Scotch Whisky Association vill ändra på lagarna om vad whisky skall vara.
Som ni kanske vet så vill man ändra vedertagna begrepp som Vatted Malt och Pure Malt till Blended Malt Whisky.
Självklart "hål i huvudet". Blended är något annat.
Nu har DU chansen att göra din röst hörd och viktig i debatten.
Gå till: SAY NO TO ‘BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY!´
Jag fick följande från John Glaser, Compass Box (som är en av många som slåss för detta):
It is time for us to make our voices heard in an even larger public forum.
Let's start a petition!
If you care about the best interests of Scotch whisky, please read and sign
(if you agree) a petition entitled "NO TO BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY" at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/no_to_b..._Scotch_whisky/ . It
just takes a minute.
If you agree with the cause, PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL/LINK to all your
friends and relations who care about Scotch whisky!
While the official consultation ends today, DEFRA will surely take plenty of
time absorbing all the responses they've received, so the battle is not
over. Let's see if we can help the cause by getting 500 people, (consumers,
trade, anyone who cares about Scotch whisky!) to sign the petition by the
end of the week!
John
------------
Tjena
Uppmaning
-
Thomas
- Inlägg: 414
- Blev medlem: lör mar 04, 2006 8:49 am
Uppmaning
Som ni vet är Robin på Blackadder en som alltid står på barikaderna och försvarar whiskyn och dess ursprung. Robin är en av få i branschen som fått en förfrågan från myndigheterna! Här är hans svar:
BLACKADDER INTERNATIONAL
24th March 2008
Stuart Cooper
Food and Drink Manufacturing Team 8th Floor Millbank c/o Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR
Dear Mr Cooper,
Re your consultation for new regulations concerning Scotch Whisky.
I have three representations to make as the considered opinion of Blackadder International Ltd.
1. There should be no reduction of control on the use of distillery names whereby a malt whisky may be permitted to be sold as a single malt, or even under that distillery name, when containing whiskies from other distilleries.
Reason: Such practice would be in the least misleading, if not dishonest. Blackadder considers it should not be permitted under any circumstances. The suggestion that this may be done has been made, we believe, principally in the interests of the larger whisky companies that control the Scotch Whisky Association and who have drawn up this proposal. (Reference the recent, well-publicised attempts by Diageo to market a brand under the Cardhu (Cardow) distillery name while containing malts produced at other distilleries).
2. There is nothing in these proposals concerning the addition of caramel colouring and flavouring to a whisky. Blackadder believes it should be law for it to be clearly indicated on the label when spirit caramel has been added to a whisky.
Reason: Many whiskies have their natural colour artificially altered in this way. This misleads and misguides consumers, especially where they believe that the colour comes only from Sherry Casks,
when it is stated on the label that it is a Sherry Cask whisky. Spirit caramel is also a carcinogen. Other food and drink products must already declare the addition of caramel in their ingredients when sold in the UK and Europe but this legal requirement is currently missing for whisky. Such marketing is also dishonest and misleading. The practice of not identifying the addition of caramel should not be permitted under any circumstances. It gives marketing advantage to brands that are bottled in this way over brands that are more open and honest in their approach. We currently have the crazy situation whereby those companies wishing to distinguish the fact that their whiskies have not been altered in this way make this clear on their labels, whereas those that do operate this practice hide this fact from their labelling.
3. The use of the term “Blended Malt Whisky”. This is a ludicrous and misleading term. The most accurate term always has been and should remain “Vatted Malt Whisky”, although this could be simplified to just the use of the words “Malt Whisky”.
Note: A dictionary definition of the word blended states: “to combine or mix so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable from one another”. The purpose of vatting, however, is to combine the different malts together, usually re-casking them for a period to marry the flavours, in order to create a unique and individual spirit. This is surely the total opposite of the intention when something is blended and, by definition, has created an end result that has little character of its own.
Reasons: Consumers who know their malt whiskies know and understand what Vatted Malts are. For consumers who do not, however, the use of the descriptions “Vatted Malt Whisky” and “Malt Whisky” are unlikely to cause confusion. On the other hand, however, the use of the term “Blended Malt Whisky” is confusing. The use of this term will downgrade the whiskies so described to the point where they will only be marketable if they are sold at the same price as blended whiskies. This is because the typical, less knowledgeable consumer will consider such labelled products to be blended whiskies. (note: This has already happened in Taiwan. There, companies that have already used this term on bottles of malt whisky have found them difficult to sell without reducing the prices of these whiskies.
