such bottles used for sale at retail, or any written, printed, graphic, or other matter accompanying such bottles to the consumer shall not contain:

(1) Any statement that is false or untrue in any particular, or that, irrespective of falsity, directly, or by ambiguity, omission, or inference, or by the addition of irrelevant, scientific or technical matter, tends to create a misleading impression.

(2) Any statement that is disparaging of a competitor's product.

(3) Any statement, design, device, or representation which is obscene or indecent.

(4) Any statement, design, device, or representation of or relating to analyses, standards, or tests, irrespective of falsity, which the appropriate ATF officer finds to be likely to mislead the

consumer.

(5) Any statement, design, device, or representation of or relating to any guarantee, irrespective of falsity, which the appropriate ATF officer finds to be likely to mislead the consumer. Money-back guarantees are not prohibited.

(6) A trade or brand name that is the name of any living individual of public prominence, or existing private or public organization, or is a name that is in simulation or is an abbreviation thereof, or any graphic, pictorial, or emblematic representation of any such individual or organization, if the use of such name or representation is likely to falsely lead the consumer to believe that the product has been endorsed, made, or used by, or produced for, or under the supervision of, or in accordance with the specifications of, such individual or organization: Provided, That this paragraph shall not apply to the use of the name of any person engaged in business as a distiller, rectifier, blender, or other producer, or as an importer, wholesaler, retailer, bottler, or warehouseman, of distilled spirits, nor to the use by any person of a trade or brand name that is the name of any living individual of public prominence or existing private or public organization, provided such trade brand name was used by him or his predecessors in interest prior to August 29, 1935.

or

(b) Miscellaneous. (1) Labels shall not be of such design as to resemble or simulate a stamp of the U.S. Government or any State or foreign government. Labels, other than stamps authorized or required by this or any other government, shall not state or indicate that the distilled spirits are distilled, blended, made, bottled, or sold under, or in accordance with, any municipal, State, Federal, or foreign authorization, law, or regulations, unless such statement is required or specifically authorized by Federal, State, municipal, or foreign law or regulations. The statements authorized by this part to appear on labels for domestic distilled spirits are "Distilled (produced, barreled, warehoused, blended, or bottled, or any combination thereof, as the case may be) under United States (U.S.) Government supervision", or in the case of distilled spirits labeled as bottled in bond, "Bottled in bond under United States (U.S.) Government supervision". If the municipal, State, or Federal Government permit number is stated on a label, it shall not be accompanied by any additional statement relating thereto.

(2) If imported distilled spirits are covered by a certificate of origin or of age issued by a duly authorized official of the appropriate foreign government, the label, except where prohibited by the foreign government, may refer to such certificate or the fact of such certification, but shall not be accompanied by any additional statement relating thereto. The reference to such certificate or certification shall, in the case of Cognac, be substantially in the following form: "This product accompanied at the time of importation by an 'Acquit Regional Jaune d'Or' issued by the French Government, indicating that this grape brandy was distilled in the Cognac Region of France"; and in the case of other distilled spirits, substantially in the following form: "This product accompanied at time of importation by a certificate issued by the government (name of government) indicating that the product is (class and type as required to be stated on the label), and (if label claims age) that none of the distilled spirits are of an age less than stated on this label."

(3) The words "bond", "bonded", "bottled in bond", "aged in bond", or phrases containing these or synonymous terms, shall not be used on any label or as part of the brand name of domestic distilled spirits unless the distilled spirits are:

(i) Composed of the same kind of spirits produced from the same class of materials;

(ii) Produced in the same distilling season by the same distiller at the same distillery;

(iii) Stored for at least four years in wooden containers wherein the spirits have been in contact with the wood surface except for gin and vodka which must be stored for at least four years in wooden containers coated or lined with paraffin or other substance which will preclude contact of the spirits with the wood surface;

(iv) Unaltered from their original condition or character by the addition or subtraction of any substance other than by filtration, chill proofing, or other physical treatments (which do not involve the addition of any substance which will remain incorporated in the finished product or result in a change in class or type);

(v) Reduced in proof by the addition of pure water only to 100 degrees of proof; and

(vi) Bottles at 100 degrees of proof. In addition to the requirements of §5.36(a) (1) or (2), the label shall bear the real name of the distillery or the trade name under which the distillery produced and warehoused the spirits, and the plant (or registered distillery) number in which produced; and the plant number in which bottled. The label may also bear the name or trade name of the bottler.

