Nova Scotia Comes Alive in 2011!

Scotch Whisky Association’s Identity Crisis

Glen Breton Rare Canadian Single Malt Whisky has the distinction of being the only single malt whiskey produced in Canada – and that is using only three ingredients: barley, yeast and water. It is the perfect recipe for Scotch whisky but cannot be called ‘Scotch’ unless it is bottled in Scotland.

However, the Scotch whiskey producers in the native land are not content with Glenora Distillery leaving out the word, ‘Scotch,’ they have put in a ‘cease and desist’ order to Glenora to remove the word ‘Glen.’ In fact Glenora has been in a long legal battle with the Scotch Whisky Association who wants the name removed from the Cape Breton liquor. They say it confuses scotch drinkers into thinking that the whisky is from Scotland and not from the Nova Scotia island.

So what is the big deal? It’s that the whisky is in high demand.The Gaels, or old Gaelic people found that the water improved the flavor of the whisky. With that in mind early two dozen area streams were given rigorous tests before MacLellans Brook was chosen as the site for the distillery. This is a stream which is fed by 22 natural springs flowing straight from the Mabou highlands.

The whisky is produced in traditional copper pot with malted barley imported from Scotland and aged in oak barrels from, believe it or not, the Jack Daniel’s bourbon distillery in Tennessee. Master distiller Daniel MacLean, a Cape Breton native, is the distillery’s master and oversees ans annual production of 50,000 liters or 2000 cases of 12 bottles each.

Glenora Distillery vice-president, Bob Scott says, “The caliber of the whisky has always been striking, now guests are raving about Glenora’s other attributes. It’s a real experience.

Scott enthusiastically declares. “I just talked to guests who said it is the best food they have ever eaten in Canada.” Glenora draws more than 10,000 visitors a year to this hauntingly serene corner of the province. The staff have a genuine commitment to boosting tourism on the Ceilidh Trail and to treating visitors “as friends of Nova Scotia.” You see, the distillery has an inn and fine dining restaurant that attracts thousands of non-whisky drinkers a year as well.

Now back to the “glen.” The Trade-marks Opposition Board had already decided that Glenora’s use of the word did not cause confusion. Everyone one the board knew what it it was. However, the Scotch Whisky Association has appealed to the Federal courts and a ruling will come out in January. A negative ruling would mean that the legal fees were all in vain and a pile of money would have to be spent on re-branding, re-packaging and re-marketing.

President Lauchie MacLean can only say that he is “Cautiously optimistic.”

I do believe that the Scotch Whiskey Association, although the keeper of a sacred legacy, cannot have very much self-esteem as a group if it feels threatened by a Cape Breton distillery that has literally a drop in the bucket for production compared to the Scottish whisky empires.

So why not come and see Genora Inn and Distillery for yourself?