Is your gin genuine? New Scottish test can spot fake spirits in minutes

Scientists at Scottish university say they are trying out a new technique that takes a "chemical fingerprint" of gin in five minutes and could help prove the quality and authenticity of the spirit which is booming in popularity.

Researchers from Heriot-Watt University, working alongside a team from the University of Edinburgh on the project, and say their findings could help alcohol regulators detect fraudulent products.

Drs Ruaraidh McIntosh and Dave Ellis and PhD student Kacper Krakowiak, worked alongside Professor Dusan Uhrin from the University of Edinburgh to use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to exam the gin samples.

The technique is more commonly associated with finding the structural determination of molecules.

Gin boom

Dr McIntosh said: "Gin production has exploded in Scotland and the UK over the past 20 years, but compared to Scotch whisky it's very loosely defined and regulated, and not well researched.

"Producers need to know more so that they can ensure they have years of sustainable, flavoursome gin ahead of them.

"And consumers and importers need to know that gin is genuine and the quality they're expecting."

Dr Ellis added: "We know from whisky research that chemical compounds have a huge impact on the flavour and sensory properties of a dram, even though they are in very low concentrations.

"Understanding which compounds are in a gin, and have an impact on flavour and mouth feel, could help distillers improve their gin, or guarantee uniformity of flavour."

Chemical fingerprint

"NMR basically fingerprints the gin's chemical compounds. It does this by detecting the signals given by the hydrogen atoms in each compound. These act as markers and enable identification."

"In under five minutes, we end up with an overlay of all these fingerprints, providing a snapshot of the compounds present."

The team put 16 different gins to the test, some they bought from the supermarket and some samples were provided by colleagues at Heriot-Watt's International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD).

Finding fakes

Dr Ellis said: "NMR has huge potential for the gin industry."

"The EU imposes some bare requirements, but "essentially you can make anything, call it a gin and nobody will give you any trouble. It's a bit like the Wild West."

He added the whisky market is "well regulated", but says there is no equivalent for gin.

"We just need to try and find a way of reassuring consumers that the 'gin' that they are drinking really is gin."

The findings are reported in the Journal of Brewing and Distilling.

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