"bonded",

(4) The words "bond", "bottled in bond", "aged in bond", or phrases containing these or synonymous terms, shall not be used on any label or as part of the brand name of imported distilled spirits unless the distilled spirits meet in all respects the requirements applicable to distilled spirits bottled for domestic consumption, so labeled, and unless the laws and regulations of the country in which such distilled spirits are produced authorize the bottling of distilled spirits in bond and require or

specifically authorize such distilled spirits to be so labeled. All spirits labeled as "bonded”, “bottled in bond", or "aged in bond" pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall bear in direct conjunction with such statement and in script, type, or printing substantially as conspicuous as that used on such statement, the name of the country under whose laws and regulations such distilled spirits were so bottled.

(5) The word "pure" shall not be stated upon labels unless:

(i) It refers to a particular ingredient used in the production of the distilled spirits, and is a truthful representation about that ingredient; or

(ii) It is part of the bona fide name of a permittee or retailer for whom the distilled spirits are bottled; or

(iii) It is part of the bona fide name of the permittee who bottled the distilled spirits.

(6) Distilled spirits shall not be labeled as "double distilled" or "triple distilled" or any similar term unless it is a truthful statement of fact; except that "double distilled" or "triple distilled" shall not be permitted on labels of distilled spirits produced by the redistillation method when a second or third distillation step is a necessary distillation process for the production of the product.

(7) Labels shall not contain any statement, design, device, or pictorial representation which the appropriate ATF officer finds relates to, or is capable of being construed as relating to, the armed forces of the United States, or the American flag, or any emblem, seal, insignia, or decoration associated with such flag or armed forces; nor shall any label contain any statement, design, device, or pictorial representation of or concerning any flag, seal, coat of arms, crest or other insignia, likely to mislead the consumer to believe that the product has been endorsed, made, or used by, or produced for, or under the supervision of, or in accordance with the specifications of the government, organization, family, or individual with whom such flag, seal, coat of arms, crest, or insignia is associated.

(8) Curative and therapeutic claims. Labels shall not contain any statement, design, representation, pictorial

representation, or device representing that the use of distilled spirits has curative or therapeutic effects if such statement is untrue in any particular or tends to create a misleading impression.

(26 U.S.C. 7805 (68A Stat. 917, as amended); 27 U.S.C. 205 (49 Stat. 981, as amended))

[T.D. 7020, 34 FR 20637, Dec. 30, 1969, as amended by T.D. ATF-62, 44 FR 71621, Dec. 11, 1979; T.D. ATF-180, 49 FR 31673, Aug. 8, 1984; 49 FR 35768. Sept. 12, 1984; T.D. ATF-198, 50 FR 8464, Mar. 1, 1985; 50 FR 23410, June 4, 1985]

Subpart E-Standards of Fill for
Bottled Distilled Spirits

$5.45 Application.

No person engaged in business as a distiller, rectifier, importer, wholesaler, or warehouseman and bottler, directly or indirectly, or through an affiliate, shall sell or ship or deliver for sale or shipment, or otherwise introduce in interstate or foreign commerce, or receive therein or remove from customs custody any distilled spirits in bottles unless such distilled spirits are bottled and packed in conformity with §§ 5.46 through 5.47a.

(Sec. 5, 49 Stat. 981, as amended (27 U.S.C. 205); 26 U.S.C. 5301)

[T.D. ATF-25, 41 FR 10221, Mar. 10, 1976; T.D. ATF-146, 48 FR 43321, Sept. 23, 1983]

$5.46 Standard liquor bottles.

(a) General. A standard liquor bottle shall be one so made and formed, and so filled, as not to mislead the purchaser. An individual carton or other container of a bottle shall not be so designed as to mislead purchasers as to the size of the bottles.

(b) Headspace. A liquor bottle of a capacity of 200 milliliters or more shall be held to be so filled as to mislead the purchaser if it has a headspace in excess of 8 percent of the total capacity of the bottle after closure.

(c) Design. A liquor bottle shall be held (irrespective of the correctness of the stated net contents) to be so made and formed as to mislead the purchaser, if its actual capacity is substantially less than the capacity it appears to have upon visual examination

under ordinary conditions of purchase

or use.

(d) Exceptions-(1) Distinctive liquor bottles. The headspace and design requirements in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section do not apply to liquor bottles that are specifically exempted by the appropriate ATF oficer, pursuant to an application filed by the bottler or importer.

