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89-555: Chivas Brothers is a Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky . It is owned by Pernod Ricard since 2001. The company was founded in 1786, with its home being in the Strathisla distillery at Keith, Moray in Speyside , Scotland , and is the oldest continuously operating Highland distillery. Brothers James and John Chivas, born in 1810 and 1814 respectively, were two of fourteen children born to Robert and Christian Chivas, living on

178-518: A $ 1.2 billion takeover of French cognac maker Martell & Cie . In 1995, Edgar Bronfman Jr. was eager to enter the film and electronic media business. On April 6, 1995, after being approached by Bronfman, DuPont announced a deal whereby the company would buy back its shares from Seagram for $ US9 billion. Seagram was heavily criticized by the investment community; the 24.3% stake in DuPont accounted for 70% of Seagram's earnings. Standard & Poor's took

267-544: A 2013 interview with The Globe and Mail , Charles Bronfman (uncle of Edgar Jr.) stated about the decisions leading to the demise of Seagram: "It was a disaster, it is a disaster, it will be a disaster. It was a family tragedy." Seagram distilleries by country prior to the dissolution: Seagram distillery Seagram's had more than 180 alcohol brands at the time the wine and spirits division sale to Diageo and Pernod-Ricard : The Seagram name survives today in various well-known drinks. Seagram's Seven Crown , used to make

356-602: A 32.2% stake in Conoco, DuPont was brought in as a white knight by the oil company and entered the bidding war. Seagram lost the bidding war, though in exchange for its stake in Conoco it became a 24.3% owner of DuPont. By 1995, Seagram was DuPont's largest single shareholder with four seats on its board. In 1986, the company started a TV commercial campaign advertising its Golden wine cooler products. With Bruce Willis as pitchman , Seagram rose from fifth place among distillers to first in just two years. In 1987, Seagram engineered

445-433: A cornerstone of the country's economy exported to nearly 180 markets. The Scotch Whisky Association estimated that Scotland's whisky industry supported 40,000 jobs and accounted for £4.37 billion in exports in 2017. Of that total, single malt Scotch accounted for £1.17 billion in exports, a 14% increase over 2016. The drink is exported to nearly 180 markets and, in 2022, its exports were valued at over £6 billion for

534-501: A distillation date or a bottling date. Whisky does not mature once bottled, so if no age statement is provided, one may calculate the age of the whisky if both the distillation date and bottling date are given. Labels may also carry various declarations of filtration techniques or final maturation processes. A Scotch whisky labelled as "natural" or "non-chill-filtered" has not been through a filtration process during bottling that removes compounds that some consumers see as desirable. Whisky

623-678: A distinctive product. The SWR regulation also states that no additives may be used except for plain (E150A) caramel colouring. To qualify for this category the Scotch whisky must be made in one distillery, in a pot still by batch distillation, using only water and malted barley. As with any other Scotch whisky, the Scotch Whisky Regulations of 2009 also require single malt Scotch to be made completely and bottled in Scotland and aged for at least three years. Most are aged longer. Another term

712-501: A drink, Scotch whisky was a favourite of King James IV of Scotland . Spirit production was first taxed by the Scottish parliament of January 1644, with an excise duty of 2s 8d imposed per Scots pint ; instigating the illicit distilling of spirits within the country. Between the 1760s and the 1830s a substantial unlicensed trade originated from the Highlands , forming a significant part of

801-512: A long-term agreement to use the Seagram name from Pernod Ricard for these products. A licence from Pernod Ricard to produce Seagram's Cooler Escapes and Seagram's malt-beverage brands has been held by North American Breweries (formerly KPS) since 2009. On April 19, 2006, Pernod Ricard announced that they would be closing the former Seagram distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana , US. The distillery

890-709: A new carbon neutral distillery on Islay, expected to product peated single malt. Chivas Brothers operates many whisky distilleries in Scotland: Chivas Brothers beverage brands include: Scotch whisky : Single malt Scotch whisky: Aberlour , Glen Keith , The Glenlivet , Longmorn , Scapa Blended Scotch whisky: Ballantine's , Chivas Regal , Long John, Passport , Royal Salute , Something Special Scotch whisky Scotch whisky ( Scottish Gaelic : uisge-beatha na h-Alba ; Scots : whisky/whiskie [ˈʍɪski] or whusk(e)y [ˈʍʌski] ), often simply called whisky or Scotch ,

