WARNING Whisky online auctions

[drinker]

In the US there is a well known person named Ryan Chaland who for reasons of fraud and theft (INCLUDING FAKE BOTTLES) has been banned from almost all forums and most auction houses. for a brief description please see what Tim Puett has to say on the ardbeg project:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheArdbegProject/permalink/10155424347562416/

Unfortunately, he has now been peddling his wares in Europe and is now using Whisky Online auctions to sell his bottles. I have been told that whiskyoline was warned and understood that many auction houses refuse to deal with him but they nonetheless went ahead and collected the bottles - some from houses that were refusing to deal with Mr. Chaland. Basically, they decided that it was worth it. You be the judge of the ethics of that.
BE WARNED

[eelbrook]

I'd like to hear Whisky Online Auctions' side of this story. Without that, it is somewhat difficult to reach even a semi-objective view.

[drinker]

[quote="eelbrook"]I'd like to hear Whisky Online Auctions' side of this story. Without that, it is somewhat difficult to reach even a semi-objective view.[/quote]
Numerous people have reached out to Whisky Online, which has simply not replied. This is a person with a long and well documented history of misdeeds including intentionally selling fraudulent bottles and knowingly buying stolen goods. Whisky online either is or is not dealing with him. If they are, well you, and anyone else, is entitled to make their own moral judgement and risk assessment. There is not question that the bottles in the auction are his.
At this point Whisky online is well aware of his history and character.
If there is an explanation, I, and many other, would love to hear it. But Whisky Online prefers to ignore it the many that have reached out to them.

[dramblersanonymous]

Lots of posts all over Facebook regarding this. Whisky Online Auctions have responded, but only to say 'show us something is fake and we'll remove it'. No one online can confirm if these bottles are fake, merely that they look an awful lot like Chaland's collection, all have US tax seals and are all very desirable bottles.

Ideally an expert with a bit of credence should step in and offer Whisky Online an alternative opinion, but at the moment it's just a lot of shouting and posts with capital letters.

Needless to say Chaland is not a very nice person and has quite an impressive back catalogue of alcohol related misdemeanors.

[drinker]

[quote="dramblersanonymous"]Lots of posts all over Facebook regarding this. Whisky Online Auctions have responded, but only to say 'show us something is fake and we'll remove it'. No one online can confirm if these bottles are fake, merely that they look an awful lot like Chaland's collection, all have US tax seals and are all very desirable bottles.

Ideally an expert with a bit of credence should step in and offer Whisky Online an alternative opinion, but at the moment it's just a lot of shouting and posts with capital letters.

Needless to say Chaland is not a very nice person and has quite an impressive back catalogue of alcohol related misdemeanors.[/quote]

Well summarized.
Although to me, and given my respect for the members of this forum, I hope/assume to them as well, the question is not whether any bottle is a fake. As you say, whisky online's response has been, we do not care that he buys stolen bottles, we do not care that he has sold fakes, as long as we make money i.e. the bottles he is selling with us are real, we do not care. (They do not dispute that they are Chaland's bottles)
As I said, everyone is free to make their own judgement as to whether, as a community of whisky lovers, we should should support such an attitude.

[drinker]

Apologies to Whisky Online that I did not post this sooner, but I was not at my computer. They pulled all Chaland's bottles.