(2) Cross reference. For procedures regarding the issuance, denial and revocation of distinctive liquor bottle approvals, as well as appeal procedures, see part 13 of this chapter.

(Sec. 5, 49 Stat. 981, as amended (27 U.S.C. 205); 26 U.S.C. 5301)

[T.D. 7020, 34 FR 20337, Dec. 30, 1969, as amended by T.D. ATF-25, 41 FR 10221, Mar. 10, 1976; 41 FR 11022, Mar. 16, 1976; T.D. ATF62, 44 FR 71622, Dec. 11, 1979; T.D. ATF-146, 48 FR 43321, Sept. 23, 1983; T.D. ATF 406, 64 FR 2129, Jan. 13, 1999]

(b) Tolerances. The following tolerances shall be allowed:

(1) Discrepancies due to errors in measuring which occur in filling conducted in compliance with good commercial practice.

(2) Discrepancies due to differences in the capacity of bottles, resulting solely from unavoidable difficulties in manufacturing such bottles to a uniform capacity: Provided, That no greater tolerance shall be allowed in case of bottles which, because of their design, cannot be made of approximately uniform capacity than is allowed in case of bottles which can be manufactured so as to be of approximately uniform capacity.

(3) Discrepancies in measure due to differences in atmospheric conditions in various places and which unavoidably result from the ordinary and customary exposure of alcoholic beverages

in bottles to evaporation. The reasonableness of discrepancies under this paragraph shall be determined on the facts in each case.

(c) Unreasonable shortages. Unreasonable shortages in certain of the bottles in any shipment shall not be compensated by overages in other bottles in the same shipment.

(d) Limitations. This section does not apply after December 31, 1979.

(Sec. 5, 49 Stat. 981, as amended (27 U.S.C. 205); 26 U.S.C. 5301)

[T.D. 7020, 34 FR 20337, Dec. 30, 1969, as amended by T.D. ATF-25, 41 FR 10221, Mar. 10, 1976; T.D. ATF-146, 48 FR 43321, Sept. 23, 1983]

$5.47a Metric standards of fill (distilled spirits bottled after December 31, 1979).

(a) Authorized standards of fill. The standards of fill for distilled spirits are the following:

(1) For containers other than cans described in paragraph (a)(2), of this section

1.75 liters

1.00 liter

750 milliliters

500 milliliters (Authorized for bottling until

June 30, 1989)

375 milliliters

200 milliliters

100 milliliters 50 milliliters

(2) For metal containers which have the general shape and design of a can, which have a closure which is an inte

gral part of the container, and which cannot be readily reclosed after opening

355 milliliters 200 milliliters 100 milliliters

50 milliliters

(b) Tolerances. The following tolerances shall be allowed:

(1) Discrepancies due to errors in measuring which occur in filling conducted in compliance with good commercial practice.

(2) Discrepancies due to differences in the capacity of bottles, resulting solely from unavoidable difficulties in manufacturing such bottles to a uniform capacity: Provided, That no greater tolerance shall be allowed in case of bottles which, because of their design, cannot

be made of approximately uniform capacity than is allowed in case of bottles which can be manufactured so as to be of approximately uniform capacity.

(3) Discrepancies in measure due to differences in atmospheric conditions in various places and which unavoidably result from the ordinary and customary exposure of alcoholic beverages in bottles to evaporation. The reasonableness of discrepancies under this paragraph shall be determined on the facts in each case.

(c) Unreasonable shortages. Unreasonable shortages in certain of the bottles in any shipment shall not be compensated by overages in other bottles in the same shipment.

(d) Distilled spirits bottled before January 1, 1980. Distilled spirits bottled domestically before January 1, 1980, may be marketed after December 31, 1979, if such distilled spirits were bottled in accordance with §5.47. (See §5.53 for similar provisions relating to distilled spirits imported in original containers.)

(Sec. 5, 49 Stat. 981, as amended (27 U.S.C. 203); 26 U.S.C. 5301)

[T.D. ATF-25, 41 FR 10221, Mar. 10, 1976, as amended at 41 FR 11022, Mar. 16, 1976; 41 FR 11497, Mar. 19, 1976; T.D. ATF-35, 41 FR 46859, Oct. 26, 1976; T.D. ATF-62, 44 FR 71622, Dec. 11, 1979; T.D. ATF-146, 48 FR 43321, Sept. 23, 1983; T.D. ATF-228, 51 FR 16170, May 1, 1986; T.D. ATF-326, 57 FR 31128, July 14, 1992]

Subpart F-Requirements for With

drawal From Customs Custody of Bottled Imported Distilled Spirits

§ 5.51 Label approval and release.

