How to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels" from the original whiskey

In recent years, the number of counterfeit products on the shelves of our stores has grown several times. This is due to the great popularity of some products. The leading place in their rating is imported alcohol, in particular whiskey "Jack Daniels". To distinguish a fake from the original is sometimes very difficult. Its "producers" are trying to keep their "pirate" brand.

Why "Jack Daniels"

The trademark "Jack Daniels" is known in the world for more than 200 years and during this time has never compromised itself. This drink has recently become a cult not only in the US, but also in Russia.

His popularity is so high that they drink this whiskey not only in expensive restaurants of megacities, but also in cheap "bottling" of the Russian outback. This, in fact, led to massive forgeries of this unique beverage.

But how to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels" from real whiskey? First of all, let's look at what counterfeit products are and where it comes from.

What is a fake whiskey

Most fans of whiskey and do not suspect that they can use not the original product, but the usual fake, which is produced in the countries of the near abroad.

The facts of poisoning of counterfeit whiskey are rare, because this product goes not only to Russia, but also to some countries of Western Europe. Sometimes we get an original but contraband product, somehow stolen from the factory. Often this is a fairly high-quality alcohol with an original taste and smell, but it has nothing to do with an American drink.

How to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels"

Ways to determine the fake is not so much. More precisely, two. The first one is visual, implying a search for differences from the original on the label and the bottle itself, without opening the whiskey. The second is a comparison of taste and smell.

Let's start with the first method. Most often, counterfeit whiskey is found in bottles of 0.5 liters, although the most popular volume in the US and Europe is 0.7 liters. A relatively small price for half a liter allows the "pirates" to sell it easier, and buy a naive buyer.

However, we have on sale half liter bottles with the original whiskey. But how to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels" (0.5 liters) from this product?

The first step is to inspect the bottle itself. The original has 4 faces with an engraved "Jack Daniels" on them. The neck of the bottle is faceted and begins with a convex ring, over which the drink is poured.

The bottom contains an engraving of numbers. The cork of the original should only be plastic, wrapped in a thin plastic with the inscription "old No.7 brand" and without a dispenser.

The front label should contain information about the name of the drink, the brand with the mandatory presence of the "®" icon and the batch number of the spill. On the back of the label, the manufacturer, bar code, importer is indicated. The original product should not contain any inscriptions in Arabic, Russian or any other language other than English.

Other ways: how to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels" (0.5 liter), without opening the bottle

There are other indicators that the whiskey you have chosen is not original:

• Curved glued labels or visible traces of glue from under them;
• Smooth smooth bottom;
• Lowered "shoulders" of the bottle;
• Rounded faces;
• The presence of a dispenser;
• Presence of sediment at the bottom of the bottle

And, of course, the price. The cost of a bottle of 0.5 liter Jack Daniels in duty-free shops starts at 13 euros, so any product with the same name and the same capacity can not be cheaper even at a sale.

If the bottle is already open

If you once drank real American whiskey, to distinguish counterfeit from the original for you will not be difficult. But how to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels" on the taste of an ignorant person in imported alcohol to a person?

First, open the bottle and shake it. The present whiskey, when shaken, forms large bubbles of air along the edge of the liquid. They should not vanish for 5-7 seconds.

Further pour the drink into a glass and from a distance of 15-20 cm, inhale its aroma. The original whiskey has a light sweet malty smell, sometimes with barely noticeable notes of flowers and fruits. If you bring a glass close to the nose and take a deep breath, you should feel the aroma of expensive alcohol, reminiscent of red wine. Fake whiskey will always smell of alcohol, and sometimes even moonshine.

How not to become a victim of "pirates"

Now that you know almost everything about how to distinguish a fake "Jack Daniels" (0.5) from a real two-century American brand in the same container, you can try to identify other alcoholic beverages.

However, it is worth thinking about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from the intrigues of "pirates". After all, you will agree, it is not always possible to consider a bottle of whiskey in the store, comparing it with the original, or to try an alcoholic drink for taste and smell.

The only rule that will save you from counterfeiting is to buy alcohol only in trusted, licensed outlets.