(a) Label. Certain information, as outlined in § 5.63, must appear on a label. When used in this part for purposes of determining where mandatory information must appear, the term “label” includes:

(1) Material affixed to the container, whether made of paper, plastic, metal, or other matter;

(2) For purposes of the net content statement only, information blown, embossed, or molded into the container as part of the process of manufacturing the container;

(3) Information etched, engraved, sandblasted, or otherwise carved into the surface of the container; and

(4) Information branded, stenciled, painted, printed, or otherwise directly applied on to the surface of the container.

(b) Information appearing elsewhere on the container. Information appearing on the following parts of the container is subject to all of the restrictions and prohibitions set forth in subparts F, G and H of this part, but will not satisfy any requirements in this part for mandatory information that must appear on labels:

(1) Material affixed to, or information appearing on, the bottom surface of the container;

(2) Caps, corks or other closures unless authorized to bear mandatory information by the appropriate TTB officer; and

(3) Foil or heat shrink bottle capsules.

(c) Materials not firmly affixed to the container. Any materials that accompany the container to the consumer but are not firmly affixed to the container, including booklets, leaflets, and hang tags, are not “labels” for purposes of this part. Such materials are instead subject to the advertising regulations in subpart N of this part.

(a) General. An individual covering, carton, or other container of the bottle used for sale at retail (other than a shipping container), may not contain any statement, design, device, or graphic, pictorial, or emblematic representation that is prohibited on labels by regulations in subpart F, G, or H of this part.

(b) Sealed opaque cartons. If containers are enclosed in sealed opaque coverings, cartons, or other containers used for sale at retail (other than shipping containers), such coverings, cartons, or other containers must bear all mandatory label information.

(c) Other cartons. (1) If an individual covering, carton, or other container of the bottle used for sale at retail (other than a shipping container) is so designed that the bottle is readily removable, it may display any information which is not in conflict with the label on the bottle contained therein.

(2) Cartons displaying brand names and/or designations must display such names and designations in their entirety—brand names required to be modified, e.g., by “Brand” or “Product of U.S.A.”, must also display such modification.

(3) Specialty products for which a truthful and adequate statement of composition is required must display such statement.

(d) Labeling of containers within the packaging. The container within the packaging is subject to all labeling requirements of this part, including mandatory labeling information requirements, regardless of whether the packaging bears such information.

(a) Mandatory information required to appear within the same field of vision. Distilled spirits containers must bear a label or labels (as defined in § 5.61) containing the following information within the same field of vision (which means a single side of a container (for a cylindrical container, a side is 40 percent of the circumference) where all of the pieces of information can be viewed simultaneously without the need to turn the container):

(1) Brand name, in accordance with § 5.64;

(2) Class, type, or other designation, in accordance with subpart I of this part; and

(3) Alcohol content, in accordance with § 5.65.

(b) Other mandatory information. Distilled spirits containers must bear a label or labels (as defined in § 5.61) anywhere on the container bearing the following information:

(1) Name and address of the bottler or distiller, in accordance with § 5.66, or the importer, in accordance with § 5.67 or § 5.68, as applicable; and

(2) Net contents (which may be blown, embossed, or molded into the container as part of the process of manufacturing the container), in accordance with § 5.70.

(c) Disclosure of certain ingredients, processes and other information. The following ingredients, processes, and other information must be disclosed on a label, without the inclusion of any additional information as part of the statement, as follows:

(1) Neutral spirits. The percentage of neutral spirits and the name of the commodity from which the neutral spirits were distilled, or in the case of continuously distilled neutral spirits or gin, the name of the commodity only, in accordance with § 5.71;

(2) Coloring or treatment with wood. Coloring or treatment with wood, in accordance with §§ 5.72 and 5.73;

(3) Age. A statement of age or age and percentage of type, when required or used, in accordance with § 5.74;

(4) State of distillation. State of distillation of any type of whisky defined in § 5.143(c)(2) through (c)(7), which is distilled in the United States, in accordance with § 5.66(f);

(5) FD&C Yellow No. 5. If a distilled spirit contains the coloring material FD&C Yellow No. 5, the label must include a statement to that effect, such as “FD&C Yellow No. 5” or “Contains FD&C Yellow No. 5”;

(6) Cochineal extract or carmine. If a distilled spirit contains the color additive cochineal extract or the color additive carmine, the label must include a statement to that effect, using the respective common or usual name (such as “contains cochineal extract” or “contains carmine”). This requirement applies to labels when either of the coloring materials was used in a distilled spirit that is removed from bottling premises or from customs custody on or after April 16, 2013;

