This week as Business and Trade Secretary I visited Glengoyne Distillery in Scotland to celebrate Brazil’s decision to grant special protected status to Scotch Whisky – bolstering ‘Brand Scotland’ by promoting iconic Scottish products across the world.

This new protection means the Brazilian legal system recognises the special status of Scotch Whisky, making it easier to tackle counterfeits and giving distillers the confidence to up their exports to Brazil, boosting a sector that already contributes billions to the UK economy and supporting the Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

According to industry estimates, Brazil is in the top five global growth markets for alcohol over the next 5 years and its population of over 200 million people already have an appreciation for whisky, with the UK exporting almost £90 million of the spirit to Brazil in 2023 alone.

This new status could be worth around £25 million over five years and will give distillers better access to South America’s largest economy, strengthening international recognition and intellectual property for Scotch Whisky.

Scotch Whisky is one of Scotland’s finest products and is in high demand across the globe. This Government is committed to maximising Scotland’s potential, and today’s announcement gives Scottish distillers the confidence they need to export to one of the world’s largest economies without having to compete with fake knock-offs and pale imitations.

Businesses who export more are better off, and removing trade barriers like this will unlock more global markets and drive economic growth across the UK.

Watch me get grilled on all things malt and hops here.