(a) Definitions -
(1) Coloring, flavoring, or blending material. For the purposes of this section, the term “coloring, flavoring, or blending material” means a harmless substance that is an essential component of the class or type of distilled spirits to which it is added; or a harmless substance, such as caramel, straight malt or straight rye malt whiskies, fruit juices, sugar, infusion of oak chips when approved by the Administrator, or wine, that is not an essential component part of the distilled spirits product to which it is added but which is customarily employed in the product in accordance with established trade usage.
(2) Certified color. For purposes of this section, the term “certified color” means a color additive that is required to undergo batch certification in accordance with part 74 or part 82 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations (21 CFR parts 74 and 82). An example of a certified color is FD&C Blue No. 2.
(b) Allowable additions. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the following may be added to distilled spirits without changing the class or type designation:
(1) Coloring, flavoring, and blending materials that are essential components of the class or type of distilled spirits to which added;
(2) Coloring, flavoring, and blending materials that are not essential component parts of the distilled spirits to which added, provided that such coloring, flavoring, or blending materials do not total more than 2.5 percent by volume of the finished product; and
(3) Wine, when added to Canadian whisky in Canada in accordance with the laws and regulations of Canada governing the manufacture of Canadian whisky.
(c) Special rules. The addition of the following will require a redesignation of the class or type of the distilled spirits product to which added:
(1) Coloring, flavoring, or blending materials that are not essential component parts of the class or type of distilled spirits to which they are added, if such coloring, flavoring, and blending materials total more than 2.5 percent by volume of the finished product;
(2) Any material, other than caramel, infusion of oak chips, and sugar, added to Cognac brandy;
(3) Any material whatsoever added to neutral spirits or straight whisky, except that vodka may be treated with sugar, in an amount not to exceed two grams per liter, and with citric acid, in an amount not to exceed one gram per liter;
(4) Certified colors, carmine, or cochineal extract;
(5) Any material that would render the product to which it is added an imitation, as defined in § 5.152; or
(6) For products that are required to be stored in oak barrels in accordance with a standard of identity, the storing of the product in an additional barrel made of another type of wood.
(d) Extractions from distilled spirits. The removal of any constituents from a distilled spirits product to such an extent that the product no longer possesses the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to that class or type of distilled spirits will alter the class or type of the product, and the resulting product must be redesignated appropriately. In addition, in the case of straight whisky, the removal of more than 15 percent of the fixed acids, volatile acids, esters, soluble solids, or higher alcohols, or the removal of more than 25 percent of the soluble color, constitutes an alteration of the class or type of the product and requires a redesignation of the product.
(e) Exceptions. Nothing in this section has the effect of modifying the standards of identity specified in § 5.150 for cordials and liqueurs, and in § 5.151 for flavored spirits, or of authorizing any product defined in § 5.152 to be designated as other than an imitation.