Differences between real whiskey and fake. How to spot fake JackDaniel's whiskey

The victims in Krasnoyarsk were not poisoned by singed vodka, not at all - people bought a more expensive drink, Jack Daniel's American whiskey. The examination found that the alcohol contained deadly methyl alcohol.

And here we are no longer dealing with an ordinary fake, not with the issuance of cheaper alcohol instead of a branded branded drink, but with bottles where low-quality alcohol was poured, possibly made in artisanal conditions.

Where does methyl alcohol come from in alcohol?

Methyl alcohol is found in almost all strong alcoholic drinks. But it is contained in them in a very small quantities- 100 to 300 milligrams of methanol per liter. But this dose can be exceeded if the strong drink is distilled at home.

When distilling the distillate, the so-called “head” is separated - which includes poisonous alcohols, acetone, including methanol. It is also contained in the "tail" fractions, in the distillate, the strength of which is greatly reduced, as well as the quality. The danger is that tail fractions they smell almost the same as the middle ones - a good and strong distillate. But the “head” smells noticeably of acetone. That is why it is important to follow technological process distillation of moonshine and rectification of alcohol, weaning of heads and tails.

Also, methanol can be added to alcoholic beverages to increase their strength and "pick". And this is much more dangerous than unscrupulous and illegal distillation of alcohol, since the concentration of methanol in the bottle is greatly increased.

How to tell if there is methanol in a bottle

Without chemical analysis, only in an organoleptic way - no way. The fact is that methanol is similar to ethyl alcohol, so there will be no sharp smell or taste in a drink with methyl impurities.

At home, they advise trying to set fire to the liquid, but we want to disappoint: methyl alcohol burns very similar to ethyl alcohol, moreover, in pure form you won't find it in a bottle of alcohol anyway, so it's useless.

One of the most reliable ways is to heat up a copper wire and dip it into a drink. Methyl, when heated sharply, decomposes into formaldehydes (the strongest poison, in fact, it is the decomposition products of methanol that we poison ourselves with). If there is a sharp bad smell It means there is methanol in the drink. Ethanol when heated, it does not give a strong odor.

How to avoid buying "scorched" alcohol

Choose civilized places of trade, well-known stores where they are responsible for the products. In the end, they can be taken to court, in the worst case.

Take a close look at the bottle:

• the cork must be intact, the tightness of the bottle must not be broken
• labels must be intact and even
• excise stamps must be affixed to the bottle
• on the back label there should be a sticker with the coordinates of the manufacturer and importer
• most bottles have a cork packed in plastic, and the brand name is on the plastic wrap. It must not be damaged.

The price should not be low; before buying, you can check how much alcohol of the selected brand should cost.

Most of the bottles of foreign and domestic manufacturers are protected with convex and concave inscriptions, coats of arms, holograms, embossed labels and other things. Information about this can be found on the Internet. But knowing all these nuances will not give you a guarantee against poisoning: really make bottles for counterfeit alcohol very expensive, instead the criminals get the original packaging, which is left in large quantities at bars and restaurants after holidays and weddings.

The first signs of poisoning

Poisoning methyl alcohol manifests itself 8-12 hours after its use. First signs: headache, weakness, vomiting, blurred vision, blurry vision, flickering before the eyes. There may be loss of color vision as well as blindness.

First aid measures

Be sure to see a doctor. Urgently!

Exit to Fresh air, induce vomiting, take a laxative.

Keep any leftover alcohol that you suspect has been poisoning you. They will be needed to accurately identify toxic substances.

You have decided to buy good alcohol and have already decided which one. One thing remains important - to buy original whiskey and not get caught on the "scorched". At present, this is a very serious issue, since alcohol is offered great amount. There are also many dishonest traders and suppliers who are ready to take advantage of this situation. On a par with the original alcohol on the shelves of stores appeared enough a large number of fakes. And the first on the list of "fallen under the distribution" were whiskey producers.

Choose real whiskey not so easy, especially if you are facing it for the first time. Unfortunately, there are a lot of fakes sold, 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 to check whiskey for authenticity? To minimize the possibility of acquiring 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 about the composition, manufacturer, labeling, excise stamp, smell and taste.

