Official American Whiskey categories?

[EMalt]

Hi,

Scottish whisky is placed in official categories like Single Malt, Blended Whisky, Single Grain, Blended Malt, etc.

Can you tell me what the official categories are for American Whiskey? I think these are some

• Straight Bourbon
• Straight Rye
• Straight Wheat (Bernheim for example?)
• Whisk(e)y (for the Bourbons that are not made according to the offical rules)
• Tennessee Whiskey (or should these be filed under Whiskey as some distiller can start charcoal filtering in another state as well?)

I think Wheated or Rye'd Bourbons are no official categories as it's not mentioned on the label, or am i wrong here?
Also, is there any difference between a rye (+51% rye) of a 100% rye? Would the latter be categorised as a single malt (like Old Potrero calls itself)?
I hope someone is able to provide the definitive categories.

Thanks in advance!

EMalt

[barturtle]

There are categories with subcategories;

Whisky is the main category

Bourbon
rye
wheat
malt
corn
malt rye

then straight whisky, with versions of each of the above

Then whisky distilled from "_____" mash, with versions of each of the above, except corn, aged in used cooperage

Light whiskey

Blended whiskey

blended versions of each class of whiskey above

blend of straight whiskies

Spirit whisky

[OscarV]

Spirit whisky

What brand would be in this catagory/subcatagory?

[barturtle]

What brand would be in this catagory/subcatagory?

"Spirit whisky" is a mixture of neutral spirits and not less than 5 percent on a
proof gallon basis of whisky, or straight whisky, or straight whisky and whisky, if the straight whisky component is less than 20 percent on a proof gallon basis.

No Idea

[OscarV]

Sounds like it would be good to start a fire or put in my lawn mower.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

Sounds like it would be good to start a fire or put in my lawn mower.

Unlikely. I'd expect that jewel to weigh in at 40 ABV.

[p_elliott]

Hi,

Scottish whisky is placed in official categories like Single Malt, Blended Whisky, Single Grain, Blended Malt, etc.

Can you tell me what the official categories are for American Whiskey? I think these are some

• Straight Bourbon
• Straight Rye
• Straight Wheat (Bernheim for example?)
• Whisk(e)y (for the Bourbons that are not made according to the offical rules)
• Tennessee Whiskey (or should these be filed under Whiskey as some distiller can start charcoal filtering in another state as well?)

I think Wheated or Rye'd Bourbons are no official categories as it's not mentioned on the label, or am i wrong here?
Also, is there any difference between a rye (+51% rye) of a 100% rye? Would the latter be categorised as a single malt (like Old Potrero calls itself)?
I hope someone is able to provide the definitive categories.

Thanks in advance!

EMalt

You would have
Straight Bourbon
Blended Bourbon
Straight Rye
Blended Rye
Straight Whiskey
Blended Whiskey
Straight Wheat Whiskey
Tennessee Whiskey

[EMalt]

Posted by p_elliot

You would have
Straight Bourbon
Blended Bourbon
Straight Rye
Blended Rye
Straight Whiskey
Blended Whiskey
Straight Wheat Whiskey
Tennessee Whiskey

Thanks. Do you have a short description of each category or tell me where to find it (especially the blended ones)? What i have now is this: http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/Americ...n_Whiskey.html

Thank you in advance.

Grtz,
EMalt

[barturtle]

You would have
Straight Bourbon
Blended Bourbon
Straight Rye
Blended Rye
Straight Whiskey
Blended Whiskey
Straight Wheat Whiskey
Tennessee Whiskey

That list misses a few that were covered in my comprehensive list.

Malt whiskey, Rye Malt Whiskey, Light Whiskey, Corn Whiskey.

You can also have versions of each that are not straight. For example you could have "Bourbon aged 18 months" this is not straight, as that would require two years of aging.

You can also have a blend of straight whiskies

You can also have "whiskey distilled from ____ mash" (bourbon, rye, malt, wheat, rye malt) which is aged in used cooperage.


For full listings with legal descriptions (where you will not find "Tennessee Whiskey") go here

[cowdery]

Thanks. Do you have a short description of each category or tell me where to find it (especially the blended ones)? What i have now is this: http://www.thewhiskyguide.com/Americ...n_Whiskey.html

Thank you in advance.

Grtz,
EMalt

It sounds like you need a copy of Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, which is the set of rules used by the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the U.S. Treasury Department for the labeling of distilled spirits products. You can find it here.