Is it safe to drink alcoholic beverages in Turkey?

Author : isturkeysafe

9/1/2018

Last Update : 7/22/2019

Is-it-safe-to-drink-alcoholic-beverages-in-Turkey
In recent years, it is often asked whether alcoholic beverages are safe and legal in Turkey. In Turkey, drinking alcoholic beverages of individuals over the age of 18 is completely legal. There are a large number of local people who prefer not to drink for religious reasons, but there is no problem for drinkers, especially if you are traveling as a tourist. You can buy all kinds of alcoholic beverages at many supermarkets in all parts of Turkey (like Migros, click here for MIGROS Supermarkets Turkey), also there are many restaurants serving alcoholic beverages.
The only restriction on alcoholic beverages is the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages in supermarkets after 10 pm. If you are thinking to drink at your place during night, you need to buy it before 10 pm. However, there is no restriction in the bars / restaurants / hotels which serve alcoholic beverages, alcohol can be served 24 hours a day.
Of course, as mentioned, the age is also important. Minimum legal drinking age in Turkey is 18. Alcoholic beverages cannot be sold or served to people who are not over the age of 18 in any purpose. If there is any doubt about the age of the customer, the seller can legally request to see the identity card of the costumer to check the age.
In Turkey, disturbing the peace of other people when get drunk is prohibited by law. In parallel, drinking alcohol in public places (parks, streets, etc.) may be prohibited by the governor of the city. Drinking beer on the beach all night long may sound romantic at first, but it may be useful to receive information from local people prior to do that in order to avoid legal issues.
A different subject worth mentioning; although it is not a direct a safety issue in general, there is a possibility that alcoholic beverages served at the all-inclusive hotels in Turkey may be mixed with water. There are thousands of all-inclusive hotels in Turkey; and in order to maximize the profit, unfortunately mixing water into alcoholic beverages is common. Generally, all-inclusive service at this type of hotels does not include bottled drinks. So keep this in mind if you get drunk longer than usual.
Legal permission is required for the production of alcoholic beverages in Turkey, a strong control mechanism is being carried on production by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. Sometimes, illegal alcoholic beverages production cases may be encountered. Harmful ingredients can be used for this purpose, so it is very important to buy alcoholic beverages from reliable sources (alcoholic drinks shops, supermarkets, etc.) and check the permission label on the bottle.
22 July 2019 Update
As a result of additional taxes in 2019, Turkey has become one of the countries with the most expensive alcoholic beverages. Even with 2018 prices, Turkey is one of Europe's top 5 countries in terms of the cost of the alcoholic beverages; check it from the following link.Eurostats Price Level Indices. For example, you can buy Turkish Raki abroad with much cheaper price than in Turkey. When this is the case, unfortunately the news of fake alcoholic beverages increases every day. Although the food ministry controls it tightly, considering the population and size of the country, it is not possible to prevent it completely due to this high alcohol prices. In July 2019, at Adana (one of the southern provinces of Turkey), about 20 people lost their lives due to suspected methyl alcohol poisoning. Check the link below for more information.
https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/2019/07/17/death-toll-in-alcohol-poisoning-rises-to-18
Therefore, it is very important not to buy alcoholic beverages from unknown sources. It is very important for your health not to buy alcoholic beverages other than supermarkets and authorized dealers in Turkey.

1 Related Question(s)

How much does it cost to buy a bottle of Jack Daniels in Turkey?

5/10/2020
How much are the whiskey prices in Turkey in 2020? You can find the latest and most up-to-date list of prices of 35cc, 50cc, 70cc, 100cc, 150cc, 175cc and 300cc whiskeys in Turkey below.
Before going on our price list, it is good to remind that the whiskey prices listed below are the recommended sales prices in Turkey. According to the places selling alcohol, these prices may increase or decrease slightly. Especially if you are buying alcoholic beverages from a local market in a touristic area, the price will probably bi much more higher. Try buying alcohol from big supermarkets like Migros if possible. They will be cheaper and safer to buy alcoholic beverages. (for more information, click here for our article ‘Is it safe to drink alcoholic beverages in Turkey? ).
You can find the latest and most up-to-date list of prices of whisheys below:

Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

35 cl Jack Daniels Whiskey: 3.743 € / 4.095 $ / 139.90 TL
50 cl Jack Daniels Whiskey: 5.057 € / 5.532 $ / 189.00 TL
70 cl Jack Daniels Whiskey: 6.837 € / 7.479 $ / 255.50 TL
100 cl Jack Daniels Whiskey: 9.352 € / 10.23 $ / 349.50 TL
175 cl Jack Daniels Whiskey: 16.05 € / 17.56 $ / 599.90 TL
300 cl Jack Daniels Whiskey: 26.75 € / 29.27 $ / 1000 TL
70 Gentleman Jack Price: 6.408 € / 7.011 $ / 239.50 TL

