Whiskey Vapors

“Sweet Vapors” There appears to be no end to the variety of conditions and situations which can form the basis for legal action, but whiskey fumes in the air? Who would have thought? In a unique class-action lawsuit filed last Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky, the plaintiffs have sued three Louisville distilleries claiming that “sweet vapors” from aging whiskey carry a fungus which produce persistent black spots on cars and homes in the neighborhood. According to the plaintiffs’ attorney recent tests on some of the spots have detected a substance known as “whiskey fungus” or “angel’s share fungus.” Officials identified it as some sort of nonlethal mold which is not harmful to human health but is a nuisance. A spokesman for the targeted whiskey companies said that the spots are caused by a naturally occurring mold found often in the environment and unrelated to the production of whiskey. He said that that the companies do not believe that they have caused any harm to the plaintiffs. So here we have a clear disagreement, and resolving disputes is, after all, what our courts are for, but a class action lawsuit seems a bit over the top for what appears to be a rather minor issue. The fellow who started all of this could probably have got the justice he wants by bringing his claim in small claims court—with no lawyer required.