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."
Good grief! Next Irish whisky will have to be made in Ireland if this keeps up.
Can we drink it all night long, and die behind the wheel?
I think I will seek patents and trademarks for dihydrogen monoxide and other commonly used names. I’ll be filthy rich.
“Whisky” is the Scottish spelling.
“Whiskey” is the US spelling.
Could the US produce a similar product by calling it “Whiskey”?
Probably not...
Sure, Deacon Blues. Try not to hurt anyone else, though, OK?
What? That wine I got from the big auto parts store may not be from Napa Valley? It said NAPA right on the bottle.
They got a name for the winners in the world
That’s some load of hooch!
“Scotch sales in the United States were around $1 billion in 2021”
What, are they only counting me in that tally?
Those backwoods stills in Kentucky, West Virginia, must be exercising their pots!
Champagne as well?
What if you make it in Scotchtown NY?
If it’s from Ireland, it’s whiskey with an ‘e’, as it is from the US. I have no idea why Scotch is whisky without an ‘e’. Maybe some copyright claims?
Sure, just be sure you...
Make love to these women
Languid and bittersweet
I have a great difficulty understanding the obsession (maybe it is snob-session) with Scotch. I have found a number of USA whiskies that are less money than the mid-range Scotches that I greatly prefer.
We are all aware that preferences vary; “what I grew up drinking”; “what my pops drank”; etc.
Cheers!
Does this help or hurt the Kennedy family?
Venetian blinds, Bombay doors....
CC
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