Updated May 2026.
US whiskey types live in, not a bar ranking. The class is grain distillate bottled at 40% or more. Bourbon, rye, wheat, malt, and corn have mash and barrel rules. Scotch, Irish whiskey, and Canadian whisky are distinctive products of those countries. “Smooth,” “sipping,” and 100 proof are not classes — 100 proof is not bottled-in-bond by itself. A 1.5-ounce pour at 40% is one NIAAA drink.
Related: types of bourbon, straight bourbon, what is rye.
Type vs pour
| Language | 1.5 oz drinks |
|---|---|
| Whiskey class | 1.00 at 40% |
| Bourbon / rye / wheat / malt | From labeled ABV |
| Scotch / Irish / Canadian | From labeled ABV |
| 100 proof | 1.25 |
A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks. Four pours are four drinks. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.143; 5.88 bottled in bond. SWR / FDR / Irish technical file for foreign types.
- NIAAA December 2025.
- 27 CFR 5.143 ≥40%