The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009

Compulsory sales descriptions

8.—(1) The category into which a Scotch Whisky falls must be stated on—

(a) the front of a container of Scotch Whisky; and

(b) any individual packaging used for the transportation of the container, or used for display purposes during the marketing of the whisky, unless, in both cases, the front of the container is clearly visible through that packaging.

(2) The categories are—

(a) Single Malt Scotch Whisky;

(b) Single Grain Scotch Whisky;

(c) Blended Malt Scotch Whisky;

(d) Blended Grain Scotch Whisky; and

(e) Blended Scotch Whisky.

(3) The name of the category must be—

(a) printed in a conspicuous place in such a way as to be easily visible and legible to the naked eye and indelible so that it is clear that it is the sales description of the whisky;

(b) printed in a way that gives equal prominence to each word making up the name of the category; and

(c) as prominent as any other description of the whisky on the container or packaging, except for—

(i) any separate use of the description “Scotch Whisky”;

(ii) any statement relating to the year in which the whisky was distilled, the year in which it was bottled, the period for which it was matured or the age of the whisky; and

(iii) any descriptive word or words forming part of the brand name.

(4) The name of the category must not be—

(a) overlaid or interrupted by other written or pictorial matter; or

(b) used in conjunction with any other words.

(5) But paragraph (4)(b) does not prevent the name of a Scottish locality or region from being appended to the name of the category of the whisky to indicate where the Scotch Whisky was distilled if —

(a) it appears immediately before the name of the category;

(b) the whisky was distilled in the named locality or region; and

(c) the use of that name does not otherwise contravene regulation 10.

(6) A person must not label, package or sell any Scotch Whisky in a way that does not comply with paragraph (1), (3) or (4).

(7) A person must not label, package, sell, advertise or promote any Scotch Whisky as falling within a category if it does not fall into that category.