Scotch whisky has always had its share of admirers, but a resurgence of popularity among the younger generation has also brought a new breed of imitators who want a piece of the multi-million dollar pie.
The scotch whisky industry loses millions of dollars a year to black market traders operating mainly out of Asia, but now Scottish scientists have now devised a technique that offers a simple, easy and reliable way to test whisky authenticity.
Professor David Littlejohn from Strathclyde University is Glasgow headed the team that developed the hand-held device which identifies the whisky by measuring whether the alcohol content matches the label and whether ingredients such as caramel colouring are present in the quantities expected.
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The current method used to test whisky authenticity involves lab-testing, takes a long time and is very expensive.It "isn't the most convenient system if a sample needs to be identified quickly," said Littlejohn.
Littlejohn's team tested 17 different samples of whisky with the technique and correctly identified the eight authentic and nine counterfeit samples.
with Max Mason
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/executive-style/top-drop/fake-scotch-on-the-rocks-20110728-1i1ga.html#ixzz1TNDgeNU6
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