Cape Breton whisky makers lose round

[robthehiker]

You could say exactly the same about MacDonald but just try opening a burger bar with that name over the door just because you might be called that. Those guys are seriously litigious and would have you in court before you could draw breath. Lots of people are called MacDonald though - I even know one or two myself. I don't think Canada is the real problem but if they start selling the stuff other places like Japan or India which are big markets for scotch anyone there seeing the word "Glen" is immediately going to associate it with scotch. They might not even be able to translate the rest of the label but they will have heard of GLEN fiddich or GLEN morangie or GLEN moray before and assume it is the same.

Certainly "glen" offers some name recognition, but Glenora Distillers is based in Glenville, next to the community of Glenora Falls in Nova Scotia, a province named New Scotland (in Latin).

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Certainly "glen" offers some name recognition, but Glenora Distillers is based in Glenville, next to the community of Glenora Falls in Nova Scotia, a province named New Scotland (in Latin).

The problem isn't that they called their product Glenora, but Glen Breton, a totally made up place name. And obviously, a place name made up to cash in on the fact that many, if not most, premium brands of Scotch whisky are "Glen" whiskies. If you were to ask 100 Scotch drinkers where Glen Breton whiskey was distilled there is a very high probability that 100 of them would say Scotland. That's why the courts found in favour of the Scotch Whisky Association.

[dowofbuchanan]

well i dont drink enough scotch im 20 and im not sending some one with 75 bucks to the store to get the wrong bottle at the bar they only carry dewars johnny black and CLAN BUCHANAN which i told the owner i should drink for free i like glenlivet and glenfiddich but not as easy to procure but in my knowledge whisky is only scotch and whiskey is everything else why are the canadians using the scottish spelling well if they cant figure it out ill have to stick to my homebrew it burns more but i dont have a name for it

[robthehiker]

well i dont drink enough scotch im 20 and im not sending some one with 75 bucks to the store to get the wrong bottle at the bar they only carry dewars johnny black and CLAN BUCHANAN which i told the owner i should drink for free i like glenlivet and glenfiddich but not as easy to procure but in my knowledge whisky is only scotch and whiskey is everything else why are the canadians using the scottish spelling well if they cant figure it out ill have to stick to my homebrew it burns more but i dont have a name for it

from http://whiskynews.blogspot.com/2005/...elling-is.html

"Whisky or Whiskey - which spelling is correct?
Maybe that should have been the very first post on this whisky blog - whisky or whiskey? Most well-known dictionaries give both spellings. The Oxford English Dictionary points out that in modern trade usage, Scotch Whisky and Irish Whiskey are thus distinguished in spelling. Well, that's right. However, not to forget Canadian and US whiskies. Canadian rye whisky is usually spelt without, while American-made whiskey with an 'e'. Although, there are always exceptions. For instance, Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, one of the most popular bourbon in the US. So, it's not true that all Kentucky Bourbon is called 'whiskey'."

So Canadian whisky (what we'd refer to as "rye whisky") is usually spelled without the "e". Frankly that's news to me!

[siva011]

On a similar note, if this whiskey case is considered to be ok... could then a move be made to make companies like USA Kilts no longer be able to refer to their garments as "kilts"? Why not, since kilts are Scottish and a consumer could assume the kilt in question comes from Scotland, in the same way they assume using the word "Glen" will confuse whiskey drinkers as to where the product comes from.

Once you set the precedent....

[ForresterModern]

.....if this whiskey case .......

I like the soiund of that phrase, "whisky case", but probably for different reasons than its usage above.

Sounds like a tempest in a teapot to me. Single malt whiskies are made in numerous countries around the world, and Scotch, Irish, and Canadian are defined terms when they precede the word whisk(e)y. Scotch whisky, in order to be termed scotch, by definition has to be distilled, casked, and then rested in a previously used cask on scottish soil for a minimum of three years. I am sure other varieties have their own specific determinators that define the breed (bourbon must be laid in a fresh new oak cask to be called bourbon). What you name it after that is all marketing, and that is what this whole lawsuit is about, marketing.

The Canadians should be able to call their whiskey Glen whatever if they like, just like many canadian and American whiskies carry a family name that might be of scottish or irish origin, it does not imply that it is scotch or irish whisky just by the name. Much ado about nothing (never thought I would describe anything having to do with fine whiskey as "nothing").

[Colonel MacNeal]

I like the soiund of that phrase, "whisky case", but probably for different reasons than its usage above.

Sounds like a tempest in a teapot to me. Single malt whiskies are made in numerous countries around the world, and Scotch, Irish, and Canadian are defined terms when they precede the word whisk(e)y. Scotch whisky, in order to be termed scotch, by definition has to be distilled, casked, and then rested in a previously used cask on scottish soil for a minimum of three years. I am sure other varieties have their own specific determinators that define the breed (bourbon must be laid in a fresh new oak cask to be called bourbon). What you name it after that is all marketing, and that is what this whole lawsuit is about, marketing.

The Canadians should be able to call their whiskey Glen whatever if they like, just like many canadian and American whiskies carry a family name that might be of scottish or irish origin, it does not imply that it is scotch or irish whisky just by the name. Much ado about nothing (never thought I would describe anything having to do with fine whiskey as "nothing").

And the fact that it says CANADIAN or CANADA in big letters on the packaging should make this a "no brainer."

[Colonel MacNeal]

Glen Campbell - watch out!
Actually, he might be OK, he's only 0.25% whiskey in his mug shot.