Place of sale

First you need to choose a place to buy alcohol. real drink, especially if the label says "Deluxe" or "Premium", it is best to buy in specialized stores for the sale of alcoholic beverages, supermarkets engaged in the direct supply of original products, or in duty free shops.

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

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

Experts advise choosing one place to buy where the quality of alcohol suits you, and always buy alcohol only there.
For example, aged 18 years of premium class is rarely seen on the shelves of simple supermarkets.

Price

Before buying alcohol, compare prices with similar products in other places of sale. Original alcohol is not cheap. It's a good idea to look up original prices online. A significantly lower 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 0.7 liter bottle.

Bottle, cap, label

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

bottle shape

Manufacturers Special attention give to the shape of the bottle. Some produce rounded bottles, others are square, others are made in the form of decanters. How additional remedy protections are engraved with a logo or a special batch number. For example, on several engravings on the top and bottom, indicating the date from which the drink was made and the name of the manufacturer, as well as the date of manufacture and the batch number are laser applied. These engravings High Quality and are easily visible.

It is very problematic to make such a bottle in the conditions of clandestine production, and counterfeit manufacturers usually rely on the inexperience of the buyer, so they save on such trifles.

Label

Take a look at the label. Some manufacturers place the label at a certain angle. It should be neatly pasted without traces of glue. Color, image, information, as well as the spelling of the name of the drink itself on the label must match the brand you are looking for.

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Each manufacturer must pay 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 excise stamp. The absence of such indicates that whiskey is most likely imported illegally or is simply fake. Naturally, you should not buy such alcohol, since no one guarantees the quality.

Color and transparency

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

Liquid Consistency

Shaking the contents of the bottle is one way to detect 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, then they will float up first, and then the remaining small bubbles. It is because of the oily consistency of real alcohol that its drops flow down the glass very slowly. If small bubbles formed during shaking, which immediately disappeared, then the quality of this drink is in doubt.

Shake the whiskey poured into a glass and see how it will flow down the walls. If you have original and high-quality alcohol in front of you, then the so-called “legs” should be neat and drain slowly.

Information about the composition and manufacturer

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 - none artificial dyes, flavors and any other additives. As a rule, in a counterfeit you can always find ingredients that are unusual for the original drink, directly affecting the taste, color and smell. Avoid such bottles. Do not forget to carefully study the information regarding the country of origin and place of production. With such information, of course, you should familiarize yourself in advance on the website of the alcohol manufacturer.

There are not so many countries that produce world brands: Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada and Japan. There are a number of countries that produce not in such quantities as the mentioned 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 carved directly on the glass or on the label. With its help, the number of a particular batch of alcohol is affixed. The number also contains information about the date of bottling. The number is applied directly at the bottling plant, but not all enterprises have such bottling lines. For example, only three Scottish distilleries have their own bottling lines, while all the rest use the services of bottling companies.

A nuance should also be taken into account here - even if there are bottling 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 indicate the year and day of the alcohol spill. Such information should also be clarified on the manufacturer's website.

Taste and aroma

The aroma of real strong alcohol is filled with notes of malt and oak shades. The taste is soft, with a complex bouquet, and the aftertaste is long and pleasant. Fake alcohol It has a pungent odor of alcohol and a burning bitter taste.

Choosing good alcohol, do not be lazy to spend time checking its authenticity. Not only your mood and impressions depend on this, but also your health. However, having got a sample of real whiskey in your hands and tasting the taste of excellent alcohol, you will no longer confuse it with a fake.

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

The undoubted leader in the export of whiskey is the United Kingdom, followed by Canada and the United States, Ireland is in fourth place, and Japan closes the top five largest producers. And while the Irish are arguing with the Scots about the primacy of the invention of whiskey, illegal manufacturers and smugglers flood the market with low-quality fakes. Let's get acquainted with the tips of the "experienced" how to distinguish a fake from the original whiskey.

Is there bad whiskey?