979-421: A number, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to produce that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed age whisky. Scotch whisky without an age statement may, by law, be as young as three years old. In the early 21st century, such "No age statement" whiskies have become more common, as distilleries respond to the depletion of aged stocks caused by improved sales. A label may carry

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1068-431: A partner in 1838. John began working at a wholesale footwear and apparel firm, DL Shirres and Co. This firm would be awarded distribution rights of Chivas Bros from 1860 to 1886, from around John Chivas' entry until James Chivas' death and again later. Edwards died in 1841, and Charles Stewart took over. In 1843, Stewart and Chivas was granted a Royal Warrant to supply goods to Queen Victoria . In 1850, Stewart and Chivas

1157-613: A proliferation in the number of brands. Some were produced at 70–72% alcohol by volume (ABV), but the majority were at 60–65% ABV, imbibed after cutting with water. Arthur Bell defined a "fine whisky" as one that was sold at ~65% ABV. These were savoured after adding soda. Vatting of whiskies within bond warehouses was legalised in 1853 by The Forbes-Mackenzie Act, and, with blending, the number of brands made available for sale increased overnight. During this period, Stewart and James Chivas decided to respond to their affluent customers' demands for better whisky, by blending select malts to create

1246-494: A proprietary blend. The firm's first blended malt Scotch whisky, the Royal Glen Dee, was launched in 1854. Stewart left in 1857, making way for John and the company could now be named Chivas Brothers. In 1863, they launched a proprietary blended Scotch whisky, a smoothly crafted blend of 10-year-old malt and grain whiskies, Royal Strathythan. The May 8, 1890, edition of Scotland Magazine described Chivas Brothers as "undoubtedly

1335-553: A remote Strathythan farm in the Ellon Parish of Aberdeenshire . In 1836, aged 26 and 22 years, James and John decided to leave their poor rustic lifestyle in search of better prospects in Aberdeen , 30 kilometres (20 miles) away. James joined William Edwards, who in 1828 had bought a grocery, luxury goods, wines and liquor emporium from the family members of John Forrest. Forrest had opened his store in 1801, but died in 1828. James became

1424-575: A single distillery and is often used in making blended Scotch. Single grain whiskies are usually not distilled in pot stills but with column stills . Blended malt whisky , formerly called vatted malt or pure malt (terms that are now prohibited in the SWR 2009), is one of the least common types of Scotch: a blend of single malts from more than one distillery (possibly with differing ages). Blended malts contain only single malt whiskies from two or more distilleries. This type must contain no grain whiskies and

1513-429: A single malt; the addition of any whisky from a second distillery is by regulation a blended malt (which will also allow it to be exported in bulk form, unlike single malts which may only be exported bottled ready for sale). Instead the bottler may identify only the general geographical area of the source, or simply market the product using their own brand name without identifying their source. This may, in some cases, give

1602-406: A sluggish, long-drawn affair (1914–18). Existing stocks were depleted quickly as demand outstripped supply. Shipping lanes to USA closed down, and Chivas Bros switched to building reserves at home. Whisky Brokers Morrison & Lundie bought the company in 1936, and decided that it was far too onerous to maintain aged barrels of whisky. They wound up the 20 YO Loch Nevis and reduced the production of

1691-511: A surge in demand for whisky. By the 1890s, almost forty new distilleries had opened in Scotland. The boom years continued until the industry was significantly affected by World War I and later, by the Great Depression ; many of the companies closed and never re-opened. During the 1970s there was a new boom in Scotch whisky production that led to an overproduction in the early 1980s. Starting in 1981 whisky distilleries slashed production by

1780-651: A sustainable future for the Scotch Whisky industry by promoting sustainable production, global trade, and responsible consumption. A Scotch whisky label comprises several elements that indicate aspects of production, age, bottling, and ownership. Some of these elements are regulated by the SWR, and some reflect tradition and marketing. The spelling of the term whisky is often debated by journalists and consumers. Scottish , English , Welsh , Australian and Canadian whiskies use whisky , Irish whiskies use whiskey , while American and other styles vary in their spelling of

1869-572: A third and kept it low for a decade. During that time many distilleries closed. Banff , Brora , Coleburn , Convalmore , Dallas Dhu , Glen Albyn , Glenesk , Glen Flagler , Glenlochy , Glen Mhor , Glenugie , Glenury , Millburn , North Port , Port Ellen and St Magdalene were mothballed, shut down or demolished. Since the 2010s, Scotch whisky has entered a new phase of growth with new distilleries like Ardnahoe and Borders opening and older distilleries like Brora , Port Ellen and Rosebank reopening. As of 23 November 2009 ,

