Italian trade group outraged at Mafia-branded ‘Scotch whisky’
A SCOTCH-BRANDED whisky is causing consternation in Italy thanks to its name and unusual packaging.
Cosa Nostra, a name for the Italian Mafia, is advertised as a three-year-old blended whisky and is sold in a bottle shaped like a machine gun.
The whisky is presumably being sold as a novelty item but in Italy stereotypes about organised crime are no laughing matter.
Coldiretti, the association of agricultural entrepreneurs and farmers, along with Fileria Italia, an agriculture and industry alliance, have hit out at Cosa Nostra whisky and other products which use Mafia imagery.
They accused the brands of operating “without regard for the pain of the victims and to the detriment of the country’s image”.
Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini said: “The use of names alluding to the Mafia is a business that causes serious damage to the image of ‘Made in Italy’ by exploiting stereotypes related to Mafia organisations, trivialising and quasi-normalising a phenomenon which has brought pain and grief across our country.”
The Cosa Nostra whisky was described by Coldiretti as being “from Scotland” and the bottle carries the description “Scotch whisky”.
To be labelled Scotch, the whisky must have been matured for at least three years in oak casks, have a minimum alcoholic strength by volume of 40 per cent, be produced at a distillery in Scotland from water and malted barley and contain no added substances outwith caramel colouring.
The Herald found that Cosa Nostra was produced by a group called Bartex Wine & Spirits based in Poland.
Bartex did not respond to a request for comment. The Scotch Whisky Association, the trade body, has been approached for comment.