High-tech assurance is on the way for those who have always wanted to savor the rhapsody of a 21-year-old Scotch but, like me, lack the sophisticated palate needed to distinguish the real thing from rot-gut.
The bad news is that if you’re in a hurry to imbibe it may mean moving to South Korea.
From this Agence France Presse report:
Local bottlers from next year will be urged to incorporate radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in their 21-year-old whisky blends, Thursday’s Korea Times said.
“Then people will easily be able to check through their cell phones whether or not any whisky is genuine,” Assistant Minister of Information and Communication Yang Jun-Cheol was quoted as saying.
Yang said the government would encourage local whisky bottlers to embed RFID chips in bottles of 12-year-old and 17-year-old blends by 2012.
Sounds like a fascinating if less-than-foolproof plan. Seems to me that the best a Scotch buyer will know is that the bottle is supposed to contain 21-year-old Scotch. Whether or not the Scotch is actually 21 years old? Well, let’s just say the drinking will be in the details of whatever consumer-protection scheme is worked out.
Meanwhile, here in the states, RFID technology is also being used to enhance leisure-time activities. Ocean City, N.J. is using RFID-enabled wristbands as part of an ongoing effort to draw beach-goers to its shore using all kinds of techno-goodies.
If the writstbands don’t work out, perhaps they can try RFID tattoos instead.
In the meantime, let’s all raise a glass to modern technology.
