Every year or so it seems we run across a yard sale or a storage unit that has a bottle or two of unopened wine or liquor, usually in the form of a Jim Beam collectible decanter that someone tucked away. Knowing that some vintage liquors can be quite valuable, we always keep our eyes open for just that. Some early scotches can bring well over $1,000 if unopened. Like most collectibles, the value is in sealed bottles with intact tax stamps, not opened bottles.
One of my favorite vendors at a local Flea Market buys defaulted Storage Units, and frequently doesn't have time to go through every box before the weekend, so he sometimes opens them at the Flea Market while setting up, occassionally allowing those he knows to dig through "virgin" unopened totes....so you never really know just what you'll find. That was the case last weekend, and I opened one finding a newspaper wrapped 1961 Special Edition bottle of Walker's Deluxe Bourbon, still sealed. I continued digging to come up with three more sealed bottles along with a Canadian Club Lucite Paperweight. Following a bit of good natured back-and-forth regarding the pricing, we owned the lot for $25. I didn't really know the value of those Bourbons, but that way, if the Bourbon turned out to be of little value....well, we could always drink it. Important Note: Sealed bottles of hard liquor don't usually go bad like wine or beer. If they are clear, they are most likely perfectly safe to enjoy.
One of my favorite vendors at a local Flea Market buys defaulted Storage Units, and frequently doesn't have time to go through every box before the weekend, so he sometimes opens them at the Flea Market while setting up, occassionally allowing those he knows to dig through "virgin" unopened totes....so you never really know just what you'll find. That was the case last weekend, and I opened one finding a newspaper wrapped 1961 Special Edition bottle of Walker's Deluxe Bourbon, still sealed. I continued digging to come up with three more sealed bottles along with a Canadian Club Lucite Paperweight. Following a bit of good natured back-and-forth regarding the pricing, we owned the lot for $25. I didn't really know the value of those Bourbons, but that way, if the Bourbon turned out to be of little value....well, we could always drink it. Important Note: Sealed bottles of hard liquor don't usually go bad like wine or beer. If they are clear, they are most likely perfectly safe to enjoy.
Being a Scotch Drinker, I was very aware of what some early scotches are worth, especially single malts or - should you be so lucky as to find one - pre-prohibition bottles. I celebrated my 50th Birthday (yes...a few years ago) sharing a bottle of Pinch that was tax stamped in the 1930s. I came across that bottle at a Yard Sale while still living in Maine in the 1980s, and saved it for a special occasion. Turning 50 seemed like a good excuse. I hadn't paid much attention to the values of Bourbon or other liquors, other than follow the values of the large assortment of Jim Beam decanters. Because whatever value they had was from the decanters - not the liquor - and the fact that one couldn't legally sell full bottles online through most venues, the liquor usually was moved to a generic decanter and enjoyed. The empty decanter was sold separately. Most older Jim Bean decanters have a value in the $10 - $15 range, although some cross-collectible decanters can bring in the $30 - $60 range. Very few are worth over $75, most exceptions being Jim Beam Convention versions, which were very limited production.
Both of the larger bottles we found were limited edition Walkers Deluxe Bourbon in "Pint" Special Edition Gold Bottles, the oldest being an individually numbered bottle - number 169 - out of a run of 600, all bottled June 27, 1961. The other was bottled January 23, 1973 celebrating - and coming from - the 8,000,000 barrel of aged whiskey, and was presented to employees of Hiram Walker. The number produced is unknown, but likely to be extremely low. In addition, it has a Mississippi "Special Order" Tax Stamp, which is quite unusual. In researching values for these, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that beginning in 2012, vintage bourbon values have been rising rapidly in price. A good sealed 4/5ths bottle of Walkers, from the same period (1960s - 1970s) will bring in the $100 to $200 on the collectors market today.
We found a couple great websites regarding Vintage Liquor Values. The first is www.drinksplanet.com, where its free to register and post. They also have an option to have an expert appraise your bottle for a small fee, and they cover the full spectrum of alcoholic drinks including beers and wines. While perusing the pages, it's obvious that they have many potential buyers participating with those seeking values, and both can communicate directly once registered.
Another website we found interesting is the L.A. Whiskey Society. They describe themselves as a "Private Club, but a Public Resource". There you will find all kinds of information on Whiskeys including Ratings, Reviews, Articles and, if you scroll down the page, a guide on selling rare whiskeys and whiskey bottles.
So just how high a price can some of liquors bring? Well, until 2014 the world record for a liquor sale was held by a Macallan whisky, a 64-year-old scotch that went for $460,000 in New York in 2010. That number, however, was shattered by another Macallan that brought the princely sum of $628,205 at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong in January that year.
Leaving out examples where the bottles are encrusted with jewels or precious metals, instead focusing on the contents, it is not uncommon for examples to bring in the tens of thousands of dollars. Here's a good link to the ten most expensive Whiskeys as of this year: Click Here
One of the most interesting facets to learn while investigating these collectible liquors? Most of the liquors between $50 and $400 are bought.....to drink. What does that say? That these can only get rarer, and should prove to be great investments should you want to keep it as an investment rather than imbibe.
Cheers!
Another website we found interesting is the L.A. Whiskey Society. They describe themselves as a "Private Club, but a Public Resource". There you will find all kinds of information on Whiskeys including Ratings, Reviews, Articles and, if you scroll down the page, a guide on selling rare whiskeys and whiskey bottles.
So just how high a price can some of liquors bring? Well, until 2014 the world record for a liquor sale was held by a Macallan whisky, a 64-year-old scotch that went for $460,000 in New York in 2010. That number, however, was shattered by another Macallan that brought the princely sum of $628,205 at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong in January that year.
Leaving out examples where the bottles are encrusted with jewels or precious metals, instead focusing on the contents, it is not uncommon for examples to bring in the tens of thousands of dollars. Here's a good link to the ten most expensive Whiskeys as of this year: Click Here
One of the most interesting facets to learn while investigating these collectible liquors? Most of the liquors between $50 and $400 are bought.....to drink. What does that say? That these can only get rarer, and should prove to be great investments should you want to keep it as an investment rather than imbibe.
Cheers!
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