FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.7.0_76"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_76-b13)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 24.76-b04, mixed mode)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux adnlt043 2.6.32-504.8.1.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Fri Dec 19 12:09:25 EST 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
When parsing the virtual timezone "UTC" with java.text.SimpleDateFormat, the timezone is set to the first timezone that matches an actual timezone in the UTC group, which is Antarctica/Troll. When comparing this timezone with the result of TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"), we fail.

ADDITIONAL REGRESSION INFORMATION: 
The comparison worked in JDK 1.7.0_21 and older versions of JDK.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile and execute:

public class TimeZoneTest {

	public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
		String dateString = "UTC";
		String formatString = "z";
		SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(formatString);
		Date date = simpleDateFormat.parse(dateString);
		
		TimeZone timeZone = TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC");
		
		long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
		
		Calendar cal = new GregorianCalendar(simpleDateFormat.getTimeZone());
		cal.setTime(date);
		
		if (timeZone.getOffset(now) == cal.getTimeZone().getOffset(now)) {
			System.out.println("Works as expected");
		} else {
			System.err.println("The timezone parsed with the simple date format has an offset '" + 
					cal.getTimeZone().getOffset(now) + "', but the timezone offset of TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') is '" + timeZone.getOffset(now) + "'");
		}
		System.out.println("TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') : " + TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"));
		System.out.println("cal.getTimeZone() : " + cal.getTimeZone());
	}
}


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Works as expected
TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') : sun.util.calendar.ZoneInfo[id="UTC",offset=0,dstSavings=0,useDaylight=false,transitions=0,lastRule=null]
cal.getTimeZone() : sun.util.calendar.ZoneInfo[id="Etc/UCT",offset=0,dstSavings=0,useDaylight=false,transitions=0,lastRule=null]
ACTUAL -
The timezone parsed with the simple date format has an offset '7200000', but the timezone offset of TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') is '0'
TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') : sun.util.calendar.ZoneInfo[id="UTC",offset=0,dstSavings=0,useDaylight=false,transitions=0,lastRule=null]
cal.getTimeZone() : sun.util.calendar.ZoneInfo[id="Antarctica/Troll",offset=0,dstSavings=7200000,useDaylight=true,transitions=67,lastRule=java.util.SimpleTimeZone[id=Antarctica/Troll,offset=0,dstSavings=7200000,useDaylight=true,startYear=0,startMode=2,startMonth=2,startDay=-1,startDayOfWeek=1,startTime=3600000,startTimeMode=2,endMode=2,endMonth=9,endDay=-1,endDayOfWeek=1,endTime=3600000,endTimeMode=2]]


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class TimeZoneTest {

	public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
		String dateString = "UTC";
		String formatString = "z";
		SimpleDateFormat simpleDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(formatString);
		Date date = simpleDateFormat.parse(dateString);
		
		TimeZone timeZone = TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC");
		
		long now = System.currentTimeMillis();
		
		Calendar cal = new GregorianCalendar(simpleDateFormat.getTimeZone());
		cal.setTime(date);
		
		if (timeZone.getOffset(now) == cal.getTimeZone().getOffset(now)) {
			System.out.println("Works as expected");
		} else {
			System.err.println("The timezone parsed with the simple date format has an offset '" + 
					cal.getTimeZone().getOffset(now) + "', but the timezone offset of TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') is '" + timeZone.getOffset(now) + "'");
		}
		System.out.println("TimeZone.getTimeZone('UTC') : " + TimeZone.getTimeZone("UTC"));
		System.out.println("cal.getTimeZone() : " + cal.getTimeZone());
	}
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------