Bottled-in-Bond barrel was filled exactly four years ago

By David Young

It does not matter if you are celebrating or commiserating this Inauguration Day, one thing the entire country can agree on is good whiskey. Thankfully, Colorado’s own The Family Jones is here with a new limited Bottled-in-Bond whiskey aptly named Inauguration Rye Whiskey.

Timed with the Inauguration, this new whiskey was barreled on Jan. 20, 2021, the inauguration date of President Joe Biden, the 46th president. Now, a full four years later, the barrel will be dumped and bottled on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, the inauguration day of President Donald Trump.

Inauguration Rye Whiskey adheres to the strict Bottled-in-Bond designation, which means it is exactly 100 proof, made by one distillery in one season, and aged for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse.

Bottled-in-Bond whiskeys are known to be reliable with a deeper flavor profile. They are usually smooth and quite drinkable due to the mandatory aging process. The Family Jones describes the Inauguration Rye Whiskey as having a toasted oak and toffee nose with dark cherry on the palate and warming spices on the finish. The Family Jones notes that the double distillation process creates a spirit with a well-balanced rich texture that lingers.

Friday, distiller Bryan Johnson pulled some of the new Bottled-in-Bond whiskey out of a 53-gallon barrel at The Family Jones distillery in Loveland using a cask thief. There are two of the Bottled-in-Bond barrels, which will make around 210 bottles of the new Inauguration Rye.

Johnson swirled the whiskey in a Glencairn glass and highlighted the stone fruit scent that he picked up on the nose. He has been slow-proofing, adding water to the barrel over time, giving the spirits space to marry together. The result is a smooth rye that has a bit of a peppery taste to it, but not overpowering. The finish is clean and smooth.

“I don’t care what your political stance is, that’s good whiskey,” Johnson said, as he sipped the rye whiskey he will help bottle on Inauguration Day.

The limited edition bottle’s label has the signature hands on it that you would expect from The Family Jones, but the hand is holding an “I Voted” sticker as a nod to the historical day of the release.

This is actually the second Inauguration Rye Release for The Family Jones following its debut after the 2020 presidential election. Like our nation, the Bottled-in-Bond designation is steeped in history. It was enacted in 1897 as the Bottled-in-Bond Act by the U.S. government in order to protect consumers from bad whiskeys on the market at the time.

The act was the first consumer protection law in U.S. history and mandated that the distiller follow the three requirements under the Bottled-in-Bond designation.

Rye is also a staple for American bourbon as it has been used in making whiskey dating back to the 1700s, when President George Washington ran a rye distillery in Mount Vernon after leaving office in 1797. It proved to be quite profitable at the time, producing nearly 11,000 gallons of whiskey.

However, Bottled-in-Bond is not just ancient history, it is still relevant today as it guarantees a consistent product that provides a unique take on the legacy of American spirits tradition.

Inauguration Rye sells for $75. The release can be picked up at The Family Jones Spirit House in Denver or ordered online. It is not sold in liquor stores, and due to their limited nature, there’s a two-bottle limit per person.

If you don’t get one this year, there’s always the next inauguration in four years. Johnson said they plan to refill the barrels and start the process all over again for a third iteration of this limited Bottled-in-Bond whiskey release.