Fake article regarding new EU regulation (ban of NAS whiskies)

Slàinte_Mhath · December 11 2016 at 1:32PM

Hi malt mates,

I just stumbled upon this article:

https://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2016/04/all-whisky-to-carry-age-statements-by-2019-exclusive/

Quote: ...within 12 months, every spirit produced in the EU will need to declare its age on the label.

Furthermore:

... all spirits made in the EU will need to display the following information:

age (years/months)
ingredients (all raw materials/botanicals used)
additives/colouring (for example, caramel/oak essence)
all blended whiskies must show the age of each component, and percentage of malts and grains

Given that this information is true, the whole BREXIT discussion and Scotland's wish to remain part of the EU could have a huge impact on Scotch whisky in the next few years!?

Thoughts?

Slàinte Mhath

hwchoy · December 11 2016 at 6:03PM

@SlàinteMhath

Furthermore, all blended whiskies will be named "Compass Box".

kroman · December 12 2016 at 3:58AM

@SlàinteMhath ;

This came up in a previous post. Please read "https://www.whisky.com/forum/discussion/comment/2148#Comment_2148" for more information; I explain it all in there. In short, this is a joke article and is not going to happen.

Slàinte_Mhath · December 12 2016 at 7:57AM

@kroman

Ahh. I think you must probably live in the EU - or associated countries - to understand that this scenario was very realistic. EU is regulating more or less everything.

From a US or Asian perspective, this article might easily be spotted as a joke but having followed stupid EU regulations for decades - even in Norway that is not even in the EU - this did not sound like a joke at all.

It would not even surprise me if we have the same discussion in a couple of years again, when this is actually NO joke - given that EU still exists by then...

Considering the stubbornness of the Scotch Whisky Association, I would have applauded as a customer if they'd be forced to change their rules towards more transparency.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to what we as a customer buy and decide to avoid. Although every brand ambassador tries to convince me that NAS has nothing to do with diminished stocks, I am not buying or reviewing any NAS whiskies - except for some prominent bottlings where there is a very good reason for not indicating the age. Take Kilchoman for example, young distillery, excellent stuff - and I am more than confident they will introduce an entry level malt with 10 or 12 years when their stocks are ready.

Slàinte Mhath!

hwchoy · December 12 2016 at 10:40AM

@SlàinteMhath

sometimes I'm not sure why a distillery choose not to state the age. Eg the Jura Tastival 2016, bring a one off bottling, they shouldn't have a concern with not being able to replicate the age parcels. They could have stated the age as 14 or 18 years but chose not to.

bedlamborn · December 12 2016 at 3:59PM

@hwchoy
If Jura used whisky of different ages for Jura Tastival than it is a problem stating the age as they could only state the age of the youngest whisky. Like the Compass box and their whiskies that may only contain 1% three year old whisky but still they have to write 3 year old on the label.

hwchoy · December 12 2016 at 8:15PM

@bedlamborn

yes. in the case of Jura Tastival 2016, it was said by Steve Prentice

https://www.somersetwhisky.com/review-jura-tastival-2016/

that the composition was "Jura 19 year old seasoned for 5 years in an 11 year old Palomino Fino sherry cask, Jura 14 year old seasoned for 4 years in a 15 year old Oloroso Amoroso sherry cask, and Jura 15 year old seasoned for 3 years in a 30 year old Oloroso Apostoles sherry cask."

meaning they could have stated 14 years at the very least, or 18 years if the second maturation in sherry casks were to be included.

now even 14 years is not too shabby, so I wonder why they would choose not to state it.

[Deleted User] · December 12 2016 at 9:10PM

@hwchoy

There are only a few NAS Scotches that I would consider purchasing. Too many good bottles are out there with an age statement. The marketeer argument that NAS simply allows the blenders greater freedom in creating a taste profile is insulting to anyone with more than a beginner-level knowledge of whisky. :banghead: I have much more respect for the companies that admit that a shortage of aged stocks is driving the NAS releases.

Shmotch · December 12 2016 at 9:32PM

@SlàinteMhath

NAS I would be more comfortable with if the distilleries gave us more information on what is in the bottle, for instance Laphroiag Lore apparently has 7 year and 21 year in it...however with Macallan, i feel that they put out the Gold because their 12 year stock was running low

hwchoy · December 13 2016 at 3:22AM

@Carlton

it could be they simply wanted some 3 yo in the recipe and didn't want to put it as "3 years".

On on the other hand we have Jura with a 14/18 years youngest in the recipe and yet chose not to do so.

bedlamborn · December 13 2016 at 8:58PM

@hwchoy
I know that some blenders don't want to put the youngest whisky on the bottle because that will fool some people. I wish that the rules were relaxed so that they could write out exactly what is in the bottle.