Whisky protection: New measures in Turkey.
New legal protection for Scotch whisky has been introduced in Turkey.
The country's authorities have ruled that only whisky that has been made in Scotland can be sold as Scotch whisky. The ruling protects the consumer from products that claim to be genuine Scotch whisky but have actually been produced elsewhere, often to lower standards than would be required for genuine Scotch whisky.
The 'geographical indication of origin' (GI) status has never before been applied to any foreign produce in Turkey. GI status identifies products that have a recognisable quality, reputation or other characteristic that is linked to it coming from a particular place.
Scotch whisky is already protected by GI status in other countries including India, China and Thailand. It is also protected in Europe through the EU and in other parts of the world through EU agreements. The legal ruling means that it will give greater protection for Scotch Whisky in the courts in Turkey.
Alan Park, Legal Advisor at the Scotch Whisky Association, said: "It's a breakthrough for the industry that Scotch Whisky has become the first foreign product GI to be registered in Turkey where there are around 150 domestic GIs.
"There is a huge demand for Scotch Whisky from discerning Turkish consumers and from tourists visiting the country. It is important that they have confidence in the quality and integrity of what they are buying."
Last year, the value of the Turkish market for Scotch Whisky was £21.6m.
