Product Code Database
American whiskey is Whisky (a distilled beverage produced from a fermented Mash ingredients of cereal grain) produced in the United States. The best known American whiskey is straight whiskey, which is characterized by a mash consisting of a predominant grain (at least 51% of the mash) and, with some exceptions, aged in new charred white oak barrels. Examples of straight whiskeys include bourbon whiskey, rye whiskey, Tennessee whiskey, rye malt whiskey, malt whiskey, wheat whiskey, and corn whiskey.
Other American whiskeys include , grain whisky, and . Laws regulating the products vary between those produced for sale in the U.S. and those exported abroad.
By the late 1700s, American farmers, particularly in the western frontier regions (such as Kentucky and Tennessee), began producing whiskey in large quantities. The combination of fertile land and a growing demand for distilled spirits led to the rise of whiskey as a major industry in the United States.
Bourbon whiskey, began to develop in the late 18th century by Scots, Scots-Irish, and other settlers (including English, Irish, Welsh, German, and French) who began to farm the area in earnest. Bourbon’s distinct flavor profile was influenced by the local grain, primarily corn, and its aging process in charred oak barrels.
Tennessee whiskey became popular in the late 1800s, especially in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Tennessee whiskey was similar to bourbon but went through an additional process called the Lincoln County Process, which involved filtering the whiskey through charcoal before aging it.
In the 1980s distillers began focusing on small-batch and artisanal products like Maker's Mark and Old Rip Van Winkle.
In December 2024 a new category was introduced. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has officially recognised American single malt as a whiskey category.
Canadian law requires that products labeled as bourbon or Tennessee whiskey must satisfy the laws of the U.S. that regulate its manufacture "for consumption in the United States". Some other countries do not specify this requirement. This distinction can be significant, as U.S. regulations include substantial exemptions for products that are made for export rather than for consumption within the U.S.
To be labeled as one of these types, the whiskey must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume (160 U.S. proof) to ensure the flavor of the original mash is adequately retained and the addition of coloring, caramel, or other flavoring additives is prohibited. All of these, except corn whiskey, must be aged at least briefly (although no minimum aging period is specified) in Charring new oak containers. These restrictions do not exist for some similarly named products in some other countries, such as Canadian whisky. American corn whiskey does not have to be aged at all – but, if it is aged, it must be aged in used or uncharred oak barrels Glossary of Bourbon & Whiskey terms page , Kentucky Distillers Association "at not more than 62.5% alcohol by volume (125 proof)". TTB Beverage Alcohol Manual, Chapter 4 , Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau In practice, if corn whiskey is aged, it is usually aged in used bourbon barrels.
Straight whiskey is a whiskey that was distilled to not more than 80% alcohol by volume (160 proof) that has been aged for at least two years at a starting alcohol concentration of not more than 62.5%. It has not been blended with other spirits, colorings, or additives. A straight whiskey that also meets one of the above definitions is referred to by combining the term "straight" with the term for the type of whiskey. For example, a rye whiskey that meets this definition is called a "straight rye whiskey".
Unqualified "whiskey" without a grain type identification such as "bourbon", "rye", or "corn" must be distilled at less than 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof) from a fermented mash of grain in such a manner that the distillate possesses the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to whiskey. It must be stored in oak containers – charred new oak is not required – and bottled at no less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof). To carry the designation "straight whiskey" without a grain type identification, the fermented mash must be less than 51% of any one type of grain and must be stored for at least two years in charred new oak containers.
A straight whiskey that has been aged less than four years must be labeled with an age statement describing the actual minimum age of the product; whereas if straight whiskey is stored as prescribed for four years or more, a statement of age is optional." Statements of Age ", U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, April 2007, page 8–15.
Furthermore, a straight whiskey (or other spirit produced from a single class of materials) may be labeled as bottled in bond if it has been aged for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, is bottled at 50% alcohol by volume (100 proof), and is the product of one distilling season (defined as either the first or last half of a calendar year).
Other types of American whiskey defined by federal regulations include the following:
However, these various labeling requirements and "standards of identity" do not apply to products for export from the U.S. (under C.F.R. Title 27, § 5.1). Thus, exported American whiskey may not meet the same labeling standards when sold in some markets.
Another important American whiskey labeling is Tennessee whiskey. This is a recognized name defined under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), at least one other international trade agreement, SICE – Free Trade Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Chile, Section E, Article 3.15 "Distinctive products". and the law of Canada as a straight bourbon whiskey lawfully produced in the state of Tennessee. Tennessee whiskey production is also governed by Tennessee law. Tennessee House Bill 1084 was passed in 2013 for products labeled as "Tennessee Whiskey" produced in the state. It included the existing requirements for bourbon and further required use of the Lincoln County Process for filtering the whiskey through a thick layer of maple charcoal before placing it in barrels for aging, with an exception grandfathered in for Benjamin Prichard's distillery in Kelso, Tennessee, which does not use it. The two major brands of Tennessee whiskey—Jack Daniel's and George Dickel—are both produced using the Lincoln County Process.
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