(7) Sulfites. If a distilled spirit contains 10 or more parts per million of sulfur dioxide or other sulfiting agent measured as total sulfur dioxide, the label must include a statement to that effect. Examples of acceptable statements are “Contains sulfites” or “Contains (a) sulfiting agent(s)” or a statement identifying the specific sulfiting agent. The alternative terms “sulphites” or “sulphiting” may be used; and

(8) Aspartame. If the distilled spirit contains aspartame, the label must include the following statement, in capital letters, separate and apart from all other information: “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE.”

(d) Distinctive liquor bottles. See § 5.205(b)(2) for exemption from placement requirements for certain mandatory information for distinctive liquor bottles.

(a) Requirement. The distilled spirits label must include a brand name. If the distilled spirits are not sold under a brand name, then the name of the bottler, distiller or importer, as applicable, appearing in the name and address statement is treated as the brand name.

(b) Misleading brand names. Labels may not include any misleading brand names. A brand name is misleading if it creates (by itself or in association with other printed or graphic matter) any erroneous impression or inference as to the age, origin, identity, or other characteristics of the distilled spirits. A brand name that would otherwise be misleading may be qualified with the word “brand” or with some other qualification, if the appropriate TTB officer determines that the qualification dispels any misleading impression that might otherwise be created.

(a) General. The alcohol content for distilled spirits must be stated on the label as a percentage of alcohol by volume. Products that contain a significant amount of material, such as solid fruit, that may absorb spirits after bottling must state the alcohol content at the time of bottling as follows: “Bottled at ____ percent alcohol by volume.”

(b) How the alcohol content must be expressed. The following rules apply to statements of alcohol content.

(1) A statement of alcohol content must be expressed as a percentage of alcohol by volume.

(i) In addition, the alcohol content in degrees of proof may be stated on a label as long as it appears in the same field of vision as the mandatory statement of alcohol content as a percentage of alcohol by volume. Additional statements of proof may appear on the label without being in the same field of vision as the mandatory alcohol by volume statement.

(ii) Other truthful, accurate, and specific factual representations of alcohol content, such as alcohol by weight, may be made, as long as they appear together with, and as part of, the statement of alcohol content as a percentage of alcohol by volume.

(2)(i) The alcohol content statement must be expressed in one of the following formats:

(A) “Alcohol ____ percent by volume”;

(B) “____ percent alcohol by volume”; or

(C) “Alcohol by volume ____ percent.”

(ii) Any of the words or symbols may be enclosed in parentheses and authorized abbreviations may be used with or without a period. The alcohol content statement does not have to appear with quotation marks.

(3) The statements listed in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section must appear as shown, except that the following abbreviations may be used: Alcohol may be abbreviated as “alc”; percent may be represented by the percent symbol “%”; alcohol and volume may be separated by a slash “/” in lieu of the word “by”; and volume may be abbreviated as “vol”.

(4) The following are examples of alcohol content statements that comply with the requirements of this part:

(i) “40% alc/vol”;

(ii) “Alc. 40 percent by vol.”;

(iii) “Alc 40% by vol”; and

(iv) “40% Alcohol by Volume.”

(c) Tolerances. A tolerance of plus or minus 0.3 percentage points is allowed for actual alcohol content that is above or below the labeled alcohol content.

(a) General. Domestically bottled distilled spirits that were wholly made in the United States and contain no imported distilled spirits must be labeled in accordance with this section. (See §§ 5.67 and 5.68 for name and address requirements applicable to distilled spirits that are not wholly made in the United States.) For purposes of this section, a “processor” who solely bottles the labeled distilled spirits will be considered the “bottler.”

(b) Form of statement. The bottler, distiller, or processor of the distilled spirits must be identified by a phrase describing the function performed by that person. If that person performs more than one function, the label may (but is not required to) so indicate.

(1) If the name of the bottler appears on the label, it must be preceded by a phrase such as “bottled by,” “canned by,” “packed by,” or “filled by,” followed by the name and address of the bottler.

(2) If the name of the processor appears on the label, it must be preceded by a phrase such as “blended by,” “made by,” “prepared by,” “produced by,” or “manufactured by,” as appropriate, followed by the name and address of the processor. When applied to distilled spirits, the term “produced by” indicates a processing operation (formerly known as rectification) that involves a change in the class or type of the product through the addition of flavors or some other processing activity.