This company would never use this term willingly on any whiskies bottled by Blackadder International Ltd or on the products of our associated companies (The Clydesdale Original Scotch Whisky Company Ltd and Aberdeen Distillers Ltd). To do so will cause considerable confusion among our customers and will lose us both sales and income for our brands.
The fact is that the specialist markets around the world will not accept such whiskies labelled as “Blended Malt Whisky” at the same prices as they pay for our currently labelled product.
You will hopefully be aware of the current practice of “teaspooning”, making small additions of another malt to a cask of whisky. When this is done and the cask comes on the market through whisky broking companies, which is where small whisky companies such as this one purchase most of their stock, we can then currently only market such whisky as a single cask whisky under a brand name of our own creation. (In this company’s case, for example, Blackadder Legendary, Blackadder Smoking Islay and Blackadder Peat Reek).
This company specialises in bottling whiskies that come only from single casks, one at a time. We offer such whiskies labelled as “Single Cask Malt Whisky”. If we are forced by the issue of law to offer such whiskies as “Blended Malt Whisky” by description on the label we will lose not only sales but also substantial profit. Blackadder has invested heavily in the protection of such brands as we market, including the registration of European Trade Marks for both Smoking Islay and Peat Reek. (I am attaching labels of these two brands for reference as attachments to this letter).
May I respectfully suggest that you leave well alone by allowing only the following terms to be used for Scotch whisky.
Blended Whisky: A mix of malt and grain whiskies
Single Malt Whisky: A malt whisky from one single distillery and only from that distillery if it is branded with the same name as that of a malt whisky distillery.
Single Grain Whisky: A grain whisky from one single distillery and only from that distillery if it is branded with the same name as that of a grain whisky distillery.
Malt Whisky: This term may be used on the label of any malt whisky that is marketed under its own unique brand name which is a mix of malt whiskies from one or various malt whisky distilleries providing that the name is not the same as that of a malt whisky distillery.
Vatted Malt Whisky: This term may be used to apply to the labelling of any malt whisky brand that is not a single malt whisky.
Grain Whisky: Any mix of grain whiskies from one or various grain whisky distilleries providing that the name is not the same as that of a grain whisky distillery.
Vatted Grain Whisky: This term may continue to be used to apply to the labelling of grain whisky brands that are not single malt whisky.
The writer has not been able to find one whisky lover, specialist whisky importer or specialist whisky retailer in favour of this crazy proposal. I challenge you to find one! It is our firm opinion that under no circumstances should the term “Blended Malt Whisky” be introduced into the nomenclature of whisky.
Finally, I would like to make a comment about the list of consultees you have written to. I could not find one whisky consumer organization, for example: The Malt Maniacs (the world’s most influential whisky group), drinks trade and consumer publication editors (including the highly influential Malt Advocate in the USA and Whisky Magazine in the UK), specialist and knowledgeable whisky writers such as John Lamond, Jim Murray and Mamoru Tsuchiya (Japan’s leading whisky writer).
Neither does it appear from your published list that consultations were sent to London’s main specialist retailer, The Vintage House, or one of the major Scottish retailers, The Whisky Castle in Tomintoul, nor to some of the important specialist whisky shops around the world. For example, Park Avenue Liquors in New York, Whisky Koning in Holland, Scoma in Germany and Liquors Hasegawa in Tokyo, Japan, to name just four such shops. If you want to get a true opinion of how disastrous the term “Blended Malt Whisky” will be to overall malt whisky sales worldwide you should be seeking out such international views and opinions. Scotch whisky is not a product only sold in the UK.
A proper consultation should also include some of the major whisky importing specialist companies around the world. For example, I have mentioned Taiwan above. I doubt that you will find one import company in Taiwan, other than with ties to Diageo (the driving force behind this ridiculous proposal) or other such multi-national whisky companies, that is in favour of the term “Blended Malt Whisky”.
Last, but by no means least I would like to draw your attentions to the comments made by myself and John Lamond in the new 2007 edition of The Malt Whisky File. This publication is one of the major selling such publications worldwide. It is currently being translated into Japanese. I am adding attachment to the comments we made on pages 11 to 21 of this publication, together with the two title pages. If you would like a copy of this book to refer to please let me know and I will send you a copy.
