production
Foreshots
No legal definition
The first, highly volatile fraction off the spirit still — high in acetaldehyde, methanol and sulphur compounds — diverted away before the middle cut begins.
Not a legal term
No whisky regulation in Scotland, Ireland, the United States, the EU or Japan defines this. It is a trade or marketing term, so it is only actionable if its use is actively misleading.
Worth knowing
Called 'heads' in the US. In Scotch practice foreshots are recycled into the next low wines charge, not thrown away; the 'discarded heads' claim common online is a craft-spirits convention, not a malt distillery one.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms