rec_17

(17) In order to ensure that adequate information is provided to consumers and to enhance quality production methods, it should be possible for the legal name of any spirit drink to be supplemented by the term ‘dry’ or ‘dry’, that is to say that term either translated in the language or languages of the relevant Member State, or untranslated as indicated in italics in this Regulation, if that spirit drink has not been sweetened. However, in line with the principle that food information is not to be misleading, particularly by suggesting that the food possesses special characteristics despite the fact that all similar foods possess such characteristics, this rule should not apply to spirit drinks that under this Regulation are not to be sweetened, even for rounding off the taste, in particular to whisky or whiskey. This rule should also not apply to gin, distilled gin and London gin, to which specific sweetening and labelling rules should continue to apply. Furthermore, it should be possible to label liqueurs characterised in particular by a tart, bitter, tangy, acerbic, sour or citrus taste, regardless of their degree of sweetening, as ‘dry’ or ‘dry’. Such labelling is not likely to mislead the consumer, since liqueurs are required to have a minimum sugar content. Accordingly, in the case of liqueurs, the term ‘dry’ or ‘dry’ should not be understood to indicate that the spirit drink has not been sweetened.

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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.