HS Code Detail
220830 Chapter 22 · Beverages Whisky
Six-digit Harmonized System subheading. Used by 200+ customs authorities worldwide as the universal starting point for tariff classification.
Anatomy of 220830
For a real customs declaration you'll extend this 6-digit code to the destination's full local format: 10 digits for US HTS / UK Trade Tariff, 8 digits for the EU Combined Nomenclature. The first six digits stay the same — only the trailing detail differs.
What this code covers
What falls under 220830
- Whiskies of all types — Scotch, bourbon, Irish, rye, blended and single malt
What's specifically excluded
These look similar but belong under a different code:
Commonly confused with
220870 — Liqueurs
A whisky-based liqueur (sweetened, lower-proof, flavoured) is 220870, not 220830. The sugar and added-flavour test decides it.
Classification & cost note
Like wine, whisky's customs duty is dwarfed by excise. Spirits excise is charged per litre of pure alcohol, so a 40% ABV bottle is taxed on its alcohol content, and VAT then applies on top of duty + excise. Country-of-origin protected designations (Scotch, Bourbon, Irish) also carry labelling rules that can hold a shipment at the border independently of any tariff.
Typical products: Single malt Scotch · Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey · Blended and rye whiskies
Find the exact duty for 220830
Run this code through the duty calculator with your destination and shipment value, or check the destination's official tariff schedule for the binding MFN rate.
Questions about 220830
Why is imported whisky so expensive after duty?
Customs duty is usually modest, but spirits excise — charged per litre of pure alcohol — is large, and VAT is then applied to the duty-and-excise-inclusive value, compounding the effect.
Is a whisky liqueur classified as whisky?
No. Sweetened, flavoured, lower-strength whisky-based products are liqueurs under 220870, which can carry different excise treatment from straight whisky under 220830.
Related codes in Chapter 22
Calculate duty for HS 220830
Pre-fills the calculator with this code. Add your destination and shipment value for an instant landed-cost estimate.
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