My wife's grandmom found a stash of Michter's whiskey from the late 70's and I got a bottle.
It's in a normal bottle with a cork still sealed and wrapped in cellophane (sp?).

I've heard that it's good stuff but got to wondering how old was too old?

Terrible stuff, my friend, you don't want it. Send it to me for proper disposal.

If the cork is okay, pour and enjoy.

I'm with Ted68 on this one... dont risk it...let trained pro's handel it for you... I'll pm you with the W.D.U. address (Whiskey Disposal Unit) this service is free of charge and tax deductable...nevermind that it is a residential address

It will be great--enjoy!

Thanks guys, I believe that we can manage the disposal ourselves, probably around the end of the year.

Happy New Year to all

why do you think people pay more money for aged whiskey sorry but no brainer here drink and enjoy

quote:

Originally posted by TBEAR99:
why do you think people pay more money for aged whiskey sorry but no brainer here drink and enjoy

Yes, but thats for whiskey aged in oak barrels which have been charred on the inside. Spending 30 years in a glass bottle does not really count as aging. Should the cork be damaged, or shrink and lose it's seal ever so slightly, the liquor can become "bottle sick" and is then ruined.

Cheers

quote:

Originally posted by Ted68:
Yes, but thats for whiskey aged in oak barrels which have been charred on the inside. Spending 30 years in a glass bottle does not really count as aging. Should the cork be damaged, or shrink and lose it's seal ever so slightly, the liquor can become "bottle sick" and is then ruined.
Cheers

That's what I was wondering, this cork seems to be well sealed. I know that the barrels "breathe" somewhat and that they're rotated every so often, maybe the cork closure is morebetter than a plastic screw top. What are the symptoms of "bottle sick"?

Basically what it is is the allowing of air to circulate (different from breathing) which allows bacteria from the air to grow--generally around the bottom of a deteriorated cork. This is extremely rare in factory sealed bottles. That is why there is a plastic shrink-wrap around the top edges of the cork to begin with. It generally happens in bottles where the cork didn't make a good seal when re-inserted or was damaged, and the bottle then set for a good while due to slow sales. Also cork will pick up bacteria well from a bartender with dirty hands. But again, all of this is very rare and very different from the bottle sickness in wine.

So in short, y'all are good for New Years. Enjoy it.

Now I must dash off to my 6:00 a.m. AA meeting.

Cheers!

PS.

I forgot, the symptoms.

The bottom of the cork is black and wet and will scrape off onto your thumbnail like mud. The whiskey will be slightly cloudy and have a very apparent tang that will make you pucker and gag, your nose will run and your eyes will water.

And since either hanging around or working in my uncles bars since I was 11, I have only seen this three times. The first two were on bottles that were very, very old--as in "I don't know, it was here when I bought the bar!" old the third was due to a bartender with a coke problem who kept rubbing her nose.

You're safe.

Happy new Years

Well, I opened up that bottle tonite. Once unwrapped I found that it had the screw top and was in perfect condition.
Nice smooth whiskey with a bit lighter taste than good old Jack Daniels.

I'm set for New Years, hope everyone else is the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Ted68:

quote:

Originally posted by TBEAR99:
why do you think people pay more money for aged whiskey sorry but no brainer here drink and enjoy

Yes, but thats for whiskey aged in oak barrels which have been charred on the inside. Spending 30 years in a glass bottle does not really count as aging. Should the cork be damaged, or shrink and lose it's seal ever so slightly, the liquor can become "bottle sick" and is then ruined.

Cheers

Agree....way different. Should be fine, but you will be the first to know!

quote:

Once unwrapped I found that it had the screw top

You made me type all that for nuthin' !!!

Just kidding, enjoy the new years.

By the way, it's not hard to beat Jack Daniels

Originally posted by Ted68:

quote:

By the way, it's not hard to beat Jack Daniels

I've tried some of the "better" stuff but I think my taste buds are already petrified and I just keep going back for more JD.
Kind of like riding in my 85 Jeep Wrangler, I know it's going to be rough but it's a comfortable rough.

HAPPY NEW YEAR RICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

While helping a friends widow clean out the departed 'ol boys hunting duffel; found a pint of Old Overholt rye. It had been awaiting a celebration (a bull elk kill) since the sixties.
May just pop 'er open and toast the 'ol boy

my grandfather got a decorative decanter of wild turkey every year from his crew back in the early 70's when he worked for colonial pipeline.
I have 6 of them unopened.

I did some research on the Net and there are people who buy the "Collectable" decanters just for the whiskey. Pop the top on one K and let us know how it was.

It's not whiskey, but I took a bottle of Antinori Aleatico from 1975 to a friends' place for a duck hunt on Thursday and it was sublime.

If the product was up to scratch to begin with you can hope it stands up to time well.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick R:


got to wondering how old was too old?

I don't think you can get too old to enjoy good whiskey

i have a few of the the wild turkey decantures from the 70's w/ the seals intact.
my paternal GF worked for the pipeline and got one for Christmas every year from his crews.
its a shame i quit drinking a decade and a half ago.