The UK has given protected geographical status to English whiskey, prompting protest from Scottish producers.

The UK government has given English whiskey special protected geographical status.

The decision has caused outrage among Scotch whiskey producers, as Scotch whiskey has strict production requirements that English whiskey does not.

The association, which unites 90 whiskey companies from Scotland, intends to protest to the government against these measures.

MOSCOW, September 15 - RIA Novosti. England and Scotland have found themselves embroiled in a “whisky war” following a controversial decision by the British government, the Telegraph newspaper writes.

According to the Telegraph, the reason for the situation was the decision of the British government to assign special protected geographical status to English whiskey. Thus, as the publication writes, English whiskey became a special category of drink, and its status was equalized with Scottish, Welsh and Irish varieties.

"A whiskey war has erupted with Scotland after English single malt whiskey was given protected product status," it said.

According to the newspaper, this decision has caused outrage from whiskey producers in Scotland, since Scotch single malt whiskey must undergo fermentation and distillation at the same distillery in Scotland, while in the case of English varieties, some stages of production may take place outside the main production facility.