PREAMBLE (NOT PART OF THE STANDARD)

In order to promote public education and public safety, equal justice for all, a better informed citizenry, the rule of law, world trade and world peace, this legal document is hereby made available on a noncommercial basis, as it is the right of all humans to know and speak the laws that govern them.

END OF PREAMBLE (NOT PART OF THE STANDARD)

EAS 141: 2003
ICS 67.160

EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Whisky — Specification

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

First Edition 2003

iii

Foreword

Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged within the Community will be removed.

In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated to develop and issue East African Standards.

The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner States. The comments received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures of the Community.

East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards they are implementing.

East African Community

P.O. Box 1096

Arusha

Tanzania

Tel: 255 27 2504253/8

Fax: 255 27 2504255

E-mail: eac@eachq.org

Web: www.eachq.org

Whisky — Specification

1 Scope

This East African Standard prescribes the requirements for whisky (whiskey). It does not apply to whisky concentrate, which shall be subject to further processing before consumption.

2 Normative references

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

EAS 12, Standard specification for drinking (potable) water

EAS 38, Standard specification for the labelling of pre-packaged foods

EAS 39, Code of practice for hygiene for food and drink manufacturing industries

EAS 104, Methods for sampling and testing for alcoholic beverages

EAS 144, Standard specification for neural spirit for manufacture of alcoholic beverages.

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.

3.1
types of whisky

of three types, designated as malt whisky, grain whisky or blended whisky

3.2
malt whisky

alcoholic distillate produced from the fermented mash of malted cereals and aged in oak or pine wooden containers for a period of not less than three years.

3.3
grain whisky

alcoholic distillate from the fermented mash of cereals and aged in wood for a period of not less than three years.

3.4
blended whisky

blend of grain whisky (3.3), or neutral spirit (complying with EAS 144), with at least 25 % malt whisky.

4 Quality requirements

4.1

Whisky shall contain not less than 37.5 % ethyl alcohol by volume at 20 ^°C.

4.2

Whisky shall be free from any extraneous substances injurious to health.

4.3

Whisky shall be free from haze.

4.4

Whisky shall be manufactured in premises built and maintained under hygienic conditions in accordance with EAS 39.

4.5

Whisky shall also comply with the requirements given in Table 1.

**Table 1 — Requirements for whisky**
Sl. No.	Characteristic	Requirements
i	Total acidity, g/100 L, max	160
ii	Total solids, % (m/v), max	0.25
iii	Total ash, %, (m/v), max.	0.041
iv	Volatile acids, as acetic acid, (mg/100 ml of absolute alcohol), max.	120
v	Esters, as ethyl acetate (g/100 L of absolute alcohol), max.	Malt whisky 20 All other types 10
vi	Methanol mg/l	50
vii	Higher alcohols, as amyl alcohol (g/100 L of absolute alcohol), max	500
viii	Aldehydes, as acetaldehyde (mg/100 mL of absolute alcohol), max.	16.4
ix	Furfural (mg/100 mL of absolute alcohol), max.	18.5
x	Copper, mg/L, max.	1.0
xi	Lead, mg/L, max.	0.1

5 Weights and measures

In filling of the container, the contents of the products shall occupy not less than 90 % of the total volume capacity of the container.

6 Packaging and labelling

6.1 Packaging

Whisky shall be filled into food grade liquor bottles or containers, which shall not affect the quality and safety of whisky. The containers shall be sealed to prevent leakage of the contents and any possible contamination or adulteration.

6.2 Labelling

In addition to the requirements of EAS 38, the following particulars shall be marked legibly and indelibly on the container:

Name of the product;
Minimum volume of contents in litres or millilitres;
Name and address of the manufacturer and packer, distributor, importer or exporter;
Coded or open date of manufacture;
Country of origin;
Ethyl alcohol content.

7 Sampling and methods of test

Sampling and testing shall be carried out in accordance with EAS 104 Methods of sampling and testing for alcoholic beverages.

3 4