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What is this? Dark whisky Scottish or Polish?


dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #1
Yesterday evening i was looking at getting some samples of good whisky to give to some clients of mine. One of the samples i was given was this. The sales rep told me it was made in Poland...whisky...Poland....surely?

It is called "Dark Whisky", but on the front it is written. "Blended Scotch Whisky, distilled and matured in Scotland"
Then i checked the back, to see that it has the address of Zielona Góra S.A
Anyone heard of this rip off?


  • Fake or Ok?
Danny  2 | 91  
22 Aug 2008 /  #2
Sorry fella, I'm no connoisseur. I'm abit of a rock 'n' roll cliche when it comes to it... I drink Jack Daniels or Jim Beam Black. I went to Inverness once though and they have store there dedicated to whisky. They had one bottle for £1000 and it was 100 years old. Imagine that.
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #3
for a decent 100 year old whisky, your looking into many thousands. For example, i sampled a glass once which was around that age...to be told it was worth over 5k! The problem i have with it, is that it actually tastes quite good. But if it is made in Poland....the term Scotch cannot legally be used on the bottle.
telefonitika  
22 Aug 2008 /  #4
It is called "Dark Whisky", but on the front it is written. "Blended Scotch Whisky, distilled and matured in Scotland"
Then i checked the back, to see that it has the address of Zielona Góra S.A

surely its an import o_0
Danny  2 | 91  
22 Aug 2008 /  #5
I am a fan of Polish beer, I might just throw in here. They sell Tyskie at my local offie. It's 5.6% and a single £ a can! Can't argue with that!!! :D
Piorun  - | 655  
22 Aug 2008 /  #6
I prefer beer myself, occasionally Gin or Vodka.
It appears to be legit produced by V&S Group
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #7
Still, being produced in Poland is fine, but being called Scotch aint, i would like to find out where exactly they make it.
osiol  55 | 3921  
22 Aug 2008 /  #8
I wonder how it tastes with Orkney Oak-Smoked Cheddar.
Misty  5 | 144  
22 Aug 2008 /  #9
Zielona Góra

Are you sure that's not just the address of the company who imports it?
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #10
I'm not sure, but i have been assured that it is "made" in Poland.
Misty  5 | 144  
22 Aug 2008 /  #11
I think it might be the importer's address (it should say "imported by") because it can only be called "Scotch" if it's distilled in a Scottish distillery and it must be matured in Scotland.

But

I have just read that this legislation regarding Scotch was to be reviewed in the spring of 2008 which has obviously passed. So it may be that there are different laws. I hope not.
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #12
no sign of imported by, in English or Polish
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #13
I would assume that if it was adressed in

Zielona Góra S.A

then that is where it was made. Where did you buy the whisky from?? or where did somebody else get it from???

I have just read that this law regarding Scotch was to be reviewed in the spring of 2008 which has obviously passed. So it may be that there are different laws. I hope not.

lol, Misty, laws are you serious, what does the law control properly now a days when it comes to produce??? Everything you can buy that is authentic you can buy a knock off price copy.
Misty  5 | 144  
22 Aug 2008 /  #14
lol, Misty, laws are you serious, what does the law control properly now a days when it comes to produce??? Everything you can buy that is authentic you can buy a knock off price copy.

You don't say. That's what we're trying to establish here, is it real or fake? If it wasn't distilled in Scotland and matured for at least 3 years and 1 day, it's not real Scotch and shouldn't carry the label.
telefonitika  
22 Aug 2008 /  #15
maybe there is a hidden scottish distillery somewhere in the deep dark depths of Poland ;-P
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #16
You don't say. That's what we're trying to establish here, is it real or fake? If it wasn't distilled in Scotland and matured for at least 3 years and 1 day, it's not real Scotch and shouldn't carry the label.

lol, of course its fake, there is no doubting that!!!!! Of course it should not carry the label and of course it should not be sold. However back to my point about the law, it is never enforced, the authorities just do not have enough time and manpower to enforce the law.

This means that millions of fake goods are produced and sold everyday to an unsuspecting public. The problem has out grown the solution, what i mean is, there are more people willing to take the risk of profits by producing fake goods than those willing to stop it.

Therefore there needs to be some sort of 'priority goods system' where by the most valuable and more expensive goods are policed so the resources are not spread over such a wide field. Better to succeed in some areas than in none??
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #17
Tornado is right, when the product says "scotch" under international law it or one of its main ingredients needs to be made in Scotland.

Misty is also right to say that its main product can be made in Scotland, but matured in Poland. Technically its still Scottish, just "rested" in Poland.

I havethe answer now, but it seems a fun "game" to find out why it is sold here as a Polish "Scottish" whisky:) - Which to me, makes it fake.
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #18
maybe there is a hidden scottish distillery somewhere in the deep dark depths of Poland ;-P

lol, hahahaa.

Tornado is right, when the product says "scotch" under international law it or one of its main ingredients needs to be made in Scotland.

