Duty Free Shops

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

BTW... now this is getting freaky... This from an outfit in the UK called the International Federation of Spirit Producers:

Smirnoff Vodka Authenticity Indicator

Background Information

A simple dipstick test may be used to check the authenticity of suspect samples of Smirnoff Vodka. The test must be conducted on samples taken direct from bottles without dilution by ice, tonic water or other mixer drinks.

Instructions

1 Take one Smirnoff test stick from its tube and immerse in the sample for 10 seconds.

2 Withdraw the test stick and place by an unused test stick for colour comparison. Wait 30 seconds for the colour to fully develop.

3 The pad on the test stick will turn from yellow to light green if the sample is genuine Smirnoff Vodka.

4 If no colour change occurs, then the authenticity of the sample is suspect. In such cases, a sample should be submitted to the Public Analyst or UDV for comprehensive analysis. Include with the sample the bottle lot code, which is printed on the rear of the front label.

5 Pour remaining sample liquid to drain - do not return to bottle.

Notes:

This authenticity test may be applied to Smirnoff Red Label and Smirnoff Blue Label Vodka produced in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Russia, India and Brazil.

Smirnoff is now owned by the international conglomerate Diageo... And note above some of the various countries where their regular vodkas are produced....

http://www.keri.co.u...sting-kits.html

PS - I didn't realize it before, but most of the brands I was looking at in PP are actually Diageo owned brands...

Their list includes Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, Jose Cuervo, Captain Morgans, and even Guinness. Diageo also has a separate Asia Pacific Division that the company says accounts for about 12% of its worldwide sales.

http://www.diageo.co...egicBrands.aspx

Diageo is the leading international spirits company in Asia Pacific with over 30% share. Our total beverage alcohol brand range gives us access to the widest possible profit pool in Asia Pacific. Our strategy is to win by being a total beverage alcohol player, playing both within international spirits, beer, ready-to-serve and local spirits, as we have started with innovations like Benmore in Thailand and Rowson’s Reserve in India, and our investments in Shui Jing Fang in China and Halico in Vietnam.

http://www.diageo.com/en-row/ourbusiness/ourregions/Pages/Diageo-Asia-Pacific.aspx

Edited April 4, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

More on Diageo in Southeast Asia...

Kong Siang Group Holdings

Headquartered in Singapore, Kong Siang Group Holdings Pte Ltd is a major and established distributor for Diageo PLC in Asia. From Singapore, the Group caters for a number of countries in ASEAN and South Asian region including: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Guam, Laos Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam among others. Read more…

.........

The group has offices in a number of countries in Asia and distributes world-class brands like Johnnie Walker whisky, Smirnoff Vodka, Bailey’s Irish Cream among others.

..........

In the 1960’s, the company started liquor wholesale in Singapore and became the largest wholesaler of liquor in Singapore in 1968. By the 1970’s, the third generation of the Lee family was immersed into the business and subsequently took over the business in the 1980’s. The company then expanded the business regionally to Thailand.

In 1987, the company started the exportation of liquor to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. In 1996, Kong Siang started to be exclusive distributor of Diageo products in the Singapore Free Trade Zone.

From 2000 to present, the company has expanded the business territorially to include the following Duty Free market of: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Mongolia and Guam.

http://www.kongsiang...any_profile.php

Edited April 4, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Maybe this from the Wall Street Journal has something to do with their pricing capacity in SE Asia....

July 27, 2011, 4:07 PM

Diageo Pays $16 Million To Settle Bribery Charges

Diageo PLC, the world’s largest spirits company, has agreed to pay more than $16 million to settle U.S. charges that employees paid bribes in India, Thailand and South Korea to obtain sales and tax benefits, the Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday.

From 2003 to 2009, Diageo made $2.7 million in illicit payments through its subsidiaries to grease sales of its Johnnie Walker and Windsor Scotch whiskeys, among others, the SEC said in a cease-and-desist order.

....

The SEC alleged that from 2004 to 2008 Diageo’s subsidiary in Thailand, DT, paid a high-ranking Thai official about $600,000 to perform “extensive lobbying services” related to disputes between Diageo and the Thai government over tax and customs issues.

The agency said Diageo’s unit in South Korea, DK, paid more than $86,000 to a customs official there who helped the company in transfer-pricing negotiations with the South Korean government in 2004. The company lavished other officials with trips to Prague and Budapest and routinely made hundreds of small payments to South Korean military officers, the SEC said.

.......

Without admitting or denying the charges, Diageo agreed to desist from further violations and pay $11.3 million in disgorgement, $2.1 million in prejudgment interest and a $3 million penalty.

Edited April 4, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[lomatopo]

As long as you bough your spirits at PNH (airport) they should be genuine. In any event you are not likely to go blind from just one or two bottles.

Duty free savings on generics like Smirnoff, Cuervo and Pepe LePew are usually marginal even after accounting for volume differences. Savings become more significant when one moves into the premium brands. They do have Patron Silver (lime green box) at the SBIA duty free on arrivals stand in the luggage carousel area, as well as a number of excellent single malts and premium vodka and gin brands.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Loma, nothing I'm seeing re the Smirnoff and Cuervo I bought at a major supermarket in PP makes me think they're not legit... As I mentioned above, the bottle have the customs tape pasted to the bottle tops, and the prices I paid are in line with U.S. domestic pricing for those same products....

What's more notable to me is that while the Cambodia prices I paid are in line with U.S. retail prices, those same prices are half or more the Thailand retail 750ml prices for those same products.

[lomatopo]

^ The prices you quoted are at or below U.S wholesale so the product is suspect, unless you think someone transported this product half-way around the world and is selling it a loss just to please customers like you then so be it. Ultimately all that is important is that you are satisfied with the product/price and hopefully do not suffer any health-related issues. There is no need to convince me that your bargain purchases are legitimate.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm not trying.... but it is an interesting and difficult issue... how can you tell that a spirits product bought in SE Asia is authentic or not.

For example, I'm looking at my Cuervo bottle, and it's labeling is entirely in Spanish language and is labeled "Hecho en Mexico." Whereas the U.S. retailed products have English language labeling. If I was trying to vend counterfeit tequila in SE Asia, why would I go to the trouble of doing the bottle labeling entirely in Espanol... But perhaps the economics of moving tequila direct from the Mexico market to international markets is different from the U.S. retailing route.

I don't know, but it makes for interesting and intriguing speculation.

[PattayaParent]

^I guess if you're a regular drinker of the stuff you'll know from the taste if it's the real McCoy?

Or if you have some left over from another bottle to make a comparison?