Rectified Whiskey

[StarSurfer55]

So I’m going to show my lack of knowledge on this one but I am curious about the application of the term rectified in modern whiskey.

 

I know that the term rectify to means to fix or correct and that rectification usually means using as redistillation process to purify the alcohol.  I also realize that rectify was used historically to add flavoring to poor quality whiskey. Once of the examples that I know was Southern Comfort which in now considered a liquer.  I believe in the US, a liquer can have 2.5% sweetener by weight.

 

Since the historical use of rectification was to fix a flaw in the whiskey and since I have noticed that many of the small distislleries initial offerings are flavored whiskeys, Are they trying to  use the flavoring to “Fix” the flaws in their whiskey.  So my question is “when do we consider a flavored whiskey as Rectified?”  Again,  my apologies for my dumbassery on this topic and maybe I am being a bit too detail oriented here (wife giving eye roll).  

[Old Hippie]

My understanding is that going back to the 1800's "rectifiers" traditionally redistilled whiskey (probably bad whiskey from small producers) and brought it back to close to GNS status then blended it with proper aged whiskey and possibly added things like glycerin and acid among a host of other things. Not sure of the relevance of today's definitions. Flavored whiskies are pretty well defined and I am not sure of the need to use the term rectified in that these are not being redistilled.

[kevinbrink]

In modern times I think the most common use of the word rectifier is used to describe a Non-Distilling Producer who either Blends or Finishes whiskies in casks from other alcohol products. Over time I think NDP became the more common industry term but if I'm reading something that is from more recent history that is generally what I assume the intent is.