The undoubted leader in the export of whiskey is the UK, followed by Canada and the United States, Ireland is in fourth place, and Japan closes the five largest producers. And while the Irish argue with the Scots over the primacy of whiskey, illegal manufacturers and smugglers are flooding the market with low-quality knockoffs. Let's get acquainted with the advice of the "experienced", how to distinguish a fake from an original whiskey.

There is no bad whiskey?

• Composition. Information on the composition of an alcoholic beverage can help distinguish whiskey from a fake. The label must state that the whiskey is made from natural spirits. Noble whiskey does not contain artificial alcohols (ethanol), dyes, flavors, fragrances. Real whiskey is created by distillation, using as raw materials barley malt or cereals (corn, rye, wheat).
• Colour. You can distinguish an original whiskey from a fake by carefully examining the contents of the bottle. Whiskey color ranges from light yellow to golden brown. At distilleries, the distillate is poured into oak barrels from port wine, sherry or Madeira, which gives the whiskey a special touch. The original whiskey should not be cloudy, have a sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
• Fortress. When buying, pay attention to the specified strength of the whiskey, this information can help distinguish a fake from an original whiskey. The alcohol content can range from 32% to 43% for prepared whiskey. If you see cask strength on the bottle, which means cask strength whiskey, the alcohol content can be as high as 65%. Experts advise doing a simple shake test: real whiskey differs from a fake in the size of the bubbles (they should be large and not disappear immediately). If the bottle is turned upside down, then high-quality whiskey will drip down the walls of the bottle in large drops for a long time, the "singed" drink will behave like tinted water.
• Organoleptic properties. Distinguishing whiskey from a fake is not so difficult if you taste the drink without haste. Uncork the bottle and pour the drink into the glass. Breathe in a scent that should resemble smoky notes of oak, meadow flowers, fruit, and vanilla. Singe whiskey will smell like alcohol. This noble whiskey will leave a rich, pleasant aftertaste. And a fake will burn with alcohol with an unpleasant aftertaste.
• Point of sale. The safest to buy alcoholic drinks, including whiskey, in specialized stores. These points of sale value their reputation. The maximum risks of buying "singed" whiskey under the guise of the original is buying in an online store. Anti-counterfeiting experts recommend in this case to order alcohol with cash on delivery. At home, you can carefully examine the product and, using our advice, distinguish the original whiskey from a fake. In this case, you will save your money and refuse the delivered goods.
• Bottle. Bottle good whiskey will not allow himself to appear before the consumer with a crookedly pasted label, blurry letters and without excise stamp... Before buying, refer to the official website of the manufacturer, study the features of the bottle, cork, label, the presence of engravings or protruding patterns on the glass. Remember the formats that are produced by a legal manufacturer. Armed with this information, you will be able to pass your whiskey buying exam perfectly.

Coded whiskey

Whiskey is a democratic drink: oligarchs and the poor, cowboys of the Wild West and secret agents, intellectuals and American farmers alike love it. The proverb says that there is no person who does not like whiskey, he just has not yet found his own brand of this drink. Indeed, the world was conquered famous brands, each of which has its own character: " Jack Daniels”(Jack Daniel’s),“ Red Label ”(Johnnie Walker Black Label),“ Ballantine’s ”,“ Jameson ”,“ Chivas Regal ”( Chivas regal). How not to get lost in this variety and distinguish real from fake whiskey?

There is a technology that allows you to determine the "singed" alcohol in a matter of minutes. This technology is called the DAT Brand Control System. Conscientious manufacturers spirits already mark their products with unique codes (the list of brands can be found here). After payment, it is enough to send the code indicated on the bottle by SMS or check it yourself on the Internet on the website of the brand control system. The answer comes instantly. If you want your favorite whiskey to have interactive counterfeit protection (unique code), write a letter to the manufacturer. The proposal letter template can be downloaded from the DAT brand control system website.

Counterfeit and counterfeit whiskey did not noticeably enter the consumer market and quietly sells "sivukh" to all lovers. What you need to know before buying whiskey in order to protect yourself:

1. Place of sale / purchase and price

Real whiskey, especially if its label bears the words "Deluxe" or "Premium" (this is how elite varieties) should only be purchased from specialized stores selling alcoholic beverages. I advise you to ask the seller to show you a quality certificate. The store is obliged to show this document at the first request of the buyer.
Another advantage of specialized alcohol shops is that you can use the services of consultants. They will select the whiskey that meets your requirements for quality and price.
If in your city there are no separate shops selling alcoholic beverages, then it would be correct to buy whiskey in large supermarkets, but not in kiosks. Experts advise you to choose one store, the quality of the products of which suits you, and always buy alcohol only there.
It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the cost of the sold whiskey. If in one store whiskey of the chosen brand costs several times cheaper than in others, then this is clear sign fakes.

