Why do alcoholic beverages hardly ever have their ingredients listed?
Alcoholic beverages are frequently self-regulated as to their content. Information specifics are available from the multitudinous regulatory bodies. This has a great deal with marketing a product with a known reputation and quality. It is an attempt to prevent less scrupulous manufacturers from adulterating a product or hurting its reputation and, therefore, giving a regional industry a bad name. Hence, an AOC Margaux wine must be made in the Margaux commune, using specific varieties of grapes and often restrictions on the amounts of different varieties (i.e., grape variety ‘A’ not to exceed 50%). The exact ratio and blend is proprietary to each Chateau for commercial reasons. This latter reason is why most liqueurs do not list ingredients – they are made from a proprietary formula and/or process. Revealing it provides a competitor with an opportunity to duplicate the product. Alcoholic products are tested for safety by various regulatory agencies.
