New whisky rules introduced today

Published: 23 November, 2009

Scotch single-malt whisky must be bottled in Scotland, while terms such as 'pure malt' and 'vatted malt' are now a thing of the past, thanks to a number of new laws introduced today (Mon 23) by the UK government.

The Scotland-only bottling rule is aimed at reducing counterfeit whiskies, which are increasingly common in markets such as India, while every Scotch whisky must now be labelled as one of the following five categories:

Single Malt Scotch Whisky;

Single Grain Scotch Whisky;

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky;

Blended Grain Scotch Whisky; and

Blended Scotch Whisky.

The term 'blended malt' replaces 'pure' or 'vatted' malt, which hit the headlines six years ago when industry giant Diageo tried to rename its Cardhu single malt as a pure malt, but was forced to back down following fierce opposition from rival distilleries.

The Scotch Whisky Association has praised the new legislation, describing it as a "major step forward" and "form the definitive statement of the rules on making, bottling and labelling Scotch whisky".

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