THE first anniversary of Scotch whisky becoming the first-ever international product to be protected with special Geographical Indication (GI) status in Argentina has been celebrated.
In the South American nation, GI status is a legal label and a mark of quality or reputation which is closely tied to a geographic area and means that Scotch whisky products in Argentina must meet strict production standards.
The Scotch Whisky Association explained that, for a product to qualify as Scotch, it must be made from just three natural ingredients – cereals, water, and yeast – and be distilled and matured in Scotland for at least three years.
It then must be bottled at a minimum alcoholic strength of 40% ABV.
Single malt Scotch whiskies must be bottled in Scotland, and distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley without the addition of any other cereals, and by batch distillation in copper pot stills.
SNP MSP George Adam has hailed the historic agreement's first anniversary, stating that Scotch Whisky is “something that we can all be proud of”.
He said: “There is no better day to raise a glass to Argentina and I’m sure Scottish households will be united today and well into the night as we mark this historic occasion.
“One year on since Argentina gave its seal of approval to our premier product, it won’t be lost on anyone the number of Argentina flags draped in windows across the country as we celebrate that one year anniversary.
“The links between Argentina and Scotland dial way back to 1893 when Alexander Watson Hutton founded the Argentine football association – here in 2026 it’s clear the bonds between our two nations remain as tightly bound as ever.
“Scotch Whisky is something that we can all be proud of and it is only right that people across Scotland rejoice with our Argentinian friends this evening.”
