Mandatory label information.

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§ 5.63 Mandatory label information.

(a) Mandatory information required to appear within the same field of vision. Distilled spirits containers must bear a label or labels (as defined in § 5.61) containing the following information within the same field of vision (which means a single side of a container (for a cylindrical container, a side is 40 percent of the circumference) where all of the pieces of information can be viewed simultaneously without the need to turn the container):

(1) Brand name, in accordance with § 5.64;

(2) Class, type, or other designation, in accordance with subpart I of this part; and

(3) Alcohol content, in accordance with § 5.65.

(b) Other mandatory information. Distilled spirits containers must bear a label or labels (as defined in § 5.61) anywhere on the container bearing the following information:

(1) Name and address of the bottler or distiller, in accordance with § 5.66, or the importer, in accordance with § 5.67 or § 5.68, as applicable; and

(2) Net contents (which may be blown, embossed, or molded into the container as part of the process of manufacturing the container), in accordance with § 5.70.

(c) Disclosure of certain ingredients, processes and other information. The following ingredients, processes, and other information must be disclosed on a label, without the inclusion of any additional information as part of the statement, as follows:

(1) Neutral spirits. The percentage of neutral spirits and the name of the commodity from which the neutral spirits were distilled, or in the case of continuously distilled neutral spirits or gin, the name of the commodity only, in accordance with § 5.71;

(2) Coloring or treatment with wood. Coloring or treatment with wood, in accordance with §§ 5.72 and 5.73;

(3) Age. A statement of age or age and percentage of type, when required or used, in accordance with § 5.74;

(4) State of distillation. State of distillation of any type of whisky defined in § 5.143(c)(2) through (c)(7), which is distilled in the United States, in accordance with § 5.66(f);

(5) FD&C Yellow No. 5. If a distilled spirit contains the coloring material FD&C Yellow No. 5, the label must include a statement to that effect, such as “FD&C Yellow No. 5” or “Contains FD&C Yellow No. 5”;

(6) Cochineal extract or carmine. If a distilled spirit contains the color additive cochineal extract or the color additive carmine, the label must include a statement to that effect, using the respective common or usual name (such as “contains cochineal extract” or “contains carmine”). This requirement applies to labels when either of the coloring materials was used in a distilled spirit that is removed from bottling premises or from customs custody on or after April 16, 2013;

(7) Sulfites. If a distilled spirit contains 10 or more parts per million of sulfur dioxide or other sulfiting agent measured as total sulfur dioxide, the label must include a statement to that effect. Examples of acceptable statements are “Contains sulfites” or “Contains (a) sulfiting agent(s)” or a statement identifying the specific sulfiting agent. The alternative terms “sulphites” or “sulphiting” may be used; and

(8) Aspartame. If the distilled spirit contains aspartame, the label must include the following statement, in capital letters, separate and apart from all other information: “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE.”

(d) Distinctive liquor bottles. See § 5.205(b)(2) for exemption from placement requirements for certain mandatory information for distinctive liquor bottles.


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