Red Stag by Jim Beam.

[sku]

Any predictions on the filing date of a trade-dress complaint by Buffalo Trace/Sazerac over the use of antlers and "Stag"?

Any of our attorneys care to weigh in?

Likelihood of confusion?

Secondary meaning?

Similarity of market or distribution channels?

I'm not a copyright/trademark lawyer, but it seems like Beam would have a defense here: Red Stag, a flavored Bourbon, vs. George T. Stagg, a high-proof sipping Bourbon. The Beam label looks nothing like the GTS bottle and prominently states it is a Jim Beam product. Is there really likely to be much confusion?

There's also Stag's Leap wine and there are prominent antlers (much closer to the GTS label) on The Dalmore. I believe there is also a blended Scotch known as Highland Stag, though I'm not sure if it's available in the US.

[OscarV]

Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have said, about a book, “if you like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing you will like.” .

I absolutely love that quote!!!
Lincoln would have been a success in our new millenium of Democrats-Republicans-Media bullsh*t talking points policy making schemes.

[TomFischer]

To answer your question, Jim Beam tells BourbonBlog.com that Red Stag will be on the shelves for sale this June. Tom

[smokinjoe]

To answer your question, Jim Beam tells BourbonBlog.com that Red Stag will be on the shelves for sale this June. Tom

Nice plug, Tom!

[ILLfarmboy]

Were it Beam Black with flavoring I'd be more likely to buy a bottle. As things stand, reading through this thread leaves me wondering if anyone makes black cherry bitters. I'm thinking along the lines of an Old Fashioned made with Weller Antique and black cherry bitters. That sounds a lot better. But who knows, I just may buy a bottle of Red Stag.

[sku]

As things stand, reading through this thread leaves me wondering if anyone makes black cherry bitters.

Fee Brothers makes a cherry bitters, but I've never tried it. I'm not aware of a black cherry.

[craigthom]

I'm not surprised they use the Jim Beam name. It's the world's best-selling bourbon, right? It's available in every bar.

They used the name on the Beam & Cola back in the '80s, so it's not as if they haven't used the name before when targeting people that aren't straight bourbon drinkers.

[Dr. François]

lawyers aren't always the brightest (sorry Doc, know to many lawyers who think too highly of themselves and make major mistakes)
TJ

No offense. I'm not a lawyer.

There's also Stag's Leap wine and there are prominent antlers (much closer to the GTS label) on The Dalmore. I believe there is also a blended Scotch known as Highland Stag, though I'm not sure if it's available in the US.

Stag's Leap is a geographical region in Napa Valley, and geographical locations are fairly open domain.
I think the overlap would be this: Both bourbons, both use antlers, both use a variation of the same word: /s/t/a/g/

BT might not win, but it certainly will challenge.


As for the Red Stag itself, I'm not interested in the product. I might try it in a 50ml bottle.

[funknik]

Stag's Leap is a geographical region in Napa Valley, and geographical locations are fairly open domain.
I think the overlap would be this: Both bourbons, both use antlers, both use a variation of the same word: /s/t/a/g/.

Going by your first statement about geographic regions...by the same token, George T. Stagg is the name of a person and a stag is a deer, so they don't really imply the same thing. The antlers are similar, but I don't really think BT would have a legitimate complaint here.

As for the product, it sounds nasty...thanks Chuck for the heads-up, I will be sure to avoid it unless I can get a 50ml.

[pepcycle]

Barton never got as much free advertising as when it got sued by BF.

What better way to get free publicity than for the 800lb gorilla in the room to throw its weight around a little.

I bet they settle for less than the cost of real advertising.

Enough philosophizing about law, something I disrespect often and know very little about.

I am a fan of infused whiskey. I have done both natural and artificially flavored cherry infusions. Some with and some without sugar added.

Unsweetened Black Cherries make a great infusion.

Just like I might buy premade Julep every so often (not very often), I'd give this a go.

How convenient. I've made my infusions with a variety of Shelve Height Bourbons and find that using premiums is often of little influence and possibly an injustice.
I've made great bourbons into mediocre infusions, a true achievement in alchemy.

(This from the man who crossed a flounder with a jellyfish in an attempt to get filet of flounder. A bony jellyfish was pretty useless)