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1958-596: A unit for drinking as a dram . The word whisky comes from the Gaelic uisge beatha or usquebaugh ' water of life' (a calque of Medieval Latin aqua vitae ; compare aquavit ). The earliest record of distillation in Scotland is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland for 1494. To Friar John Cor, by order of the King, to make aqua vitae, VIII bolls of malt. The Exchequer Rolls' record crown income and expenditure and

2047-439: A vatted malt or pure malt, the SWR requiring them to be labelled blended malt instead. The term blended grain Scotch refers to whisky that contains at least two single grain Scotch whiskies from at least two distilleries, combined to create one batch of the product. Blended Scotch whisky constitutes about 90% of the whisky produced in Scotland. Blended Scotch whiskies contain both malt whisky and grain whisky. Producers combine

2136-469: A way that reflected traditional and current practice: before the 2009 SWR, any combination of Scotch whiskies qualified as a blended Scotch whisky, including for example a blend of single malt Scotch whiskies. As was the case under the Scotch Whisky Act 1988, regulation 5 of the SWR 2009 stipulates that the only whisky that may be manufactured in Scotland is Scotch whisky. The definition of manufacture

2225-557: Is malt whisky or grain whisky (or a blend of the two) made in Scotland . The first known written mention of Scotch whisky is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland of 1494. All Scotch whisky was originally made from malted barley . Commercial distilleries began introducing whisky made from wheat and rye in the late 18th century. As of May 2024, there were 151 whisky distilleries operating in Scotland, making Scotch whisky one of

2314-576: Is "keeping for the purpose of maturation; and keeping, or using, for the purpose of blending, except for domestic blending for domestic consumption". This provision prevents the existence of two "grades" of whisky originating from Scotland, one "Scotch whisky" and the other, a "whisky product of Scotland" that complies with the generic EU standard for whisky. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, allowing non-Scotch whisky production in Scotland would make it difficult to protect Scotch whisky as

2403-438: Is aged in various types of casks—and often in used port or sherry casks—during distinct portions of the maturation process, and will take on characteristics, flavour, and aromas from such casks. Special casks are sometimes used at the end of the maturation process, and such whiskies may be labelled as "wood finished", "sherry/port finished", and so on. Scotland's identity and heritage are deeply intertwined with Scotch Whisky,

2492-407: Is between 40% and 46% ABV. Whisky is considerably stronger when first emerging from the cask—normally 60–63% ABV. Water is then added to create the desired bottling strength. If the whisky is not diluted before bottling, it can be labelled as cask strength . A whisky's age may be listed on the bottle providing a guarantee of the youngest whisky used. An age statement on the bottle, in the form of

2581-422: Is distinguished by the absence of the word "single" on the bottle. The age of the vat is that of the youngest of the original ingredients. For example, a blended malt marked "8 years old" may include older whiskies, with the youngest constituent being eight years old. Johnnie Walker Green Label and Monkey Shoulder are examples of blended malt whisky. Starting from November 2011, no Scotch whisky could be labelled as

2670-571: Is known as a no age statement (NAS) whisky, the only guarantee being that all whisky contained in that bottle is at least three years old. The minimum bottling strength according to existing regulations is 40% alcohol by volume. Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: single malt Scotch whisky, single grain Scotch whisky, blended malt Scotch whisky (formerly called "vatted malt" or "pure malt"), blended grain Scotch whisky, and blended Scotch whisky. Many Scotch whisky drinkers refer to

2759-459: Is sometimes seen, called "double wood" or "triple wood", sometimes incorrectly referred to as "double malt" or "triple malt". These indicate that the whisky was aged in two or three types of casks. Hence, if the whisky otherwise meets the criteria of single malt, it still falls into the single malt category even if more than one type of cask was used for ageing. Examples include The Balvenie 12 Year DoubleWood and Laphroaig Triple Wood. Another nuance

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2848-502: Is still debated, as some bottlers maintain that consumers confuse the term with "blended Scotch whisky", which contains some proportion of grain whisky. The brand name featured on the label is usually the same as the distillery name (for example, the Talisker distillery labels its whiskies with the Talisker name). Indeed, the SWR prohibits bottlers from using a distillery name when the whisky

