Scotch Makers Slam English Single Malt Whisky Proposal

Plans to allow English whisky producers to use the term "single malt" have sparked backlash from Scottish distilleries and politicians, Mitchell Labiak and Dearbail Jordan reported for BBC News.

Under the proposal for English single malt whisky, the spirit would only need to be distilled at one site, while mashing and fermentation could occur elsewhere.

The UK government is considering a proposal that would permit distillers in England to label their spirits as "single malt English whisky", provided they are made at a single distillery.

However, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has strongly opposed the move, arguing that it "devalues" traditional single malt whisky because the English process is reportedly simpler than the established Scottish method.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said that no final decision has been made and that the application process is ongoing.

"What Scotch whisky does is it takes the malted barley, creates the mash, ferments it, and then distills it at one site," explained Graham Littlejohn, director of strategy and communications at the SWA, speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland.

"What the English proposal would do is strip away the first two of those three elements, fundamentally weakening the connection to place that defines single malt Scotch whisky," he added.

Under the proposal for English single malt whisky, the spirit would only need to be distilled at one site, while mashing and fermentation could occur elsewhere.

The English Whisky Guild, which supports the proposal, stated that its distilleries collaborate with local breweries—not necessarily located on the same site—to leverage brewing expertise and create distinct, innovative whiskies.

The guild emphasized its agreement with the SWA that "provenance and a sense of place" are crucial for whisky production, while also noting that English distillers must source their grain from within the UK.