SCOTTISH whisky distillers have reacted with fury after English single malts were given protected status.
The Scotch Whisky Association, which represents 90 companies including major producers such as Diageo and Glenmorangie, has said it is "profoundly concerned" by the decision to give English whisky "protected geographical indication status", meaning it gets the same recognition as Scotch, Welsh and Irish whiskies.
Scotch single malt whisky must be mashed, fermented, and distilled at a single distillery in Scotland but for English single malt, some steps may happen away from the primary site in the production process.
SWA chief executive Mark Kent said the rules were “entirely inconsistent with the reputation of single malt whisky”.
“This is something which our counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland agree with,” he added.
He said the rules put “established practice and long-standing industry traditions” at risk, adding that “the definition of single malt would undermine” single malt Scotch whisky.
“Following discussion with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs this week, we will further consider our position and next steps,” he said.
England is now home to more than 70 whisky distilleries.
Tagore Ramoutar, of the English Whisky Guild, said he would defend the decision.
“To validly challenge the protected status of English whisky, the SWA would have to prove damage to reputation or economic impact on the industry. English whisky has no such impact, and is not branded as ‘Scotch’,” he said.
Andrew Nelstrop, owner of The English Distillery, added the SWA’s response was “baseless”.
“Any suggestion that English whisky in some ways may be inferior due to these rules is of course nonsense. English whisky, having won world’s best single malt three times in the last four years, paints a fairly accurate picture of who is perceived to be making a quality product," he said.
Kevin Hollinrake, the MP for Thirsk and Malton – home to two English whisky distillers – said there was no need for the two nations to argue.
“Scotch whisky is a national treasure and one of Britain’s great exports. Nobody is trying to take anything away from it,” he said.
“There is plenty of room in the market for a growing English sector alongside Scotland’s."
