CANADA: SWA loses Canadian whisky fight

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 25 January 2007

The Scotch Whisky Association has lost its trademark fight over a Canadian whisky.

Canada's trademark authorities have rejected the SWA's attempts to stop the country's Glenora Distillers International from registering the Glen Breton trademark.

The UK-based Scotch industry body had argued that the use of the word 'Glen' would confuse consumers who might believe the Canadian whisky is Scotch.

Speaking to local reporters, a spokesperson at Glenora said this week that, after hearings last month, the Canadian Intellectual Propery Office has rejected the SWA's argument.

When contacted by just-drinks today (25 January), a spokesperson for the SWA said: "The Association wholly disagrees with the CIPO decision, which regrettably goes against well-established international case law, and we will be filing an appeal in the near future.

"Our concern is to ensure that Scotch Whisky is protected from unfair competition."

Sectors: Spirits

Companies: SWA, Glenora