Archive Monthly Archives: January 2015

The Trouble with Casks

UPDATE: Beginning January 23, 2017 licensees will be permitted to infuse liquor and age cocktails at the establishment, provided it is done in a container other than the original container the liquor was in when legally purchased. All conditions outlined in the terms and conditions of a licence must be met when infusing liquor or ageing cocktails

Barrel-aged cocktails (spirit-only mixtures aged in new or used oak casks) have become a popular fixture in craft cocktail bars across North America. Cocktails aged in oak can develop deep and complex flavours – breathing new life into classic concoctions. As this 2010 New York Times article reports, barrel-aged cocktails are being poured from San Francisco to Boston. They’re also being casked and poured in Vancouver. Unfortunately that is violation of the Regulation of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act as well as the terms and conditions contained in the Guide for Liquor Primary Licensees in British Columbia.

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Battle of the Glen Part 3 of 3: You can take the “Glen” out of Scotland, but you can’t take the Glen out of “Glen Breton”

This is part 3 of a three-part series. For Context see Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

The Federal Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and directed that the Registrar of Trade-marks allow Glenora’s application to register Glen Breton. Although the Association sought leave to further appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, leave was denied, thus bringing the Battle of the Glen to a close in Glenora’s favour.

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The Battle of the Glen Part 2 of 3: Confusion in the Marketplace

For context, see Battle of the Glen Part 1

When Glenora applied to Register “Glen Breton” as a trade-mark for use in association with its whisky, the Association opposed the registration. Specifically the Scotch Whisky Association challenged Glenora’s ability to use a mark prefixed with the word “glen” for its whisky. It claimed that the use of “glen”-prefixed marks in association with several well-known single malt Scotches, including Glenlivet, Glenmorangie and Glenfiddich, has resulted in an association in consumers’ minds between the word “glen” and whiskies distilled in Scotland.

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What signage will your establishment be required to display as “Public Educational Materials” in 2015?

In response to Recommendations #3, #4 and #5 contained in the Final Report, the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch is considering a requirement that in 2015 all licensed establishments and liquor stores display “social responsibility educational materials” in their premises.

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