No, it’s not the Olympics. Scotland is celebrating another golden prize, as news reaches us from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) that the People’s Republic of China has agreed to register “Scotch Whisky” as a trademark.

Following an SWA application, the Chinese Trade Mark Office under Administration of Industry & Commerce (AIC) has agreed to protect “Scotch Whisky” as a Geographical Indication (GI) by registering it as a “collective trade mark”. As a result, there will be nationwide official protection of
the description “Scotch Whisky” and its Chinese translation.
It is the highest level protection granted by the Chinese government to a foreign spirit drink as a Geographical Indication (GI) in China.

Scottish distillers will now be able to take more effective legal action in the Chinese courts to ensure that only whisky made in Scotland is sold as “Scotch
Whisky”.

The SWA reports that the equivalent of 17 million bottles of Scotch Whisky were shipped to China in 2007. Yet in 2006 alone, the SWA and Chinese authorities jointly investigated around 50 suspect products, with stocks subsequently seized and destroyed.

In related news, the Social Travellers Site is reporting that “In Scotland, it will be legal for adults to buy drinks for minors in 2009.”. Good news for minors with a taste for Scotch Whisky, but are we sure that this is correct? Anyone know any different?