Backbone 'Old Bones' 10 Year Old Reserve Bourbon Whiskey

Backbone 'Old Bones' 10 Year Old Reserve Bourbon Whiskey is a 10-year-old batch-proof bourbon from Backbone Bourbon Company — the limited-release flagship the company only bottles when it finds barrels old enough and good enough. Introduced in 2016, Old Bones is numbered by batch and produced in small case runs: each release is a snapshot of 10-plus-year-old bourbon, bottled non-chill filtered at barrel strength (the current release runs 110 proof, with earlier batches varying). Backbone was built on the idea of the Midwest as "the backbone of the United States" — industrious people for whom a glass of bourbon rewards a long day's work — and Old Bones is the reward at full strength. This 750mL bottle is allocated, batch-numbered craft bourbon at its most honest. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• Age: 10 years old — bottled only when 10+ year barrels meet the standard
• Proof: Batch-proof (current release 110 proof; varies by batch — check the label)
• Size: 750mL — numbered small-batch release, non-chill filtered
• Origin: Backbone Bourbon Company — introduced 2016

Bottled Only When the Barrels Are Ready

Old Bones isn't on a schedule — it's on a standard. Backbone waits until it secures bourbon aged ten years or more that meets its bar, then bottles it in numbered runs of a few hundred cases. That scarcity plus full age shows in the glass: the distillery's current-batch notes read like dessert — cotton-candy sweetness on the nose, brown sugar and cinnamon up front, creamy custard and caramelized sugar through the middle, and a long finish "like crème brûlée in a glass." Batch variation is the rule here, not the exception, which is exactly why bourbon hunters chase it. Find more age-stated heavyweights in our bourbon whiskey collection or browse Backbone.

Tasting Notes

Nose: cotton-candy sweetness over brown sugar and warm oak. Palate: brown sugar and cinnamon leading into creamy custard and caramelized sugar. Finish: long and dessert-like — crème brûlée, vanilla, and lingering spice. (Notes from the current batch release; earlier batches lean cherry wood, praline, and coffee.)

How to Enjoy

Neat, with water on the side — at batch proof, a few drops open it dramatically. This is a special-occasion pour; compare batches side by side if you ever get the chance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Backbone Old Bones?
10 years old — the company only bottles it when it finds bourbon aged ten years or more that meets its standards.

What is the proof of Old Bones?
It varies by batch — the current release is bottled at 110 proof. Check the back label for your batch number and proof.

Is Old Bones a limited release?
Yes — numbered batches of a few hundred cases, released only when qualifying barrels are found. Introduced in 2016.

Ten-year, batch-proof bourbon doesn't sit on shelves long — order Backbone 'Old Bones' online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA while the current batch lasts.