Comments on: What can stay in a bottle for 23 years and still be good?

Question: What can stay in a bottle for 23 years and still be good?

kalimac — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:03:28 -0800

OldLiquorFilter: Help me find a decent bottle of something 23 years old and containing alcohol.

I want to get my (very hard to shop for) father a bottle of liquor for Christmas from the year I was born - 1982. After a very unfortunate incident with a 1982 bottle of Sauternes and a rotten cork, I'd really like some advice on what kind of drink I should be looking for. Whiskey? Bourbon? The downside is I'm sort of poor - I'm looking at a top price of $30, *maybe* $50 at the most. Dad has pretty high-end tastes, but I don't have a job.

On top of that - anyone know where I could get this mythical bottle in Philadelphia, or its suburbs?

By: The Jesse Helms

The Jesse Helms — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:12:40 -0800

I don't think you will be able to find a 23 year old Scotch for less than $80, maybe not less than $100.

A 1982 wine will run you hundreds of dollars.

By: I Love Tacos

I Love Tacos — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:12:56 -0800

Give a call to Welsh's Liquor Store in Lambertville or Kreston's Liquor Mart in Wilmington and ask for assistance.

Your quest will go poorly if you try to use Pennsylvania liquor stores.

By: I Love Tacos

I Love Tacos — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:17:27 -0800

Oh, and I'm sorry to say that I also predict failure on your budget.

I glanced through the scotch lists at D&M, and didn't see anything in your price range. I'd be very surprised to find a wine in your price range that is that old and hadn't passed it's prime ten years prior.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:18:24 -0800

There are several 23-year-old whiskies available.

By: Rothko

Rothko — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:28:26 -0800

Your quest will go poorly if you try to use Pennsylvania liquor stores.

Definitely. Try Moore Brothers if you want wine. You won't find anything 23 years old in your price range, but they'll find you something interesting, I'm certain.

By: ewagoner

ewagoner — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:30:29 -0800

I'd suggest a bottle of port. It looks like you ought to be able to find some within your price range.

By: StickyCarpet

StickyCarpet — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:32:29 -0800

Second on the perhaps overly optimistic budget, but that's still a really sweet thing to do.

By: mr_roboto

mr_roboto — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:34:58 -0800

Port. It should be possible to find a 1982 vintage in your price range. Here are a couple that come close.

By: Thorzdad

Thorzdad — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:35:17 -0800

Excellent suggestion, ewagoner! I had totally forgotten about ports! A good, vintage, port is a great, unique gift.

By: misteraitch

misteraitch — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:41:25 -0800

Another vote here for port. According to this chart, the 1982 vintage was ‘good’ (rather than ‘very good’, ‘excellent’ or ‘outstanding’) so should be relatively affordable.

By: kcm

kcm — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:10:29 -0800

Just for another option, blow $1k on an '82 Lafite Rothschild. It actually was a very good year for that house, although I present it more for interest. :)

By: Hubajube

Hubajube — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 12:24:18 -0800

At least with scotches, a 1982 bottling probably won't be listed as a 23-year-old since age is measured only until the time bottled.

By: kalimac

kalimac — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:00:39 -0800

Oh my God, you guys are amazing. Port it will be, and thank you! Clearly, I am a noob at this, and I and my father appreciate your advice :)

As a bit of a rider - is there anything that can be done with some long-spoiled dessert wine? (The 1982 Sauternes in my original post.) This stuff is foul, but would it be transformed, if I cooked with it? Backup plan is to pour out the contents and just keep the bottle around for decoration.

By: Netzapper

Netzapper — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:14:50 -0800

Port++. I can't stand the stuff, but my father absolutely adores it.

Not_shopping_in_PA++. The liquor store in my hometown in Missouri had better wine selections than the shithole "Mega Stores" here in Philly. I almost cried when I walked into one for the first time and discovered they a) don't have a real meade, and b) don't have a goddamn thing from the Loirraine Valley.

re: ressurecting your wine: Nope. If it's foul, it'll stay foul regardless of what you do to it. There may be an ancient Hare with Spoiled Wine recipe from Lower Slabovia or something, but I assure you that it's not going to be something you enjoy.

Throw it out.

By: kalimac

kalimac — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:18:35 -0800

Not_shopping_in_PA++

Oh dear God yes. The state stores here make one weep. And if you still want real, good mead, drop me an e-mail. I know a guy in Southern DE who makes his own (for sale in large quantities), I can get you in touch with him. Huge range of excellent flavors - I especially recommend the Thunder Oak, honey mead mixed with brandy. Amazing stuff.

By: terrapin

terrapin — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:22:27 -0800

The general rule is to never cook with anything you wouldn't drink.

Go with the dump and recycle plan.

By: kcm

kcm — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:28:40 -0800

Not_shopping_in_PA *= INT_MAX;

I regret my two years in the Allegheny valley for this very reason (and the driving, dear lord, the driving). Look up the PA liquor laws if you're bored and want a laugh: no more than one 6-pack from a bar, no less than a case from a distributor, wine and liquor yet elsewhere and probably not other than business hours. Yay tolerance! Thus ends the derail.

By: kalimac

kalimac — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:38:55 -0800

kcm - hey, at least the stores are open on Sundays now! That's...improvement. For us.

Oh, and don't forget - no buying single beers and of course no alcohol outside of state stores (The Wine and Spirits Shoppe, and specially-licensed beer distributors).

And people wonder why I want to go to leave the state for grad school.

By: gimonca

gimonca — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 14:55:01 -0800

The Minnesota answer is to go to Haskell's liquor store. They sell gift bottles of Armagnac with specific vintage years, so it's no problem to get a 1982 Armagnac. Their website lists 1982 Castille Armagnac at $64.99. Getting it into Pennsylvania may require a wink and a nudge.

Last time I bought armagnac there, the clerk told me that almost all the bottles of old armagnac they sell are for exactly your situation--"it's the year I was born".