legal
Light whiskey
Defined in law
A US class of whisky distilled at more than 160° proof and stored in used or uncharred new oak barrels. It is a whisky in its own right, not a mixture with neutral spirit.
Where it is defined
27 CFR 5.143(c) Table 1 item (8)
Often confused with blended whiskey
Light whiskey contains no neutral spirits at all — several secondary summaries state otherwise, but the CFR table says 'No'. 'Blended light whisky' is light whiskey blended with less than 20% straight whiskey.
Worth knowing
Created in 1968 so US distillers could compete with lighter Canadian and Scotch blends. 'Kentucky' and 'Tennessee' may not appear on a light whiskey label except within a name-and-address statement.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms