The British government's decision to recognize English Whisky as a Geographical Indication (GI) is generating controversy in the Scottish industry, which fears that the rules foreseen for the use of the designation " single malt" could create confusion among consumers and affect the reputation of Scotch Whisky.

The application was approved by the British Executive on September 11th, and the protection is expected to formally come into effect on October 1st, when “English Whisky/English Whiskey” is registered in the British register of geographical indications.

England joins Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

With the new protection, English whisky joins Scotch, Welsh, and Irish whiskey among the categories of whisky recognized and protected in the United Kingdom.

The geographical indication establishes that English Whisky must use grains sourced from the United Kingdom, local water at the distillery, and be distilled and aged in England. The minimum maturation period is three years, in wooden casks with a capacity not exceeding 700 liters, and the final product must have at least 40% alcohol content.

Modern whisky production in England resumed in 2003. Currently, there are over 70 distilleries, compared to 46 in 2023, and the product is exported to more than 30 countries. The British government also estimates that maturing stocks in English distilleries represent approximately one billion pounds.

The dispute centers on the definition of "single malt".

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) does not dispute the existence of a geographical indication for English whisky . The main disagreement lies in the rules that allow the use of the expression "single malt".

In Scotch Whisky, the production of this category is associated with a single distillery, where mashing, fermentation, and distillation take place, traditionally using copper stills.

The SWA argues that English rules allow for a different interpretation, since the requirement for the use of " single" focuses on distillation in a single distillery, without requiring that all previous stages of production be carried out in the same location. The association believes that this difference may weaken the established definition of single malt.

According to the Scottish association, over 90% of the single malt produced worldwide and over 95% of that produced in the United Kingdom is Scottish.

Scottish government calls for changes

The Scottish government joined the criticism and asked the British government to review some aspects of the decision. Stephen Flynn, the Scottish Minister for Economy, Tourism and Transport, described the measure as "totally unacceptable" and warned of possible consequences for an industry with significant economic weight in Scotland.

The Scotch Whisky sector supports around 41 jobs in Scotland and 66 across the United Kingdom, and generates approximately £5,4 billion (around €6,3 billion) in exports, according to data cited by the Scottish Government.

Among the contested issues is also the possibility of English malt whisky using systems in which contact with copper occurs without the entire distillation necessarily having to be done in the traditional copper still. The approved specification, however, requires sufficient contact of the vapor with copper surfaces for the English Malt Whisky category.

English industry rejects criticism.

The English Whisky Guild, which spearheaded the application for recognition, rejects the Scottish industry's interpretation. The organization argues that the new geographical indication precisely regulates practices already used by the English sector and creates production standards where there was previously no specific protection.

According to the organization, "single" means that the whisky comes from a single distillery, while "malt" identifies a product made entirely from malted barley. The association also argues that different producing countries can adopt their own rules without compromising the quality or authenticity of their respective categories.

Morag Garden, CEO of the English Whisky Guild, told EFE that he considers the Scottish industry's objections difficult to understand, noting that the controversy only affects about 12 of the more than 70 English distilleries.

Cereals will have to be produced in the United Kingdom.

The approved specification establishes that all grain used in English Whisky must originate in the United Kingdom. Mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation must take place in England, although bottling may be carried out outside of England after aging is complete.

For the Malt English Whisky category, the use of 100% malted barley, discontinuous distillation, and at least one pot still distillation are mandatory , which may be combined with column systems provided there is sufficient contact with copper.

The British government's final decision thus maintains differences between English and Scottish standards, in a debate that is expected to continue even after the new geographical indication formally comes into effect.

The Scotch Whisky Association says it is now reviewing the decision and the next steps to take.