imparted by the barrel aging.

Clearly there is an ongoing debate on the effects of the filtering, similar to the line between organic and non-organic foods.

I'll be curious to start noting whether I'm drinking a filtered or non-filtered whiskey and to see if there is any trend in which ones I prefer.

3. Straight Whiskey

In the bartending world, we know "Straight" to mean without the addition of any modifiers.

In the whiskey world it is similar but with a few more determining factors.

To be a Straight Whiskey in the U.S. it must be:

Made with at least 51% cereal grain. Aged for at least 2 years in New Charred Oak Barrels. Distilled no higher than 80% abv. No Caramel Coloring or other agents may be added.

The only additions that may be made while using the Straight Whiskey label are Chill Filtration, blending with other straight whiskey from the same state, and the addition of water to bring alcohol content down.

So Many Regulations

I know it seems like there are an unnecessary amount of regulations on our Nation's Whiskey, however I'm happy these guidelines exist as it makes for a higher quality of product.

It takes skill, time and dedication to make great whiskey, I wouldn't want anybody half-assing such a sacred thing.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of our Whiskey Glossary!

Cheers and Happy Sipping!

What do you think about Chill-Filtered VS Non Chill-Filtered?

Leave us a comment and share the love!