Bib & Tucker Releases Its First Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, an 8-Year-Old Tennessee High-Rye Aged Twice the Required Minimum

Bottled-in-bond is a strict federal standard for how whiskey is distilled, aged, and proofed. Bib & Tucker Apprentice Blender James Joseph stewarded the 8-year-old bourbon in his first release for the brand.

Bib & Tucker, the Tennessee small-batch bourbon brand from Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, will release Bib & Tucker 8-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon nationally in September 2026, a 100-proof expression aged twice the four-year minimum the bottled-in-bond designation requires.

The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 set one of the most exacting standards in American whiskey. To carry the designation, a whiskey must be distilled during a single distillation season by a single distiller at a single distillery, aged for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and be bottled at exactly 100 proof. Bib & Tucker 8-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon meets every requirement: distilled in a single season in spring 2018 at Tennessee Distilling Group in Columbia, Tennessee, aged for eight years, and bottled at 100 proof.

Distillers were the driving force behind the 1897 act because products sold as whiskey in the late 1800s were often diluted or adulterated, and they wanted a federal standard that would guarantee what was in the bottle. Bib & Tucker draws inspiration from that same era, taking its name from a common turn-of-the-century expression for one's finest attire and paying tribute to a time of adventure, progress, and uncompromising craftsmanship, when all bourbon was made in small batches. Bib & Tucker's first bonded bourbon honors those traditions and takes up the standard by choice, bringing renewed relevance to one of the country's oldest whiskey standards.

James Joseph, Apprentice Blender at Bib & Tucker, stewarded the 8-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond under Master Blender Alan Kennedy in his first release for the brand, a reflection of how whiskey knowledge is passed from one generation of makers to the next. Joseph chose and blended whiskeys from mature barrels distilled during the spring 2018 season, selecting casks that produced balance and character over eight years, and let the bonded standard govern the decisions that followed.

"Something I've learned from my mentors in this industry is that, when it comes to blending whiskey, your job is to recognize when the whiskey is ready," said James Joseph, Apprentice Blender at Bib & Tucker. "With our first Bottled-in-Bond release, I had the opportunity to work within a standard that's been respected for generations, so every choice came back to the quality in the barrel and letting the flavors express themselves. It is a process I was taught early on: respect the tradition, trust the maturation process, and don't take shortcuts."

A Tennessee high-rye mash bill sets the bourbon apart in a bonded segment shaped by more traditional recipes, giving it added spice and structure. Made from corn primarily sourced within 100 miles of the distillery, the whiskey is charcoal-mellowed through the Lincoln County Process, aged for at least eight years in new American oak barrels, and bottled with minimal non-chill filtration. The recipe, barrel selection, and maturation are uniquely Bib & Tucker's, helping the 8-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond earn critical acclaim ahead of its national launch, including a gold medal and a score of 92 points at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

"For me, it wasn't about making a whiskey that chased a trend, it was about selecting and blending barrels that could meet a standard that generations of distillers believed was worth protecting," Joseph said. "When you start with well-made whiskey and stay disciplined throughout the process, you don't have to manufacture a story. The whiskey tells it for you."

Aromas of vanilla custard layered over seasoned oak deliver a warm, cream-like sweetness balanced by mature wood spice. An initial wave of crème brûlée, leather, and hickory is followed by subtle hints of dried apricot and honeysuckle, with a mouthfeel that is structured and complex, demonstrating depth without overwhelming sweetness. The finish is long and warm, a backbone of sweet oak with lingering notes of allspice and orange blossom. The bourbon drinks great neat or on the rocks, and the higher proof also lends itself to an exceptional Old-Fashioned.

Bib & Tucker 8-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon will be available year-round nationally beginning September 2026, coinciding with National Bourbon Heritage Month, in retail stores and online, at a suggested retail price of $64.99 for a 750mL bottle.