The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has issued its final rule establishing a new American single malt whiskey category.

The move will “help protect and promote this growing category”, according to the American Single Malt Commission (ASMWC) and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

“This is a landmark ruling from the TTB that further cements our standing on the global stage in whiskey,” said ASMWC president Steve Hawley. “We applaud TTB for hearing the call from distillers, purveyors and fans of American single malt, and formalising a definition that supports and protects our producers both here and abroad.”

DISCUS president and chief executive, Chris Swonger, added: “This is great news for America’s distillers and spirits consumers. Having this formal definition is going to protect the integrity of American single malt whiskey and drive experimentation, creativity and innovation in this popular category.”

Provisions of the standard include: the whiskey must be made from a fermented mash of 100% malted barley produced in the US; it must have a distillation proof of 160 or less, distilled at the same distillery in the US; it must be stored in used, charred new, or uncharred new oak barrels, with a 700 litre maximum capacity and only stored in the US; no neutral spirits permitted; and no allowable colouring, flavouring, or blending materials permitted, except for caramel colouring that is disclosed on the label.

The final rule also adopted a standard for straight American single malt whiskey, requiring that it be aged for a minimum of two years. The final rule is scheduled to be published on 18 December and take effect on 19 January 2025.

by Eleanor Yates

Credits: Drinks International