I remain,
Yours sincerely,
ROBIN TUCEK
MANAGING DIRECTOR
BLACKADDER INTERNATIONAL LTD
BLACKADDER INTERNATIONAL
24th March 2008
Stuart Cooper
Food and Drink Manufacturing Team 8th Floor Millbank c/o Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR
Dear Mr Cooper,
Re your consultation for new regulations concerning Scotch Whisky.
I have three representations to make as the considered opinion of Blackadder International Ltd.
1. There should be no reduction of control on the use of distillery names whereby a malt whisky may be permitted to be sold as a single malt, or even under that distillery name, when containing whiskies from other distilleries.
Reason: Such practice would be in the least misleading, if not dishonest. Blackadder considers it should not be permitted under any circumstances. The suggestion that this may be done has been made, we believe, principally in the interests of the larger whisky companies that control the Scotch Whisky Association and who have drawn up this proposal. (Reference the recent, well-publicised attempts by Diageo to market a brand under the Cardhu (Cardow) distillery name while containing malts produced at other distilleries).
2. There is nothing in these proposals concerning the addition of caramel colouring and flavouring to a whisky. Blackadder believes it should be law for it to be clearly indicated on the label when spirit caramel has been added to a whisky.
Reason: Many whiskies have their natural colour artificially altered in this way. This misleads and misguides consumers, especially where they believe that the colour comes only from Sherry Casks,
when it is stated on the label that it is a Sherry Cask whisky. Spirit caramel is also a carcinogen. Other food and drink products must already declare the addition of caramel in their ingredients when sold in the UK and Europe but this legal requirement is currently missing for whisky. Such marketing is also dishonest and misleading. The practice of not identifying the addition of caramel should not be permitted under any circumstances. It gives marketing advantage to brands that are bottled in this way over brands that are more open and honest in their approach. We currently have the crazy situation whereby those companies wishing to distinguish the fact that their whiskies have not been altered in this way make this clear on their labels, whereas those that do operate this practice hide this fact from their labelling.
3. The use of the term “Blended Malt Whisky”. This is a ludicrous and misleading term. The most accurate term always has been and should remain “Vatted Malt Whisky”, although this could be simplified to just the use of the words “Malt Whisky”.
Note: A dictionary definition of the word blended states: “to combine or mix so that the constituent parts are indistinguishable from one another”. The purpose of vatting, however, is to combine the different malts together, usually re-casking them for a period to marry the flavours, in order to create a unique and individual spirit. This is surely the total opposite of the intention when something is blended and, by definition, has created an end result that has little character of its own.
Reasons: Consumers who know their malt whiskies know and understand what Vatted Malts are. For consumers who do not, however, the use of the descriptions “Vatted Malt Whisky” and “Malt Whisky” are unlikely to cause confusion. On the other hand, however, the use of the term “Blended Malt Whisky” is confusing. The use of this term will downgrade the whiskies so described to the point where they will only be marketable if they are sold at the same price as blended whiskies. This is because the typical, less knowledgeable consumer will consider such labelled products to be blended whiskies. (note: This has already happened in Taiwan. There, companies that have already used this term on bottles of malt whisky have found them difficult to sell without reducing the prices of these whiskies.
This company would never use this term willingly on any whiskies bottled by Blackadder International Ltd or on the products of our associated companies (The Clydesdale Original Scotch Whisky Company Ltd and Aberdeen Distillers Ltd). To do so will cause considerable confusion among our customers and will lose us both sales and income for our brands.
The fact is that the specialist markets around the world will not accept such whiskies labelled as “Blended Malt Whisky” at the same prices as they pay for our currently labelled product.
You will hopefully be aware of the current practice of “teaspooning”, making small additions of another malt to a cask of whisky. When this is done and the cask comes on the market through whisky broking companies, which is where small whisky companies such as this one purchase most of their stock, we can then currently only market such whisky as a single cask whisky under a brand name of our own creation. (In this company’s case, for example, Blackadder Legendary, Blackadder Smoking Islay and Blackadder Peat Reek).
This company specialises in bottling whiskies that come only from single casks, one at a time. We offer such whiskies labelled as “Single Cask Malt Whisky”. If we are forced by the issue of law to offer such whiskies as “Blended Malt Whisky” by description on the label we will lose not only sales but also substantial profit. Blackadder has invested heavily in the protection of such brands as we market, including the registration of European Trade Marks for both Smoking Islay and Peat Reek. (I am attaching labels of these two brands for reference as attachments to this letter).
