How to spot a fake

Whisky fraud has increased significantly as prices have risen and the category has attracted broader attention. The most common form is refilling: emptying an original bottle of desirable whisky and replacing the contents with something inferior, then recorking and resealing. Scientific authentication using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry can identify the contents of a bottle without opening it and is available from specialist services at costs that are reasonable for high-value bottles. Physical inspection covers capsule condition, label integrity, fill level, and colour

Original labels should show appropriate aging. Fill levels should be correct for the age and storage conditions. For significant purchases, the cost of specialist authentication is trivial relative to the stakes.

CollectorGrade take

For any whisky bottle worth more than a few hundred pounds, visual inspection by someone with expertise in the specific bottling is the minimum standard. For bottles worth thousands, scientific authentication is the appropriate investment.