Buffalo Trace will release a commemorative single barrel expression of Col. E.H. Taylor Jr. in a nod to the the Bottled in Bond Act and Taylor’s role in getting passed on March 3, 1897.

The act was designed to guarantee the integrity of whiskey to consumers in a time when disreputable sellers would add unsavory ingredients like turpentine, iodine, tobacco juice and other potentially dangerous additives as back fill or to add color. In those days, whiskey normally came to a saloon or retailer by the barrel, and consumers could fill their own jug or retailers could bottle it themselves.

For the Bottled in Bond Day batch, one barrel was hand-picked by the team at Buffalo Trace Distillery, the whiskey bottled and sold through musician Chris Stapleton’s charitable fund, Outlaw State of Kind.  Each bottle will be autographed by Chris Stapleton and proceeds will go to support the fund. The initial wave of bottles will be auctioned and the funds used for disaster relief in Texas in the wake of the devastating winter storm.

Additional bottles will be used throughout the year to raise funds for a variety of charities across the country. 

The E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel was distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery and put in the barrel on Jan. 5, 2012.  Bottled in early February, the bourbon is 9 years old and, like the act its namesake fought to pass, is Bottled in Bond at 100 proof.

The Single Barrel is packaged with elements of Taylor’s original bottlings from the turn of the 20^th century, including a vintage label bearing his signature and a distinct canister reminiscent of Taylor’s whiskey package from more than 100 years ago.  The canister also features a commemorative sticker noting the 124^th anniversary of Bottled in Bond Day and a label at the bottom explaining more about the release.