2. Appearance bottles and packaging

Usually, counterfeit manufacturers rely on the inexperience of the buyer and a low price, so they save on the bottle.
A sign of counterfeit whiskey is an improperly pasted or poor quality label. If you have decided on the brand of purchased whiskey, then even before buying on the manufacturer's website, you can see how the bottle looks like and what means of protection it has.
Immediately, the absence of an excise stamp should be alarming. This may indicate that the whiskey was imported into the country illegally or is simply a fake. In any case, you should not buy it, since no one guarantees the quality of the drink.

3. The color of the drink

High-quality whiskey should be transparent, this indicates the purity of the water from which the drink is made, and full compliance with the production technology. Whiskey color ranges from light yellow to brown, but in any case, the drink should not be cloudy and contain sediment.

4. Shaking

You can distinguish whiskey from a fake with the help of one simple method: Shake bottle well and watch for bubbles. They must hold on for a long time and be large. In high-quality whiskey, after shaking, drops slowly flow down the glass of the bottle, in fake - very quickly.

5. Smell and taste

The whiskey should have a light oak or malt aroma and not be alcoholic. Quality drink leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.

Overview of differences by brand:

Jim Beam whiskey
To distinguish fake whiskey Jim Beam, before the purchase, you need to carefully examine the bottle.

photo - fake whiskey jim beam

Particular attention should be paid to the following signs:
- Lid. The real American Jim Beam bourbon has no ribs on the top of the lid - it is smooth;
- The lower part of the cover. The original whiskey has two golden streaks, above the image brand Jim Beam;
- Bottleneck. A genuine Jim Beam has edges only on the lower half of the neck, while a fake has a faceted neck along its entire length;
- Bottle shoulders. This whiskey has Jim Beam embossed on the four sides of the bottle.

Johnnie Walker Black Label, Red Label
One of the most counterfeited whiskey is Johnnie Walker Black Label, which, however, is quite understandable by the popularity of the original drink. Due to the variety of fakes, the description will be immediately in the picture.

In order to distinguish a fake, you need to pay attention to the following signs:
1. Cover.
2. Embossing on the label

Jameson
In order to distinguish a fake, you should pay attention to the following signs:

photo - the difference between fake Jameson

1. Plastic shell on the lid - the original Jameson has a metal lid without any shell;
2. Absence of embossed inscriptions on the bottle - this whiskey has two embossed inscriptions: "Product of Ireland" - at the bottom of the front side of the bottle, and "John Jameson" - at the bottom of the back side.
3. The 0.7 liter capacity is the most frequently counterfeited Jameson volume. In case of doubt about the quality of the drink, it is better to refuse to buy whiskey in a bottle of this volume. Buy a liter!

Jack Daniel's
There are several signs of a counterfeit:

1. Metal cover – original Jack Daniel's is only available with plastic cover covered with a plastic sheath;
2. Round "shoulders" of the bottle - since 2011 the bottles have been produced in a new design;
3. Smooth "shoulders" - on the "shoulders" of the bottle on four sides there should be an embossed inscription "Jack Daniel's";
4. "Curve" label - the label must be glued evenly, and the order of the inscriptions on it must correspond to the established sample.
5. No "Registered trade-mark" ® badge on the bottle neck shell. It must be present on the original whiskey;
6. Smooth neck of the bottle. In a genuine drink, the neck of the bottle has edges along its entire length.

As the whiskey became popular all over the world, so did the number of counterfeits. Nowadays, counterfeit whiskey can be found in almost any store. Moreover, a high price is not always a guarantee of quality. Every lover of this alcohol should know how to distinguish real from fake whiskey. The current material is devoted to this issue.

In order not to buy fake whiskey, you need to pay attention to the following important points:

1. Point of sale and price. Real whiskey, especially if its label bears the words "Deluxe" or "Premium" (as elite varieties mean), should be bought only in specialized stores selling alcoholic products. I advise you to ask the seller to show you a quality certificate. The store is obliged to show this document at the first request of the buyer.

Another advantage of specialized alcohol shops is that you can use the services of consultants. They will select the whiskey that meets your requirements for quality and price.

