🥃 27 CFR Part 5
27 CFR Part 5 is part of US federal law on the labelling and advertising of spirits: mandatory statements, label approval and standards for whiskey, rum, gin and others.
27 CFR Part 5 (US spirits labelling rules) is Part 5 of Title 27 of the US Code of Federal Regulations: “Labeling and Advertising of Distilled Spirits”. It is applied by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the US Treasury. The current version was adopted by Decision T.D. TTB-176 of 9 February 2022 on the basis of the federal Alcohol Administration Act.
What must be on the label. Mandatory information includes: the brand, the class or type of drink, alcohol content as a percentage of volume, volume in metric units, the name and address of the producer or bottler and, for imports, the country of origin. A health warning statement is also required. Before sale, the label is approved through the COLAs Online system.
Standards. Section I defines classes and types: vodka, whiskey, gin, brandy, rum, agave spirits (tequila and mezcal), liqueurs and others. Whiskey is distilled below 95% ABV and bottled from 40% ABV. For bourbon at least 51% corn and new charred oak barrels are required; for straight whiskey at least 2 years of ageing. Since 19 January 2025 the standard for American single malt whiskey has applied.
What else is regulated. Part 5 describes prohibited and misleading statements, the procedure for changing labels, permitted bottle sizes, formulas and marketing descriptions. Terms such as age, barrel strength or “straight” may be used only under these rules. The boundaries of American wine regions are set by the neighbouring Part 9.
Why this matters to you. Words such as “Kentucky Straight Bourbon” or “Tennessee” on a US bottle have a legal meaning, which allows the drink to be checked against them. But the rules describe origin and composition, not safety: the WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | Title 27 of the US Code of Federal Regulations, Part 5; T.D. TTB-176 version of 09.02.2022; statute 27 U.S.C. 205 |
|---|---|
| Distillation method | whiskey below 95% ABV (190 proof); bourbon and straight up to 80% ABV (160 proof) |
| Cask type | bourbon and straight: new charred oak barrels; US single malt: oak up to 700 litres |
| Minimum maturation | straight whiskey at least 2 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | whiskey in the bottle from 40% ABV (80 proof) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 27 CFR Part 5 → kind of → 🏷️ Label, law and health → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight rye whiskey, 🥃 American single malt whisky, 🥃 American Malt Whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health
- Related to
- 🍷 Prohibition in the United States
- Part of
- 🏷️ Label, law and health
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Cask Strength Whisky, 🥃 Age statement (age on the label), 🏷️ American Viticultural Area, 🥃 Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, 🥃 Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that in the US every spirits label is approved in advance?
As a rule, yes: before sale the label is submitted to the TTB through the COLAs Online system; exceptions are described in Section B of Part 5.
Who applies 27 CFR Part 5?
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the US Department of the Treasury.
What must appear on the label of a US spirit?
Brand, class or type, alcohol content, volume, name and address, for imports the country of origin, and the health warning statement.
How does 27 CFR Part 5 define bourbon?
At least 51% corn in the mash, distillation up to 80% ABV (160 proof), new charred oak barrels, bottling from 40% ABV.
When was 27 CFR Part 5 last revised?
The new version was adopted on 9 February 2022 (T.D. TTB-176); the standard for American single malt whiskey has applied since 19 January 2025.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey — American whiskey from a mash of at least 51% corn, stored in new charred oak barrels and bottled at 40% ABV or more.
- 🍷 Prohibition in the United States — From 1920 to 1933 the making and sale of alcohol were banned in the US; wine for religious rites was one of the few exceptions.
- 🥃 Age statement (age on the label) — Age mark on the label of whisky or brandy: under EU, Scottish and US law it is the age of the youngest spirit in the bottle; for Scotch, it is given in years only.
- 🏷️ American Viticultural Area — US legal appellation: a delimited grape-growing region with an official name and mapped boundary, approved under 27 CFR part 9.
Similar
🥃 Bottled in Bond · 🥃 Age statement (age on the label) · 🥃 Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 · 🥃 Snifter glass · 🥃 Geographical indication (GI) of spirit drinks · 🥃 Methanol poisoning
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Cornell LII: 27 CFR Part 5 — Labeling and Advertising of Distilled Spirits; authority 26 U.S.C. 5301, 7805, 27 U.S.C. 205, 207; source T.D. TTB-176, 87 FR 7579, 09.02.2022; subparts A–O incl. B label approval, E mandatory label information (5.61–5.74), I standards of identity (5.141–5.166), K standards of fill, N advertising
- Cornell LII: 27 CFR 5.143 Whisky — distilled below 95 % (190 proof), bottled at not less than 40 % (80 proof); bourbon: min. 51 % corn, distilled at 160 proof or less, new charred oak at 125 proof or less; straight: min. 2 years; American single malt: 100 % malted barley, one US distillery, oak up to 700 l, rules from 19.01.2025
- TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau): Distilled Spirits Labeling — mandatory label information (brand name, class or type, alcohol content, net contents, name and address, country of origin for imports, health warning statement), label approval via COLAs Online, Beverage Alcohol Manual
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)