(a) Certificate of label approval. Bottled distilled spirits shall not be released from Customs custody for consumption unless there is deposited with the appropriate Customs officer at the port of entry the original or a photostatic copy of an approved certificate of label approval, ATF Form 5100.31.

(b) Release. If the original or photostatic copy of ATF Form 5100.31 has been approved, the brand or lot of distilled spirits bearing labels identical with those shown thereon may be released from U.S. Customs custody.

(c) Relabeling. Imported distilled spirits in U.S. Customs custody which are not labeled in conformity with certificates of label approval issued by the appropriate ATF officer must be relabeled prior to release under the supervision of the Customs officers of the port at which the spirits are located.

(d) Statements of process. ATF Forms 5100.31 covering labels for gin bearing the word "distilled" as a part of the designation shall be accompanied by a statement prepared by the manufacturer, setting forth a step-by-step description of the manufacturing process.

(e) Cross reference. For procedures regarding the issuance, denial, and revocation of certificates of label approval, as well as appeal procedures, see part 13 of this chapter.

[T.D. ATF-66, 45 FR 40549, June 13, 1980, as amended by T.D. ATF-94, 46 FR 55097, Nov. 6, 1981; T.D. ATF-242, 51 FR 39525, Oct. 29, 1986; T.D. ATF-359, 59 FR 42160, Aug. 17, 1994; T.D. ATF 406, 64 FR 2129, Jan. 13, 1999]

§ 5.52 Certificates of age and origin.

(a) Scotch, Irish, and Canadian whiskies. Scotch, Irish, and Canadian whiskies, imported in bottles, shall not be released from customs custody for consumption unless the invoice is accompanied by a certificate of origin issued by a duly authorized official of the British, Irish, or Canadian Government, certifying (1) that the particular distilled spirits are Scotch, Irish, or Canadian whisky, as the case may be, (2) that the distilled spirits have been manufactured in compliance with the laws of the respective foreign governments regulating the manufacture of whisky for home consumption, and (3) that the product conforms to the requirements of the Immature Spirits Act of such foreign governments for spirits intended for home consumption. In addition, a duly authorized official of the appropriate foreign government must certify to the age of the youngest distilled spirits in the bottle. The age certified shall be the period during which, after distillation and before bottling, the distilled spirits have been stored in oak containers.

(b) Brandy, Cognac, and rum. Brandy (other than fruit brandies of a type not customarily stored in oak containers) or Cognac, imported in bottles, shall

not be released from customs custody for consumption unless accompanied by a certificate issued by a duly authorized official of the appropriate foreign country certifying that the age of the youngest brandy or Cognac in the bottle is not less than 2 years, or if age is stated on the label that none of the distilled spirits are of an age less than that stated. If the label of any rum, imported in bottles, contains any statement of age, the rum shall not be released from customs custody for consumption unless accompanied by a certificate issued by a duly authorized official of the appropriate foreign country, certifying to the age of the youngest rum in the bottle. The age certified shall be the period during which, after distillation and before bottling, the distilled spirits have been stored in oak containers. If the label of any fruit brandy, not stored in oak containers, bears any statement of storage in other type containers, the brandy must be accompanied by a certificate issued by a duly authorized official of the appropriate foreign government certifying to such storage. Cognac, imported in bottles, shall not be released from customs custody for consumption unless the invoice is accompanied by a certificate issued by a duly authorized official of the French Government, certifying that the product is grape brandy distilled in the Cognac region of France and entitled to be designated as "Cognac" by the laws and regulations of the French Government.

(c) Tequila. (1) Tequila, imported in bottles, shall not be released from customs custody for consumption unless a certificate of a duly authorized official of the Mexican Government that the product is entitled to be designated as Tequila under the applicable laws and regulations of the Mexican Government is filed with the application for release.

(2) If the label of any Tequila imported in bottles, contains any statement of age, the Tequila shall not be released from customs custody for consumption unless a certificate of a duly authorized official of the Mexican Government as to the age of the youngest Tequila in the bottle is filed with the application for release. The age certified shall be the period during which