Updated April 2026.
Whiskey is a distilled grain spirit bottled at no less than 40% ABV in the United States (27 CFR 5.143). US proof is twice ABV, so the legal floor is 80 proof. A 1.5-ounce 80-proof pour is one NIAAA standard drink (14 g alcohol). Bourbon, rye, Tennessee whiskey, Scotch, Irish whiskey, and Canadian whisky are types — not interchangeable recipes. This page is the 2026 identity and size guide, not a 2021 price catalog.
We will not invent a 50-brand MSRP table. Street prices move. Use whiskey under $50 and bourbon under $50 for the value shelf.
US types (TTB) vs imported names
| Name on the label | Core rule | Bottled ABV floor |
|---|---|---|
| Whiskey / whisky | Distilled from grain mash; US whiskey aged in oak (with class exceptions spelled on the label) | 40% |
| Bourbon | US, ≥51% corn, new charred oak, distill ≤160 proof, enter ≤125 proof | 40% |
| Rye whiskey | ≥51% rye; same distillation/entry/oak skeleton as bourbon when “straight” | 40% |
| Tennessee whiskey | Meets bourbon production rules plus charcoal mellowing (Lincoln County Process) under Tennessee law | 40% |
| Scotch whisky | Scotland, Scotch Whisky Regulations; typically 40% export | 40% typical |
| Irish whiskey | Ireland GI / Irish Whiskey technical file; typically 40% | 40% typical |
| Canadian whisky | Canada Food and Drug Regulations; often 40% US bottles | Read the label |
Straight bourbon or rye is aged at least two years and may not add coloring or flavoring. Bottled-in-bond is 100 proof plus the 1897 Act rules. Barrel proof means the bottling proof is within two degrees of dump proof (27 CFR 5.87) — see what barrel proof means. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is Tennessee whiskey, not labeled bourbonJack Daniel’s guide.
Bottle math
Common US fills: 50 mL, 200 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL (a fifth), 1 L, 1.75 L (a handle). A 750 mL at 40% is about 17 standard drinks; a 1.75 L about 39. Calories on unflavored 80-proof spirits are about 97 per 1.5 ounces (USDA). Flavored whiskey is not that row. More: proof, fifth, drink count.
Sources
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143 (whiskey / bourbon / rye); 5.87 (barrel proof); 5.88 (bottled in bond).
- Tennessee Code whiskey identity (charcoal mellowing) for Tennessee whiskey.
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025); USDA 80-proof spirits calories.