Scientists find quick way to identify fake whisky

News Reporter

Tuesday 26 July 2011

CONNOISEURS of Scotland's national drink might claim they could always tell the real thing from a cheap fake, but now researchers in Glasgow have devised a technique for detecting whether the whisky in the bottle really does match the label.

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Helen McArdle

Chemists at Strathclyde University have successfully blind-tested whether a sample of whisky is the genuine brand or an imitation using an infrared spectrometer. The spectrometer – a handheld rod containing fibre-optic probes – identifies the whisky by measuring whether the alcohol content in the sample matches the brand, and whether ingredients such as caramel colouring are present in the quantities expected.

The researchers analysed 17 samples of blended whisky, correctly identifying the eight authentic and nine counterfeit samples.It is hoped the technique can now be developed for use by the whisky industry to tackle the lost revenue and damage to reputation caused by black-market traders. Professor David Littlejohn, who led the research, said: “The whisky industry has tools at its disposal for telling authentic and counterfeit whisky brands apart but many of them involve lab-based analysis, which isn’t always the most convenient system if a sample needs to be identified quickly.“We have developed a system that could be adapted for use on-site. It could be of great benefit to an industry which is hugely important to the economy.”Whisky is Scotland’s most valuable export, with global shipments last year generating a record £3.45 billion for the Scottish economy. Sales to the US alone generated around £400 million, while France – Scotland’s second-biggest export market – bought £350m-worth of whisky last year. At any one time the Scotch Whisky Association is fighting about 70 legal actions worldwide involving counterfeit Scotch. However, the cost of counterfeits to the industry is impossible to determine. “Although we uncover counterfeiters, it’s not always possible to find out how widespread the problem is,” said a spokeswoman from the SWA. And while the method developed by Strathclyde University can prove whether a sample of whisky is the brand it claims to be, it cannot differentiate Scotch from non-Scottish whisky. This still requires lab testing. Nonetheless, the scientists believe a spectrometer could be developed into a portable device which could be used by police and whisky companies. Prof Littlejohn said: “One possibility is that a customised device is designed for the specific tests we have shown to be helpful. This would reduce the number of samples that have to be sent to a specialist lab.”

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Scientists find quick way to identify fake whisky

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