The UK’s Intellectual Property Office has ruled in favor of Macdonald & Muir, blocking TV chef James Martin’s attempt to trademark his name for a new line of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The decision, delivered on December 22, 2025, sided with the legal entity for The Glenmorangie Company, which has held trademarks for ‘James Martin’s’ whisky since 1998.
Martin, a well-known chef and host of James Martin’s Saturday Morning, applied to register the trademark in July 2022.
He sought exclusive ownership for products including non-alcoholic spirits, wine, beer, and prepared cocktails.
The move was intended to expand his personal brand, which already includes a signature wine collection.
However, Macdonald & Muir filed an opposition to the application.
The company argued Martin’s proposed marks were “identical” to one it already owned for whisky, which the court ultimately ruled could lead to a “likelihood of direct confusion” among consumers.
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The product in question is the James Martin’s blended Scotch whisky brand, first established in 1878.
While the brand is currently dormant in many markets, Macdonald & Muir provided evidence of recent use to the IPO.
A witness statement from Caspar MacRae, president and CEO of The Glenmorangie Company, stated that 11,382 bottles of James Martin’s whisky were labelled and distributed between November 2020 and February 2022.
The majority of these bottles were exported to Portugal, where the retail price is around €399 for the 32 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky.
After a hearing was held on January 14, 2025, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) found that the trademarks could not proceed to registration.
The IPO determined that the average consumer would be likely to mistake one product for the other.
Martin has subsequently been ordered to pay Macdonald & Muir the sum of £1,900 to cover legal costs.
A spokesperson for The Glenmorangie Company commented on the ruling.
“James Martin’s blended malt was first created 150 years ago, and continues to be enjoyed by whisky lovers today. We are pleased with the decision and the confirmation that it provides in relation to our James Martin brand.”
