Years ago I read of a fellow who would pour for his guests from a Chivas Regal bottle filled with inexpensive pedestrian whiskey. Nobody ever could tell.
Nouveau riche posers buy for prestige, not for inherent quality. Art, whiskey, or autographed baseballs, not many actually can tell the difference. Nor do they really care as long as the people they want to impress are fooled.
Lots of bars do that. They keep two bottles of the same brand, one with the real stuff and the other filled with cheap stuff.
Most people can tell if they are getting the real stuff the first or second drink — but the alcohol itself numbs the tongue and after the third one, they can barely tell what they are drinking, let alone what brand it is.
Anybody used to drinking Chivas or other “good stuff” can tell right away. I suspect in the example you mention, they certainly would have made the distinction in a side by side consecutive test.
I won $10 betting I could tell the difference between Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, and Knob Creek.
A number of 20th century art forgers were motivated not by the money, but to make asses out of the critics and collectors.