2. Whisky or whiskey

Whisky or whiskey is a spirit drink produced exclusively by carrying out all of the following production operations: distillation of a mash made from malted cereals, with or without whole grains of unmalted cereals, which has been: saccharified by the diastase of the malt contained therein, with or without other natural enzymes, fermented by the action of yeast; each and every distillation is carried out at less than 94,8 % vol., so that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the raw materials used; maturation of the final distillate for at least three years in wooden casks not exceeding 700 litres capacity. The final distillate, to which only water and plain caramel (for colouring) may be added, shall retain the colour, aroma and taste it derived from the production process referred to in points (i), (ii) and (iii). The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of whisky or whiskey shall be 40 %. No addition of alcohol, diluted or not, shall take place. Whisky or whiskey shall not be sweetened, even for rounding off the taste, or flavoured, or contain any additives other than plain caramel (E 150a) used for adjusting the colour. The legal name of ‘whisky’ or ‘whiskey’ may be supplemented by the term ‘single malt’ only if it has been distilled exclusively from malted barley at a single distillery.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-08 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.