2937-403: Is that Lowland Scotch malts use a triple distillation just like Irish whiskey , breaking away from the general rule that all Scotch is double distilled. Single grain whisky is made with water and malted barley but the distillery then adds other grains or cereals, wheat , corn , or rye , for example. From that moment on, it can no longer be called single malt. This type of product must be from

3026-597: Is the Brown–Forman Corporation based in Kentucky , United States . Nonetheless, Scotch whisky is produced according to the current regulations, as to ageing, production, and so on, ensuring that it remains Scottish. Independents owned by Scots companies make a substantial amount of Scotch whisky, with the largest, William Grant & Sons , producing 8%, or about 7.6 million cases per year. Its brands include Balvenie , Glenfiddich , and Grant's . Glenfiddich

3115-564: Is the best-selling single malt Scotch in the world. Roughly 14 million bottles of Glenfiddich are sold annually. Most malt distilleries sell a significant amount of whisky by the cask for blending, and sometimes to private buyers as well. Whisky from such casks is sometimes bottled as a single malt by independent bottling firms such as Duncan Taylor , Master of Malt, Gordon & MacPhail , Cadenhead's, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society , Murray McDavid , Berry Bros. & Rudd , Douglas Laing , Adelphi and others. These are usually labelled with

3204-472: The Aberdeen council registers, in a case heard in 1505 by the town's bailies concerning the inheritance of goods belonging to a chaplain called Sir Andrew Gray, who died in 1504. Among his goods was recorded (in Middle Scots ) "ane stellatour for aquavite and ros wattir'". Aqua vitae (in the form of wine or spirits) was used when making gunpowder to moisten the slurry of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur. As

3293-550: The Court of Exchequer in Edinburgh for tougher sentences. Highland landowners were now happy to remove tenants who were distillers in clearances on their estates. These changes ushered in the modern era of Scotch production: in 1823 2,232,000 gallons of whisky had duty paid on it; in 1824 this increased to 4,350,000 gallons. A farmer, George Smith, working under landlord the Duke of Gordon ,

3382-604: The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) as a distinct region in 2014. The whisky-producing islands other than Islay are not recognised as a distinct region by the SWA, which groups them into the Highlands region. Seagram Toward the end of its independent existence, it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures. Its purchase of MCA Inc. , whose assets included Universal Studios and its theme parks ,

3471-575: The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SWR) define and regulate the production, labelling, packaging as well as advertising of Scotch whisky in the United Kingdom. They replace previous regulations that focused solely on production, including the Scotch Whisky Act 1988. Since the previous act focused primarily on production standards, it was repealed and superseded by the 2009 Regulations. The SWR includes broader definitions and requirements for

3560-568: The 1930s, when Seagram established business in the United States, it paid a fine of $ 1.5 million to the US government to settle delinquent excise taxes on liquor illegally exported to the US during Prohibition. The US government had originally asked for $ 60 million. From the 1950s, most of Distillers-Seagram was owned by the four children of Samuel Bronfman, through their holding company Cemp Investments . The three most popular Seagram distilled products in

3649-487: The 1960s through 1990s were Seven Crown , VO, and Crown Royal . In 1963, Seagram purchased the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company for $ 61 million in cash and a $ 216 million production payment sale to Glanville Minerals Corporation of New York. Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company was merged Frankfort Oil Company, another oil-producing company owned by Seagram. The new firm was named Texas Pacific Oil Company. In 1980,

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3738-592: The 25% increase in tariffs imposed by the U.S. in October 2019 would not be apparent until 2020.) Nonetheless, by year-end 2017, exports had reached a record-breaking amount. In November 2019, the Association announced that the government of the UK had agreed to consider revising the alcohol taxation system, hopefully producing a new plan that was simplified and "fairer". Exports in 2018 again increased 7.8% by value, and 3.6% in

3827-571: The ABV to arrive at proof value.) Henceforth, quality, age (generally 12 years), cost (high), popularity (sales) and demography (high-end) would define a 'Premium' Scotch Whisky. Chivas Brothers was purchased by Seagrams in 1949, which enabled much wider distribution and marketing. Seagrams was owned by a Canadian Jew, Samuel Bronfman. When the Middle East opened up as a market post oil domination/OPEC, Seagrams' products, including Chivas Regal, were banned in

