Whiskey spells disaster for SNP

• SNP repeatedly refers to Scotch "whiskey" in a statement on the industry

• Statement hurriedly corrected and the error blamed on an American spell-checker

Key quote: "It’s not how you spell it, it’s how you look after it that is important." Spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association.

Story in full: IT IS a crime akin to the Irish misspelling Guinness or the Italians misspelling spaghetti. Since the 15th century, Scotch whisky has become inextricably woven into the fabric of Scotland’s history, culture and customs to become its most important export product.

But it appears the leader of the Scottish National Party has difficulty spelling the name of Scotland’s national drink.

At a time when the industry is at loggerheads with the government over the Chancellor’s controversial strip-stamps scheme to enforce duty payment, the SNP announced that John Swinney, MSP, was due to meet "whiskey" bosses to discuss the industry’s future.

Seemingly unaware that in Scotland whisky is spelt without an e, as opposed to the Irish and American drink which is spelt with one, the nationalists referred to the nation’s favourite tipple as whiskey no fewer than seven times.

The announcement quoted Mr Swinney referring to the "Scotch Whiskey Association"; Westminster treating "Scotch Whiskey" as a cash cow and calling on the First Minister, Jack McConnell, to move beyond his disappointment and start to campaign for "the Scotch Whiskey industry".

Noticing a potentially seismic political gaffe, the SNP hastily amended its statement. An embarrassed press officer at SNP headquarters refused to admit responsibility for the blunder, blaming a computer spell-checker for suggesting the American and Irish spelling.

Mark Reynier, owner of Bruichladdich distillery, hailed it as a schoolboy blunder.

"Its a bit naughty, you would have thought the nationalists know its not Irish whiskey but Scotch whisky."

MP’s at Westminster reacted with amazement at Mr Swinney’s blunder.

Peter Duncan, the shadow Scottish secretary, said: "John Swinney’s MPs at Westminster will be ashamed of their leader - he claims to speak for Scotland but it turns out he can’t even spell for Scotland."

Charles Maclean, the author of Scotch Whisky: A Liquid History, said: "It is pretty daft. One would think that the nationalists of all people would know how to spell their national drink. But it reflects that vodka is Scotland’s national drink nowadays as there is more vodka drunk than whisky."

At its peak, there were 400 distilleries in Ireland. Today only three distilleries are left, with Finland and Iceland being the only countries where Irish whiskey outsells Scotch.

Of the campaign to stop strip stamps, Mr Reynier added: "It is a waste of time anyway because the Chancellor has already made his decision.

"But there is a serious point. Getting us to do the government’s job just so he can sack 11,500 custom officers and wrap it all up in fraud prevention is laughable.

"Any fraudster worth his salt is going to forge strip stamps because they cost a minimum of 5.50 each."

A spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association said: "It’s not how you spell it, it’s how you look after it that is important."