(3) If the name of the distiller appears on the label, it must be preceded by a phrase such as “distilled by,” followed by the name and address of the distiller. If the distilled spirits were bottled for the distiller thereof, the name and address of the distiller may be preceded by a phrase such as “distilled by and bottled for,” or “bottled for.”

(c) Listing of more than one function. If different functions are performed by more than one person, statements on the label may not create the misleading impression that the different functions were performed by the same person.

(d) Form of address—(1) General. The address consists of the city and State where the operation occurred, or the city and State of the principal place of business of the person performing the operation. This information must be consistent with the information on the basic permit. Addresses may, but are not required to, include additional information such as street names, counties, zip codes, phone numbers, and website addresses. The postal abbreviation of the State name may be used; for example, California may be abbreviated as CA.

(2) More than one address. If the bottler, distiller, or processor listed on the name and address statement is the actual operator of more than one distilled spirits plant engaged in bottling, distilling, or processing operations, as applicable, the label may state, immediately following the name of the permittee, the addresses of those other plants, in addition to the address of the plant at which the distilled spirits were bottled. In this situation, the address where the operation occurred must be indicated on the label or on the container by printing, coding, or other markings.

(3) Principal place of business. The label may provide the address of the bottler's, distiller's, or processor's principal place of business, in lieu of the place where the bottling, distilling, or other operation occurred, provided that the address where the operation occurred is indicated on the label or on the container by printing, coding, or other markings.

(4) Distilled spirits bottled for another person. (i) If distilled spirits are bottled for another person, other than the actual distiller thereof, the label may state, in addition to (but not in place of) the name and address of the bottler, the name and address of such other person, immediately preceded by the words “bottled for” or another similar appropriate phrase. Such statements must clearly indicate the relationship between the two persons (for example, contract bottling).

(ii) If the same brand of distilled spirits is bottled by two distillers that are not under the same ownership, the label for each distiller may set forth both locations where bottling takes place, as long as the label uses the actual location (and not the principal place of business) and as long as the nature of the arrangement is clearly set forth.

(5) Additional addresses. No additional places or addresses may be stated for the same person unless:

(i) That person is actively engaged in the conduct of an additional bona fide and actual alcohol beverage business at such additional place or address, and

(ii) The label also contains in direct conjunction therewith, appropriate descriptive material indicating the function occurring at such additional place or address in connection with the particular product (such as “distilled by.”)

(e) Special rule for straight whiskies. If “straight whiskies” (see § 5.143) of the same type are distilled in the same State by two or more different distillers and are combined (either at the time of bottling or at a warehouseman's bonded premises for further storage) and subsequently bottled and labeled as “straight whisky,” that “straight whisky” must bear a label that contains name and address information of the bottler. If that combined “straight whisky” is bottled by or for the distillers, in lieu of the name and address of the bottler, the label may contain the words “distilled by,” followed immediately by the names (or trade names) and addresses of the different distillers who distilled a portion of the “straight whisky” and the percentage of “straight whisky” distilled by each distiller, with a tolerance of plus or minus 2 percent. If “straight whisky” consists of a mixture of “straight whiskies” of the same type from two or more different distilleries of the same proprietor located within the same State, and if that “straight whisky” is bottled by or for that proprietor, in lieu of the name and address of the bottler, the “straight whisky” may bear a label containing the words “distilled by” followed by the name (or trade name) of the proprietor and the addresses of the different distilleries that distilled a portion of the “straight whisky.”

(f) State of distillation for whisky. (1) The State of distillation, which is the State in which original distillation takes place, must appear on the label of any type of whisky defined in § 5.143(c)(2) through (7), which is distilled in the United States. The State of distillation may appear on any label and must be shown in at least one of the following ways:

(i) By including a “distilled by” (or “distilled and bottled by” or any other phrase including the word “distilled”) statement as part of the mandatory name and address statement, followed by a single location.

(ii) If the address shown in the “bottled by” statement includes the State in which distillation occurred, by including a “bottled by” statement as part of the mandatory name and address statement, followed by a single location;

(iii) By including the name of the State in which original distillation occurred immediately adjacent to the class or type designation (such as “Kentucky bourbon whisky”), as long as the product was both distilled and aged in that State in conformance with the requirements of § 5.143(b); or

(iv) By including a separate statement, such as “Distilled in [name of State].”

