(a) Rate of tax

(1) General

There is hereby imposed on all distilled spirits produced in or imported into the United States a tax at the rate of $13.50 on each proof gallon and a proportionate tax at the like rate on all fractional parts of a proof gallon.

(2) Products containing distilled spirits

All products of distillation, by whatever name known, which contain distilled spirits, on which the tax imposed by law has not been paid, and any alcoholic ingredient added to such products, shall be considered and taxed as distilled spirits.

(3) Wines containing more than 24 percent alcohol by volume

Wines containing more than 24 percent of alcohol by volume shall be taxed as distilled spirits.

(4) Distilled spirits withdrawn free of tax

Any person who removes, sells, transports, or uses distilled spirits, withdrawn free of tax under section 5214(a) or section 7510, in violation of laws or regulations now or hereafter in force pertaining thereto, and all such distilled spirits shall be subject to all provisions of law relating to distilled spirits subject to tax, including those requiring payment of the tax thereon; and the person so removing, selling, transporting, or using the distilled spirits shall be required to pay such tax.

(5) Denatured distilled spirits or articles

Any person who produces, withdraws, sells, transports, or uses denatured distilled spirits or articles in violation of laws or regulations now or hereafter in force pertaining thereto, and all such denatured distilled spirits or articles shall be subject to all provisions of law pertaining to distilled spirits that are not denatured, including those requiring the payment of tax thereon; and the person so producing, withdrawing, selling, transporting, or using the denatured distilled spirits or articles shall be required to pay such tax.

(6) Fruit-flavor concentrates

If any volatile fruit-flavor concentrate (or any fruit mash or juice from which such concentrate is produced) containing one-half of 1 percent or more of alcohol by volume, which is manufactured free from tax under section 5511, is sold, transported, or used by any person in violation of the provisions of this chapter or regulations promulgated thereunder, such person and such concentrate, mash, or juice shall be subject to all provisions of this chapter pertaining to distilled spirits and wines, including those requiring the payment of tax thereon; and the person so selling, transporting, or using such concentrate, mash, or juice shall be required to pay such tax.

(7) Imported liqueurs and cordials

Imported liqueurs and cordials, or similar compounds, containing distilled spirits, shall be taxed as distilled spirits.

(8) Imported distilled spirits withdrawn for beverage purposes

There is hereby imposed on all imported distilled spirits withdrawn from customs custody under section 5232 without payment of the internal revenue tax, and thereafter withdrawn from bonded premises for beverage purposes, an additional tax equal to the duty which would have been paid had such spirits been imported for beverage purposes, less the duty previously paid thereon.

(9) Alcoholic compounds from Puerto Rico

Except as provided in section 5314, upon bay rum, or any article containing distilled spirits, brought from Puerto Rico into the United States for consumption or sale there is hereby imposed a tax on the spirits contained therein at the rate imposed on distilled spirits produced in the United States.

(b) Time of attachment on distilled spirits

The tax shall attach to distilled spirits as soon as this substance is in existence as such, whether it be subsequently separated as pure or impure spirits, or be immediately, or at any subsequent time, transferred into any other substance, either in the process of original production or by any subsequent process.

(c) Reduced rate

(1) In general

In the case of a distilled spirits operation, the otherwise applicable tax rate under subsection (a)(1) shall be—

(A) $2.70 per proof gallon on the first 100,000 proof gallons of distilled spirits, and

(B) $13.34 per proof gallon on the first 22,130,000 of ¹ proof gallons of distilled spirits to which subparagraph (A) does not apply,

which have been distilled or processed by such operation and removed during the calendar year for consumption or sale, or which have been imported by the importer into the United States during the calendar year but only if the importer is an electing importer under paragraph (3) and the proof gallons of distilled spirits have been assigned to the importer pursuant to such paragraph.

(2) Controlled groups

(A) In general

In the case of a controlled group, the proof gallon quantities specified under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) shall be applied to such group and apportioned among the members of such group in such manner as the Secretary or their delegate shall by regulations prescribe.

(B) Definition

For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “controlled group” shall have the meaning given such term by subsection (a) of section 1563, except that “more than 50 percent” shall be substituted for “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in such subsection.

