by bourbonv » Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:39 am
Spirits are different from wine in that the high alcohol will dissolve the cork with contact, giving the product a "corky" flavor, but not neccessarily "cork taint" which is as you describe. It is best to keep spirits standing on the shelf and not on their side. With that said, I doubt if 2 hours on its side ruined the whiskey, but you would not want to take the chance and leave it there for extended periods of time.
I would open that bottle and taste it because I would want to know what it tastes like. If you wanted to sell it you could probably find a buyer, but then you will always ask yourself "I wonder what that rye whiskey tastes like?" Save yourself the anguish and open that bottle up and then let us know what your opinion of the whiskey is.
Mike Veach
"Our people live almost exclusively on whiskey" - E H Taylor, Jr. 25 April 1873