The SWA spend £1.5 million a year attacking counterfeiters. We are told by DEFRA that the SWA's new regulations are:  " to secure the benefits of a tighter definition of different types of Scotch whisky to improve consumer information and

reduce the opportunity for imitation and fraud in both the UK and overseas markets." And  "protection from such things as counterfeiting and ‘passing-off’."  Since the SWA want to amount the biggest 'passing off' exercise of all with their new categories, Blanded Malt in particular, it is easy to see where the motivation is coming from.

The key benefits for the   ‘main  affected groups’ could be worth in the order of £100m per annum with the  total net benefit  estimated between £500 and £1 billion.

That's why.