Is ‘English Single Malt’ Really a Threat to Scotch?

What’s in a name? A hell of a lot if you’re a devotee of single malt Scotch whisky.

Earlier this year, the U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs began consideration of an English Whisky GI (geographical indication) proposal that would allow whisky makers to leverage the official moniker “English Single Malt” on their products.

In and of itself, the request is reasonable. Yet Scottish producers are bristling at a particular feature: significantly looser regulations on the where and how of production compared to Scotland’s requirements for its inimitable single malt designation.

Protest of the perceived affront from the Scotch Whisky Association, a leading trade group representing over 90 companies across the Scotch whisky sector, was swift and unequivocal.

In a joint statement with the Irish and Welsh Whisk(e)y Associations, the SWA firmly pushed back against the English application: “The proposal to define ‘Single Malt’ English Whisky only requires distillation at the single distillery location, and not the creation of the spirit from malted barley at a single site. This is entirely inconsistent with the reputation of Single Malt whisky, which is famous for its integral connection to place, and would undermine the Single Malt Scotch Whisky category.”

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Scotch whisky producers turn malted barley into mash, then ferment it and distill it at one site. “What the English proposal would do is to strip away the first two of those three elements and really remove the fundamental connection to place that single malt Scotch whisky has,” SWA director of strategy and communications Graham Littlejohn told BBC Good Morning Scotland.

(When reached for further comment, the SWA declined and referred to the original statement, citing ongoing arbitration.)

To be clear, no one is arguing that English whisky should be denied its own GI designation or a provision for English single malt. The SWA says it would normally welcome English whisky into the club, stating, “We hoped that a resolution could be found to protect the integrity of the Single Malt category and allow the English GI to proceed.”

But without equivalent standards regarding production location, the SWA isn’t on board.

Too Close to Home

Ironically, the “single malt” legal definition is used variously—and with more relaxed requirements here and there—across an international spectrum of global malt whisky producers, including American and Japanese.

So, why does this one feel like a stab to the heart for Scots? It’s in their backyard.

“The American consumer is going to compare it immediately to Scotch whisky,” says Heather Greene, NYC’s first female whiskey sommelier, author and CEO/master blender at Milam & Greene Whiskey in Texas Hill Country. “[But] many will assume that it’s similar to Scotch whisky. More similar than different because they’re so [geographically] close.”

On paper, it’s the proximity that seems to be the main issue concerning a difference in regulation. Yet it’s impossible to ignore an undercurrent of Scottish cultural indignation given the English origin of the slight.

Greene adds that an ongoing whisky glut, trade drama and a decline in sales are all probably adding to the palpable sensitivity from Scotch producers. “They may perceive this as something carving into their market share,” she says. “They’re protecting their economy. Here’s another kind of single malt right next door. It may feel like [England] is nipping at their ankles.”

On paper, it’s the proximity that seems to be the main issue concerning a difference in regulation. Yet it’s impossible to ignore an undercurrent of Scottish cultural indignation given the English origin of the slight.

Feel or not, Jonny Fowle, global head of whisky and spirits for Sotheby’s, sees the move as a rightful defense of U.K. house rules as laid down by the single malt Scotch template.

“I understand that the SWA wants to uphold Scotch as the highest model of integrity in the world,” he says. “I don’t blame them for taking that position.” But he doesn’t believe that the application from the English Whisky Guild is designed to be some sort of willful slap in the face to single malt Scotch producers. In his eyes, it’s simply a strategy for product differentiation.

The ‘Why’ of Looser Regulations

The intended endgame for the English proposal appears to be a culture of flexible exploration and experimentation—all contained within a legally recognized and protected English single malt designation. Products labeled as such do already exist, yet these examples don’t have a clearly defined and safeguarded category under U.K. law.

It would offer a marked contrast to the strict rules employed by Scotch producers to emphasize their whisky’s undeniable sense of place and terroir. “If you’re trying to launch any type of product, having room for disruption could have some benefit,” Fowle says. “It’s useful to be able to say, ‘We’re not identical. We’re different.’ I think it’ll help tell a story.”

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The flip side, though? Perplexing consumers. “How does this not get confusing for people?” Greene asks. “The average consumer is already completely confused.”

She wonders if the differentiation, while allowing for innovation, could backfire by muddying the attempt to establish a clear brand identity for the English single malt category. And besides, essential to the joy of single malt Scotch is its strict adherence to a sense of place. “The less rules you have, the less exclusive it feels,” she adds.

A Clear and Present Danger to Scotch Producers?

Despite the emotion and pride involved in the controversy for Scotland, neither veteran whisk(e)y expert feels that Scotch is legitimately at risk of losing meaningful market share to English whisky—let alone single malt. “I struggle to imagine that there’s any disruptive influence, at least in the short term,” Fowle says. “Even Taiwanese would [rank] ahead of English Single Malt.”

As arbitration continues, with no date specified for a final decision, single malt Scotch will continue to be the guiding star for malt whiskies the world over. “It’s the benchmark,” Greene says. “Anyone who decides to create a product against a benchmark, you’d better be well-armed.”

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