BACKGROUND: Released in 2015, Jim Beam Bonded is a re-issue of the bottled-in-bond product that was originally available decades ago when the company’s namesake was still living. In order to be marketed as “bottled-in-bond,” a bourbon must meet stringent guidelines outlined in federal law. The guidelines stipulate it must be the product of one distilling season from one distillery, it must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and it must be bottled at 100 proof. It is said that David M. Beam, Jim Beam’s father, did not want to give the federal government unchecked access to his warehouses when the original BiB bourbon was being aged, so he put his own lock on the door next to the government’s. He claimed it was his way of “keeping everybody honest.” As a result, Jim Beam Bonded prominently includes a graphic of two keys on its label - one for David Beam and one for the government. I enjoy many of Jim Beam’s more limited offerings - such as the Repeal Batch, Double Oak, and Distiller’s Cut - and have yet to find a BiB bourbon I did not like, so I was eager to give Bonded a taste. NOSE: Bonded smells exactly like the sweet cordial liquid inside a chocolate covered cherry…and I mean EXACTLY. There’s some oak, as well, but not prominent. There is no trademark Beam peanutty funk (and I mean funk in a good sense, not a bad one). Just loads of sweetness and some oak. PALATE: There is loads of sweet fruit, vanilla, and a bit of spice, but, again, no nuttiness that usually denotes a Beam product. The bourbon is surprising thick, syrupy, and viscous in texture. FINISH: The finish contains no burn and no bite, but it also does not linger. The sweetness quickly dissipates. The delightful oily texture, through, remains in the jaw. FINAL ASSESSMENT: Jim Beam is one of those brands that some people like to unjustly belittle because doing so makes them somehow feel superior, Bonded is yet another Beam product that deserves praise, not derision. At less than $20 a bottle, it is quite a bargain. Unfortunately, it is also impossible to find in my area, so I had to purchase this bottle in another state. The next time I run across it on a shelf, I will purchase several bottles as it will make an excellent daily sipper.