(C) Rules for non-corporations

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, principles similar to the principles of subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be applied to a group under common control where one or more of the persons is not a corporation.

(D) Single taxpayer

Pursuant to rules issued by the Secretary, two or more entities (whether or not under common control) that produce or process distilled spirits under a license, franchise, or other arrangement shall be treated as a single taxpayer for purposes of the application of this subsection.

(3) Reduced tax rate for foreign manufacturers and importers

(A) In general

In the case of any proof gallons of distilled spirits which have been produced outside of the United States and imported into the United States, the rate of tax applicable under paragraph (1) (referred to in this paragraph as the “reduced tax rate”) may be assigned by the distilled spirits operation (provided that such operation makes an election described in subparagraph (B)(ii)) to any electing importer of such proof gallons pursuant to the requirements established by the Secretary under subparagraph (B).

(B) Assignment

The Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, shall, through such rules, regulations, and procedures as are determined appropriate, establish procedures for assignment of the reduced tax rate provided under this paragraph, which shall include—

(i) a limitation to ensure that the number of proof gallons of distilled spirits for which the reduced tax rate has been assigned by a distilled spirits operation—

(I) to any importer does not exceed the number of proof gallons produced by such operation during the calendar year which were imported into the United States by such importer, and

(II) to all importers does not exceed the 22,230,000 proof gallons of distilled spirits to which the reduced tax rate applies,

(ii) procedures that allow the election of a distilled spirits operation to assign and an importer to receive the reduced tax rate provided under this paragraph,

(iii) requirements that the distilled spirits operation provide any information as the Secretary determines necessary and appropriate for purposes of carrying out this paragraph, and

(iv) procedures that allow for revocation of eligibility of the distilled spirits operation and the importer for the reduced tax rate provided under this paragraph in the case of any erroneous or fraudulent information provided under clause (iii) which the Secretary deems to be material to qualifying for such reduced rate.

(C) Controlled group

(i) In general

For purposes of this section, any importer making an election described in subparagraph (B)(ii) shall be deemed to be a member of the controlled group of the distilled spirits operation, as described under paragraph (2).

(ii) Apportionment

For purposes of this paragraph, in the case of a controlled group, rules similar to section 5051(a)(5)(B) shall apply.

(4) Refunds in lieu of reduced rates for foreign production removed after December 31, 2022

(A) In general

In the case of any proof gallons of distilled spirits which have been produced outside the United States and imported into the United States, if such proof gallons of distilled spirits are removed after December 31, 2022—

(i) paragraph (1) shall not apply, and

(ii) the amount determined under subparagraph (B) shall be allowed as a refund, determined for periods not less frequently than quarterly, to the importer in the same manner as if such amount were an overpayment of tax imposed by this section.

(B) Amount of refund

The amount determined under this subparagraph with respect to any importer for any period is an amount equal to the sum of—

(i) the excess (if any) of—

(I) the amount of tax imposed under this subpart on proof gallons of distilled spirits referred to in subparagraph (A) which were removed during such period, over

(II) the amount of tax which would have been imposed under this subpart on such proof gallons of distilled spirits if this section were applied without regard to this paragraph, plus

(ii) the amount of interest which would be allowed and paid on an overpayment of tax at the overpayment rate established under section 6621(a)(1) (without regard to the second sentence thereof) were such rate applied to the excess (if any) determined under clause (i) for the number of days in the filing period for which the refund under this paragraph is being determined.

(C) Application of rules related to elections and assignments

Subparagraph (A)(ii) shall apply only if the importer is an electing importer under paragraph (3) and the proof gallons of distilled spirits have been assigned to the importer pursuant to such paragraph.

(D) Rules for refunds within 90 days

For purposes of refunds allowed under this paragraph, section 6611(e) shall be applied by substituting “90 days” for “45 days” each place it appears.

(5) Processed distilled spirits

A distilled spirit shall not be treated as processed for purposes of this subsection unless a process described in section 5002(a)(5)(A) (other than bottling) is performed with respect to such distilled spirit.

(d) Cross reference

For provisions relating to the tax on shipments to the United States of taxable articles from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, see section 7652.