(2) The appropriate TTB officer may require that the State of distillation or other information appear on a label of any whisky subject to the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of this section (and may prescribe placement requirements for such information), even if that State appears in the name and address statement, if such additional information is necessary to negate any misleading or deceptive impression that might otherwise be created as regards the actual State of distillation.

(3) In the case of “light whisky,” the State name “Kentucky” or “Tennessee” may not appear on any label, except as a part of a name and address as specified in paragraph (a)(1), (2), or (4) of this section.

(g) Trade or operating names. The name of the person appearing on the label may be the trade name or the operating name, as long as it is identical to a trade or operating name appearing on the basic permit. In the case of a distillation statement for spirits bottled in bond, the name or trade name under which the spirits were distilled must be shown.

(a) General. This section applies to distilled spirits that were bottled after importation. See § 5.68 for name and address requirements applicable to imported distilled spirits that were imported in a container. See 19 CFR parts 102 and 134 for U.S. Customs and Border Protection country of origin marking requirements.

(b) Distilled spirits bottled after importation in the United States. Distilled spirits bottled, without further blending, making, preparing, producing, manufacturing, or distilling activities after importation, must bear one of the following name and address statements:

(1) The name and address of the bottler, preceded by the words “bottled by,” “canned by,” “packed by,” or “filled by”;

(2) If the distilled spirits were bottled for the person responsible for the importation, the words “imported by and bottled (canned, packed, or filled) in the United States for” (or a similar appropriate phrase) followed by the name and address of the principal place of business in the United States of the person responsible for the importation;

(3) If the distilled spirits were bottled by the person responsible for the importation, the words “imported by and bottled (canned, packed, or filled) in the United States by” (or a similar appropriate phrase) followed by the name and address of the principal place of business in the United States of the person responsible for the importation.

(c) Distilled spirits that were subject to blending or other production activities after importation. Distilled spirits that, after importation in bulk, were blended, made, prepared, produced, manufactured or further distilled, may not bear an “imported by” statement on the label, but must instead be labeled in accordance with the rules set forth in § 5.66 for mandatory and optional labeling statements.

(d) Optional statements. In addition to the statements required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the label may also state the name and address of the principal place of business of the foreign producer.

(e) Form of address. (1) The address consists of the city and State where the operation occurred, or the city and State of the principal place of business of the person performing the operation. This information must be consistent with the information on the basic permit. Addresses may, but are not required to, include additional information such as street names, counties, zip codes, phone numbers, and website addresses.

(2) If the bottler or processor listed on the name and address statement is the actual operator of more than one distilled spirits plant engaged in bottling, distilling, or processing operations, as applicable, the label may state, immediately following the name of the bottler, the addresses of those other plants, in addition to the address of the plant at which the distilled spirits were bottled. In this situation, the address where the operation occurred must be indicated on the label or on the container by printing, coding, or other markings.

(3) The label may provide the address of the bottler's or processor's principal place of business, in lieu of the place where the bottling, distilling, or other operation occurred, provided that the address where the operation occurred is indicated on the label or on the container by printing, coding, or other markings.

(f) Trade or operating names. A trade name may be used if the trade name is listed on the basic permit or other qualifying documentation.

(a) General. This section applies to distilled spirits that were imported in a container, as defined in § 5.1. See § 5.67 for name and address requirements applicable to distilled spirits that were domestically bottled after importation. See 19 CFR parts 102 and 134 for U.S. Customs and Border Protection country of origin marking requirements.

(b) Mandatory labeling statement. Distilled spirits imported in containers, as defined in § 5.1, must bear a label stating the words “imported by” or a similar appropriate phrase, followed by the name and address of the importer.

(1) For purposes of this section, the importer is the holder of the importer's basic permit who either makes the original customs entry or is the person for whom such entry is made, or the holder of the importer's basic permit who is the agent, distributor, or franchise holder for the particular brand of imported alcohol beverages and who places the order abroad.

(2) The address of the importer must be stated as the city and State of the principal place of business and must be consistent with the address reflected on the importer's basic permit. Addresses may, but are not required to, include additional information such as street names, counties, zip codes, phone numbers, and website addresses. The postal abbreviation of the State name may be used; for example, California may be abbreviated as CA.

(c) Optional statements. In addition to the statements required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the label may also state the name and address of the principal place of business of the foreign producer.

