How old is my whisky bottle?

1. The strip over the cap

A green strip means bottled in bond, used from 1897 to 1979. A red strip means ordinary tax paid whisky, from 1934 to July 1, 1985. No strip at all usually means after 1985, or a bottle opened and resealed. What the printing on each strip adds is on What does Bottled in Bond mean?

2. Words in the glass

"Federal Law Forbids Sale or Re-use of This Bottle," molded into the glass, was required from 1934 and dropped effective December 1, 1964. If your bottle has it, it was made in those thirty years.

3. The size

A fifth, quart or pint means before 1980. A metric size like 750 ml means October 1976 or later, and metric was required from January 1, 1980.

4. The warning

The government health warning has been required on labels since November 18, 1989. If it is there, the bottle is from after that.

Put the four together and the years usually narrow fast. Date your bottle asks you about each clue and gives you the range, with the law behind every year. If it still does not settle it, there is a form at the bottom to send photos.