John Distilleries can continue to use 'Original Choice' brand

Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), Chennai rules in its favour, says company can use brand for its whisky

John Distilleries, the Bangalore-based alcohol beverages company, is understood to have been allowed by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), Chennai, to continue the use of 'Original Choice' brand for its whisky.  

The decision comes years after Kishore Chhabria-owned Allied Blenders Distillers (ADB) Limited, which sells its whisky under 'Officer's Choice' had challenged that the brand being used by John Distilleries sounds similar to its 'Officer's Choice' and hence it should be stopped.

John Distilleries sells around 9 million cases of this whisky on an annual basis while ABD sells around 18 million cases.