What Additives are Permitted in Whisky?

Generally speaking, whisky’s ingredient list is pretty simple, comprising water, cereal grains, and yeast. But sometimes there’s more: Depending on the country of origin, there can be a few additives in the mix.

The most common additive is a coloring agent named E150a, known simply as caramel coloring. E150a is made by heating carbohydrates like sugar or molasses. Distillers may use it in small amounts to darken a whisky’s color, or to maintain consistent color from batch to batch.

Other additives are used to change the flavor profile. In some whisky-making regions, flavoring agents like spices, molasses, honey, and fruit juice are used to sweeten a whisky or add specific notes. There are also more substantial additives, like wine and other spirits, that are used in higher quantities to contribute flavor and beef up batch volume.

The exact rules on additives differ greatly from country to country, and sometimes vary by category. Here’s a look at what’s permitted in the major whisky-producing nations.

United States

While many countries have one additive guideline that applies to all its whiskies, the U.S. has different rules by category. Many categories can contain a small amount of caramel coloring; flavoring agents, including herbs, spices, essential oils, and fruit juices/concentrates; and/or blending materials such as wine and sugar. Most non-straight whiskey styles—including wheat, corn, rye, malt, blended, and light—allow all these additive types, which cannot exceed 2.5% of the overall volume of the final product. No label disclosure is required.

BOURBON

No additives at all. Blended bourbons are permitted to contain additives as long as they are 2.5% or less of the volume of the final whiskey.

STRAIGHT WHISKEY

Generally speaking, no additives are permitted in straight whiskey. The only exceptions are straight American single malts, which may contain caramel coloring (see below), and blends of straight whiskey, which can contain up to 2.5% additives.

FLAVORED WHISKEY

Caramel coloring, flavorings, sugar, and wine can all be added, and there’s no clearly defined limit on how much can be used. Producers must disclose if they’re using caramel coloring. They also have to list if they’re using more than 2.5% wine by volume in the blend.

AMERICAN SINGLE MALT

This newly established style permits only the addition of caramel coloring, which must be disclosed on the label.

Scotland

Caramel coloring is the only permitted additive.

Canada

Canada is slightly more complicated. It generally permits colorants, flavorings, and blending materials, usually wine or sherry, or whisky at least 2 years old. But the exact volume requirements depend on how the whisky is labeled.

CANADIAN WHISKY

If a whisky designated for export is labeled as “Canadian whisky,” “Canadian rye,” or “Canadian rye whisky,” then it can contain up to 9.09% additives.

OTHER WHISKY FROM CANADA

If a whisky is from Canada and is labeled only as “whisky” and not “Canadian whisky,” then it isn’t held to the same volume maximum as Canadian whisky. If the blend includes imported spirits of more than 9.09% by volume, distillers must disclose the exact percentages of the domestic and imported spirits used on the label. Many popular flavored whiskies from Canada fall into this category.

Ireland

The only allowable additive is caramel coloring.

Japan

When it comes to additives in Japanese whisky, there’s a great divide between what’s required and what is provided voluntarily.

THE LEGAL STANDARD

Japan doesn’t have very robust regulations for whisky. Under its rules, whisky from Japan can contain other spirits, colorants, or flavoring substances, which can account for up to 90% of the overall blend.

THE INDUSTRY GUIDELINES

The large Japanese distillers—including Suntory and Nikka—have pledged to follow a voluntary set of guidelines published in 2021 that allow only caramel coloring. In March, the trade group Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association asked the government for legal clarification on the rules of whisky making. While those concerns mainly involved the inclusion of foreign whisky in Japanese products, the aim was also to turn all the guidelines into mandatory regulations.