1909
United States
A durable product-identity compromise distinguishing straight whiskey, rectified products, and blends for purchasers.
Use the primary decision for extended quotation and distinguish these historical categories from current federal definitions.
The 1909 Taft decision preserved whiskey status for straight and blended products while requiring meaningful type disclosure.
What happened
In 1909, the Taft decision allowed straight and blended products to be called whiskey while requiring labels to distinguish straight whiskey, rectified products, and blends with neutral spirits.
Why it matters
The compromise made product-type disclosure a central part of whiskey identity and consumer information.
Evidence judgment
The linked Claim is Verified and Citation Ready. Evidence is Strong and confidence is High.
Qualifications and contested interpretations
This is a concise account of the disclosure outcome, not a reproduction of every classification or administrative detail.
Connections
The decision follows the unresolved terminology problem after the 1906 Act and helps establish the path toward modern standards of identity.