legal
'Distilled by' vs 'bottled by'
The mandatory US name-and-address statement, whose introductory phrase discloses which operation the named company actually performed: 'distilled by' for the distiller, 'bottled by' for the bottler, and 'blended by' or 'produced by' for a processor.
Where it is defined
27 CFR 5.66(b); state-of-distillation rules at 5.66(f)
Often confused with 'produced by'
'Produced by' does not mean distilled. TTB states it indicates a processing operation involving a change in class or type — the addition of flavours or other processing.
Worth knowing
The single most useful label-reading tool for spotting sourced whiskey. Any US-distilled bourbon, rye or American single malt must disclose its state of distillation, so 'Distilled in Indiana' plus 'bottled by' a different company is a contract-distilled product.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms