View all text of Subpart E [§ 5.61 - § 5.74]
§ 5.74 - Statements of age, storage, and percentage.
(a) General. (1) As defined in § 5.1, age is the length of time during which, after distillation and before bottling, the distilled spirits have been stored in oak barrels. For bourbon whisky, rye whisky, wheat whisky, malt whisky, or rye malt whisky, and straight whiskies other than straight corn whisky, aging must occur in charred new oak barrels.
(2) If an age statement is used, it is permissible to understate the age of a product, but overstatements of age are prohibited. However, the age statement may not conflict with the standard of identity, if aging is required as part of the standard of identity. For example, the standard of identity for straight rye whisky requires that the whisky be aged for a minimum of 2 years, so the age statement “Aged 1 year,” would be prohibited for a product designated as “straight” rye whisky, even if the spirits were actually aged for more than 2 years, because it is inconsistent with the standard of identity.
(3)The age may be stated in years, months, or days.
(b) Age statements and percentage of type statements for whisky. For all domestic or foreign whiskies that are aged less than 4 years, including blends containing a whisky that is aged less than 4 years, an age statement and percentage of types of whisky statement is required to appear on a label, unless the whisky is labeled as “bottled in bond” in conformity with § 5.88. For all other whiskies, the statements are optional, but if used, they must conform to the formatting requirements listed below. Moreover, if the bottler chooses to include a statement of age or percentage on the label of a product that is 4 years old or more and that contains neutral spirits, the statement must appear immediately adjacent to the neutral spirits statement required by § 5.70. The following are the allowable formats for the age and percentage statements for whisky:
(1)(i) In the case of whisky, whether or not mixed or blended but containing no neutral spirits, the age of the youngest whisky in the product. The age statement must appear substantially as follows: “____ years old”; and
(ii) If a whisky is aged in more than one container, the label may optionally indicate the types of oak containers used.
(2) In the case of whisky containing neutral spirits, whether or not mixed or blended, if any straight whisky or other whisky in the product is less than 4 years old, the percentage by volume of each such whisky and the age of each such whisky (the age of the youngest of the straight whiskies or other whiskies if the product contains two or more of either). The age and percentage statement for a straight whisky and other whisky must appear immediately adjacent to the neutral spirits statement required by § 5.70 and must read substantially as follows:
(i) If the product contains only one straight whisky and no other whisky: “____ percent straight whisky ____ years old;”
(ii) If the product contains more than one straight whisky but no other whisky: “____ percent straight whiskies ____ years or more old.” In this case the age blank must state the age of the youngest straight whisky in the product. However, in lieu of the foregoing statement, the following statement may appear on the label: “____ percent straight whisky ____ years old, ____ percent straight whisky ____ years old, and ____ percent straight whisky ____ years old”;
(iii) If the product contains only one straight whisky and one other whisky: “____ percent straight whisky ____ years old, ____ percent whisky ____ years old”; or
(iv) If the product contains more than one straight whisky and more than one other whisky: “____ percent straight whiskies ____ years or more old, ____ percent whiskies ____ years or more old.” In this case, the age blanks must state the age of the youngest straight whisky and the age of the youngest other whisky. However, in lieu of the foregoing statement, the following statement may appear on the label: “____ percent straight whisky ____ years old, percent straight whisky ____ years old, ____ percent whisky ____ years old, and ____ percent whisky ____ years old”;
(3) In the case of an imported rye whisky, wheat whisky, malt whisky, or rye malt whisky, a label on the product must state each age and percentage in the manner and form that would be required if the whisky had been made in the United States;
(4) In the case of whisky made in the United States and stored in reused oak barrels, other than corn whisky and light whisky, in lieu of the words “____ years old” specified in paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section, the period of storage in the reused oak barrels must appear on the label as follows: “stored ____ years in reused cooperage.”
(c) Statements of age for rum, brandy, and agave spirits. A statement of age on labels of rums, brandies, and agave spirits is optional, except that, in the case of brandy (other than immature brandies, fruit brandies, marc brandy, pomace brandy, Pisco brandy, Singani brandy, and grappa brandy, which are not customarily stored in oak barrels) not stored in oak barrels for a period of at least two years, a statement of age must appear on the label. Any statement of age authorized or required under this paragraph must appear substantially as follows: “____ years old,” with the blank to be filled in with the age of the youngest distilled spirits in the product.
(d) Statement of storage for grain spirits. In the case of grain spirits, the period of storage in oak barrels may appear on a label immediately adjacent to the percentage statement required under § 5.73, for example: “____ % grain spirits stored ____ years in oak barrels.”
(e) Other distilled spirits. (1) Statements regarding age or maturity or similar statements or representations on labels for all other spirits, except neutral spirits, are permitted only when the distilled spirits are stored in an oak barrel and, once dumped from the barrel, subjected to no treatment besides mixing with water, filtering, and bottling. If batches are made from barrels of spirits of different ages, the label may only state the age of the youngest spirits.
(2) Statements regarding age or maturity or similar statements of neutral spirits (except for grain spirits as stated in paragraph (c) of this section) are prohibited from appearing on any label.
(f) Other age representations. (1) If a representation that is similar to an age or maturity statement permitted under this section appears on a label, a statement of age, in a manner that is conspicuous and in characters at least half the type size of the representation must also appear on each label that carries the representation, except in the following cases:
(i) The use of the word “old” or another word denoting age as part of the brand name of the product is not deemed to be an age representation that requires a statement of age; and
(ii) Labels of whiskies and brandies (other than immature brandies, pomace brandy, marc brandy, Pisco brandy, Singani brandy, and grappa brandy) not required to bear a statement of age, and rum and agave spirits aged for not less than four years, may contain general inconspicuous age, maturity or similar representations without the label having to bear an age statement.
(2) Distillation dates (which may be an exact date or a year) may appear on a label of spirits where the spirits are manufactured solely through distillation. A distillation date may only appear if an optional or mandatory age statement is used on the label and must appear in the same field of vision as the age statement.