How to Fake Whisky Color

Dear TSB

Sorry but I have an unusual request. I have one of those large bottles of Chivas Regal on the swing (4.5ltr). It sits on the bar. However I have drank all the scotch of course and wanted to fill it up with something that looked like scotch but wasn’t. I thought someone said some teas, but then that didn’t work. What else could I use that best looks like scotch?

Thanks, Adam

I had always heard the iced tea was used as a stunt double for whisky in movies when one of the actors had to take a swig.  (The next time some tough guy picks up a bottle and chugs, take a look and you can see how the liquid foams up...whisky doesn't do that.)

I would think that tea would be a little translucent, but it might work if you used a more robust black tea. And maybe used red and brown food coloring to massage it?

Any ideas out there?

Since we are talking "fake" and "whisky" in the same breath, I wanted to remind everyone of Serge's "War on Whisky Fakers".

Comments

[Gwenved]

Whisky doesnt foam up...
Right... but shake a bottle of whisky that has over 50% ABV and it will.

[Solera Man]

In the trade we regularly make Mock Whisky - to prevent haze, mould, growth of other nasty stuff and preserve the appearance of the product we use alcohol ~20% abv. Colour is achieved by using spirit caramel - you could use a few litres of cheap very dark rum as this would give you the colour and alcohol - water it down and hey presto!

hope it helps

[aishel]

Apple juice would work.

[Dave]

I understand Dean Martin would drink apple juice instead of scotch, when on stage; thus enabling him to maintain his hard-partying image, while remaining, you know, sober.

[Ian Buxton]

Heaven help anyone who drinks out of this bottle expecting Chivas Regal!

[Brian]

I did this once with a Jack Daniels bottle that I kept at work. Fake vanilla and diluted with water did the trick.

(if you're wondering, we had a spare "In Case of Emergency, Break Glass" thing and so we put the bottle in there with a couple tumblers)

[Derek]

At the risk of sounding facetious, maybe this should read:

"Sorry but I have an unusual request. My dad has one of those large bottles of Chivas Regal on the swing (4.5ltr). It sits on the bar. However I have drank all the scotch of course and wanted to fill it up with something that looked like scotch but wasn’t before he finds out"? ;)

[Kyle]

I've had to do this at my bar when doing a photo shoot involving full bottles (of which we had none to provide for midleton rare). Took an old bottle and used coke syrup from the gun and diluted it to the right colour with water. regular coke would do, just need more I imagine. We tried tea as well, but it didn't quite work.
On a side note, the bottles were returned to a different person and put with the rest of the stock. While no one was served out of this bottle (luckily), it was counted as stock for several weeks.