Industry proposes new protection for Scotch categories
The Scottish whisky industry has come up with a series of proposals for legislation that would protect Scotch by enshrining the definition and labelling in law.
The suggested measures, which sprang from a working group backed by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and including companies such as Diageo, Allied Domecq and Glenmorangie, is aimed at preventing confusion over the origin and style of Scotch.
Scotch Whisky has been defined by law for 70 years, but it is only the term Scotch Whisky which is defined. There is currently no requirement to describe any Scotch whisky by its category and current usage relies on convention.
The industry wants to stamp out misleading labeling and cites brands like Highland Chief Malt Whisky, produced in India, and Lowlands Blended Whisky, produced in Spain, as evidence of a need for a change in the law.
"At present in order to stop such misuse, we have to take action under the law of passing off or unfair competition, which is complicated and expensive," said a SWEA representative at its recent presentation in London".
The proposals recommend tightening labelling and definitions, including giving greater protection to the terms Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay, and dismissing terms such as 'pure malt', which the working group says in misleading for consumers.
On a broader front, it was also argued that Scotch Whiskies should be first divided into Singles and Blends. Blends should then be subdivided into Blended Scotch Whisky, Blended Malts and Blended Grains, while Singles should be subdivided into Single Malts and Single Grains.
The SWA also proposes to ensure that any whisky can only carry the name of a single distillery if it is wholly distilled in that distillery. The group hopes that "category definitions will bring significant benefits as consumers better understand the respective characteristics of the different categories of Scotch Whisky" and that "the measures will also add to the protection of Scotch Whisky from those who seek to trade illegally on its worldwide reputation".
