Scotch pirates on the rocks?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2025. All Rights Reserved.

15 November 2007 / Joanne Flack , James Fry

Issue: 7297 / Categories: Features , Intellectual property

printer

mail-detail

James Fry and Joanne Flack investigate whether new proposals to tighten what is, and is not, Scotch whisky could help to sink the international counterfeiters

For over 50 years, the Scotch whisky industry has been fighting to protect the lucrative Scotch whisky brand against counterfeiters who have sought to associate their products with the name which has become synonymous with quality.

Since the earliest documented record of distilling in Scotland in 1494, the brand has built a strong global reputation for quality which could be easily undermined by the circulation of substandard counterfeit goods.
Strong protection allows exclusive products to be sold at a premium. This is reflected in the value of the Scotch whisky brand, with the value of Scotch whisky exports topping £2.5bn in 2006. With over 70% of the cost of a bottle of Scotch whisky being attributable to taxation, producers are not the only interested parties. VAT and excise duty is worth millions annually to the UK Exchequer, and is set to continue increasing.

The international growth

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content

If you are already a subscriber sign in

...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

Scotch pirates on the rocks?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2025. All Rights Reserved.

James Fry and Joanne Flack investigate whether new proposals to tighten what is, and is not, Scotch whisky could help to sink the international counterfeiters

For over 50 years, the Scotch whisky industry has been fighting to protect the lucrative Scotch whisky brand against counterfeiters who have sought to associate their products with the name which has become synonymous with quality.

Since the earliest documented record of distilling in Scotland in 1494, the brand has built a strong global reputation for quality which could be easily undermined by the circulation of substandard counterfeit goods.
Strong protection allows exclusive products to be sold at a premium. This is reflected in the value of the Scotch whisky brand, with the value of Scotch whisky exports topping £2.5bn in 2006. With over 70% of the cost of a bottle of Scotch whisky being attributable to taxation, producers are not the only interested parties. VAT and excise duty is worth millions annually to the UK Exchequer, and is set to continue increasing.

The international growth

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content

If you are already a subscriber sign in

...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

SourceURL:

Links:

E-newsletter Sign-Up

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Francis Ho, City of London Law Society

Francis Ho, Charles Russell Speechlys partner, was recently appointed chair of the Construction Law Committee of the City of London Law Society. He discusses the challenges of learning to lead, the importance of professional ethics, and the power of the written word, withNLJ

Slater Heelis—Chester office

Slater Heelis—Chester office

North West presence strengthened with Chester office launch

Cooke, Young & Keidan—Elizabeth Meade

Cooke, Young & Keidan—Elizabeth Meade

Firm grows commercial disputes expertise with partner promotion

NEWS

Solicitors’ regulator sanctioned for failures

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) must overhaul its complaints and risk assessment processes to fix ‘systemic shortcomings’, the Legal Services Consumer Panel has said

Collective actions at ‘critical juncture’

The opt-out collective actions regime is facing ‘significant challenges’ but could benefit the UK by £24bn a year if enhanced and expanded, a report by Stephenson Harwood has found

Full review of county court rejected

Ministers have rejected the Justice Committee review’s key recommendation for the ailing county court system—an ‘urgent and comprehensive’ review by spring at the latest

Firms weigh up post-Mazur tactics

Firms preparing to mount Mazur applications alleging the other side has acted in breach of the Legal Services Act 2007 may be left disappointed, the Law Society has said

More faulty Post Office software convictions referred

The first Post Office Capture conviction—the accounting software used before the faulty Horizon system—has been referred for appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC)

back-to-top-scroll