The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has ratified a ruling that will officially create a recognized category for American single malt whiskey (ASM).
This follows many years of lobbying for producers of the style, a movement that has gained much momentum since the late 2010s.
Late last week, the TTB issued unpublished rules scheduled to be published on Wednesday, Dec. 18. This ruling stipulates that to be labeled American single malt whisky, the product must be:
- Fermented mash of 100% malted barley produced in the U.S.
- Distillation proof of 160 or less, distilled at the same distillery in the U.S.
- Stored in used, charred new, or uncharred new oak barrels, with a 700-liter maximum
- Capacity and only stored in the U.S.
- No neutral spirits permitted
- No allowable coloring, flavoring, or blending materials permitted, except for caramel coloring
- Rules disclosure on the label
The new Standard of Identity for American Single Malt Whiskey will be added to Part 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations effective January 19, 2025.
Many ASM producers, as well as the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC), have applauded the long-coming decision.
“Americans have been distilling whisky for centuries, and I’m so thrilled to see that the TTB has finally announced American Single Malt as an official and protected category of American Whisky,” says Virginia Distillery Company CEO Gareth H. Moore and ASMWC treasurer, in a press release. “As one of the co-founding members of the ASMWC, this monumental moment is very important to me. The American Single Malt category will further broaden the view of the American whisky consumer and fuel innovation and premiumization across domestic products.”
The ASMWC was founded in 2016 to establish, promote and protect the category of American Single Malt Whiskey. It counts nearly 100 member producers from across the U.S.
“This is a landmark ruling by TTB and validation for years’ worth of work by American distillers to define American Single Malt,” says Steve Hawley, ASMWC president. “It has been over 52 years since a new type of whiskey was added our federal regulations. We applaud TTB for formalizing the category which will signal to the world that not only do we believe in and support our own distilleries, but we also recognize that American Single Malt Whiskey is unique and deserves to be defined and protected as other American whiskey categories are. Most importantly, this new definition ensures that consumers worldwide can have every confidence that what they think is in a bottle of American Single Malt Whiskey actually is.”
The ASMWC plans to commemorate the moment by hosting events across the country to celebrate the ratification and educate consumers on the category. The commission has also launched a certification program with retailers and bars/restaurants, part of which requires dedicated American Single Malt Whiskey shelves and menu listings. Lastly, the ASMWC has worked to further solidify the category outside of the U.S. by seeking similar definitions with governing bodies abroad to protect the integrity of the category.
“While single malt has been made in America since the 1990s, the category is really hitting its stride now. This is still just the beginning of big things to come,” says Hawley. “Now that the category is formally defined, we’ll see current single malt producers expand production, many more of the nearly 3,000 distilleries in American adding single malt to their portfolios, and more American Single Malt finding its way to shelves overseas.”
Agreeing with him is Adam Polonski, cofounder of Lost Lantern, an independent bottler of American whiskey.
“We at Lost Lantern, as passionate advocates and independent bottlers of American whiskey, are thrilled to witness the historic ratification of American Single Malt Whiskey as an official style of whiskey recognized by the U.S. federal government,” Polonski says in a press release. “We have long thought that American Single Malt is one of the most exciting and exceptional styles of whiskey in the entire world, and this long-sought recognition will dramatically boost the category’s visibility with whiskey lovers all around the world. We especially applaud the hard work of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission and our many American Single Malt distillery partners for their tireless efforts to reach this milestone.
“This monumental recognition not only honors the rich heritage and uniquely innovative character of American distilleries, but also heralds a new era of innovation and excellence in whiskey-making,” Polonski adds. “And for our part, we look forward to continuing to help whiskey lovers discover the finest examples of American Single Malt from all across the United States.”