3916-589: The American cocktail, 7 and 7 , is produced by Diageo , while Seagram's V.O. is produced by Sazerac . Several brands of coolers are produced under the Seagram name as of 2022: Seagram's Escapes are produced by Genesee Brewing for the American market, while Seagram Island Time is produced by Waterloo Brewing for the Canadian market. The Coca-Cola Company currently produces Seagram's Ginger Ale soda line since 2002 & made it widely available in 2011. Seagram's House,

4005-582: The Bronfman heirs sold the Texas Pacific Oil holdings to Sun Oil Co. for $ 2.3 billion. After the death of Samuel Bronfman in 1971, Edgar Bronfman Sr. was named chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) until June 1994 when his son, Edgar Bronfman Jr. , was appointed CEO. In 1978, Seagram's took over the Stonyfell winery in the eastern foothills of Adelaide from Dalgety Australia , around which time

4094-592: The Chivas 25 drastically, resulting in its withdrawal as their standard-bearer and ultimate demise. They switched focus to a 12 YO heavily marketed 'premium' brand, a decision that would be seen as wise five years later, when World War II (1939-1945) broke out in Europe. 1939 saw the debut and continued success of Chivas Regal 12 YO Blended Scotch in the US at what was to become a global standard proof value of 75 degrees, i.e., 42.8% ABV. (The Americans mark it as 86 proof as they double

4183-593: The French-controlled overseas collectivity Saint Pierre and Miquelon off the then- Dominion of Newfoundland , which was then shipped by bootleggers to rum rows in New York, New Jersey and other states. In 1928, a few years after the death of Joseph E. Seagram in 1919, the Distillers Corporation acquired Joseph E. Seagram & Sons from heir and President Edward F. Seagram ; the merged company retained

4272-477: The Seagram name. The company was prepared for the end of Prohibition in 1933 with an ample stock of aged whiskeys, ready to sell to the newly-opened American market. Although he was never convicted of criminal activity, Samuel Bronfman's dealings with bootleggers during the Prohibition-era in the United States have been researched by various historians and are documented in various peer-reviewed articles. In

4361-451: The UK declined significantly, and that included Scotch whisky. Distillers were required to close for some time and the hospitality industry worldwide experienced a major slump. According to news reports in February 2021, the Scotch whisky sector had experienced £1.1 billion in lost sales. Exports to the US were also affected by the 25% tariff that had been imposed. Scotch whisky exports to

4450-516: The US during 2020 "fell by 32%" from the previous year. Worldwide exports fell in 70% of Scotch whisky's global markets. A BBC News headline on 12 February 2021 summarized the situation: "Scotch whisky exports slump to 'lowest in a decade ' ". A 2016 report stated that only 20% of the whisky was made by companies owned in Scotland. Distilleries owned by Diageo , a London-based company, produce 40% of all Scotch whisky, with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker , J&B and Vat 69 . Another 20% of

4539-626: The United States in 1919. The Distillers Corporation Limited name was derived from a United Kingdom company called Distillers Company Limited , which controlled the leading brands of whisky in the UK, and which was doing business with the Bronfmans. In 1923, the Bronfmans purchased the Greenbrier Distillery in the United States, dismantled it, shipped it to Canada, and reassembled it in LaSalle, Quebec . The Bronfmans shipped liquor from Canada to

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4628-470: The best malt and grain whiskies available in the market and inhouse, Howard blended a malt-dominated recipe. Introducing the term 'Regal', Howard created a 25 year old whisky in 1909 called Chivas Regal , the oldest Blended Scotch Whisky of its era, and launched it in the US, establishing it as the world's first and oldest luxury whisky. It was all one way street then for Chivas Regal, from 1909 till mid 1915, during which period World War I started and became

4717-589: The blend. In 1997, the Chivas Regal range was expanded with the launch of much older whiskies like the Chivas Regal 18 year old, and in 2007 the new Chivas Regal 25. Other expressions followed, like the Mizunara in 2014, The Icon in 2015 and the XV in 2018. In 2001, Pernod Ricard acquired Chivas Brothers. In 2015, Chivas Brothers opened the new Dalmunach distillery . In October 2023, Chivas Brothers unveiled plans to build

4806-433: The crafting, bottling, labelling, branding, and selling of "Scotch Whisky". International trade agreements have the effect of making some provisions of the SWR apply in various other countries as well as in the UK. The SWR defines "Scotch whisky" as whisky that: The Scotch Whisky Association acts as the regulatory body that ensures that Scotch Whisky is produced in accordance with traditional practices, as well as ensuring

