Scotch Whisky Act 1988

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Scotch Whisky Act 1988
Act of Parliament
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
Long title An Act to make provision as to the definition of Scotch whisky and as to the production and sale of whisky; and for connected purposes.
Citation 1988 c. 22
Territorial extentEngland and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland (section 4 only)
Dates
Royal assent 28 June 1988
Commencement 28 June 1988 (sections 4 and 5)
30 April 1990 (sections 1 to 3)
Repealed23 November 2009
Other legislation
Repealed by Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Scotch Whisky Act 1988 was an Act to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, passed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II on 28 June 1988, with the long title "An Act to make provision as to the definition of Scotch whisky and as to the production and sale of whisky; and for connected purposes.". [1]

The act first set out a definition for Scotch whisky – "whisky (distilled and matured in Scotland) as conforms to a definition of Scotch whisky contained in an order made under this subsection by the Ministers". [2]

It also made it illegal to sell whisky as "Scotch whisky" if it does not conform to the definitions laid out in the Act, or sell whisky with an alcoholic strength of more than 94.8%.

The Act was repealed in its entirety by the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 which came into effect on 23 November 2009.

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Scotch whisky Malt or grain whisky distilled in Scotland

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Whisky Distilled alcoholic beverage

Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are often old sherry casks or may also be made of charred white oak.

Single malt Scotch

Single malt Scotch refers to single malt whisky made in Scotland. To qualify for this category, a whisky must have been distilled at a single distillery using a pot still distillation process and made from a mash of malted barley. Therefore, a single malt means that the whisky has not been blended elsewhere with whisky from other distilleries. As with any Scotch whisky, a single malt Scotch must be distilled in Scotland and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years, although most single malts are matured longer.

Speyside single malt Single malt Scotch whiskies distilled in Strathspey,

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Malt whisky is whisky made from a fermented mash consisting primarily of malted barley. If the product is made exclusively at a single distillery, it is typically called a single malt whisky. Although malt whisky can be made using other malted grains besides barley, those versions are not called malt whisky without specifying the grain, such as rye malt whisky or buckwheat malt whisky.

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References

  1. "Scotch Whisky Act 1988" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. 28 June 1988. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  2. Uk Govt. (28 June 1988). "Statute Law UK". Crown Copyright. Retrieved 20 November 2008.