If in your city there are no separate shops selling alcoholic beverages, then it would be correct to buy whiskey in large supermarkets, but not in kiosks. Experts advise you to choose one store, the quality of the products of which suits you, and always buy alcohol only there.

It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the cost of the drink. If in one store whiskey of the chosen brand costs several times cheaper than in others, then it is better to refuse such a purchase, since you risk buying a fake.

2. The appearance of the bottle. Usually, counterfeit manufacturers rely on the inexperience of the buyer and a low price, so they save on the bottle.
A sign of counterfeit whiskey is an improperly pasted or poor quality label. If you have decided on the brand of purchased whiskey, then even before buying on the manufacturer's website, you can see how the bottle looks like and what means of protection it has.

Immediately, the absence of an excise stamp should be alarming. This may indicate that the whiskey was imported into the country illegally or is simply a fake. In any case, you should not buy it, since no one guarantees the quality of the drink.

3. Color. High-quality whiskey should be transparent, this indicates the purity of the water from which the drink is made, and full compliance with the production technology. Whiskey color ranges from light yellow to brown, but in any case, the drink should not be cloudy and contain sediment.

4. Shaking. You can distinguish whiskey from fake using one simple method: shake the bottle well and look at the bubbles. They must hold on for a long time and be large. In high-quality whiskey, after shaking, drops slowly flow down the glass of the bottle, in fake - very quickly.

5. Smell and taste. The whiskey should have a light oak or malt aroma and not be alcoholic. A quality drink leaves a long-lasting aftertaste.

You have decided to buy good alcohol and have even already decided which one. One thing remains important - to buy the original whiskey and not fall for the "burned" one. Currently, this is a very serious question, since alcohol is offered great amount... There are also a lot of dishonest traders and suppliers willing to take advantage of this situation. Along with the original alcohol, there are enough a large number of fakes. And the first in the list of "hit by the distribution" were the producers of whiskey.

Choosing real whiskey is not so easy, especially if this is your first time encountering it. Unfortunately, large quantities of counterfeit products are on sale, and the least you get from such a drink is spoiled tasting and mood. In some cases, the use low-quality alcohol leads to serious health problems.

How can you check the authenticity of a whiskey? To minimize the possibility of purchasing a fake, when buying alcohol, you should pay attention to the following nuances: place of sale, price, bottle, label and cap, color and quality of the liquid, information on the composition, manufacturer, labeling, excise stamp, smell and taste.

Place of sale

First, you should choose a place to buy alcohol. Real drink, especially if the label bears the words "Deluxe" or "Premium", it is best to buy in specialized stores selling alcoholic beverages, supermarkets dealing with direct delivery of original products, or in duty free shops.

In the context of fierce competition, such points of sale carefully monitor the quality of the products offered, and in such places you can require a certificate of origin and quality of alcoholic beverages. The absence of such documents, no matter what the reason, suggests that you obviously will not find good alcohol in this place.

The advantage of specialized stores is the availability of consultants who will tell you the necessary information about alcohol, its features, different types and select the drink that best suits your taste preferences.

Experts advise you to choose one point for purchase where the quality of alcohol suits you perfectly, and always buy alcohol only there.
For example, premium aged 18 years are rarely found on the shelves of ordinary supermarkets.

Price

Before purchasing alcohol, compare prices with similar products at other points of sale. The original alcohol is not cheap. It is a good idea to check the prices for the original online. A significantly reduced price should alert the consumer. In order to avoid further health problems when drinking low-quality alcohol, it is best to refuse such a purchase. For example, it cannot cost less than $ 70 for a 0.7L bottle.

Bottle, cap, label

The next step will be to study the bottle, label and cap of alcohol. Having chosen a brand for purchase, be sure to visit the manufacturer's website and see what exactly is used to protect the product.

Bottle shape

Manufacturers pay special attention to the shape of the bottle. Some produce rounded bottles, others square, and still others in the shape of decanters. As an additional means of protection, they are engraved with a logo or a special batch number. For example, on several engravings above and below, indicating the date from which the drink is made and the name of the manufacturer, as well as the date of manufacture and the batch number applied with a laser. These engravings High Quality and are easily viewed.

Make a similar bottle under the conditions clandestine production It is very problematic, and counterfeit manufacturers usually rely on the inexperience of the buyer, therefore they save on such trifles.

Label

Take a closer look at the label. Some manufacturers position the label at a specific angle. It should be glued neatly without any traces of glue. The color, image, information, as well as the spelling of the name of the drink itself on the label must correspond to the desired brand.

