As I woke up this morning, I received an email from Buffalo Trace that included some updates on their expansion, some new expressions, a fundraiser, a 5k, and something I didn’t expect:

A section on Counterfeiting and Fraud.

I’ve always known that there is shady business going on out there, but I guess I didn’t understand the extent to which it was occurring. I remember reading and article about this topic a last year from the Wall Street Journal, but this email made me think about it all over again.

Here is what they sent:

During this holiday shopping season, we are once again warning whiskey fans to be on the lookout for fraudulent activities, as “bad actors” are getting more sophisticated. We have seen an uptick in some of our more popular brands being counterfeited in the past few years, sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between legitimate whiskey and “fake.” We encourage shoppers to only buy from licensed retailers, not online groups such as those found on Facebook or Craigslist.

In the last year, we have seen consumers duped by online sellers of Blanton’s and Double Eagle Very Rare, with buyers receiving no bottles after payment, or sometimes empty bottles, or in the case of Blanton’s, fake empty bottles with plastic horses on top instead of the signature metal horse stopper collectors know and love.

This past summer, an astute label printer in Ohio contacted us after being contacted by a new client to produce Weller Bourbon labels. Sensing something was amiss, the printer contacted us to verify, which led to us taking legal action against the third party wanting the labels printed.

We have also been made aware of unscrupulous characters setting up fake domains and purchasing credit card machines to make it seem as if Buffalo Trace Distillery is conducting bottle sale transactions online. For the record – Buffalo Trace Distillery does not sell its alcohol products online

Our whiskies have not been the only targets of scam artists. When we opened our October tour bookings, all tours for the month were booked within seconds, with one group claiming nearly 500 tour spots under various email addresses. Through our online tour reservation system, the bad actor was found out quickly and the tours were freed up for other fans. Our understanding was that the tours were going to be sold by the third party, even though all tours and tastings at Buffalo Trace remain complimentary.

We work with the FBI, Secret Service, Customs, and Border Patrol on tracking down counterfeit whiskey importers, buyers, and sellers so that they can be caught and punished. We have also invested nearly $3 million in legal fees in the past five years to have fraudulent online whiskey sellers shut down, and bad actors charged.

The biggest concern for the whiskey purchased outside the retail system is the health and safety of the unsuspecting consumer. Having seen cases in other countries where the recipient falls ill after consuming the product, and in some instances dies, we warn fans not to consume anything that looks suspicious, and not to purchase any spirits from anyone other than licensed retailers. If you feel you have been duped, you can report the site to the Better Business Bureau, your State Attorneys General office and contact your credit card company about its fraud protection policies.

Buffalo Trace Distillery – Email (12/27/22)

The professor in me wants to take a few moments and let you process that blurb from the email. There are people setting up fake liquor sites, printing Weller labels, and sending empty bottles on the secondary market.

This is just nuts.

So how do you protect yourself from these kinds of issues? I’m going to provide a few tips that could save you from doing something that is going to cost you money in the long term.

Tips to Prevent Fraud and Counterfeit Bottles of Bourbon

1. Don’t buy bourbon from an unlicensed vendor – This might seem like common sense, but people will do some crazy things to make a quick buck. If you are buying bourbon off a secondary market, you are exposing yourself to some risk that the bottle might be a fake. People who actually receive bottles straight from the distillery (aka restaurants and liquor stores) have a more secure supply chain than someone from craigslist.
   
2. Inspect each bottle before you buy – As much as I want to say that everyone is honest, sometime that isn’t the case. If you are buying a bottle from ANYWHERE, always stop and inspect each bottle before you purchase it. Bottles from distilleries are going to have specific labels and seals, along with some sort of seal on the lid. If you are spending a lot of money on a bottle, also make sure you have done your research on the color, the labels, etc so you can detect if there is a glaring issue before you buy.
   
3. Don’t buy allocated bourbon online – Anyone with a computer and about $20 can setup a domain and put together a credit card processor. Just as Buffalo Trace says in the email: They don’t sell their bourbon online. If you magically can find a hard to get bottle, send up a red flag. It shouldn’t be that easy. If you have to second guess before you put in your credit card number, that’s a sign you shouldn’t do it in the first place.
   
4. Don’t worry about “rare” bottles – I have had the privilege of trying some of the “rare” bottles out there and they are tasty. But I’m never going to pay out the wazoo to get my hands on a rare bottle just to have a rare bottle. There are plenty of amazing bourbons on the market (and on the shelves) that can be purchased without risking that chance of buying a fake. I recommend looking at store barrel picks and other unique offerings at your local liquor stores.
   
5. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – This should be the tag line of the entire internet. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Use your brain and your gut before dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on a bottle of bourbon. You would do it if you were buying a car or a house, so make sure to do your due diligence if you are buying bourbon or scotch.

Conclusion

Don’t be one of those people who gets scammed trying to buy a rare bottle of bourbon. Use the tips above, plus your common sense before you buy any bottle of bourbon that has a high price tag. Know who you are buying from, know the bottle and inspect it, don’t use a scammy website to purchase it, consider buying other bottles, and use your brain and gut.