A method of controlling an aerosol-generating system, the system comprising: an aerosol-generating article (504, 604) including at least one component incorporating a taggant having an identifiable spectroscopic signature within a material of the at least one component; and an aerosol-generating device (502, 602), comprising: a cavity (532, 612) for at least partially receiving the aerosol-generating article; a power supply (526, 606) for supplying power to at least one heating element (534, 618); electrical hardware connected to the power supply; and a detector capable of detecting the presence of the aerosol-generating article and distinguishing the aerosol-generating article from other articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system, based on the spectroscopic signature of the taggant incorporated within a material of the aerosol-generating article, the method comprising the steps of: detecting the presence of an aerosol-generating article; determining whether the aerosol-generating article comprises a taggant; comparing the spectroscopic signature of the detected taggant with a look-up table of taggant spectroscopic signatures corresponding to aerosol-generating articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system; preventing activation of the aerosol-generating device, including preventing the supply of power to the at least one heating element, unless the detected taggant spectroscopic signature corresponds to an aerosol-generating article configured for use with the aerosol-generating system; and activating the aerosol-generating device if the detected taggant spectroscopic signature corresponds to an aerosol-generating article configured for use with the aerosol-generating system. an aerosol-generating article (504, 604) including at least one component incorporating a taggant having an identifiable spectroscopic signature within a material of the at least one component; and an aerosol-generating device (502, 602), comprising: a cavity (532, 612) for at least partially receiving the aerosol-generating article; a power supply (526, 606) for supplying power to at least one heating element (534, 618); electrical hardware connected to the power supply; and a detector capable of detecting the presence of the aerosol-generating article and distinguishing the aerosol-generating article from other articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system, based on the spectroscopic signature of the taggant incorporated within a material of the aerosol-generating article, a cavity (532, 612) for at least partially receiving the aerosol-generating article; a power supply (526, 606) for supplying power to at least one heating element (534, 618); electrical hardware connected to the power supply; and a detector capable of detecting the presence of the aerosol-generating article and distinguishing the aerosol-generating article from other articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system, based on the spectroscopic signature of the taggant incorporated within a material of the aerosol-generating article, the method comprising the steps of: detecting the presence of an aerosol-generating article; determining whether the aerosol-generating article comprises a taggant; comparing the spectroscopic signature of the detected taggant with a look-up table of taggant spectroscopic signatures corresponding to aerosol-generating articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system; preventing activation of the aerosol-generating device, including preventing the supply of power to the at least one heating element, unless the detected taggant spectroscopic signature corresponds to an aerosol-generating article configured for use with the aerosol-generating system; and activating the aerosol-generating device if the detected taggant spectroscopic signature corresponds to an aerosol-generating article configured for use with the aerosol-generating system. detecting the presence of an aerosol-generating article; determining whether the aerosol-generating article comprises a taggant; comparing the spectroscopic signature of the detected taggant with a look-up table of taggant spectroscopic signatures corresponding to aerosol-generating articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system; preventing activation of the aerosol-generating device, including preventing the supply of power to the at least one heating element, unless the detected taggant spectroscopic signature corresponds to an aerosol-generating article configured for use with the aerosol-generating system; and activating the aerosol-generating device if the detected taggant spectroscopic signature corresponds to an aerosol-generating article configured for use with the aerosol-generating system.