GB/T 11856.1-2025Quality requirements for spirits - Part 1: Whisky (English PDF)

Foreword

This document is in accordance with the provisions of GB/T 1.1-2020 "Guidelines for standardization work Part

1.Structure and drafting rules for standardization documents" Drafting is required. This document specifies the technical requirements related to food quality. For food safety requirements, please refer to relevant laws, regulations, policies and food safety standards. document. This document is Part 1 of GB/T 11856 "Quality requirements for spirits". GB/T 11856 has been published in the following parts. Part

1 Scope

GB/T 11856.1-2025 is the Chinese national standard on quality requirements for spirits - part 1: whisky, in the field of food technology. The /T suffix marks it as a recommended standard: it is not compulsory by itself, but it becomes binding as soon as a contract, a tender or a customer specification calls it up - which in practice is how most foreign buyers meet it. It was issued on 24 January 2025 by the State Administration for Market Regulation; Standardization Administration of China, and has been in force since 1 February 2026. Classification: ICS 67.160.10, CCS X61. This page is published from the official record of the standard held by the Chinese standards administration: the identification, the dates, the classification and the issuing body are taken from there. The clause text, the tables and the numeric limits are in the document itself, which is delivered complete in English translation.

2.Brandy. - This document replaces GB/T 11857-2008 "Whiskey". Compared with GB/T 11857-2008, except for structural adjustments and editorial changes, In addition to the dynamic, the main technical changes are as follows: The definitions of the terms "whisky", "malt whisky", "grain whisky" and "blended whisky" have been changed (see 3.13.4, 3.1, 3.1.1

3.1.3 of the.2008 edition);

a) The terms "single malt whisky", "single grain whisky", "flavored whisky", "age" and "original liquor" have been added. Definitions (see 3.2.1, 3.3.1,

b) The categories classified by raw materials and processes have been changed (see Chapter 4, Chapter 4 of the.2008 edition);

c) Added "Production process control requirements" (see Chapter 5);

d) The expression of "sensory requirements" has been changed (see 6.1,

5.1 of the.2008 edition);

e) The "physical and chemical requirements" have been changed, and the requirements for "higher alcohols" have been added (see 6.2,

5.2 of the.2008 edition);

f) Deleted the hygiene requirements (see

5.3 of the.2008 edition);

g) Changed the test methods for "sensory requirements", "alcohol content", "total acidity" and "total aldehydes" (see 7.2-7.4, 7.6,.2008 edition) 6.16.3, 6.5);

h) Added the test method for "higher alcohols" and "production process control" (see 7.7, 7.9);

i) Changed "Batching", "Sampling" and "Judgment Rules" (see 8.1, 8.2, 8.4, 7.1, 7.2,

2 Normative references

The contents of the following documents constitute the essential clauses of this document through normative references in this document. For referenced documents without a date, only the version corresponding to that date applies to this document; for referenced documents without a date, the latest version (including all amendments) applies. in this document.

GB/T 191 Pictorial markings for packaging, storage and transportation

GB/T 601 Preparation of standard titration solutions for chemical reagents

GB/T 603 Preparation of preparations and products used in chemical reagent test methods

GB 5009.225 National food safety standard Determination of ethanol concentration in wine and edible alcohol

GB/T 6682 Specifications and test methods for water used in analytical laboratories

GB 12456 National Food Safety Standard Determination of Total Acid in Food

JJF 1070 Rules for the measurement and inspection of the net content of quantitatively packaged goods

3 Terms and definitions

The following terms and definitions apply to this document.

3.1 Whisky Distilled liquor made from grains through saccharification, fermentation, distillation, aging, with or without blending. [Source: GB/T 17204-2021, 3.15]

3.2 malt whisky Whisky (3.1) is made from barley malt as the sole cereal raw material, which is saccharified, fermented, distilled and aged in oak barrels. [Source: GB/T 17204-2021, 3.15.1, modified]

3.2.1 single malt whisky Malt whisky that has completed at least the saccharification, fermentation and distillation processes in the same factory (3.2).

3.3 Grain whisky Whisky (3.1) is made from grains, which has been saccharified, fermented, distilled, and aged in oak barrels or not. Note