Author name: Mark Gillespie

Supreme Court to Rule on “Bad Spaniel’s” Trademark Lawsuit

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March 22, 2023 – In a nearly 90-minute hearing punctuated with laughter, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a lawsuit over whether a “Bad Spaniel’s” dog toy violates the trademark protection Jack Daniel’s has for its whisky bottles. The lawsuit (Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc v. VIP Products) filed by Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman claims the dog toy creates consumer confusion, while the poop-themed toy’s maker argues it falls within legal exceptions for parodies. The Supreme Court agreed to take the case after VIP Products won an appeals court ruling when the court used a standard defining when Read More »

Whisky Lost and Found (Episode 996: March 19, 2023)

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1983 was a very bad year to be in the Scotch Whisky business. Sales had dried up in the face of changing consumer tastes and economic woes, and the industry was sitting on a “whisky loch” of millions of gallons of whisky no one wanted to buy. That led to the permanent or temporary closings of 14 distilleries, along with blending and bottling plants throughout Scotland. 40 years later, the industry has recovered – but have the lessons from 1983 been remembered? We’ll talk with historians Charles Maclean and Dr. Nick Morgan about the circumstances that led to mass closings Read More »

Chancellor Slams Whisky Industry With Tax Hike

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March 15, 2023 – The Scotch Whisky Association’s pleas for a freeze on excise duty fell on deaf ears, as Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s new budget calls for a 10.1% increase in duty on whisky and other distilled spirits. Hunt’s budget plans a tax increase in line with inflation effective August 1 for all four alcohol categories (distilled spirits, wine, beer, and cider), with relief being offered for on-draught products sold at bars and restaurants. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, the duty rate on spirits will rise to £31.64 per liter of pure alcohol, raising the tax burden on an Read More »

American Spirits Exports Reach Record High

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March 12, 2023 – American distillers exported a record $2.06 billion in spirits during 2022, a 30 percent gain over 2021 as the temporary end of tariffs on Bourbons and other American whiskies helped exports rebound. According to a new report from the Distilled Spirits Council, American whisky exports grew 32 percent with a value of $1.28 billion during the year. “Growth to the European Union and United Kingdom lagged behind other markets,” DISCUS Vice President of International Trade Rob Maron told WhiskyCast in a telephone interview. Both trade partners ended their punitive tariffs on American whisky exports in 2022, Read More »

The State of Scotch (Episode 995: March 12, 2023)

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Mark Kent left the UK’s diplomatic service 14 months ago to become the new CEO of the Scotch Whisky Association, and admits he didn’t know much about Scotch when he started. With the industry in a state of flux over issues ranging from a potential marketing and advertising ban in Scotland to free trade and climate change, it’s been a busy 14 months for Kent. He’ll join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss the state of the Scotch Whisky industry and those key issues it faces. In the news, Islay distillers are scrambling to find new sources of Read More »

Choosing Passion (Episode 944: March 5, 2023)

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Melissa Rift’s career path is anything but traditional for a whisky maker. She started out as a family therapist before discovering her passion for Bourbon, and it’s led her to become the new master taster for Old Forester. We’ll explore her journey and her passion for whisky on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Jack Daniel’s has been ordered to stop work on one of its new barrel houses after a neighbor sued over whisky fungus problems, while Kentucky distillers are hoping a bill pending in the state legislature could mean the end of the “barrel tax.” Links: Old Read More »

Whisky Fungus Lawsuit Halts Work on Jack Daniel’s Warehouse

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March 2, 2023 – Jack Daniel’s is being ordered to stop work on a new whisky warehouse being built near the distillery in Lincoln County, Tennessee. The county’s chancellor ordered zoning officials to issue a stop-work order after a lawsuit over the “whiskey fungus” that has covered a neighboring events venue with black mold. Christi Long sued local zoning officials over what her lawyer described as improperly approved permits for the warehouses. Six have already been built on the site, with a seventh under construction. County Chancellor J.B. Cox ruled that the permitting process was never fully completed in issuing Read More »

Forming Your Own Whisky Club

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February 27, 2023 – We all know that whisky is best when it’s shared with friends, and whisky clubs are becoming more and more popular…but how do you form a whisky club? We’re going to stay away from the huge clubs with hundreds of members, and focus instead on smaller clubs…like the Texas Whiskey Association and Tasting Society in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Martin Fielder founded the group, which has around 25 members that meet in his home once a month to learn more about whisky. “I thought, there’s no way in the world I’m ever going to drink all this whiskey by myself. Read More »

Barrel Tax Bill Under Consideration in Kentucky Legislature

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February 28, 2023 – Kentucky state lawmakers have just 11 legislative days left to consider a bill that would phase out the state’s “barrel tax” on barrels of aging Bourbon. House Bill 5 would start phasing out the tax in 2026 and end it completely in 2039, and is pending in the Kentucky House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Kentucky is the only state that taxes inventories of maturing spirits, and the tax raised approximately $40 million for local governments in 2021. Distillers have the ability to take a credit for the barrel taxes they pay against their corporate state income Read More »

Club Whisky (Episode 993: February 27, 2023)

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There are literally hundreds of whisky clubs around the world, with more being formed all the time. This week on WhiskyCast, we’ll hear from some club founders on how they started their clubs, along with advice for those thinking about forming a whisky club. In the news, Russia is planning “grey market” imports of some key whisky brands to evade trade sanctions, while Scotland’s controversial bottle deposit program may be in trouble. We’re also announcing the launch of the new WhiskyCast Community mobile app this week, too! Links: The Herald | Edrington | GMB Scotland | Campari Group | Elixir Read More »

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