Lehman Brothers whiskey stirs up trouble

London group Tier Lily Ventures has caused a storm with banking giant Barclays, after launching a New York whiskey brand named Lehman Brothers.

Lehman Brothers Whiskey is a direct reference to the banking group that is widely credited with causing the 2008 recession

In a snub to the investment group that has been widely credited for causing the economic crash of 2008, the whiskey brand features three initial expressions, named Ashes of Disaster, Evergreen and Snapfire.

The range will be distilled and matured in New York using New York grain from a selection of existing New York distilleries, and according to the brand’s website, will “expose another side to New York”.

Tiger Lily registered an application for the trademark in June this year, but Barclays, which bought the remains of Lehman Brothers immediately following its demise for US$1.75 billion, has since opposed its registration.

Barclays claims it owns the rights to the use of the Lehman Brothers name, but Tiger Lily argues the group is simply “squatting on the mark with no bona fide intent to use it for the applied-for services”.

The Lehman Brothers whiskey website states: “If a whiskey could be called a New Yorker, Lehman Brothers would be the quintessential New Yorker. It has the adaptive, vibrant, and relentless spirit that New York is so rightfully proud of. As we say in the Big Apple ‘Ever Upwards’”.

Neither company responded to a request for comment.