Indian liquor manufacturers cannot use the word “Scot” or “Scotch”

Indian liquor manufacturers cannot use the word “Scot” or “Scotch”

This news is going to disappoint a lot of domestic maker of liquor products. An Indian court has ruled that domestic whisky manufacturers in the country cannot use the word “Scot” or “Scotch”.

This decision is in compliance to the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement. This also happens to be the first such ruling related to the protection of geographical indications under the WTO-TRIPS agreement.

The Delhi High Courts ruled that the terms “Scot” or “Scotch” identify whisky produced in Scotland. And this means that no Indian whiskey manufacturer can use them to market its liquor.

The WTO-TRIPS agreement essentially governs trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights. The judgment was made in a case filed by the Scotch Whisky Association of the United Kingdom who wanted to stop Golden Bottling Ltd. from using these terms on their products.

The courts also ruled that Golden Bottling would have to pay damages of 500,000 rupees to the Scotch Association and its members for passing off its liquor as Scotch whisky. In addition, they would also have to pay another 310,000 rupees as litigation cost.