4895-406: The distillery's name, but not using the distillery's trademarked logos or typefaces. An "official bottling" (or "proprietary bottling"), by comparison, is from the distillery (or its owner). Many independent bottlings are from single casks, and they may sometimes be very different from an official bottling. For a variety of reasons, some independent bottlers do not identify which distillery produced

4984-518: The economy in some remote rural areas, according to Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs. "The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners like the Scotch Whisky Association to increase our tourism offer and encourage more people to visit our distilleries," the Secretary said. During the COVID-19 pandemic , exports of many food and drink products from

5073-502: The entire Arab controlled area in the early 1960s. Chivas would limp back nearly four decades later, when under Pernod Ricard, but rise rapidly thereafter to its leading position in the Asia Pacific area. In 1950, the firm bought Milton (Miltown) distillery, renaming it Strathisla , which is the brand's home in Keith to this day. Its product, Strathisla single malt, is a key malt component of

5162-495: The female side of the family, removing any residual trace of Chivas family members. This proposal was accepted with the proviso that the company name would remain Chivas Brothers forever. Chivas had agents assess market conditions in the US in the 1890s. The marketing team reported a booming economy which was looking for luxury. In 1900, Howard decided to create a new blend in memory of the founding brothers, James and John. Using

5251-406: The finest purveying business in the north of Scotland". The last Chivas family member involved in the business, Alexander, son of James, died in 1893. Control of the company thenceforth was exercised by the board of trustees; Alexander Smith, the right-hand man of Alexander Chivas; and their Master Blender, Charles Stewart Howard. In 1895, Smith and Howard offered to buy out the board of trustees and

5340-400: The first time. The industry's contribution to the economy of the UK was estimated as £5.5 billion in 2018; the industry provided £3.8 billion in direct GVA (gross value added) to Scotland. Whisky tourism has also become significant and accounts for £68.3 million per year. One factor negatively affected sales, an extra 3.9% duty on spirits imposed by the UK in 2017. (The effect of

5429-521: The former company headquarters in Montreal, was donated to McGill University by Vivendi Universal in 2002, then renamed Martlet House . The landmarked Seagram Building , once the company's American headquarters in New York City , was commissioned by Phyllis Lambert , daughter of Seagram CEO Samuel Bronfman , and designed by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe with Philip Johnson . Regarded as one of

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5518-448: The global trading system". Scotch whisky tourism has developed around the industry, with distilleries being the third most visited attraction in Scotland; roughly 2 million visits were recorded in 2018. Some 68 distilleries operate visitors' centres in Scotland and another eight accept visits by appointment. Hotels, restaurants, and other facilities are also impacted by the tourism phenomenon. Tourism has had an especially visible impact on

5607-464: The independent bottling company the flexibility to purchase from multiple distillers without changing their labels. There are two basic types of Scotch whisky, from which all blends are made: Excluded from the definition of "single malt Scotch whisky" or "single grain Scotch whisky" is any spirit that qualifies as a blended Scotch whisky. This exclusion is to ensure that a blended Scotch whisky produced from single malt(s) and single grain(s) distilled at

5696-535: The local area. They understood that the trade supported the rents paid. Imprisoned tenants would not be able to pay any rent. In 1823, Parliament eased restrictions on licensed distilleries with the Excise Act, while at the same time making it harder for the illegal stills to operate. Magistrates found counsel for the Crown appearing in their courts, so forcing the maximum penalties to be applied, with some cases removed to

5785-451: The majority of distilleries produce only malt or grain whiskies; however a few distilleries such as Loch Lomond produce both malt and grain whisky at the same site. Scotland was traditionally divided into four whisky regions: Campbeltown, The Highlands, The Isle of Islay and The Lowlands. Due to the large number of distilleries found there, the Speyside area became the fifth, recognised by

5874-430: The most notable examples of the functionalist aesthetic and a prominent instance of corporate modern architecture , it set the trend for the city's skyline for decades to follow, and has been featured in several Hollywood films. On completion in 1958, its costs made it the world's most expensive skyscraper. The Bronfman family sold the Seagram building to TIAA for $ 70.5 million in 1979. The Seagram Museum , formerly

