Auchentoshan 21yo - Fake???

[ryoma]

I have purchased a bottle of Auchentoshan 21yo (with presentation box) in Japan at a reputable online-shop.

Cork stopper and foil are black.

When I check now Auchentoshan homepage and other online retailers for this bottle all pictures show it with GOLD cork stopper and foil. All these bottles also have a tag on the foil with "21" mentioned.
This tag is also missing on my bottle.

Did I buy a fake? Or is it just an older bottling?
Thanks for your help.

[Deactivated Member]

I don't know the answer, but if I were creating fake whiskies, I would make sure I got the colour of the coil and stopper correct.

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

not neccessarily so. It is not unusual that bottlings for different countries are fitted out differently. Even the contents of the bottles can vary from country to country because the consumers there prefer a different style in that certain whisky. And there is of course the matter of different batches because there is not enough stock to feed the world most of the time so to speak.
Bottlings for Japan or other far away countries can well become collectors items for obvious reasons. So you might even want to leave that Auchentoshan 21 years unopened and wait a while.

Greetings
kallaskander

[ryoma]

Thanks for your answers so far!
............. and I have opened it already and like it!

If it would become a collectors item I will just go and buy another one!

[Aidan]

If you've opened it, you'll probably be able to recognise the Auchentoshan style, although if it was a fake, it could still contain Auchentoshan.

It should taste light, with kind of green fruits (like kiwi) and some honey.

[ryoma]

Ha! You wouldn't believe that!
I was browsing the all new WM website and click on "the whisky exchange" button. There I selected Auchentoshan 21yo...... and my bottle popped up!
Cork stopper and foil black without "21" tag.

And it was reviewed in WM issue 26! This issue is from 10/2002.
Therefore it is probably just an older bottling and the gold foil was put on after that date.

[jimidrammer]

There has been a bottle sitting in a local store like that I know for nearly 2 years @ a little over $100US, is it worth it? As a reference, I didn't care for the "Select" or Three Wood. Will probably pick up the Ten, though.

[ryoma]

There has been a bottle sitting in a local store like that I know for nearly 2 years @ a little over $100US, is it worth it? As a reference, I didn't care for the "Select" or Three Wood. Will probably pick up the Ten, though.

Well, it's always hard to say if something is worth the price tag. Especially when your own TASTE counts.
And when you don't care for two other Auchentoshans then it's probably not a good idea to spend USD 100 for the 21 yo.

For me it's just great!