(d) Form of address. The “place” stated must be the city and State, shown on the basic permit or other qualifying document, of the premises at which the operations took place; and the place for each operation that is designated on the label must be shown.

(e) Trade or operating names. A trade name may be used if the trade name is listed on the basic permit or other qualifying documentation.

For U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rules regarding country of origin marking requirements, see the CBP regulations at 19 CFR parts 102 and 134.

The requirements of this section apply to the net contents statement required by § 5.63.

(a) General. The volume of spirits in the container must appear on a label as a net contents statement. The word “liter” may be alternatively spelled “litre” or may be abbreviated as “L”. The word “milliliters” may be abbreviated as “ml.,” “mL.,” or “ML.” Net contents in equivalent U.S. customary units of measurement and in metric equivalents such as centiliters may appear on a label and, if used, must appear in the same field of vision as the metric net contents statement.

(b) Tolerances. (1) The following tolerances are permissible for purposes of applying paragraph (a) of this section:

(i) Errors in measuring. Discrepancies due to errors in measuring that occur in filling conducted in compliance with good commercial practice;

(ii) Differences in capacity. Discrepancies due exclusively to differences in the capacity of containers, resulting solely from unavoidable difficulties in manufacturing the containers so as to be of uniform capacity, provided that the discrepancy does not result from a container design that prevents the manufacture of containers of an approximately uniform capacity; and

(iii) Differences in atmospheric conditions. Discrepancies in measure due to differences in atmospheric conditions in various places, including discrepancies resulting from the ordinary and customary exposure of alcohol beverage products in containers to evaporation, provided that the discrepancy is determined to be reasonable on a case by case basis.

(2) Shortages and overages. A contents shortage in certain of the containers in a shipment may not be counted against a contents overage in other containers in the same shipment for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements of this section.

(a) In the case of distilled spirits (other than cordials, liqueurs, flavored neutral spirits, including flavored vodka, and distilled spirits specialty products) manufactured by blending or other processing, if neutral spirits were used in the production of the spirits, the percentage of neutral spirits so used and the name of the commodity from which the neutral spirits were distilled must appear on a label. The statement of percentage and the name of the commodity must be in substantially the following form: “____% neutral spirits distilled from____ (insert grain, cane products, fruit, or other commodity as appropriate)”; or “____ % neutral spirits (vodka) distilled from ____ (insert grain, cane products, fruit, or other commodity as appropriate)”; or “____ % (grain) (cane products), (fruit) neutral spirits”, or “____ % grain spirits.”

(b) In the case of gin manufactured by a process of continuous distillation or in the case of neutral spirits, a label on the container must state the name of the commodity from which the gin or neutral spirits were distilled. The statement of the name of the commodity must appear in substantially the following form: “Distilled from grain” or “Distilled from cane products”.

The words “artificially colored” must appear on a label of any distilled spirits product containing synthetic or natural materials that primarily contribute color, or when information on a label conveys the impression that a color was derived from a source other than the actual source of the color, except that:

(a) If no coloring material other than a color exempt from certification under FDA regulations has been added, a truthful statement of the source of the color may appear in lieu of the words “artificially colored,” for example, “Contains Beta Carotene” or “Colored with beet extract.” See 21 CFR parts 73 and 74 for the list of such colors under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations;

(b) If no coloring material has been added other than one certified as suitable for use in foods by the FDA, the words “(to be filled in with name of) certified color added” or “Contains Certified Color” may appear in lieu of the words “artificially colored”; and

(c) If no coloring material other than caramel has been added, the words “colored with caramel,” “contains caramel color,” or another statement specifying the use of caramel color, may appear in lieu of the words “artificially colored.” However, no statement of any type is required for the use of caramel color in brandy, rum, or Tequila, or in any type of whisky other than straight whisky if used at not more than 2.5 percent by volume of the finished product.

(d) As provided in § 5.61, the use of FD&C Yellow No. 5, carmine, or cochineal extract must be specifically stated on the label even if the label also contains a phrase such as “contains certified color” or “artificially colored.”

The words “colored and flavored with wood____ ” (inserting “chips,” “slabs,” etc., as appropriate) must appear immediately adjacent to, and in the same size of type as, the class and type designation under subpart I of this part for whisky and brandy treated, in whole or in part, with wood through percolation or otherwise during distillation or storage, other than through contact with an oak barrel. However, the statement specified in this section is not required in the case of brandy treated with an infusion of oak chips in accordance with § 5.155(b)(3)(B).

(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.