The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) announced its final rule designating American Single Malt Whiskey as its own category, the culmination of a multi-year effort spearheaded by the nation’s independent spirits producers.
The final rule is available now on the Federal Register’s Public Inspection page and scheduled to be published on Dec. 18. It is effective on Jan. 19, 2025.
“As an independent craft spirits producer of American single malt, we applaud TTB for its final ruling,” says Kelly Woodcock, partner and general manager at Westward Whiskey (Portland, Oregon), president of the American Craft Spirits Association’s (ACSA) board of directors and founding member of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC). “This will be a game changer in the way we are able to market our products, both at home and abroad. American single malt is expensive and challenging to make and this designation helps consumers better understand why.”
“Recognizing American single malt whisky as its own standard of identity offers the country’s small craft spirits producers a means to further differentiate themselves in the crowded marketplace,” says Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO of ACSA. “Thanks to the efforts of countless ACSA volunteer members, along with the tireless work of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission and allied members of the trade, TTB makes clear the distinctiveness of single malt whiskeys produced by the nation’s small, independent spirits manufacturers.”
The adopted criteria for American single malt whisky specify that the product be a type of whisky that is mashed, distilled, and aged in the United States; is distilled entirely at one U.S. distillery; is distilled to a proof of 160 or less; is distilled from a fermented mash of 100 percent malted barley; is stored in oak barrels (used, uncharred new, or charred new) with a maximum capacity of 700 liters; and is bottled at not less than 80° proof. In addition, the criteria allow for the use of caramel coloring as long as its use is disclosed on the product label. The regulation will also allow the use of the term “Straight” for an American single malt whisky that is aged for at least two years.
TTB proposed the new standard of identity in response to petitions and comments submitted by several distillers and the ASMWC. TTB finalized the petitioned-for standard of identity with some changes to reflect comments received in response to the related notice of proposed rulemaking. All documents and comments related to this new standard of identity proposal are posted at Regulations.gov within Docket No. 2022–0007.
TTB has also established a five-year transition period so that a label with the designation “American single malt whisky” or “straight American single malt whisky” may be used on distilled spirits bottled before January 19, 2030, if the distilled spirits conform to the applicable standards set forth in 27 CFR part 5 in effect prior to January 19, 2025.