The petition to create a 'Scotch Charter' was posted on Change.org this morning.
Victor Brierley, the man behind the creation of the Scotch Charter, says the petition is aimed at everyone "with an interest in securing the place of Scotch as the world's most iconic and famous whisky".
The facts about whisky
Victor, who runs drinks consultancy firm Liqour to Lips, argues the Scotch whisky industry is under threat from falling exports, increased competition and a lack of a whisky tourism strategy.
The Scotch whisky charter. Picture: Liquor to Lips
In a comment piece for Scotsman Food and Drink, he said: "Because nobody owns our national drink, you could do the rounds, speaking to the great and good in the Industry to try and create one, unified story of whisky, which Scotland can tell the world. The Scotch story. Our gift to the world. One, global message, free from the confines of competitive wrangling or mixed messages."
The charter itself calls for action on ten distinct points:
• The creation of a digital portal as a definitive Scotch whisky resource.
• A new tourism strategy that places focuses on a a new united whisky trail and encouragement to open all distilleries to the public.
• A dedicated Scotch minister to provide representation at government level.
• A genuine push to reduce duty and a drive to increase investment in the industry at the next UK bidget.
• The creation of independent Scotch ambassadors similar to those employed by the Mexican government to promote tequila as their national drink.
• An accredited training scheme for Scotch whisky education for everyone
• An accreditation system for Scotch similar to the Cask Marque for real ale pubs.
• The creation of a club for global Scotch fans, bloggers, venues, distillers, bottlers, retailers and professionals.
• Protected status for Scotch such as the NOM system for tequila. A public facing mark, on bottles, which would help to provide transparency.
• The return of www.scotch.com to the public domain.
You can find more details here, and sign up for the charter here.
Scottish whisky facts:
• The Scotch whisky industry is worth £5 billion to the UK economy annually, supporting 40,000 jobs.
• Every second 40 bottles are exported earning £135 for the taxpayer, totalling £1 billion each year.
• Scotch is the 3rd biggest industry in Scotland, bigger than the UK’s iron and steel, shipbuilding or computer industries.
• Last year 99 million cases of #Scotch were exported, around 78% of Scotland’s, (and 25 per cent of the UK's) food and drink exports.
