For the drinkers (fake booze going around)

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
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Mueren 7 cubanos y 46 permanecen intoxicados por consumo de alcohol met?lico - Cuba - ElNuevoHerald.com

Although the article talks about an incident in Cuba this hits close to home because I know this happens in the DR as well. I was once poisoned with fake Chivas Regal 18 at a night club in Santiago. It is totally messed up that 1. they sell this type of booze 2. consumers don't know how to spot the difference. Yes yes yes there are "experts" that can tell when the booze is real or fake. Everyone has their own little way of "telling" between the two. But not a concrete way has been identified.

Mind you...this is no secret and has been happening not only in the DR but all over the world where there is no QA for ages.

SCARY stuff if you ask me!!! Might just stick to the booze I bring to the DR from NY. Or when in the DR just drink beer.
 

Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002
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Mueren 7 cubanos y 46 permanecen intoxicados por consumo de alcohol met?lico - Cuba - ElNuevoHerald.com

Although the article talks about an incident in Cuba this hits close to home because I know this happens in the DR as well. I was once poisoned with fake Chivas Regal 18 at a night club in Santiago. It is totally messed up that 1. they sell this type of booze 2. consumers don't know how to spot the difference. Yes yes yes there are "experts" that can tell when the booze is real or fake. Everyone has their own little way of "telling" between the two. But not a concrete way has been identified.

Mind you...this is no secret and has been happening not only in the DR but all over the world where there is no QA for ages.

SCARY stuff if you ask me!!! Might just stick to the booze I bring to the DR from NY. Or when in the DR just drink beer.
There is for sure fake booze or liquor smuggled (no taxes paid) being sold. Unfortunatly some bars prefer buying from these suppliers. When I give a prospective customer our price list and he tells me he can get stuff for 100.00+ cheaper per bottle, then I know and for sure will not drink anything other than beer if I go there.
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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You could also just drink Brugal or Barcelo or go higher end and drink some good scotch (Glenfiddich is my favorite, but pretty much all the "glens" are awesome). They only counterfeit the mildly expensive stuff that's very common (Chivas and Johnny of course are prime target). My brother is an expert at detecting the real stuff from the fake...of course many years of Chivas, Johnny and Dewars help...
 

Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
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Trust me. When ordering bottle service, make sure you open the bottle.
 
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toneloc24

Bronze
Mar 8, 2004
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Not only in Cuba or the DR, also in the USA at TGI Fridays. Check this out

"Twenty-nine bars and restaurants, nearly half of them TGI Fridays, filled premium brand liquor bottles with lower-quality booze and sold it to patrons who thought they were buying the good stuff, authorities said Wednesday.

Worse yet, investigators said at least one New Jersey bar was mixing food dye with rubbing alcohol and serving it as scotch. Officials would not say who used the rubbing alcohol. But they said no health issues were reported."

TGI Fridays nailed for doctoring booze - CBS News

"The Briad Group will pay $500,000 in fines for serving fake top-shelf liquor at T.G.I. Friday's locations in central and northern New Jersey. The company also runs Zinburger in Cherry Hill."

Zinburger Owners Charged for Fake Booze at Other Restaurants - Business - Cherry Hill, NJ Patch
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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Trust me. When ordering bottle service, make sure you open the bottle and not the waiter!!!!!

That still doesn't necessarily help you in The DR. The bottles are sealed just like they came from the factory (I've seen them). The most common trick is to water it down or mix it with a the same brand, but a much cheaper version (i.e. Johnny black with Johnny red). Trust me when I tell you that unless you're an expert you won't be able to tell difference. Then again if you can't tell the difference then really who cares.

It's all about showing off in The DR anyway...Most people who drink Chivas or Johnny do so because they think it makes them look "sophisticated" or to show off that they can afford it, so it's more about the bottle itself than anything else.

I once took a bottle of expensive scotch to The DR and proceeded to drink it with my brother in law. He kept the bottle and filled it up with Brugal. Took it to a party and several people commented on how good that "wiki" was...:laugh::laugh::laugh:
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
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Always consider the source of any "links".
The "El Nuevo Herald" is an "Anti Castro" website from Miami.
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Yup that bit I know Mister CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC. However, this was reported in many other news papers. The interesting tid bit will be if we can find out if El Nuevo Herald was the first to break the story.
 

toneloc24

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Mar 8, 2004
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Mueren 7 cubanos y 46 permanecen intoxicados por consumo de alcohol met?lico - Cuba - ElNuevoHerald.com

Although the article talks about an incident in Cuba this hits close to home because I know this happens in the DR as well. I was once poisoned with fake Chivas Regal 18 at a night club in Santiago. It is totally messed up that 1. they sell this type of booze 2. consumers don't know how to spot the difference. Yes yes yes there are "experts" that can tell when the booze is real or fake. Everyone has their own little way of "telling" between the two. But not a concrete way has been identified.

