The wonder of whisky

Faking alcohol is nothing new. In Ancient Rome, Pliny the Elder complained about the number of fake wines flooding the market, noting that Falernian wine could be identified as ‘it is the only wine that takes light when a flame is applied to it’ due to its high alcohol content. Today, wine fraud amounts to hundreds of millions in losses, thanks to the relatively easy nature of wine to fake: colouring, flavouring and blending are simple. The problem is so vast that in 2007 the Italian police even trained 25 officers as sommeliers to help spot bad booze.

Whisky has its own safety challenges – most notably in India, the world’s biggest market for the drink, which accounts for around half of the world’s consumption, some 1.5 billion litres a year. This has led to illicit manufacture of whisky to meet demand, particularly in Bihar, Gujurat, Mizoram and Nagaland, states where alcohol is prohibited. While most whisky adulterants are relatively harmless – water, desi daru (a type of Indian liquor) or cheaper brands – hundreds have died from contaminants.

This risk to life, and wallets, means whisky experts have had to develop detailed analytical techniques to fight fraud. They’re also starting to unlock the mysteries of a drink that, although made from simple ingredients – just cereal, water, yeast and caramel colouring – is arguably the most chemically complex tipple in the world.