Leopold Bros 5 Year Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Leopold Bros 5 Year Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 50% ABV (100-proof), 750mL straight bourbon from the family distillery of brothers Todd and Scott Leopold in Denver, Colorado. True bottled-in-bond means one distilling season, one distillery, at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, bottled at exactly 100 proof — and this one goes five years in the distillery's dunnage-style bonded barrelhouse, where barrels stack low on earthen floors in an unheated warehouse. The mash bill is its own statement: 64% corn, 21% malted barley (unusually high for bourbon), and 15% Abruzzi heritage rye. Pot distilled, open-fermented, and bottled without chill filtration. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 50% (100 proof) — bottled-in-bond
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 5 years in the dunnage-style federally bonded barrelhouse
- Origin: Leopold Bros. Distillery, Denver, Colorado
- Production: 64% corn / 21% malted barley / 15% Abruzzi heritage rye; open fermentation, copper pot stills, non-chill filtered
Bonded Bourbon, the Craft-Distillery Way
Few craft distilleries ever attempt a true five-year bottled-in-bond bourbon — most bonded whiskey comes from the big Kentucky houses, and most craft "bonded" stops at four. The Leopold brothers' version earns its pedigree the hard way: floor-malted barley on Colorado's first distillery malting floor, Abruzzi heritage rye (a grain that survived near-extinction), open fermentation with house and indigenous yeasts, and slow aging on earthen floors in Denver's high-desert climate. The barley-heavy mash bill reads on the palate as grainy, Wheaties-cereal depth with ginger and cinnamon warmth. Among bourbons, this is the heritage-grain outlier — and among Leopold Bros' famously eclectic lineup (rye, gin, fernet, absinthe), the purist's bottle.
Tasting Notes
Roasted malt, cocoa, straw, and fresh baked bread with soft fruits and a hint of rye spice on the nose. Full-bodied and creamy: cinnamon, toffee, pear, cola, and cracked black pepper, finishing soft and silky with dark baking chocolate, roasted malt, and cherries. Reviewers note grassiness, cinnamon, and oak through the high-malt core.
How to Enjoy
Neat first — at a true 100 proof every layer shows. Then try it in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, where the full proof and malt character hold up to bitters and vermouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "bottled in bond" mean?
The 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act guarantees the whiskey came from one distilling season at one distillery, aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof.
Why is the malted barley share so high?
At 21% — nearly double a typical bourbon — the Leopold floor-malted barley gives the whiskey its signature grainy, wheaty depth and malt-forward nose.
Where is Leopold Bros located?
Denver, Colorado — a family-owned and operated distillery run by brothers Todd and Scott Leopold (note: the store's old Region tag read Maryland; corrected to Colorado).
Where can I buy Leopold Bros Bottled in Bond Bourbon online?
The 750mL bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, shipping from San Diego, CA.
Five years, one bond, one hundred proof — buy Leopold Bros Bottled in Bond at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.