legal
American single malt whisky
Defined in law
Whisky from a fermented mash of 100% malted barley, produced and distilled at a single US distillery at 160° proof or less, stored only in the United States in used, charred new or uncharred new oak barrels of 700 litres maximum. 'Straight' adds a two-year minimum.
Where it is defined
27 CFR 5.143(c) Table 1 items (15) and (16), added by T.D. TTB-199, 89 FR 102735, effective 19 January 2025
Worth knowing
New enough that most published glossaries are stale. Unlike Scotch it permits any oak barrel, used or new — and it is the only US whisky type where caramel colouring is allowed but must be disclosed on the label.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms