There's nothing snobby about protecting a brand which makes a lot of money for your country.
Rebekah Send a noteboard - 25/01/2010 04:03:45 PM
The scots were being all snobby about "well it's not like it's REAL scotch!! It's made in Japan/Taiwan/China/wherever"
The crux of the issue was the right to use the term "Scotch", of course, and less the actual flavor. One point that was discussed though was that if the whisky TASTES like scotch and holds true to the production methods, it should have the right to be labeled Scotch. I believe the counterargument (reading between the lines) had to do with putting Scottish coopers out of business and a great deal of indignant pride.
The crux of the issue was the right to use the term "Scotch", of course, and less the actual flavor. One point that was discussed though was that if the whisky TASTES like scotch and holds true to the production methods, it should have the right to be labeled Scotch. I believe the counterargument (reading between the lines) had to do with putting Scottish coopers out of business and a great deal of indignant pride.
As Olof says, it's a normal practice for iconic things to be protected by the countries that produce them. You can find examples all over the place.
Spelling it "whisky" is enough to associate it with Scotch. The appellation "Scotch" rightly belongs to that version of whisky which is distilled in Scotland and which adheres to the rules following:
Legal definition
To be called Scotch whisky the spirit must conform to the standards of the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 (UK),[3] which clarified the Scotch Whisky Act 1988,[4] and mandates that the spirit:
- Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, to which only other whole grains may be added, have been processed at that distillery into a mash, converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems, and fermented only by the addition of yeast,
- Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8%[4] by volume so that it retains the flavour of the raw materials used in its production,
- Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for no less than three years and a day,
- Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel colouring, and
- May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume.
*MySmiley*
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
/ Booze: And the best whisky comes from?
- 25/01/2010 02:34:43 PM
622 Views
I was actually reading something about the whiskys Asia was churning out
- 25/01/2010 03:20:30 PM
213 Views
It's a protected label in the EU
- 25/01/2010 03:47:29 PM
363 Views
I still haven't decided if I approve of protected labels.
- 25/01/2010 04:41:45 PM
286 Views
Normally it would be a trade mark
- 25/01/2010 04:56:59 PM
203 Views
No, I am not missing that.
- 25/01/2010 05:02:04 PM
176 Views
Partly
- 25/01/2010 05:09:25 PM
190 Views
So then if a Scotch Whisky is made in Scotland...
- 25/01/2010 05:32:42 PM
305 Views
But the Taiwanese brand doesn't meet the standards for Scotch.
- 25/01/2010 05:54:43 PM
212 Views
I mean the standards of taste and quality
- 25/01/2010 06:52:10 PM
192 Views
But that's not really the point, is it?
- 25/01/2010 07:33:00 PM
180 Views
Just how I think about things then 
I think their body and substance is far more important.
- 25/01/2010 07:54:07 PM
238 Views
I think their body and substance is far more important.
- 25/01/2010 07:54:07 PM
238 Views
There's nothing snobby about protecting a brand which makes a lot of money for your country.
- 25/01/2010 04:03:45 PM
325 Views
I didn't say that it was snobby to do that.
- 25/01/2010 04:27:57 PM
220 Views
Re: I didn't say that it was snobby to do that.
- 25/01/2010 04:51:43 PM
276 Views
You still get my point.
- 25/01/2010 04:53:33 PM
180 Views
Why should they have to label it that?
- 25/01/2010 04:59:13 PM
205 Views
Because Scotch indicates a type of Whisky, not ONLY its location.
- 25/01/2010 05:09:09 PM
187 Views
There is, as far as I'm aware, nothing stopping them from doing that.
- 25/01/2010 05:13:14 PM
194 Views
And see, there's a difference in my mind.
- 25/01/2010 05:18:33 PM
198 Views
I guess so
- 25/01/2010 05:21:19 PM
217 Views
I so knew someone was going to say something along those lines 9_9
- 25/01/2010 05:35:59 PM
202 Views
You also should add that it is protecting the consumer
- 25/01/2010 04:34:22 PM
192 Views
again, though, there's no need to be rude 
- 25/01/2010 04:42:27 PM
200 Views
- 25/01/2010 04:42:27 PM
200 Views
I imagine so
- 25/01/2010 04:58:40 PM
198 Views
yes, how dare people make their own scotch.
- 25/01/2010 05:14:58 PM
203 Views
*NM*