BSI Releases New Whisky Production Guidelines, Find Out More

It’s no secret that India loves its whisky. Earlier this year, India made headlines by becoming the top consumer of whisky in the world, a title previously held by France. It’s estimated that we had consumed around 219 million bottles in 2022, quite a feat and a jump of 60% from the year before. In light of whisky’s growing popularity, the British Standards Institution (BSI) has announced new production standards to ensure a pleasant and high-quality experience for whisky drinkers worldwide. 

The British Standards Institution (BSI), which serves as the UK's national standards authority, is responsible for setting out guidelines. These standards specify the preferred colour of whisky, which should range from caramel hues, ranging from pale yellow or gold to deep amber or mahogany. Whisky must undergo maturation in wooden casks for a minimum of three years and should not contain sweeteners or additives.

It also states that the alcohol content by volume must be at least 40% but less than 94.8%. Additionally, BSI advises that only water or plain caramel should be added to matured whisky. Concerning product labelling, BSI recommends that distillers consider whether any animal products were used in the production of liquids stored in casks before the whisky maturation process. If animal products were used, the whisky should not be labelled as vegan.

The freshly established standard will be overseen by a specialised technical committee within BSI. This committee has the authority to review and modify the standard as necessary, taking into account feedback from the market. BSI will engage in discussions with this committee to outline future strategies, including the potential adoption of the standard as a foundational document for an international (ISO) standard.

These new guidelines are being employed to help protect the sacred history of whisky. According to Scott Steedman, Director-General, Standards, BSI, the new standards will be akin to bottling the historic traditions and facilitating the production and trade of high-quality whisky worldwide.