Sonoran whiskey maker releases their first ever Bottled in Bond ASMW.

To be labeled as bottled-in-bond, a whiskey must originate from a single distillery, produced during a single season and aged for a minimum of four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at 100 Proof (50% ABV). The Whiskey Del Bac Classic Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt Whiskey was distilled and laid down in new American White Oak casks in 2020 and aged for four years in the Sonoran Desert heat.

The 53-gallon barrels used in the Bottled-in-Bond were laid down by Whiskey Del Bac's previous Head Distiller Veronica Townsend and current Lead Distiller Dustin Cox back in 2020 as an experiment to see how the distillery's distinctive distillation and aging processes would work in larger-format barrels. 

"This wasn't just an experiment in how our new make aged in larger-format barrels," Cox said. "It was also an experiment with how it interacted with different cooperages as well. We're really excited to hear what people think." 

 This Bottled-in-Bond showcases Whiskey Del Bac’s utmost dedication to quality, transparency, and reflects their love of the Sonoran Desert. This release is Limited to 500 bottles.

ABOUT Hamilton Distillers and Whiskey Del Bac:

 It was one of those cool desert nights in 2006 where Elaine and Stephen Paul sat outside on their patio, barbecuing over a mesquite fire and enjoying a glass of Scotch. Elaine had an idea — “What if you made single malt whiskey with ‘mesquited’ malt instead of peated malt?”

Stephen began learning everything he could about how the Scots make their whiskies. While learning how to floor-malt barley, he began with the recipe for Classic, modeled after the unpeated style of Speyside Scotches. If he could nail down a clean-finishing American Single Malt Whiskey that rivaled Scotland’s finest, then he could take the recipe and put a Southwest spin on it — which is how our mesquited (not peated) Dorado was born.

Whiskey Del Bac has grown from two American Single Malts – Classic and Dorado – to multiple Distiller’s Cut releases, and has even launched annual limited releases like Frontera and Normandie in the Global Cask Collection in 2022.  The Whiskey Del Bac team has grown, with Amanda and Stephen still driving the ethos and values of the company. Elaine Paul is still out on some desert nights on the same back patio. Instead of wondering what mesquited American Single Malt would taste like — she’s enjoying it in her glass. 

 TASTING NOTES

• Distinctive notes of stone fruit and caramel of its Del Bac Classic, with bolder notes of baking spice and toasted vanilla.