American Whiskies
Bourbon
- Produced in the U.S. and its Territories
- Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn
- Aged in new, charred oak containers
- Distilled to no more than 160 proof
- Entered into the container for aging at 125 proof or less
- Bottled at 80 proof or more
Straight Whiskey
- No additives or coloring
- Distilled from a fermented (malted or unmalted) cereal grain mash to a concentration not exceeding 80% abv
- Aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years
- Aged at concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the aging process
- Can be blended, chill filtered, water can be added if 80 proof or more
Bottled in Bond
- Defined in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897
- Must produced at the same distillery by the same distiller within in the same distilling season fall or spring
- It must be aged for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse under federal government supervision,
- It must also be cut and bottled at exactly 100 proof.
- The bottled product's label must identify the distillery where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled
Rye
- Made from a mash of at least 51 percent rye
- Distilled to no more than 160 U.S. proof
- Aged in charred, new oak barrels.
- Must be put in the barrels at no more than 125 proof
Canadian Whiskey
- Must be made from alcohol distillate made from cereal grain that's mashed and distilled
- Age in small wood for at least three years in Canada, charred or uncharred
- Contain no less than 40% alcohol by volume
- Additional flavoring spirits can be added but must age for two years
- Generally, each grain is fermented, distilled and aged individually