Review: Ironton American Single Malt Bottled in Bond
The Bottled in Bond Act dates to 1897 and established strict standards of quality for American whiskey that were much needed at that point in history. But in modern America, a bottled in bond designation does not carry remotely the same weight that it did in 1897. However, bottled in bond has taken on a bit of a new meaning for younger craft distilleries, where the status of bottled in bond now serves as a status symbol and a beacon to consumers that the distiller’s whiskey has aged long enough to be worthy of attention. The whiskey industry today is full of bottled in bond ryes and bourbons, but short on single malt choices.
In July 2024, Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse in Denver released their first bottled in bond whiskey, an American single malt. Ironton was founded in 2018 and employs Laura Walters as the head distiller. Their bottled in bond single malt was distilled in May 2020 and matured in 53-gallon new Adirondack oak barrels with a #2 char. Walters’s whiskey comes off the still at 160 proof and enters the barrel at 110 proof. All of the grain is locally sourced and malted by Troubador Maltings.
Ironton has developed a nice reputation in the Colorado whiskey community. How did they do with their bottled in bond debut? Let’s talk about it.
The nose is ripe with a plethora of fruity notes. Plum and canned peaches immediately stimulate the senses. Buttered toffee and nutmeg join the fruit parade. Allowing the dram to open up for a few moments brings clear scents of tart green apple and a hint of dark chocolate. The fruity nose is wildly enticing, leading the mouth to salivate before tasting.
The palate offers up fruity notes, but not nearly as much as the nose would suggest. Toffee is first to express itself, followed by juicy peaches — more ripe fresh peach vs. the canned peach character found on the nose. Transitioning away from peach, the palate develops into a cinnamon-vanilla granola character that morphs into tart green apple. Ironton Bottled in Bond provides a medium viscosity mouthfeel.
In continuity, peaches are also present on the finish, but in the form of peach Jolly Ranchers. Fruity notes fade quickly, making way for burnt brown sugar, honey, and leather. This is a very pleasing whiskey with a long finish. If you’re looking for a quality American single malt from a source that you’ve likely not yet experienced, Ironton is worth hunting down.
100 proof.
A- / $70 / irontondistillery.com
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