For the first time in over 52 years the U.S. Government is adding a new Type of whiskey to its regulations: American Single Malt Whiskey. On December 18th, 2024 TTB officially added the new Standard of Identity to Part 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations with an effective date of January 19th, 2025 that clearly defines the category and protects its producers and their products. That definition stipulates that American Single Malt adhere to the following production standards:
MADE FROM 100% MALTED BARLEY
DISTILLED ENTIRELY AT ONE DISTILLERY
MASHED, DISTILLED AND MATURED IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
MATURED IN OAK CASKS OF A CAPACITY
NOT EXCEEDING 700 LITERS
DISTILLED TO NO MORE THAN 160 (U.S.)
PROOF (80% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME)
BOTTLED AT 80 (U.S.) PROOF OR MORE
(40% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME)
“This is a landmark ruling by TTB and validation for years’ worth of work by American distillers to define American Single Malt. It has been over 52 years since a new type of whiskey was added our federal regulations. We applaud TTB for formalizing the category which will signal to the world that not only do we believe in and support our own distilleries, but we also recognize that American Single Malt Whiskey is unique and deserves to be defined and protected as other American whiskey categories are. Most importantly, this new definition ensures that consumers worldwide can have every confidence that what they think is in a bottle of American Single Malt Whiskey actually is.”
- Steve Hawley, President
We’re grateful to the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) for hearing the call from distillers, purveyors and fans of American Single Malt Whiskey by formalizing a Standard of Identity for the category. Their thorough and thoughtful work has resulted in a definition that preserves the integrity of single malt globally, allows for American innovation and protects our nation’s producers.
“American Single Malt is the next big thing in whiskey. It has been one of the fastest-growing categories of whiskey in the world for several years now and promises to expand even more with this new ruling. But even with a new definition added to the regulations, we still have much work to do to establish the category of American Single Malt on the global stage.”
- Jared Himstedt, Vice President
We would like to extend a special note of sincere gratitude to our colleagues and friends at DISCUS for their tireless efforts to support and lobby for the ratification of American Single Malt Whiskey. From their sage advice, to the connections they’ve made, to their public advocacy for our category and our producers they have been instrumental in helping to make history in the world of whiskey. To Chris, Courtney, Casey, Lisa and the whole team: thank you.