5963-415: The most renowned geographical indications worldwide. All Scotch whisky must be aged immediately after distillation in oak barrels for at least three years. Any age statement on a bottle of Scotch whisky, expressed in numerical form, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to create that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed-age whisky. A whisky without an age statement

6052-513: The number of bottles, in spite of the duty imposed in 2017; exports grew to a record level, £4.7 billion. The US imported Scotch whisky with a value of just over £1 billion while the European Union was the second-largest importer, taking 30% of global value. This was a boom year with a record high in exports, but the Scotch Whisky Association expressed concern for the future, particularly "the challenges posed by Brexit and by tensions in

6141-664: The original Seagram distillery in Waterloo, Ontario , was forced to close due to lack of funds in 1997. The building is now the home of the Centre for International Governance Innovation as well as Shopify . The two original barrel houses are now the Seagram Lofts condominiums. There were almost 5 acres (2.0 ha) of open land, upon which the Balsillie School of International Affairs was subsequently built; construction began in 2009, and

6230-405: The product is made by distillers owned by Pernod Ricard of France , including brands such as Ballantine's , Chivas Regal and Glenlivet . There are also 12% made by smaller distillers that are owned by foreign companies, such as Cutty Sark and Label 5 owned by La Martiniquaise of France , Dewar's and William Lawson's owned by Bacardi Limited of Bermuda and BenRiach whose parent

6319-421: The quote records eight bolls of malt given to Friar John Cor to make aqua vitae over the previous year. The term aqua vitae is Latin for "water of life" and was the general term for distilled spirits . This would be enough for 1,500 bottles, which suggests that distillation was well-established by the late 15th century. The first known reference to a still for making "aquavite" in Scotland appears in

6408-517: The region's export economy. In 1782, more than 1,000 illegal stills were seized in the Highlands: these can only have been a fraction of those in operation. The Lowland distillers, who had no opportunity to avoid taxation, complained that untaxed Highland whisky made up more than half the market. The heavy taxation during the Napoleonic Wars gave the illicit trade a large advantage, but their product

6497-447: The same distillery does not also qualify as single malt Scotch whisky or single grain Scotch whisky. Nearly 90% of the bottles of Scotch sold per year are blended whiskies. Three types of blends are defined for Scotch whisky: The five Scotch whisky definitions are structured in such a way that the categories are mutually exclusive. The 2009 regulations changed the formal definition of blended Scotch whisky to achieve this result, but in

6586-471: The term "pure malt" for the same purpose, causing a controversy in the process over clarity in labelling —the Glenfiddich distillery was using the term to describe some single malt bottlings. As a result, the Scotch Whisky Association declared that a mixture of single malt whiskies must be labelled a "blended malt". The use of the former terms "vatted malt" and "pure malt" is prohibited. The term "blended malt"

6675-438: The term. The label always features a declaration of the malt or grain whiskies used. A single malt Scotch whisky is one that is entirely produced from malt in one distillery. One may also encounter the term " single cask ", signifying the bottling comes entirely from one cask. The term "blended malt" signifies that single malt whisky from different distilleries is blended in the bottle. The Cardhu distillery also began using

6764-766: The unusual step of stating that the sale of the DuPont interest could result in a downgrade of Seagram's more than $ 4.2 billion of long-term debt. Bronfman used the proceeds of the sale to acquire a controlling interest in MCA from Matsushita , whose assets included Universal Pictures and its theme parks a year after. Later in 1998, Seagram purchased PolyGram and scattered the assets within Universal Studios, notably both Universal Music Group and Universal Pictures. The same year, Seagram sold to PepsiCo its juice business Tropicana Products that it acquired in 1988 for $ 3.1 billion. In 2000, Seagram's entertainment division

6853-414: The various malts and grain whiskies to produce a consistent brand style. Notable blended Scotch whisky brands include Ballantine's , Bell's , Chivas Regal , Cutty Sark , Dewar's , Grant's , J&B , Johnnie Walker , Teacher's Highland Cream , The Famous Grouse , Vat 69 , Whyte and Mackay and William Lawson's . Most Blended Scotch Whiskies are made from the produce of at least two distilleries as

6942-403: The whisky in the bottle. Mostly this will be at the request of the whisky distiller as they are unable to regulate the quality of the whisky sold. Some distilleries, to prevent third-party bottlers from naming them on the bottle, add a small amount of whisky from a different distillery, a technique called 'tea-spooning' which then precludes the sale of the whisky as from a specific distillery, or as

