A SCOTTISH whisky business has won a legal battle against Portuguese wine makers over the use of the name "Port".
The Port of Leith – the UK’s first vertical whisky distillery – opened in Edinburgh in 2023 and owners Muckle Brig applied to trademark the name The Port of Leith Distillery.
However, the Douro and Port wine Institute, the body representing port wine makers in Portugal, made an objection. It said the use of it by the Port of Leith would "take unfair advantage of their reputation".
The names "Port" and "Porto" are, under EU trademark laws, protected for their products' origins.
The institute requested a ban on the name "port", however the distillery argued the word referred to the harbour area in Leith rather than the spirits made on site.
The European Intellectual Property Office ruled that the Port of Leith Distillery can be registered for spirits – but not port wines or sherries.
Founder of the distillery Ian Stirling said: “This is not only an important decision for us but also for other UK beverage firms using ‘port’ in their brand name."
The port in Leith was previously an epicentre of whisky production.
The distillery claims to be the biggest tourist attraction to be built in Leith for decades, supporting 50 long-term local jobs.
The bottom half of the tower is for production and the top is for hospitality with a shop and a bar.
