What generally defines distilled spirits?

Distilled spirits are typically defined as beverages that have undergone a process of distillation, which involves heating fermented juices or cereals to separate alcohol from the other components. This process concentrates the alcohol content, resulting in a beverage that has a higher alcohol concentration than standard fermented products.

In the case of choice C, the reference to "fermented juices or cereals boiled to release alcohol" accurately describes the key stages in the production of distilled spirits. The fermentation process creates alcohol from sugars, and then the boiling helps to concentrate it through distillation, which distinguishes distilled spirits from other types of alcoholic beverages.

The other options do not capture the essence of distilled spirits:

• Fermented juices that contain only sugars focus too narrowly on the initial fermentation step and overlook the crucial distillation process.
• Beverages produced without fermentation are not relevant to distilled spirits since fermentation is a necessary component of their production.
• Beverages with lower alcohol content than wines mischaracterize distilled spirits, which typically have higher alcohol concentrations compared to wines.

Therefore, choice C correctly encapsulates the nature of distilled spirits by acknowledging both the fermentation and distillation processes involved in their creation.