The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
According to a report in World Intellectual Property Review , British drinks goliath Diageo has taken American competitor Sazerac to court over trademark infringements relating to the Diageo-owned brand Bulleit. In a suit filed on Friday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Diageo alleges that Sazerac “wilful acts of trademark infringement, unfair competition, trade dress infringement and dilution.”
At issue is Sazerac’s Dr. McGillicuddy, which Diageo says looks too much like Bulleit. Diageo also alleges more generally that this specific instance is not the first time Sazerac has deliberately mimicked the look and feel of its products.
Within the larger industry, suits and counter-suits alleging this type of trademark infringement are not uncommon, and observers expect at least two or three such court actions each year.
