Webinar
Authentication of Scotch Whisky
THURSDAY, 8 June 2023. 14:00 - 15:00 BST
Events Menu
By the Scottish Section
|
THURSDAY, 8 June 2023 14:00 - 15:00 BST |
Online via Zoom |
The IBD Scottish Section invites members and guests to a webinar outlining of some of the work that is carried out by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) in protecting Scotch Whisky in the UK and further afield.
This webinar will benefit anyone working in the areas of product protection, authenticity, spirit drink analysis, product compliance and food safety.
Scotch Whisky is a premium global product and therefore a major target for counterfeiters and those who wish to take unfair advantage of its high reputation. As well as the concerns over safety, fake and misleadingly labelled products result in a direct loss of sales and are damaging to the reputation of genuine products. This webinar will give an overview of some of the work that is carried out by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) in protecting Scotch Whisky in the UK and further afield.
Alan Park of the SWA will discuss how the industry works to improve the recognition and protection of Scotch Whisky across the world to ensure its long term integrity, for example, by obtaining Geographical Indication status. The various means by which fraudsters attempt to capitalise on the reputation of Scotch Whisky will be discussed, as will the defences the industry has against this type of activity.
Analysis is crucial to protect the consumer, brands and categories from counterfeit products. SWRI carry out this analysis on behalf of the SWA’s legal affairs team. There are a variety of parameters or compounds that can be measured, all of which can be related back to production and regulation of that process. Shona Harrison (SWRI) will summarise the analytical techniques commonly used at SWRI for Scotch Whisky authentication.
Speakers:
- Alan Park, Director of Legal Affairs, Scotch Whisky Association
- Shona Harrison, Senior Scientist and Laboratory Manager, The Scotch Whisky Research Institute
Why You Should Attend:
- Discover the role of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) in protecting Scotch Whisky
- Understand the defences put in place to protect the reputation of Scotch Whisky against counterfeit products
- Discover what analytical techniques are used to authenticate Scotch Whisky
Tickets: Free
Booking deadline: Until 1 hour before webinar starts
Director of Legal Affairs, Scotch Whisky Association
Alan leads the legal team at the Scotch Whisky Association in its objective to protect the Scotch Whisky geographical indication across the world. Awarded best not-for-profit in-house legal team of the year at the World Trademark Review awards in 2019 and 2020, the team is currently handling more than 60 cases in courts around the world, investigating more than 100 suspicious products and objecting to more than 500 trademark applications, in addition to seeking better recognition and protection for Scotch Whisky in global markets. A former partner in a Glasgow law firm, Alan joined the SWA as legal counsel in 2003 and became Director of Legal Affairs in 2016.
Senior Scientist and Laboratory Manager, The Scotch Whisky Research Institute
As a Senior Scientist at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, Shona works on a range of projects relating to Product Protection and Maturation. She also leads the Analytical Services group which carries out the authenticity analysis that is required to determine whether or not a product is genuine Scotch Whisky. She is the main point of contact for external anti-counterfeiting work, working closely with the legal affairs team at the Scotch Whisky Association, and has been called upon as an expert witness in cases relating to counterfeit Scotch Whisky. Her opinions and interpretations on whisky authenticity are UKAS Accredited to ISO 17025.