AN ORGANISATION has been set up to protect distillers whose spirits are wholly made in Scotland while giving consumers assurances over the provenance of the products they are buying.
The Scottish Distillers Association (SDA), which launches today, has emerged from the former Scottish Craft Distillers Association.
It comes in response to growing concern over spirits brands entering the market which claim to be Scottish but whose production largely takes place elsewhere.
The explosion of the gin category has brought into focus the disparity between products which are genuinely produced in Scotland and those with little connection to the country beyond their branding. However, the remit of the new Association extends beyond gin, with the organisation seeking to provide protection for all spirits made in Scotland, including rum, vodka and whisky. Its activities will complement the work of the Scotch Whisky Association, which represents the bulk of Scotch whisky distillers.
Liam Hughes, vice-chairman and the co-founder of the Glasgow Distillery Company, said the issues facing Scottish spirits producers are “bigger” than just gin. He said: “The whole debate and conversation has gone way beyond the gin conversation.
“The timing is right to have a body outwith the Scotch Whisky Association speaking for Scottish distillers, and that can be small – from the guy who has a tiny still in his back garden – all the way up to the large distilleries.”
He added: “Scotch whisky is protected under law, and we believe the time is correct now to start the conversation and the dialogue in terms of protecting the reputation of all Scotch spirits – not just Scotch whisky.”
The association, which is chaired by industry veteran Alan Wolstenholme, comes with a fresh set of objectives to position Scotland as a centre of excellence in the global premium spirits sector. It has launched with 21 distillery members and, alongside Scotland Food & Drink, will shortly launch a recruitment campaign, led by a new dedicated member of staff, in a bid to swell its ranks further.
READ MORE: Whisky chief predicts gin takeovers
Members must follow strict criteria and an accreditation programme designed to increase transparency in the production of Scottish spirits, while protecting consumers.
To gain accreditation, a distiller must follow a five-point plan, which provides that members must own and operate a still in Scotland; have a skilled and qualified named individual responsible for quality; distil and bottle spirits in Scotland; make reasonable claims in the place naming of spirits; and operate with an HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) licence and in accordance with the Trades Description Act, Advertising Standards Authority and responsible drinking guidelines.
Mr Hughes said spirits which carry the accreditation will provide consumers with a guarantee the product has been “distilled, bottled and made in Scotland”. And he noted the ultimate aspiration is for the accreditation to be underpinned by law in the same way Scotch whisky is legally defined.
However, he acknowledges Brexit may complicate that in the near term. Scotch whisky is currently protected as a geographical indication (GI) in European law.
Mr Hughes said: “Irrespective of whether it is in the European Union, outwith the European Union or whatever world we live in post-March ’19, it is in our collective interests – and it is in Scotland’s interests – to ensure that [for] such an important industry these things are enshrined in law.”
Mr Hughes added: “This is not a witch hunt against any brand in the marketplace that are open and honest about where they are made, and anything connected to that.
“This is about trying to draw a line in the sand and saying: if your brand is X and made in Y, put it on the bottle so the consumer knows exactly what it is that they are buying. Don’t say it is made in Scotland when it is not.”
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