Distilled Liquors

27 CFR Part 5 Subpart D
Label Standards

Labels to meet specific standards concerning identity, alcohol content, health warnings, and origin, ensuring transparency and compliance with federal laws.

  • Label review and audits
  • Label approval (Certificate of Label Approval (COLA))
  • Alcoholic strength verification
  • Alcohol by volume (ABV) records
  • Label verification – § 5.52 Legibility and other mandatory requirements
    • Readily legible
    • Separate and apart
    • Contrasting background
    • Capitalization
  • Label verification – § 5.53 Minimum type size
    • Containers of more than 200 milliliters
    • Containers of 200 milliliters or less
  • Label verification – § 5.54 Visibility of mandatory information
  • Label verification – § 5.55 Language requirements
    • General
    • Foreign languages
    • Distilled spirits for consumption in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

27 CFR Part 5 Subpart E Mandatory Label Information

Ensures label material affixed to the container, whether made of paper, plastic, metal, or other matter contains mandatory information.

  • Packaging (cartons, coverings, and cases).
  • Mandatory label information
  • Brand name
  • Alcohol content
  • Name and address for domestically bottled distilled spirits that were wholly made in the US
  • Name and address for domestically bottled distilled spirits that were bottled after importation
  • Name and address for distilled spirits that were imported in a container
  • Country of origin
  • Net contents
  • Neutral spirits and name of commodity
  • Coloring materials
  • Statements of age, storage, and percentage

27 CFR Part 5 Subpart N
Advertising of Distilled Spirits

Ensures any written or verbal statement, image, or material intended to promote sales across various media, including print, online, broadcast, and promotional materials accompanying but not attached to the bottle are compliant.

  • Mandatory statements
    • Responsible advertiser
    • Class and type
    • Alcohol content
    • Percentage of neutral spirits and name of commodity
  • Prohibited practices
    • Restrictions
    • Statements inconsistent with labeling
    • Statement of age
    • Health-related statements
    • Place of origin
    • Confusion of brands
    • Representations of the armed forces or flags
    • Deceptive advertising techniques
  • Comparative advertising
    • General
    • Taste tests
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