The Scotch Whisky Association has been gained support from associations in Wales and Ireland in its appeal against the recent approval of a Geographical Indication for English Whisky.

Last month English Whisky secured protected Geographical Indication (GI) status, described as “a major milestone” for a sector that has grown from a handful of pioneering producers into one of England’s most exciting food and drink success stories.

But this has created a major dispute over how the term single malt should be defined and protected in the U.K. spirits market.

Previously the Scotch Whisky Association said it recognised the significance of English whisky securing GI protection, and was “consistently supportive of a GI for English whisky”.

But it added that the Scotch whisky industry remains concerned that the status allows single malt English whisky to be both mashed and fermented away from the distillery, which in turn breaks the connection with single site and place of production.

Now in a joint statement from the Irish Whiskey Association, Scotch Whisky Association and Welsh Whisky Association on the English Whisky GI, they said: “We hoped that a mutually beneficial resolution could be found to both protect the integrity of the Single Malt category and allow the English GI to proceed.

“Despite efforts to find an agreement, including offering compromises to the English Whisky Guild, our Associations remain concerned about inconsistencies in approving the English Whisky GI, both in terms of process and future practice.

“The whisk(e)y producers we represent have a proud, long-standing and unrivalled tradition of making world-class whisk(e)y. We want to see high-quality definitions, which underpin a high-quality Single Malt category enjoyed by millions around the world.”

According to the UK government, the new GI status officially recognises English Whisky as a distinctive whisky category, reflecting years of work by producers across England who have combined craftsmanship, innovation and ambition to create a spirit with a character worthy of protection.

With distilleries from Cornwall to Northumberland, the sector is supporting local communities by protecting skilled jobs and drawing visitors across the country, helping drive growth in every postcode.

There are more than 70 distilleries now producing English whisky, up from 46 in 2023, and bottles exported to more than 30 countries across the globe. Industry estimates maturing stocks held in casks across England to be worth around £1 billion, underlining the confidence and investment pouring into the sector.