IS IT REAL? IS IT FAKE?

The Los Angeles Whiskey Society specializes in the authentication of vintage, collectible, and historic whiskeys. We’ve inspected countless bottles, from typical attic finds to elite multimillion-dollar private collections. We've handled everything from the rarest of rarities to the most convincing of fakes. We have consulted with all of the major U.S. auction houses, helping educate and train many of their specialists.

 

HOW WE VERIFY A BOTTLE

What we do is part science and part art, combined with a lot of experience.

 

There are two main steps to verifying a whisky bottle. The first is obvious, which is simply asking, "Does this whiskey appear correct considering what the label says it is and when the bottle dates from?"

 

The second step is to ask, "Do we have good reason to believe that this has not been opened, refilled, or tampered with?" Many counterfeits use legitimate bottles that have been refilled with cheap booze (or even colored water) and resealed. And there are some bottles that may seem suspicious or tampered-with when they’re actually fine. Knowing the difference is key.

 

We don’t discuss most of our authentication techniques publicly, because counterfeiters are always looking to improve their work — and we don’t want to teach them how to do a better job!

 

WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE AN OLD WHISKEY BOTTLE TO AUTHENTICATE?

We don’t charge for our services. We do this in our spare time because of our deep passion and knowledge of the subject. But, that means we are not able to evaluate all bottles, and the ones we choose to review are based on our preferences and time.

1. If it’s an American whiskey (bourbon, rye, or other) it must be bottled prior to 1920. If a single malt scotch, bottled prior to 1970. If a blended scotch, bottled prior to 1930.
2. It must appear to be sealed by any regular person's guess.
3. The bottle must be in your possession.

If you want us to officially endorse your bottle as authentic (meaning we will issue a statement you can use to accompany the bottle), it is also very likely that we will need to see the bottle in person.

 

If you meet the above requirements, please contact us using the form below.
For multiples or collections, just give us the general details.