Reading Spirit Labels

Learning to read a label is a hospitality superpower. Every regulated spirit puts three things on it: category, origin, and ABV.

• Category — e.g. "Scotch whisky", "London Dry Gin", "Bourbon whiskey", "Tequila 100% de agave". Each is legally defined and tells you the raw material, minimum ABV, and where it must be made.
• Origin — many categories are geographically protected: Scotch must be made in Scotland, cognac in Cognac, tequila in specific Mexican states.
• ABV — always in percent; sometimes also in proof.

Common strength-related terms:

• Cask strength / barrel proof — bottled at whatever ABV came out of the barrel (often 55–65%), no dilution.
• Bottled in Bond (US whiskey) — exactly 50% ABV, made in one season at one distillery, aged ≥4 years in a bonded warehouse.
• Navy Strength (gin/rum) — minimum 57% ABV.

"Single" vs "blended":

• Single malt = malted barley + one distillery. Single grain = other grains + one distillery.
• Blended = a blend from more than one distillery (or a blend of malt + grain whiskies, in Scotch).

Age statements refer to the *youngest* spirit in the bottle. "12 years old" means nothing younger than 12.

Beware marketing fluff: "handcrafted", "small batch", "reserve", "artisanal" and "premium" often have no legal definition in most countries.