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 the Tequila has been stored in oak containers after distillation and before bottling.
(d) Other whiskies.
Whisky, as defined in § 5.22(b) (1), (4), (5), and (6), 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 government certifying:
(1)
In the case of whisky, whether or not mixed or blended but containing no neutral spirits, (i) the class and type thereof, (ii) the American proof at which produced, (iii) that no neutral spirits (or other whisky in the case of straight whisky) has been added as a part thereof or included therein, whether or not for the purpose of replacing outage, (iv) the age of the whisky, and (v) the type of oak container in which such age was acquired (whether new or reused; also whether charred or uncharred);
(2)
In the case of whisky containing neutral spirits, (i) the class and type thereof, (ii) the percentage of straight whisky, if any, used in the blend, (iii) the American proof at which the straight whisky was produced, (iv) the percentage of other whisky, if any, in the blend, (v) the percentage of neutral spirits in the blend, and the name of the commodity from which distilled, (vi) the age of the straight whisky and the age of the other whisky in the blend, and (vii) the type of oak containers in which such age or ages were acquired (whether new or reused; also whether charred or uncharred).
(e) Miscellaneous.
Distilled spirits (other than Scotch, Irish, and Canadian whiskies, and Cognac) 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 appropriate foreign government, if the issuance of such certificates with respect to such distilled spirits has been authorized by the foreign government concerned, certifying as to the identity of the distilled spirits and that the distilled spirits have been manufactured in compliance with the laws of the respective foreign government regulating the manufacture of such distilled spirits for home consumption.