May I respectfully suggest that you leave well alone by allowing only the following terms to be used for Scotch whisky.
Blended Whisky: A mix of malt and grain whiskies
Single Malt Whisky: A malt whisky from one single distillery and only from that distillery if it is branded with the same name as that of a malt whisky distillery.
Single Grain Whisky: A grain whisky from one single distillery and only from that distillery if it is branded with the same name as that of a grain whisky distillery.
Malt Whisky: This term may be used on the label of any malt whisky that is marketed under its own unique brand name which is a mix of malt whiskies from one or various malt whisky distilleries providing that the name is not the same as that of a malt whisky distillery.
Vatted Malt Whisky: This term may be used to apply to the labelling of any malt whisky brand that is not a single malt whisky.
Grain Whisky: Any mix of grain whiskies from one or various grain whisky distilleries providing that the name is not the same as that of a grain whisky distillery.
Vatted Grain Whisky: This term may continue to be used to apply to the labelling of grain whisky brands that are not single malt whisky.
The writer has not been able to find one whisky lover, specialist whisky importer or specialist whisky retailer in favour of this crazy proposal. I challenge you to find one! It is our firm opinion that under no circumstances should the term “Blended Malt Whisky” be introduced into the nomenclature of whisky.
Finally, I would like to make a comment about the list of consultees you have written to. I could not find one whisky consumer organization, for example: The Malt Maniacs (the world’s most influential whisky group), drinks trade and consumer publication editors (including the highly influential Malt Advocate in the USA and Whisky Magazine in the UK), specialist and knowledgeable whisky writers such as John Lamond, Jim Murray and Mamoru Tsuchiya (Japan’s leading whisky writer).
Neither does it appear from your published list that consultations were sent to London’s main specialist retailer, The Vintage House, or one of the major Scottish retailers, The Whisky Castle in Tomintoul, nor to some of the important specialist whisky shops around the world. For example, Park Avenue Liquors in New York, Whisky Koning in Holland, Scoma in Germany and Liquors Hasegawa in Tokyo, Japan, to name just four such shops. If you want to get a true opinion of how disastrous the term “Blended Malt Whisky” will be to overall malt whisky sales worldwide you should be seeking out such international views and opinions. Scotch whisky is not a product only sold in the UK.
A proper consultation should also include some of the major whisky importing specialist companies around the world. For example, I have mentioned Taiwan above. I doubt that you will find one import company in Taiwan, other than with ties to Diageo (the driving force behind this ridiculous proposal) or other such multi-national whisky companies, that is in favour of the term “Blended Malt Whisky”.
Last, but by no means least I would like to draw your attentions to the comments made by myself and John Lamond in the new 2007 edition of The Malt Whisky File. This publication is one of the major selling such publications worldwide. It is currently being translated into Japanese. I am adding attachment to the comments we made on pages 11 to 21 of this publication, together with the two title pages. If you would like a copy of this book to refer to please let me know and I will send you a copy.
I remain,
Yours sincerely,
ROBIN TUCEK
MANAGING DIRECTOR
BLACKADDER INTERNATIONAL LTD
Senast redigerad av Thomas den ons mar 26, 2008 6:54 am, redigerad totalt 1 gång.
-
ardbeg67
- Inlägg: 4730
- Blev medlem: mån sep 25, 2006 5:14 pm
Uppmaning
Borde det inte räcka med begreppet vatted malt, dvs ta bort Pure malt. Det i sig är ju även ett förvirrande begrepp som borde tas bort enligt min uppfattning. Ett (1) begrepp räcker för mig!
Edit: givetvis påskrivet under gårdagen!
Edit: givetvis påskrivet under gårdagen!
Senast redigerad av ardbeg67 den tor mar 27, 2008 10:30 am, redigerad totalt 1 gång.
-
robertk
- Inlägg: 1666
- Blev medlem: tis apr 19, 2005 9:19 pm
Uppmaning
ardbeg67 skrev:Borde det inte räcka med begreppet vatted malt, dvs ta bort Pure malt. Det i sig är ju även ett förvirrande begrepp som borde tas bort enligt min uppfattning. Ett (1) begrepp räcker för mig!
Problemet med "Vatted" är att ingen icke-initierad person har en aning om vad det betyder.. kolla in vad vi MM's föreslår som alternativ på Whiskyfun eller på Malt madness. Enklare än så blir det nog inte!
mvh, Robert