• Compound. Information about the composition of an alcoholic beverage can help distinguish whiskey from a fake. The label should 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 a raw material barley malt or cereals (corn, rye, wheat).
• Color. You can distinguish an original whiskey from a fake by carefully examining the contents of the bottle. Whiskey color varies from light yellow to golden brown. At the distilleries, the distillate is poured into oak barrels from port, sherry or madeira, which gives the whiskey a special shade. The original whiskey should not be cloudy, have sediment at the bottom of the bottle.
• Fortress. When buying, pay attention to the indicated whiskey strength, this information can help distinguish a fake from the original whiskey. The alcohol content can vary from 32% to 43% for ready-to-drink whiskey. If you see the inscription “cask strength” on the bottle, which means barrel-strength whiskey, then the alcohol content can reach 65%. Experts advise to conduct a simple shaking 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 flow 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 a glass. Inhale the aroma, which should resemble smoky notes of oak, meadow flowers, fruits and vanilla. "Singed" whiskey will smell strongly of alcohol. Noble whiskey will leave a rich pleasant aftertaste. 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 are buying in an online store. Anti-counterfeiting experts recommend in this case ordering alcohol with cash on delivery. At home, you can carefully examine the goods and, using our advice, distinguish the original whiskey from a fake. In this case, you save your money and refuse the delivered goods.
• Bottle. A bottle of good whiskey will not allow itself to appear before the consumer with a crookedly pasted label, blurry letters and no excise stamp. Before buying, refer to the official website of the manufacturer, study the features of the bottle, corks, labels, the presence of engravings or protruding patterns on the glass. Remember the formats that the legal manufacturer produces. Armed with this information, you will be able to pass the whiskey buying exam with flying colours.

Coded Whiskey

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

There is a technology that allows you to determine "scorched" alcohol in a matter of minutes. This technology is called the DAT brand control system. bona fide manufacturers strong drinks 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 via 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 an interactive counterfeit protection (unique code), write a letter to the manufacturer. The offer letter template can be downloaded from the DAT Brand Control System website.

For me personally, the question is how to distinguish fake whiskey from the present, not worth it. I define the quality and authenticity of this wonderful drink by smell and taste, as I have been a great lover and admirer of whiskey for many years.

For those who, to put it mildly, poorly understand what whiskey is, I will try to give a few recommendations on how to distinguish real whiskey from fake.

1. You should use only those whiskeys that you know, or that you have been told about or recommended for use by people whose opinion you trust. Almost every producer of real quality whiskey produces varieties of their drink, both cheap and elite. This does not mean that cheap whiskey is "worse" than expensive. Cheap (the concept of cheap does not mean “bargain price”, I don’t think that today in Moscow you can buy a bottle of high-quality whiskey for less than 1000-1200 rubles) whiskey differs from an expensive, elite variety of the same manufacturer, in addition to aging and packaging, also in the subtlety of aroma and aftertaste, which it will be difficult for a polishing whiskey fan to make out, although of course it is better to drink a sip of elite whiskey than a bottle of ordinary whiskey.

2. So, choose the type of whiskey that you will constantly use. We go to the manufacturer’s website and study everything that is written there about whiskey, as well as carefully look at the photos and read the labels on the bottles. The whiskey you are going to buy must be bottled in exactly the same container as you saw in the pictures. Also study on the site what volumes there are bottles this drink. I have never seen abroad that whiskey is bottled, for example, in bottles of 500 ml.

3. Now, with regard to excise stamps. The absence of an excise stamp or its presence will not give you any guarantees of the authenticity of whiskey. Although, of course, if you buy whiskey in a store, an excise stamp must be, by definition.

5. You need to buy whiskey only in specialized stores or in wine boutiques. Drinks sold in chain supermarkets such as "Auchan" at a price 20% below the market price represent or polish moonshine, or, even better, the products of our North Caucasian "distilleries". At one time in Auchan they briskly traded "whiskeys" and "cognacs" of the most famous brands, which were made at the Verein plant from counterfeit alcohol, which was supplied ostensibly for the production of liquid for car windshield wipers.

6. good whisky you can still buy in duty-free shops at airports, but not in Greece and not in Poland. I also do not recommend this kind of shops on the borders with Ukraine and Abkhazia.

7. Keep in mind that whiskey is a completely transparent drink and no sediment, unlike unfiltered beer does not contain. The color of each individual type of whiskey is different, but it should always be rich, natural from light golden to dark brown.

