According to some media reports, counterfeit alcoholic beverages are now rampant in social gatherings, and beverage stores; a stand-out alcoholic beverage is the fake Hennessy that costs as much as the original cognac that most people brag about consuming. The fake Hennessy, because of its similar price to the original alcoholic beverage, is difficult to distinguish from each other. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible.
Quick Facts About Hennessey
Alcohol consumption is a norm in many social gatherings in Nigeria, and depending on the social status of the people in the gathering, the brand of alcoholic drinks consumed vary from table to table. With folks that have a good economic standing, you might find them sipping one of the expensive cognacs in the market, Hennessy. However, in a bid to keep up with these “big boys”, some people purchase fake Hennessy, that are somewhat cheaper than the original ones, but bear similarity in appearance to the original.
In this article, we will talk about the issue of Alcohol addiction and its psychological effect on its consumers. We will also look at how fake alcohol can affect its consumers, and if you are not interested in purchasing the fake but are a victim of shrewdness of some people who sell these drinks, we will help you on how you can identify fake Hennessy when they are paraded as the real beverage.
What You Should Know About Hennessy
Hennessy is one of the high-class cognac beverages that you can find in any social gathering. It is pricey, and that is a hallmark of class. It is one of the popular alcoholic drinks that are served and sold in clubs and high-profile parties. The references made to the drink in many of the pop and afro-pop songs is testament to its popularity among the young and vibrant.
Produced by Jas Hennessy & Co., and located in Cognac, France, the company records about 50 million bottles sales per year, making them the leading world cognac producer, and supplying more than 40 % of the cognac you will find in the world today. Obviously, there is a high demand for this cognac; therefore, some individuals will seek to capitalize on is demand and repute. Hennessy is an alcoholic beverage that has been in existence since 1756 and has a well-known prestige and value.
The producers of Hennessy have different products under the same brand name and quality, but with different properties. They include Hennessy V.S, Hennessy X.O, Hennessy X.X.O, Hennessy V.S.O.P, Hennessy Master Blender’s Selection, James Hennessy, Hennessy 8, Richard Hennessy, Hennessy Pure White, among others.
What Type of Alcohol is Hennessy?
Hennessy is a type of brandy that is made from white wine through distillation. During the old times, when wine used to be exported to Holland from Cognac in France (the wines were made from grapes), they were found to be of less quality because the Dutch had begun to consume gin. Therefore, back in France they began to distill their white wine to produce spirit, too.
However, the distillation of white wine is not what makes a cognac, there are a combination of things (as you will soon see) and chief among them is the blending of the distilled white wine.
The distillation process is done twice. The first distillation produces brouillis, while the second produces eau de vie. Eau de vies store well, they remain intact for centuries but remain just that. However, they offer better experience when different eau de vies are blended together, that is what brings about a cognac. The extent to which they are blended now depends on the brand.
Features That Help You Spot Fake Hennessy
Hennessy, like other cognacs are produced under strict conditions and regulations. A deviation from these regulations make the cognac a fake. Therefore, any Hennessy drink you see out there that misses one or more of these features in its content and container is a fake Hennessy.
Place of production
As the name of the drink implies, Hennessy is a cognac, and is produced in Cognac. Any production made outside this location is considered fake Hennessy. This is one out of the many feature of Hennessy that distinguishes from the fake ones that abound in the market. However, it can be difficult to know where the fake Hennessy is produced since it can be labelled to be made in Cognac.
Product Ingredients
While you may not know what the ingredients used to make a fake Hennessy is, you should familiarize yourself with the taste the real Hennessy offers. Hennessy is made from double distilled white wine. The distillation is done in copper pots, giving it a unique taste, even after blending.
There is every likelihood that a fake Hennessy cannot match the real taste of Hennessy, considering the accuracy of its production.
Content color
The characteristic light brown color of Hennessy cannot be matched by the fake Hennessy. It is easy to note that the fake Hennessy looks like a weak tea in its bottle while the distilled wine in the real bottle sits majestically in it.
Excise Stamp on Bottle
On the original Hennessy bottle, you will find an excise stamp that bears clearly written English words. It also bears the volume of the drink, how long it can keep, and the brand name on it. If you come across a Hennessy bottle without one of these, it is a fake Hennessy.
Top Label
Find the top label around the neck of the bottle. If you do not find it, you have a fake Hennessy in your hands.
Stopper
The stopper of a real Hennessy bears the logo of the brand, the name of the brand, and the endurance of the drink on it. If one of these is missing, you have a fake Hennessy.
Bottle Capacity
The real Hennessy bottle has a capacity of 0.7 l. however, the fake is 0.5 l. Note the difference.
The Original Pattern
By obligation, the original Hennessy bottle carries a pattern. The pattern may be unconvincing on a fake Hennessy bottle but it stands out on the real one. The pattern is a cluster of grapes connected to one another.
Alcohol Consumption and Its Effect
While there are many people who drink alcohol in the world, not everyone has a dependence on it. Alcohol addiction is a medical condition that needs attention and resolution as soon as possible. It is responsible for a number of abnormal actions perpetrated by affected individuals.
A little amount of alcohol at a time does no harm. However, continuous consumption of large amount of alcohol inhibits the cognitive ability of the brain, leading to incoherent actions. A continuous practice of alcohol consumption may lead to issues with the liver and kidney.
In our bid to help stop the menace caused by alcohol addiction in the society, we implore you to enroll in a correction and sober program such as checking into rehabilitation centers, or joining support groups such as, SMART recovery or Alcoholics Anonymous. This is our way of helping someone with addiction out there.
Conclusion
Alcohol can be enjoyable, but honorably and responsibly. Hennessy is one of the top-class cognac drinks, produced by double-distillation of white wine and blending of eau de vies to meet the desired taste. However, there are fake Hennessy drinks in the market, the ingredient for making them is unkniwn, making them potentially dangerous.
Look out for the features highlighted in this piece to be able to spot and differentiate between the real cognac and the fake one.