Comment – AOC: quality guarantee or straitjacket?

Geographic appellations have existed in the wine world for centuries. In the spirits sector, however, the appellation has been much more sparingly used. But geographical definition is at the core of Scotch whisky’s identity and success, and Patience Gould laments that UK-based gin brands did not seek to defend London Gin as a geographical descriptor, while acknowledging that appellations offer both pros and cons.