The Uncomplicated Version
Casks of single malt scotch whisky either do or do not have “naming rights”.
Having “Naming Rights” in private-label whisky means that you are permitted to identify the distillery from which the whisky comes.
Naming rights have no impact on flavour or qualities of the whisky, but may impact the value of your cask.
When considering a cask of Scotch whisky, you’ll often hear the term “naming rights.” While not an official industry term, it’s widely used and has a specific meaning in the whisky world.
“Naming rights” refer to the bottler’s (that is, the cask owner’s) right to state the name of the distillery on the bottle label. This might seem straightforward - after all, most whisky bottles clearly show where the spirit was made. However, in the Independent Bottling (IB) market, it’s not always so simple. Some independently bottled whiskies do not, or cannot, reveal the distillery of origin; instead, they may only indicate the region. In these cases, the cask (and the resulting bottles) do not have “naming rights.”
(Bottled by Kirkland Signature. No naming rights.)
In the IB market, “naming rights” specifically mean the right to name the distillery on the label, usually in the form “Distilled at X Distillery.” Importantly, this must be done in a font that is different from the distillery’s official or trademarked style, and it does not permit the use of the distillery’s logos or trademarked fonts.
(Bottled by Malts of Scotland. Has naming rights.)
Naming rights have no impact on the whisky’s flavour, but they can significantly affect the value of your cask, especially if you’re buying for investment purposes.
To check if you have naming rights, look at your delivery order: if it specifies the distillery, you can usually include that information on your label.
Although “naming rights” are not specifically addressed by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), we recommend reviewing their Guidelines for Cask Buyers for further information.