Krishka

Each manufacturer always pays attention to the lid, which is usually made of good plastic. Special inscriptions are applied to it, corresponding to the name of the manufacturer and the drink itself.

Excise stamp

A prerequisite for real alcohol is the presence of an excise stamp. The absence of such indicates that the whiskey is most likely imported illegally or is simply counterfeit. Naturally, buying such alcohol is not worth it, since no one guarantees the quality.

Color and transparency

True whiskey can range in color from straw to amber brown. The only thing that must remain unchanged is the transparency of the liquid. This indicates the purity of the water from which the alcohol is made, as well as the fact that production technologies are fully observed. There are no impurities or sediment in the original.

Liquid consistency

Shaking the contents of the bottle is one way to identify low-quality whiskey. Real alcohol has an oily structure, because of this, when shaken, large bubbles form inside, which slowly disappear.

If you turn the bottle upside down, they will first float up, and then the remaining small bubbles. It is because of the oily consistency of real alcohol that its drops very slowly flow down the glass. If, when shaking, small bubbles formed, which immediately disappeared, then the quality of this drink is in doubt.

Spread the whiskey poured into the glass and see how it flows down the walls. If in front of you is an original and high-quality alcohol, then the so-called "legs" should be neat and drain slowly.

Composition and manufacturer information

Do not forget to pay attention to the list of components in the composition of alcohol. Original Scottish, Irish and Japanese alcohol contains only natural ingredients - no artificial colors, flavors or any other additives. As a rule, in a fake one can always find unusual original drink ingredients that directly affect taste, color and smell. Avoid such bottles. Remember to carefully read the information regarding the country of origin and the place of production. Of course, you should familiarize yourself with such information in advance on the website of the alcohol manufacturer.

There are not so many countries producing world brands: Scotland, Ireland, USA, Canada and Japan. There are also a number of countries that do not produce in such quantities as the aforementioned five, but still good brands Are India, Australia, Taiwan and France. They are faked less often, since it is economically unprofitable.

For example, if you see Bushmills whiskey, note that the region of production will be Ireland, County Antrim.

L-code

The coding is usually engraved directly on the glass or on the label. With its help, the number of a particular batch of alcohol is put down. The issue contains information about the date of bottling. The number is applied directly at the filling production, but such filling lines are not available at all enterprises. For example, only three Scottish distilleries have their own bottling lines, while all the rest use the services of bottling companies.

Here you should also take into account the nuance - even if there are filling lines, they are not always equipped with such equipment. Therefore, in some cases, there is no labeling on the bottles. The numbers after the letter L represent the year and day of the spill. This information should also be checked on the manufacturer's website.

Taste and aroma

The aroma of real spirits is filled with notes of malt and oak. The taste is soft, with a complex bouquet, and the aftertaste is long and pleasant. Fake alcohol has a pungent smell of alcohol and a pungent bitter taste.

By choosing good alcohol, do not be lazy to spend time checking its authenticity. It affects not only your mood and impressions, but also your health. However, having got hold of a sample of real whiskey and tasted the taste of excellent alcohol, you will no longer confuse it with a fake.

Tell us in the comments if you come across a counterfeit and how you choose whiskey.

Johnnie Walker remains one of the most popular drinks today.
This whiskey is sold all over the world and produces approximately 130 million bottles annually. The brand has won such recognition due to its diverse assortment, since Johnnie Walker produces both generally available types of adhesive tape and elite drinks... Therefore, everyone can afford to buy a Johnnie Walker bottle.

The history of the origin of the drink dates back to 1819, when John Walker, a Scottish by origin, was selling tea in his family's shop. At that time, he alone knew how to produce rare varieties of tea by mixing them, thereby attracting thousands of consumers.

In 1820, the Scotsman wanted to try his hand at blending and create such a drink as whiskey (another name for "Scotch Scotch"). The Johnnie Walker brand was formally registered thanks to his son John Alexander.

A kind of delicate and spicy variety scotch tape was in great demand among buyers, and already in 1893 Johnnie Walker reached the international level. Over time, the scotch tape gained immense fame and began to be realized in different countries all over the world.

It was only in 1908 that the trademark emblem with a stepping young man in a hat began to be drawn and is still used today.

Johnnie Walker Variety

There are several varieties of Johnnie Walker Scottish scotch blending.
The most popular classic variety with an aging of at least three years and combines thirty-five varieties of scotch tape is Red Label. The component of the blend is Cardhu whiskey with a honey flavor. Due to the fact that this is one of the youngest drinks, it has a slightly harsh and tart taste.