Misty is also right to say that its main product can be made in Scotland, but matured in Poland. Technically its still Scottish, just "rested" in Poland.

I havethe answer now, but it seems a fun "game" to find out why it is sold here as a Polish "Scottish" whisky:) - Which to me, makes it fake.

well its better trying to explain a googly to a non-cricket fan :)

You don't say

well actually dear i did :)
Misty  5 | 144  
22 Aug 2008 /  #19
made in Scotland, but matured in Poland.

Then it can't be called a Scotch. It must be distilled in a Scottish distillery and matured in Scotland for it to be called a Scotch. If it's matured elsewhere, it's not Scotch.

What is the proof on the label? Above or below 40%?

Misty:
You don't say

well actually dear i did :)

Yes, it's a pity sarcasm doesn't come across so well in type! ;)
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #20
What is the proof on the label? Above or below 40%?

Do you talk about alcoholic proof? or true proof?

Then it can't be called a Scotch.

Well yes it can. This is the point im trying to make, that even under this law, alot of brewery's are still calling it scotch. In Krakow, the most popular whisky is.... mr walker...and whats on the label...."scotch Whisky"
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #21
Then it can't be called a Scotch. It must be distilled in a Scottish distillery and matured in Scotland for it to be called a Scotch. If it's matured elsewhere, it's not Scotch.

hang on a minute, what happens to produce that i made in the UK and then exported, that sits in other countries. For example if cheese is made in the UK and then exported what do they put on the label, English mature cheddar matured in England/Poland, lol??? Come on if its made in Scotland then its Scottish?? no??

Yes, it's a pity sarcasm doesn't come across so well in type! ;)

i know the effect is rubbish isn't it, from both sides :)
Misty  5 | 144  
22 Aug 2008 /  #22
Do you talk about alcoholic proof? or true proof?

Alcoholic proof.

In Krakow, the most popular whisky is.... mr walker..

Imported most likely.

hang on a minute, what happens to produce that i made in the UK and then exported, that sits in other countries. For example if cheese is made in the UK and then exported what do they put on the label, English mature cheddar matured in England/Poland, lol??? Come on if its made in Scotland then its Scottish?? no??

Well, does that make of cheese have it's own legislation? Scotch does and in order for it to be legally called Scotch it must be made in a certain way, as I have described above. If you doubt me, look it up.
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #23
hang on a minute, what happens to produce that i made in the UK and then exported, that sits in other countries. For example if cheese is made in the UK and then exported what do they put on the label, English mature cheddar matured in England/Poland, lol??? Come on if its made in Scotland then its Scottish?? no??

I think you will find she is agreeing with you;) For example spring water. all spring water in the uk must be named after the spring. Legally. If 2 springs are in the same area, usually there will be a battle between both companies about who can sell it.

Same is with Whisky. More exact Scotch, there are loop holes in the law, but generally, Scotch must be from Scotland. No if, buts or maybe's:)
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #24
Well, does that make of cheese have it's own legislation? Scotch does and in order for it to be legally called Scotch it must be made in a certain way, as I have described above. If you doubt me, look it up

i would assume all food products have 'copy rights' or 'pagents' for their design, ingreedients used etc. I didn't doubt you i was just giving you a theoretical situation that was all. Would i doubt you Misty??

I think you will find she is agreeing with you;)

holy you know what, Misty, agreeing with me, hang on a sec while i get my housemate to pick me up of the floor as i suddenly fainted when i read that, Ouch my head hurts :)
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #25
Ok, so the both of you have argued passionately about it. Is it Scotch? on the bottle it says 40%, but to my taste, its more like 35% i also get no background taste.... Plus should such a widely known product (whisky) be protected by law? and why?
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #26
Plus should such a widely known product (whisky) be protected by law? and why?

all 'brands', 'products' and 'labels' are protected by law. For example take Kellog's Coco Pops. Nobody but Kellog's can produce 'Coco Pops' in name, design, ingreedients used etc. It is the same therefore for the Whisky, if the law was not in place you could have 20 different versions of the same product witht he same name, design etc etc. Usually there is something in a product that differentiates it form any other, making it individual.
Misty  5 | 144  
22 Aug 2008 /  #27
I understand what you're saying there. Anyone can make whisky but they can't call it "Scotch" whisky unless if adheres to the legislation which can be found here. There is another good website here. Dark Whisky is a fake.
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #28
well i think between us we have solved the mystery misty :) we can now delcare this case 'closed' :) we didn't even get paid either
OP dtaylor  9 | 823  
22 Aug 2008 /  #29
Paid? So what about if i said the comapany which makes this, probarly produces Scotland's most famous Whisky? still fake?
tornado2007  11 | 2270  
22 Aug 2008 /  #30
you can't say it and by law if you advetised that you would be taken to court and prosicuted either for 'false advertisment' or breaking 'copyright' law :) So i wouldn't do that, lol.

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