The British Standards Institution (BSI) has said that consumers around the world will have greater confidence in the quality of their whisky following its development of new guidelines setting out best practice for how to produce, and ensure a trusted supply chain for, one of the UK’s most valued exports.
The new British Standard will, it said, support distillers to produce whisky for local and global markets by focusing on the quality of the product rather than the minimum regulatory requirements.
Whisky is a key export product for the UK, with estimates suggesting sales to the United States exceeded £1 billion in 2022 alone, out of £6.5 billion total alcohol exports.
The world’s first standard for whisky has been developed by experts from across the Scottish, Welsh, English and Irish whisky industries, who were brought together by BSI in its role as the National Standards Body.
The voluntary standard (BS 8636) provides a specification of the production process for the main categories of whisky traded globally.
It is aimed at distillers wanting to produce a high-quality product to sell in the UK or trade overseas, and can help both established brands and new market entrants demonstrate quality and authenticity in their production processes and supply chain.
It can also be used by producers globally seeking to create a high-quality spirit which meets consumers expectations.
BSI Director-General, Standards, Scott Steedman, said: “We hope the standard will create a benchmark for quality that will add value to the distillers who use it and increase the confidence of consumers everywhere. This new standard has world-wide application and can help to facilitate the production and trade of high-quality whisky worldwide.”
