Drink of the Week: Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

A bit of a historic throwback, bonded spirits are making a modern resurgence, and the new Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon is a fine example of the practice. Initially introduced in the late 19th century as a measure of quality, the bottled-in-bond certification required spirits to be wholly produced by one distiller within a single distilling season and then aged for a minimum of four years and bottled at 100 proof. In a modern distilling landscape, where terms like “craft” carry no legal definition, some distillers are choose to re-adopt the bottled-in-bond label. Heaven Hill released their first version of the spirit back in 1939 when it supposedly became one of the best-selling bourbons in Kentucky.

The new release, which hit shelves this month, still employs Heaven Hill’s traditional bourbon mash bill and is aged for seven years before being bottled at the requisite 100 proof. With aromas of oaky vanilla and a hearty kick, this bourbon will shine in this Manhattan riff. $39.99, heavenhilldistillery.com.