Residents of Stoke who have bought or been given fake whisky are being warned that it could be harmful to drink.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s trading standards team has issued the warning after discovering an illicit whisky contained cleaning chemicals.
The authority was made aware of the issue by a man from Tunstall who complained that drinking the fake ‘Highland Glen Scotch Whisky’ made him feel ill.
Tests carried out on the whisky showed that it was not genuine or fit to consume.
Councillor Gwen Hassall, cabinet member for housing and neighbourhoods, said: “Thankfully the complainant is ok. He was given the whisky as a gift from a friend; it has not been seen in shops. But there might be other examples of this product out there.
“The whisky is not a genuine brand. It has a black and gold label with ‘Highland’ and ‘Glen’ in white letters. It is not labelled with the name and address details of the producer – genuine products will always have details of the producer."