Johnnie Walker Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

35 'Johnnie Walker Red Label Whiskey: 2.662 € / 2.912 $ / 99.50 TL
50 cl Johnnie Walker Red Label Whiskey: 3.625 € / 3.966 $ / 135.50 TL
70s Johnnie Walker Red Label Whiskey: 4.963 € / 5.430 $ / 185.50 TL
100 cl Johnnie Walker Red Label Whiskey: 6.689 € / 7.318 $ / 250.00 TL
150 cl Johnnie Walker Red Label Whiskey: 9.633 € / 10.53 $ / 360.00 TL
70s Johnnie Walker Red Rye Finish Whiskey: 5.084 € / 5.562 $ / 190.00 TL
35 cl Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey: 3.398 € / 3.717 $ / 127.00 TL
50 cl Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey: 4.736 € / 5.181 $ / 177.00 TL
70 cl Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey: 6.422 € / 7.025 $ / 240.00 TL
100 cl Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey: 8.563 € / 9.367 $ / 320.00 TL
150 cl Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey: 11.90 € / 13.02 $ / 445.00 TL
70 cl Johnnie Walker Double Black Label Whiskey: 7.358 € / 8.050 $ / 275.00 TL
70 cl Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Whiskey: 8.563 € / 9.367 $ / 320.00 TL
175 cl Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Whiskey: 13.64 € / 14.92 $ / 510.00 TL
70 cl Johnnie Walker Platinum Label Whiskey: 12.04 € / 13.17 $ / 450.00 TL
70s Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whiskey: 42.81 € / 46.83 $ / 1600.00 TL
70s Johnnie Walker & Sons King George V Whiskey: 88.30 € / 96.60 $ / 3300.00 TL
70s Johnnie Walker Green Label: 9.499 € / 10.39 $ / 355.00 TL
50's Johnnie Walker Blenders Batch: 5.218 € / 5.708 $ / 195.00 TL

Chivas Regal Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

20 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 2.408 € / 2.634 $ / 90.00 TL
35 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 3.612 € / 3.951 $ / 135.00 TL
50 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 4.830 € / 5.283 $ / 180.50 TL
70 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 6.556 € / 7.172 $ / 245.00 TL
100 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 8.964 € / 9.806 $ / 335.00 TL
175 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 15.11 € / 16.53 $ / 565.00 TL
300 cl Chivas Regal 12 Scottish Whiskey: 28.09 € / 30.73 $ / 1050.00 TL
70 cl Chivas Regal Extra: 7.626 € / 8.343 $ / 285.00 TL
50 cl Chivas Regal 18 Scottish Whiskey: 7.626 € / 8.343 $ / 285.00 TL
70 cl Chivas Regal 18 Scottish Whiskey: 10.56 € / 11.56 $ / 395.00 TL
70 cl Chivas Regal Ultis Scottish Whiskey: 40.13 € / 43.91 $ / 1500.00 TL
70 cl Chivas Regal 25 Scottish Whiskey: 64.22 € / 70.25 $ / 2400.00 TL
70 cl Chivas Regal Royal Salute 21 Scottish Whiskey: 25.42 € / 27.81 $ / 950.00 TL

Ballantine’s Finest Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

35 cl Ballantine’s Finest Scottish Whiskey: 2.662 € / 2.912 $ / 99.50 TL
50 cl Ballantine‘s Finest Scottish Whiskey: 3.612 € / 3.951 $ / 135.00 TL
70 cl Ballantine’s Finest Scottish Whiskey: 4.950 € / 5.415 $ / 185.00 TL
100 cl Ballantine’s Finest Scottish Whiskey: 6.689 € / 7.318 $ / 250.00 TL
150 cl Ballantine’s Finest Scottish Whiskey: 9.633 € / 10.53 $ / 360.00 TL
70 cl Ballantine’s Finest 12 Scottish Whiskey: 5.753 € / 6.293 $ / 215.00 TL
70 cl Ballantine’s 17 Scottish Whiskey: 9.633 € / 10.53 $ / 360.00 TL
70 cl Ballantine’s 21 Scottish Whiskey: 20.33 € / 22.24 $ / 760.00 TL
70 cl Ballantine’s 30 Scottish Whiskeys: 46.82 € / 51.22 $ / 1750.00 TL

J&B Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

35 cl J&B Whiskey: 2.341 € / 2.561 $ / 87.50 TL
50 cl J&B Whiskey: 3.224 € / 3.527 $ / 120.50 TL
70 cl J&B Whiskey: 4.468 € / 4.888 $ / 167.00 TL
100 cl J&B Whiskey: 6.020 € / 6.586 $ / 225.00 TL
150 cl J&B Whiskey: 8.496 € / 9.294 $ / 317.50 TL
70 cl J&B Urban Honey Whiskey: 4.294 € / 4.698 $ / 160.50 TL

Aberlour Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Aberlour 12 Whiskey: 9.098 € / 9.953 $ / 340.00 TL
70 cl Aberlour 16 Whiskey: 13.37 € / 14.63 $ / 500.00 TL
70 cl Aberlour 18 Whiskey: 17.39 € / 19.02 $ / 650.00 TL
70 cl Aberlour A'bunadh Whiskey: 15.78 € / 17.27 $ / 590.00 TL

