American Whiskey - Types

Types

Some key types listed in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations are:

• Rye whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% rye.
• Rye malt whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% malted rye.
• Malt whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% malted barley.
• Wheat whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% wheat.
• Bourbon whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 51% corn (maize).
• Corn whiskey, made from mash that consists of at least 80% corn (maize).

Unless the whiskey is labeled as blended, to be labeled as one of the types listed above, the whiskey must be distilled to not more than 80% alcohol by volume (160 proof) to ensure that the flavor of the original mash is adequately retained, and the addition of coloring, caramel and flavoring additives is prohibited. All of these except corn whiskey must be aged (at least briefly, although no minimum aging period is specified) in charred new oak containers. These restrictions do not exist for some similarly named products in some other countries, such as Canada. 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. In practice, if corn whiskey is aged it usually is aged in used bourbon barrels.

If the aging for one of these types of whiskey reaches two years or beyond, and the whiskey has not been blended with any other spirits, colorings, or additives, the whiskey may additionally be called "Straight" – e.g. "straight rye whiskey".

Other types of American whiskey that are defined by federal regulations include the following:

• Straight whiskey, (without reference to any particular grain) is a whiskey aged in charred new oak containers for 2 years or more, distilled to not more than 80 percent alcohol by volume, with no addition of coloring, caramel, or flavoring, and derived from less than 51% of any one grain.
• Blended whiskey, is a mixture which contains straight whiskey or a blend of straight whiskeys at not less than 20 percent on a proof gallon basis, and, separately or in combination, other whiskey or neutral spirits. The 80 percent of the content that is not straight whiskey may include un-aged grain distillates, grain neutral spirits, flavorings, and colorings.
• Light whiskey, which is produced in the United States at more than 80% alcohol by volume and stored in used or uncharred new oak containers.
• Spirit whiskey, which is a mixture of neutral spirits and at least 5% of certain stricter categories of whiskey.

However, it is important to note that 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. There are only four brands of Tennessee whiskey that are currently bottled – Jack Daniel's, George Dickel, Benjamin Prichard's, and Collier and McKeel. Tennessee whiskey is a recognized name defined under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), at least one other international trade agreement, and the law of Canada as a Straight Bourbon Whiskey lawfully produced in the state of Tennessee. Three of the four brands of currently produced Tennessee whiskey use a production process that involves a filtering stage called the Lincoln County Process, in which the whiskey is filtered through a thick layer of maple charcoal before it is put into casks for aging. Aside from the treaty definitions, Tennessee whiskey is not otherwise officially recognized as a type of whiskey in the U.S. federal regulations, and it has no other strict legal definition.