7031-407: The winemaking part of the business at Stonyfell was wound up. During the early 1980s, Seagram's attempted to acquire St. Joe Minerals . However, it was outbid by Fluor Corporation . In 1981, cash-rich and wanting to diversify, the U.S.-based subsidiary Seagram Company Ltd. attempted to engineer a takeover of Conoco Inc. , a major American oil and gas producing company. Although Seagram acquired

7120-511: Was also considered better quality, commanding a higher price in the Lowlands. This was due to the method of taxation: malt was subject to tax (at a rate that climbed substantially between the 1790s and 1822). The licensed distillers, therefore, used more raw grain in an effort to reduce their tax bill. The Highland magistrates, themselves members of the landowning classes, had a lenient attitude to unlicensed distillers—all of whom would be tenants in

7209-529: Was appointed Royal Grocer to the queen's mother, the Duchess of Kent, and many other Royal Warrants followed over the years. The huge advantage of getting a Royal Warrant was that upper class gentry followed royalty without a second thought, to be seen as both conformal and of cognizable status. This automatically resulted in a considerably increased footfall of the wealthy. In Scotland, distilling whisky ( uisge beatha in Gaelic ) had been legalised in 1823, leading to

7298-531: Was financed through the sale of Seagram's 25% holding of chemical company DuPont , a position it acquired in 1981. Unable to maintain financial stability, Seagram later imploded, with its beverage assets sold to industry titans Diageo and Pernod Ricard . Universal's television holdings were sold to Barry Diller , and the balance of the Universal entertainment empire and what was Seagram was sold to French conglomerate Vivendi in 2000. In 1857, Waterloo Distillery

7387-444: Was founded in Waterloo , Ontario , Canada . Joseph E. Seagram became a partner with George Randall , William Roos and William Hespeler in 1869 and sole owner in 1883, and the company became known as Joseph E. Seagram & Sons. Many decades later, in 1924, Samuel Bronfman and his brothers founded Distillers Corporation Limited, in Montreal, which enjoyed substantial growth in the 1920s, in part due to Prohibition instituted in

7476-462: Was made. This process made manufacturing more affordable by performing the equivalent of multiple distillation steps. The new still dramatically increased production and the resultant whisky was less intense and smoother, making it more popular. Secondly, there was a shortage of wine and brandy in France, significant by 1880, due to phylloxera , a parasitic insect, destroying many vineyards, which led to

7565-455: Was not made there. A bottler's name may also be listed, sometimes independent of the distillery. In addition to requiring that Scotch whisky be distilled in Scotland, the SWR requires that it also be bottled and labelled in Scotland. Labels may also indicate the region of the distillery (for example, Islay or Speyside ). Alcoholic strength is expressed on the label by Alcohol By Volume (ABV) or sometimes simply "Vol". Typically, bottled whisky

7654-551: Was sold in 2007 to CL Financial , a holding company based in Trinidad and Tobago which then collapsed and required government intervention. They operated the distillery as Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana. In December 2011, the distillery was purchased by MGP Ingredients, headquartered in Atchison, Kansas. It is now known as MGP of Indiana , and continues to be the source of the components of Seagram's Seven Crown, now owned by Diageo. In

7743-620: Was sold to Vivendi , and, after Vivendi had acquired French media giant Groupe Canal+ , it became part of the new company, Vivendi Universal, on 11 December 2000. The beverage division was sold to Diageo and Pernod Ricard . By the time Vivendi began auctioning off Seagram's beverages business, the once-renowned operation consisted of around 180 alcoholic drink brands and brand extensions in addition to its original high-profile brand names. In 2002, The Coca-Cola Company acquired Seagram's mixers (ginger ale, tonic water, club soda and seltzer water) from Pernod Ricard and Diageo, as well as signing

7832-465: Was the first person in Scotland to take out a licence for a distillery under the new Act, founding the Glenlivet Distillery in 1824, to make single malt Scotch. Some of the distilleries which started legal operations in the next few years included Bowmore, Strathisla , Balblair , and Glenmorangie ; all remain in business today. Two events helped to increase whisky's popularity. The first

7921-399: Was the introduction in 1831 of the column still . Aeneas Coffey patented a refined version of a design originally created by Robert Stein, based on early innovations by Anthony Perrier, for the new type of still which produced whisky much more efficiently than the traditional pot stills . The column still allowed for continuous distillation , without the need for cleaning after each batch

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