The Glenlivet Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl The Glenlivet 12 Whiskey: 7.894 € / 8.635 $ / 295.00 TL
70 cl The Glenlivet 15 Whiskey: 11.37 € / 12.44 $ / 425.00 TL
70 cl The Glenlivet 18 Whiskey: 16.05 € / 17.56 $ / 600.00 TL
70 cl The Glenlivet Founder‘s Reserve Whiskey: 7.358 € / 8.050 $ / 275.00 TL

Jim Beam Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

20 cl Jim Beam Whiskey: 2.113 € / 2.312 $ / 79.00 TL
37.5 cl Jim Beam Whiskey: 2.542 € / 2.781 $ / 95.00 TL
75 cl Jim Beam Whiskey: 3.880 € / 4.244 $ / 145.00 TL
75 cl Jim Beam Black Whiskey: 4.281 € / 4.683 $ / 160.00 TL
100 cl Jim Beam Whiskey: 5.338 € / 5.840 $ / 199.50 TL
150 cl Jim Beam Whiskey: 7.492 € / 8.196 $ / 280.00 TL

Jameson Irish Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

35 cl Jameson Irish Whiskey: 2.943 € / 3.220 $ / 110.00 TL
70 cl Jameson Irish Whiskey: 5.338 € / 5.840 $ / 199.50 TL
70 cl Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey: 6.957 € / 7.611 $ / 260.00 TL

Talisker Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Talisker Storm Single Malt Whiskey: 9.633 € / 10.53 $ / 360.00 TL
70 cl Talisker Skye Single Malt Whiskey: 8.964 € / 9.806 $ / 335.00 TL
70 Talisker 10 Single Malt Whiskey: 11.50 € / 12.58 $ / 430.00 TL

Passport Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

35 cl Passport Whiskey: 1.993 € / 2.180 $ / 74.50 TL
50 cl Passport Whiskey: 2.742 € / 3.000 $ / 102.50 TL
70 cl Passport Whiskey: 3.813 € / 4.171 $ / 142.50 TL
100 cl Passport Whiskey: 5.218 € / 5.708 $ / 195.00 TL

Bulleit Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Bulleit Rye Whiskey: 5.887 € / 6.440 $ / 220.00 TL
70 cl Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey: 9.365 € / 10.24 $ / 350.00 TL

The Singleton Of Dufftown Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl The Singleton Of Dufftown 12 Single Malt Whiskey: 7.358 € / 8.050 $ / 275.00 TL
70 cl The Singleton Of Dufftown 15 Single Malt Whiskey: 7.358 € / 8.050 $ / 275.00 TL

The Macallan Single Malt Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl The Macallan Single Malt Whiskey: 7.091 € / 7.757 $ / 265.00 TL

Bell’s Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

50 cl Bell's Whiskey: 2.662 € / 2.912 $ / 99.50 TL

Vat 69 Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Vat 69 Whiskey: 3.880 € / 4.244 $ / 145.00 TL

Lagavulin Single Malt Whiskey Prices in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Lagavulin 16 Single Malt Whiskey: 14.85 € / 16.24 $ / 555.00 TL
70 cl Lagavulin Distilers Malt Whiskey: 14.85 € / 16.24 $ / 555.00 TL

Oban Single Malt Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Oban 14 Single Malt Whiskey: 12.84 € / 14.05 $ / 480.00 TL

Caol to Single Malt Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Caol to 12 Single Malt Whiskey: 10.97 € / 12.00 $ / 410.00 TL

Dalwhinnie Single Malt Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Dalwhinnie 15 Single Malt Whiskey: 9.900 € / 10.83 $ / 370.00 TL

Glenkinchie Single Malt Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Glenkinchie 12 Single Malt Whiskey: 10.83 € / 11.85 $ / 405.00 TL

Cragganmore Single Malt Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Cragganmore 12 Single Malt Whiskey: 6.288 € / 6.879 $ / 235.00 TL

Cardhu Single Malt Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Cardhu 12 Single Malt Whiskey: 9.365 € / 10.24 $ / 350.00 TL

Joint Bourbon Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Joint Bourbon Whiskey: 6.823 € / 7.464 $ / 255.00 TL

Royal Salute Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Royal Salute 21 Whiskey: 24.08 € / 26.34 $ / 900.00 TL

White Horse Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl White Horse Whiskey: 4.335 € / 4.742 $ / 162.00 TL

Dimple Golden Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70 cl Dimple Golden Selection Whiskey: 5.887 € / 6.440 $ / 220.00 TL

Kentucky Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70s Kentucky Highway Whiskey: 3.264 € / 3.571 $ / 122.00 TL

Double Q Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

35 cl Double Q Whiskey: 1.819 € / 1.990 $ / 68.00 TL

John Medley’s Whiskey Price in Turkey in 2020

70s John Medley’s 6yo Whiskey: 4.147 € / 4.537 $ / 155.00 TL
There are the prices of the whiskeys that occurred after the last increase. You can reach the most recent whiskeys prices in Turkey on our website.
Important Note: Alcoholic beverages are harmful to health. Please stay away from alcohol for your health.

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