Definition

Noun: - A type of highly purified, flavorless alcohol: Neutral spirits are a distilled alcoholic beverage, typically at or near 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof). They are characterized by their lack of distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color, making them a neutral base for other beverages.

Usage

Neutral spirits are not consumed on their own due to their high alcohol content and lack of flavor. Their primary use is industrial within beverage production. - They are used for blending with straight whiskies to create blended whiskies. - They are used in making gin through the re-distillation or infusion of botanicals. - They are used in making liqueurs as the base alcohol that is then sweetened and flavored.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• Legal/Regulatory Context: In many jurisdictions, the term "neutral spirits" has a specific legal definition governing its production proof and purity. For example, in the United States, it is officially defined as "spirits distilled from any material at or above 190 proof, and, if bottled, bottled at not less than 80 proof."
• Economic Role: Neutral spirits are a commodity product in the global alcohol industry, traded for use in a wide array of final products.

Variants and Related Words

• Neutral alcohol: A synonymous term commonly used in commercial and regulatory contexts.
• Rectified spirit: A closely related term, often referring to highly purified ethanol, sometimes used interchangeably with neutral spirits.
• Grain neutral spirits (GNS): A specific type of neutral spirits distilled from grain, such as corn or wheat.
• Ethanol: The chemical name for the alcohol in neutral spirits, though "ethanol" is a broader scientific term not exclusive to beverage use.

Synonyms

• Pure alcohol (in a beverage context)
• Base spirit
• Neutral alcohol

Notes

• Not a Synonym for Vodka: While high-quality vodka is essentially neutral spirits filtered and diluted with water, the term "neutral spirits" refers specifically to the unadulterated, industrial base product before any brand-specific processing or bottling.
• Proof System: The "190 proof" measurement means the spirit is 95% alcohol by volume, as the US proof number is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume.

Noun

1. nonflavored alcohol of 95 percent or 190 proof used for blending with straight whiskies and in making gin and liqueurs