Lehman Brothers is synonymous with monetary disaster, however one entrepreneur hopes the emblem will make him a fortune — as a spread of Scotch whiskey.
James Inexperienced, 34, is launching 3 whiskies with Lehman Brothers at the label. The most well liked of the variety, “Ashes of Crisis,” claims to have a “depraved recommendation of burning banknotes, a touch of ripe autumn fruit about to fall.”
Lehman Brothers collapsed within the biggest U.S. chapter in historical past in September 2008, sparking the worldwide monetary disaster.
A British actual property investor, Inexperienced filed in 2013 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Place of work to make use of the time period “Lehman Brothers” for bars and spirits.
He says he is now taking on-line orders for the whiskey from bar chains in London and New York.
Barclays Financial institution (BCS), which purchased portions of Lehman Brothers, filed in 2014 to forestall Inexperienced the usage of the title. It famous, amongst different arguments, that the funding financial institution incessantly gave “reduce crystal whiskey decanter[s] etched with the mark Lehman Brothers” as items, because of this its trademark must lengthen past banking. The filings display Barclays suspended its case in October 2015.
Barclays declined to remark.
Inexperienced informed CNNMoney an end result of the dispute is “pending” so his attorneys have informed him to promote as a lot whiskey as he can.
“It is complete pace forward,” stated Inexperienced, who expects bartenders on all sides of the Atlantic to be pouring the whiskey inside of months.
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Any other of Inexperienced’s Lehman whiskies is his highly spiced American-made “Snapfire,” which he suggests is “best with reckless maneuvers, lengthy gambles, and explosive penalties. Drink on my own, if conceivable.”
Inexperienced is now in search of buyers to assist him open Lehman Brothers themed bars, together with one on Wall Boulevard. It will in all probability be the very best position to promote the 3rd whiskey within the vary, referred to as “Evergreen.” It’s being advertised as “best for when fortune is with you and you might be using your good fortune. Tastes absolute best when you find yourself sitting on best of the arena.”
CNNMoney (London) First printed February 8, 2016: 10:34 AM ET
