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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Old Master's Scotch To Return To US

I got this message today from Brother Jared Card about Old Master's scotch:

"If you remember the OLD MASTERS SCOTCH that I was representing a few years ago, it has since disappeared from the USA. I now work as a district manager for Impex Beverages, Inc. and we are scotch importers. I am working with my boss to try and bring the OLD MASTERS SCOTCH back into the USA. With the previous importer that I dealt with for this product, there wasn't a large distribution and availability. Impex is in over 40 states and has a large distribution network. If we import the OLD MASTERS, it will be everywhere…"

7 comments:

  1. It was always my understanding that the use of the Square and Compasses for commercial uses was forbidden, and could be subject to legal action, at least in Jurisdictions in the U.S. (refer to http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/grandlodge/trademark.html).
    It would seem that the label for this product would fall into the category of misleading the public to associate Freemasonry with the marketing and sale of this product.

    Paul Miller

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  2. Grand Lodges can copyright specific artwork for their trademarked use, pass rules against Masons using the sandc to promote businesses (most never do) and other such things, but nothing prevents anyone from slapping a sandc on their business or bogus lodge to sell products or services. The Michigan law works only in Michigan and with mixed results.

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. Protection for the mark varies broadly from state to state and country to country. It's possible that, in some jurisdictions, there might be protection, but not in most, and not federal protection. However, particular representations of the S&C may be protected as specific expressions. The S&C, however, is, in general, not subject to protection per se. An intention to infer the support or sponsorship of a particular lodge of grand lodge might be regarded as a false statement or representation, but that would be fairly thin.

    Ralph Shelton

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  5. The real question is whether the Scotch is any good :)

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  6. Chris, whatever happened to this? I've yet to see it on the shelves.

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  7. I haven't heard an update. I'll pass a note along to Jared and see if he has new information.

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