8. Now open the bottle. As Somerset Maugham said, to understand that an egg is rotten, you do not have to eat it. We sniff. Real whiskey should not have any smell of alcohol or fuselage. These smells indicate that it is better not to try such "whiskey", and even better - pour it into the toilet. If you still have a receipt, you can try to return the "whiskey" to the store with a scandal, threatening retailers with expertise. The aroma of real whiskey should contain a range of different shades, both fruity and malty. Some connoisseurs believe that whiskey smells like a good port. There must also be a specific aroma that is transferred to the whiskey during its aging in oak barrels. If you constantly use one type of whiskey, you will know the taste and aroma of this drink.

And lastly, whiskey never gives hangover syndrome, unless of course you are going to pour this into yourself divine drink liters. If on the morning after drinking whiskey you have a feeling of the presence of a team of movers in your mouth and a headache, know that you drank a fake.

Counterfeit and counterfeit whiskey has not noticeably entered the consumer market and is quietly pushing all lovers of “sivukha”. What you need to know before buying whiskey to protect yourself:

1. Place of sale/purchase and price

Real whiskey, especially if it has the inscriptions “Deluxe” or “Premium” on its label (this is what elite varieties), should only be purchased from specialized stores selling alcoholic products. I advise you to ask the seller to show you a certificate of quality. The store is obliged to show this document at the first request of the buyer.
Another advantage of specialized alcohol stores is that you can use the services of consultants there. They will select whiskey that will satisfy your requirements for quality and price.
If your city does not have separate shops selling liquor, then it would be correct to buy whiskey in large supermarkets, but not in kiosks. Experts advise you to choose one store whose product quality suits you, and always buy alcohol only there.
It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the cost of sold whiskey. If in one store the whiskey of the chosen brand is several times cheaper than in others, then this clear sign fakes.

2. Appearance bottles and packaging

Usually counterfeit manufacturers rely on the inexperience of the buyer and the low price, so they save on the bottle.
A sign of fake whiskey is an incorrectly labeled or Bad quality label. If you have decided on the brand of whiskey you are purchasing, then even before buying on the manufacturer's website, you can see what the bottle looks like and what protection it has.
The absence of an excise stamp should immediately alert. This may indicate that the whiskey was brought into the country illegally or is simply a fake. In any case, you should not buy it, because no one guarantees the quality of the drink.

3. The color of the drink

High-quality whiskey must be transparent, this indicates the purity of the water from which the drink is made, and the full observance of production technology. The color of whiskey 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 using one simple method: shake the bottle well and look at the bubbles. They should last a long time and be large. In high-quality whiskey, drops after shaking slowly flow down the glass of the bottle, in fake whiskey - very quickly.

5. Smell and taste

Whiskey should have a light oaky or malty aroma and not stink of alcohol. quality drink leaves a long aftertaste.

Overview of brand differences:

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

photo - fake whiskey jim beam

Particular attention should be paid to the following signs:
- Lid. The present American bourbon Jim Beam the top of the lid has no ribs - it is smooth;
- The bottom of the lid. The original whiskey has two lanes golden color, above image trademark"Jim Beam"
- Bottleneck. The genuine Jim Beam has facets only on the lower half of the neck, while the fake has a faceted neck along the entire length;
- Bottle shoulders. Real whiskey has an embossed inscription "Jim Beam" on the shoulders of the bottle on four sides.

Johnnie Walker Black Label, Red Label
One of the most counterfeited whiskeys is Johnnie Walker Black Label, which, however, is quite understandable due to its popularity. 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 - differences fake Jameson

1. Plastic shell on the lid - the original Jameson has a metal lid without any shell;
2. The lack of embossed inscriptions on the bottle - real 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 commonly counterfeited Jameson capacity. If you have any doubts 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 fake:

1. Metal cover – original Jack Daniel's is only available with a plastic lid covered with a plastic shell;
2. Round "shoulders" of the bottle - since 2011, 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. "Curved" label - the label must be glued evenly, and the order of the inscriptions on it must correspond to the established pattern.
5. Absence of the "Registered trade-mark" ® on the bottle neck shell. It must be present on the original whiskey;
6. Smooth bottle neck. In a genuine drink, the neck of the bottle has edges along its entire length.