Posted on 06/29/2022 4:29:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The name is already protected, but the Scotch Whisky Association says a trademark makes it easier to take actions against counterfeiters.
Protected geographical indications are important for both consumers and producers — for instance, allowing drinkers to know their Napa wine actually comes from Napa and protecting winemakers from counterfeiters who want to slap the Napa name on a bottle. But protecting products in foreign countries outside of their home jurisdictions can be trickier. And so, though the United States already has agreed to protect "Scotch" as a whiskey produced in Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has taken things one step further and officially received a trademark for Scotch Whisky, too.
"The registration of the 'Scotch Whisky' certification trademark in the United States is a milestone for Scotland's national drink in our largest global market," stated Mark Kent, chief executive of the SWA.
Scotch sales in the United States were around $1 billion in 2021, a huge chunk of the total $5.5 billion worth of annual Scotch Whiskey exports around the globe from the United Kingdom. And yet, the SWA pointed out that getting a trademark in the U.S. has actually taken longer than elsewhere: Over 100 other countries already have intellectual property protections for the product.
But why seek a trademark when Scotch is already protected under the U.S. Federal Code? The SWA stated that having a trademark makes it easier to battle against counterfeiters. "This registration offers Scotch Whisky a greater degree of legal protection and will allow us to take action against those who seek to cash-in on the heritage, craft and quality of genuine Scotch," Kent continued.
"Scotch Whisky — the UK's largest food and drink export — is a firm favorite in the US, which was the industry's first billion pound market in 2019 before the impact of tariffs and the Covid-19 pandemic," he added. "The trademark registration is another sign of the industry's determination to build back in the United States and ensure that consumers in a dynamic and competitive spirits market can be confident that the Scotch Whisky they purchase is the genuine article."
I saw them a few weeks ago In The Woodlands.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.