In a major legal breakthrough, Scotch Whisky has been registered as a certification trade mark in Taiwan, giving consumers and the industry better protection against fakes.

Taiwan is the fourth biggest market for Scotch by value with exports worth £75 million in the first six months of the year. Consumers are knowledgeable about Scotch and willing to try out new brands. It is the third biggest overseas market for Single Malt with exports worth £41m in the first half 2016.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), which applied for the trade mark, says the existence of the UK Customs’ Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme, which was introduced in 2014, was an important factor in meeting the requirements necessary to secure protection. The scheme ensures every part of the Scotch Whisky supply chain is mapped by the industry, registered with the UK Government and inspected to check it complies with all the rules on the production of Scotch. The SWA said the scheme gave the authorities in Taiwan even greater confidence in the robust procedures around Scotch.

The trade mark recognizes that Scotch must be made in Scotland from water, cereals and yeast and matured for at least three years. It is of great commercial value to the Scotch Whisky industry and gives consumers confidence in the quality and provenance of what they are buying. A second trade mark has been awarded in Taiwan to protect the Chinese characters that spell out ‘Scotch Whisky’ – ‘ 蘇格蘭威士忌’

 

SOURCE: Scotch Whisky Association