A label or labels bearing the brand name, alcohol content, and class, type, or other designation must appear in the same field of vision. Same field of vision means a single side of a container where all of the pieces of information can be viewed simultaneously without the need to turn the container (for a cylindrical container, a side is 40 percent of the circumference). TTB regulations require that certain information appear in the same field of vision of a distilled spirits container. Other mandatory information, and additional information, may appear on any label.
Where should such a label be placed on the product?
The label bearing the brand name, alcohol content and class, type, or other designation may appear on the front, back, or side of the container. It does not need to be the label that faces the consumer in a retail display.
What information must appear on such a label?
The following information must appear in the same field of vision:
- Brand name in accordance with 27 CFR 5.64
- Class or type designation in accordance with subpart I of 27 CFR Part 5.141; and
- Alcohol content in accordance with 27 CFR 5.65
Other mandatory information (including some information that is mandatory only in certain circumstances) may appear on any label. This includes name and address, net contents, neutral spirits, coloring or treatment with wood, FD&C Yellow #5 disclosure, aspartame, carmine or cochineal extract, sulfite declaration, commodity statement, age statement, and state of distillation.
The label examples above illustrate the mandatory information that is required to appear on the label bearing the brand name, alcohol content and class or type designation. The information must all be displayed on the label in the same field of vision.
As of 12/28/2022: this document was updated for purposes of T.D. TTB-176, Modernization of the Labeling and Advertising Regulations for Distilled Spirits and Malt Beverages.
Page last reviewed: June 30, 2021
Page last updated: December 28, 2022
Maintained by: Alcohol Labeling and Formulation Division