How to Read a Whisky and Cognac Label: Scotch, Bourbon, VS, VSOP, XO

Words like single malt, straight bourbon or XO are set by law, not by marketing. These 15 terms explain what they guarantee on Scotch, American bourbon and French cognac, from the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, US federal rules (27 CFR part 5) and the official Cognac specification.

Scotch whisky

UK law fixes five categories of Scotch, and the category must be on the front of the bottle.

🥃 Scotch Whisky: Distilled and matured in Scotland from water and malted barley, plus other whole cereals if used. At least 3 years in oak casks of up to 700 litres, bottled at 40 % ABV or more.
🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky: From one distillery, made only from water and malted barley in pot stills. «Single» means one distillery, not one cask. Since 23 November 2012 it may leave Scotland only in bottles ready for sale.
🥃 Blended Scotch Whisky (Blended Scotch and Blended Malt): Blended Scotch mixes single malt with single grain whisky. Blended Malt mixes single malts from two or more distilleries, with no grain whisky.
🥃 Islay whisky (Islay, Speyside, Highland): Protected place names: Campbeltown and Islay, plus the regions Highland, Lowland and Speyside. One may stand just before the category, as in «Islay Single Malt», only if the whisky was distilled there.

American bourbon

US federal rules define bourbon and its label words.

🥃 Bourbon whiskey: Mash of at least 51 % corn, distilled to no more than 80 % ABV, aged in new charred oak barrels filled at no more than 62.5 %. Bottled at 40 % or more, with no colouring or flavouring.
🥃 Rye and corn in whisky (Straight): Straight bourbon or rye has aged at least 2 years in new charred oak barrels, with nothing added. The rules set no minimum age for plain «bourbon».
🥃 Bottled in Bond: Made in one distilling season by one distiller at one distillery, aged at least 4 years and bottled at exactly 50 % ABV. The label names the distillery and its plant number.
Proof: The US strength scale: proof is twice the ABV. 80 proof is 40 %, 100 proof is 50 %.

French cognac

Cognac is a protected appellation with its own rule book, updated in June 2026.

🥃 Cognac: Grape brandy from the Charente, distilled twice in a copper Charentais pot still and aged at least 2 years in oak. Sold at 40 % ABV or more.
🥃 VS, VSOP, XO: Age marks for the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend: VS at least 2 years in oak, VSOP at least 4, XO at least 10.
🥃 Hors d'âge cognac (Hors d'âge and XXO): Hors d'âge has the same 10-year minimum as XO; it is not older by rule. Only XXO, «Extra Extra Old», promises at least 14 years.
🥃 Grande Champagne (Fine Champagne and the crus): Six crus may appear on the label, from Grande Champagne to Bois ordinaires. Fine Champagne is a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne with at least half Grande Champagne. It has nothing to do with sparkling wine.

Age and additions

🥃 Age statement (age on the label) (Age statement): «12 years old» is the age of the youngest spirit in the bottle, under UK, US and Cognac rules alike. In the US, whisky younger than 4 years must state its age.
Vintage or distillation year: On Scotch, a year of distillation is allowed only if all the whisky was distilled in that year, and the bottling year or age must be shown next to it.
Colouring and sweetening: Scotch may add only water and plain caramel. Bourbon may add no colouring or flavouring. Cognac may add caramel E150a, sweetening and an infusion of oak chips, but their effect on the measured strength may not exceed 4 % vol.

Sources

Themes

🥛Types of milkFrom cow to reindeer: composition, benefits, value 🧀Cheeses of the worldParmesan, feta, bryndza, sulguni and more 🥣Fermented milk productsKefir, yogurt, kumis, matsoni, skyr 🌍Dairy traditionsRegions, peoples and their dairy products 🐄Dairy animalsWhich animals are milked and how their milk differs 🚚The journey of milkFrom pasture to shop — step by step ❤️Milk and healthCalcium, lactose, allergy, benefits and risks 👷JobsWho works with milk 🗺️Map of traditionsWorld regions, peoples and their products on a map ⚖️ComparisonsKefir or yogurt, sour cream or cream, and more 🍳RecipesCottage cheese, yogurt, ghee, paneer, butter — at home 📜History of milkFrom domestication to Tetra Pak 🫒OlivesVarieties, oil, table olives, regions and traditions 🥃SpiritsWhisky, brandy, rum, liqueurs: how they are made, what the label says, which traditions 🌼Monofloral honeyAcacia, lime, chestnut, lavender 🏷️Protected honey namesMiel de Provence, Kraški med and other PDO and PGI 🐝Bee productsBeeswax, propolis, pollen, bee bread, royal jelly 🪵Apiary and beekeepingHives, frames, extractor, the beekeeper’s year 🌸Honey plantsWhich plants give bees their nectar ⚖️Honey labels and qualityCountry of origin, moisture, adulteration