Mind you...this is no secret and has been happening not only in the DR but all over the world where there is no QA for ages.

SCARY stuff if you ask me!!! Might just stick to the booze I bring to the DR from NY. Or when in the DR just drink beer.

Had it happen to a friend last year in Juan Dolio. We bought the bottle of Johnny Walker Black in the "supermarket" there. We never got around to drinking it together so I just gifted it to her when I left. She got really sick after drinking some of it later that week. Doctor told her the likely cause was "licor alterado." At first I thought that was BS, but later realized that I never drank from that bottle.
 
May 29, 2006
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Not just in the DR:

Twenty-nine establishments, including 13 TGI Fridays, had been accused of cheating customers when the state first announced the raids. The attorney general's office said the state decided to pursue charges against only eight of the TGI Fridays. The other cases remain under investigation.

At one of the 29 businesses targeted, a mixture that included rubbing alcohol and caramel coloring was sold as scotch. In another, premium liquor bottles were refilled with water that was not even clean. The state never identified which restaurants or bars those were.

Operation Swill: TGI Fridays fined $500,000 for switching booze | syracuse.com

A fine isn't enough. They should lose their liquor license permanently.

I saw an episode of Bar Rescue where they were trying to pass off rail gin as Tanqueray. They even continued to try and sell the fake stuff even after being busted. Then the Bar Rescue guy had them empty out every bottle that had been opened. They eventually fired the general manager who was the cause of most of the bar's problems.

I worked for a jackass in VT who was buying his booze in New Hampshire and refilling the bar bottles from bigger bottles. The tax is much less in New Hampshire so he saved a couple bucks a bottle. He would have been shut down if he was ever caught.
 
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Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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I wonder if the stuff you buy at the DR airports is legitimate. I would assume so.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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I wonder if the stuff you buy at the DR airports is legitimate. I would assume so.

Those airport duty free concessions are worth a mint. I'm sure that the companies which get those concessions have very highly trained buyers who can spot knockoffs from a mile away. Losing a single airport concession (multi year contracts with multiple extensions) would cost tens of millions. Losing the company's reputation could cost all future business.
 

Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002
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Those airport duty free concessions are worth a mint. I'm sure that the companies which get those concessions have very highly trained buyers who can spot knockoffs from a mile away. Losing a single airport concession (multi year contracts with multiple extensions) would cost tens of millions. Losing the company's reputation could cost all future business.

They are all owned by 1 company some politico is making a fortune. I wouldn't put it past them.
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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They are all owned by 1 company some politico is making a fortune. I wouldn't put it past them.
Actually each airport contracts its own concessionaires for their duty free shops. PUC granted their concession contract to "Duty Free Americas" last year (out of Hollywood, FL). They also have the concession at MIA and many other airports and border crossings around the world so it would be pretty stupid of them to allow the management or employees in the D.R. screw up their reputation worldwide. One brand switching scandal or even the hint of one would ruin the company.
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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Airport DUTYFREE is the biggest rip off, the prices for local rum are 15-20% higher than a colmado.
The only reason I pay it, is I do not want to put bottles in my checked luggage.

Nothing like the taste of a Barcelo Extra Viejo Santo Libre in Nueva Yol when I am homesick!
 
May 29, 2006
10,265
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Airport DUTYFREE is the biggest rip off, the prices for local rum are 15-20% higher than a colmado.
The only reason I pay it, is I do not want to put bottles in my checked luggage.

Nothing like the taste of a Barcelo Extra Viejo Santo Libre in Nueva Yol when I am homesick!

The Brugal 1888 is amazing if you can find it.
 

RG84

Bronze
May 21, 2010
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This is why you don't buy high end liquor and then drown it with some cheap sugary stuff. Most could not tell what they are drinking once you add enough juice or soda.

That's why I keep a bottle of Dewars for guest and Balvenie for people who know how to drink.

What's up with the prices of liquor at Price Mart, not that great.