UK Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds on Wednesday 21 August visited Glengoyne Distillery in Scotland to celebrate Brazil’s decision to grant special protected status to Scotch Whisky - bolstering ‘Brand Scotland’ by promoting iconic Scottish products across the world.
Former British Ambassador to Buenos Aires has been chosen to head the Scotch Whisky Association, something which was no surprise at all in the Argentine capital, where he proved to be quite a connoisseur on the subject.
Exports of Scotch whisky hit a record high last year, according to new figures. Analysis of HMRC data by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) found exports grew 7.8% by value to £4.7bn. The number of bottles exported also reached record levels, growing by 3.6% to 1.28 billion.
With whisky boosting the UK economy by about £5 billion a year, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said ministers are keen to open up new markets around the world for the iconic drink. He spoke out ahead of a meeting on the island of Islay, in the Hebrides, which is home to several distilleries.
A new scheme has been launched to protect the Scotch whisky industry from fake or sub-standard products. The Spirit Drinks Verification Scheme has been set up by the UK government to help consumers identify genuine UK-made products.
Emerging markets helped boost Scotch whisky exports by 22% in the first half of this year, according to new figures. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said global shipments between January and June reached £1.8bn, up from £1.47bn achieved during the same period in 2010.