Brotherhood of the Order of Scotch Whisky Tasters.

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The "Brotherhood" of the Scottish Whisky tasters settled in a informal way, in Nice in 1960 and its seat was « At the Scotsmen », a Scottish "pub", as its name points it out, having located Halévy street.
The pub was a window for Scottish whisky, with a particular priority for "The original Mackinlay" and of course of other Scottish products as the smoked salmon, the haggis etc.
« At the Scotsmen » which was a commercial firm, was be also as " the home " for the members of this "brotherhood".
The germs of a Brotherhood, were very there.
It is really necessary to say that:
It is probably thanks to contacts which has tied, before the second world war, Roger CROSNIER with Mr William McEWAN YOUNGER that Brotherhood exists.
R. CROSNIER had crossed his youth to Edimbourg where his father was master d' Armes, in a secondary school for boys. Highway. CROSNIER was Chief of fencing of the team of Great Britain, gold medal in the Olympic Games of Melbourne in 1948 itself. Later, it drew away the Team of France.
At the beginning of the sixties, and following twinning between Nice and Edimbourg, it decides to create with Mr William and Mr Hugh Mc PHERSON, then mayor assistant of the Scottish capital, Brotherhood in the order of the Taste Whisky Ecossais to raise the brand image of Scottish whisky in France. At the same time, It was issued the idea of creating an association of the fitters and tasters amateurs or fee, of people who are interested to support the quality of the Scotch tape Whisky but without being necessarily fitters themselves.
The meeting of both groups, driven by a common interest, to know, to introduce and to acknowledge, deserve them Scottish specialities; generates an international association.
So was founded in 1963 the Brotherhood in the order of the Taste Whisky Ecossais with its seat in Salamander place in Leith, the harbour of the city of Edimbourg.
On March 30th, 1965, this brotherhood officially comes into the world in France, in form of association governed by the government decree of 1939 as foreign association.
The depositors were, MM Roger CROSNIER and Albert DUCHATEAU.
As the whisky for its formalities, Brotherhood adopted the marks of a home of Scotch tape Whisky very renowned owing to its tradition and its quality which were established in the course of five generations of the same family.
A Worldwide Committee then created under the presidency of Mr William McEWAN YOUNGER, Bart ., D.S.O ., of whom the Vice-presidents are Mr Archibald K . WATSON, the ancient President of the Committee of Information and the Development of the Scotch tape Whisky Association, and Mr Alastair MacTAVISH DUNNETT, chief editor of the Scotsman (national newspaper of Scotland) then, governs of the scottish petroleum Thomson. On top of that there are 7 other members of the Committee.

The Worldwide Committee considered opportune to install a permanent official on the continent.
Consequently, Mister highway. CROSNIER was named President, grand master European.
It is responsible to the Worldwide Committee Shell it to coordinate and manage the activities of all branches of Brotherhood in these countries.
The number of members in Scotland is very restricted, alone two or three personalities being enthroned per year.
The first branch was opened in "MARSEILLE" on April 19th, 1966 under the presidency of GASTON PONS then, some months later in "NICE", on February 26th, 1967, then in "EVIAN" on June 11th, 1967 with MARCEL VERDIER as President.
The same period saw creations of Swiss and Belgian brotherhoods in Geneva (March 17th, 1968) and in Brussels.
New French branches also came into the world:
The Branch of "DROME" is created by MR LATRY on March 9th, 1968, that of the "DAUPHINE" to Alpe d’Huez by MR QUINTIN, the Of "BORDEAUX" on November 4th, 1968 with at the head MR ERIC BOCKE, the Of "LYON" on November 8th, 1968, chaired by Frantz JACOT and the mayfly connects up "ARDECHE" on November 7th on the initiative of MARCEL TILLOY. The Worldwide Grand master, Mr William Mc EWAN YOUNGER, having retired, it is Donald MACKINLAY of the clan of the same name and master well-known distiller who takes this role since the sixties - ten.

Development of C.O.T.W.E. in France.

In 1969, on December 4th, MR VEILLET LAVALLEE creates the Branch of "PARIS ILE DE FRANCE".
Others do not defer following: "TOURAINE" (September 23rd, 1970),
"VAR" (June 9th, 1973) at the instigation of MR KAUFFMANN.
Some people have an ephemeral existence ("TOURAINE", "DROME", "ARDECHE"),
but "buds" grow which give new branches: "EVIAN" gives birth in "CHAMONIX MONT BLANC" and in "ANNECY-LAC", and "MARSEILLE" in "LANGUEDOS" (1980).
In 1976, The Grand master France and Europe Roger CROSNIER resigns because he considers that after ten years at the head of Brotherhood, it is time to cross the hand...
It is his close friend Albert DUCHATEAU who takes the National Presidency and undertakes the reorganization of the association thought by Roger CROSNIER.
The new internal statutes and regulations are deposited on March 27th, 1976.
Albert DUCHATEAU names Secretary within the new National Office Mr Xavier METZ...
In 1977, on April 24th, is created the Branch "ALSACE LORRAINE" under the presidency of the Dr KLEIN.
The Branch "BOURGOGNE" is founded in Dijon on April 28th, 1978 by MR Henry FRACHOT.
In 1981, C.O.T.W.E. adopts statutes defined by law on the French associations, governed by the law of July 1st, 1901.
So, a National General meeting meets every year to examine the past financial year and make clean decisions to assure the good functioning of Brotherhood.
Branches benefit from a broad self-government which will be still reinforced by the obligation to deposit their statutes in Prefectures decided by the National General meeting of 1999.
In 1983, Albert DUCHATEAU gives up the place to Xavier METZ in the National Presidency of the Association.
Branches disappear: "DAUPHINE", "ARDECHE", "LANGUEDOC", but the robust branch of "ANNECY" becomes the Branch "ANNECY-LAC" in 1986 under the presidency of Yvon THERY succeeding Raul FAZY.
Last decade of the century sees key hatching five new branches which come to supplement key territorial expanse Brotherhood:
"LANGUEDOC ROUSSILLON" (1989) raises the late branches of "LANGUEDOC" and VAUCLUSE", "LOIRE" Bore (1989) born of the Branch of "LYON" is created by Vincent JACOBO,
"FRANCHE COMTE" (1990) by Jean Louis BAUD,
"NORMANDIE" (1990) by George MARRET.
"VERSAILLES" (1990) by Maurice VAYSSE,
"PAYS DE L'AIN"(1991) by LUCIEN DUTANT,
"TOULOUSE PYRENNEES" (1997) by BERTRAND FERES,
"LE CROISIC PAYS DE GUERANDE" (2006) by GÉRARD LEMERLE
In total it is 14 branches and near a thousand members contributors who represent Brotherhood and Scottish traditions in France...
Honour to be enthroned is very sought-after and the new members are chosen owing to manner of their deep knowledge of Scottish whisky and secondly Scottish traditions.
It is therefore unavoidable that someone of our members belong to the industry of Scotch tape Whisky but these are enthroned as individual.
The main purpose of Brotherhood is to support the links of friendship between Taste Whisky and the Bacchanalian Brotherhoods of the different countries and to provide a common foundation allowing to all members to meet and to share in a fraternal atmosphere the frank jollity procreated by our native spirit, the Scotch tape Whisky. In 1989, Xavier METZ, decides to leave, and fact to name Grand master France, MR JEAN GAUMER. The French Brotherhood, under its direction, was restructured in confederation. Different national, different presidents in style, but hard impregnated and solved to assure the permanence of Brotherhood, have this Brotherhood with a certain enlivened happiness. MM. There. THERY then, J.L. BAUD, J. GAUMER and the actual, G. TOUTIN.