Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Have an old/rare bottle you'd like some more info on?

Moderator: Squire

Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:43 pm

Following a death in my family, I've come into possession of three older bottles of bourbon. One is a single bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald. If my understanding of bottling markers in the bottom glass of the bottle is correct, it was bottled around 1981. Bottled in Bond - 100 Proof. Any thoughts or concerns on reselling, venues for selling, shipping issues, and/or overall value. Cordially, JBF
Attachments
100_0750.JPG
100_0750.JPG (73.88 KiB) Viewed 11714 times
100_0749-1.jpg
100_0749-1.jpg (70 KiB) Viewed 11710 times
100_0770-1.jpg
100_0770-1.jpg (85.82 KiB) Viewed 11710 times
100_0749-1.jpg
100_0749-1.jpg (70 KiB) Viewed 11706 times
100_0745-1.jpg
100_0745-1.jpg (69.04 KiB) Viewed 11707 times
100_0764-1.jpg
100_0764-1.jpg (92.47 KiB) Viewed 11728 times
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby Dump Bucket » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:01 am

don’t sell it.... drink it with family and celebrate the life of the one that passed....
"What I do I do because I like to do." Alex DeLarge ACWO
User avatar
Dump Bucket
Bourbon Head
Bourbon Head
 
Posts: 522
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:42 pm
Location: Vail, AZ

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Sat Jun 06, 2009 12:21 pm

I have two other, moderately nice Bourbons that were part of the group that, believe you me, I'll be enjoying. Dad worked at Brown Forman for years and never drank. Drinking to his memory wouldn't really suit him. Though, I'll admit, I still have on occasion. Thanks for the thought, but I know there others in the world who would far better appreciate this bourbon than me. JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Sat Jun 06, 2009 2:25 pm

I have many of the same thoughts and concerns. I'm checking with local restaurants with vast bourbon collections (I am in Kentucky afterall) to see if any of them might be interested. Thanks for your response. JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Sat Jun 06, 2009 4:00 pm

I like and love bourbon, but I know I would not be in a position to fully appreciate the bottle. JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:16 am

Current costs for similar products would be about $60-70.


Thus the mystery of deliciously balanced and aged bourbon. That one could pay so little then, to have something worth so much now.

JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:03 pm

From an e-mail I received from a third-party Bourbon lover, historian and author who was kind enough to respond to a series of my questions on the subject -

Very Very Old Fitzgerald happens to be one of the most highly prized collectible products out there and fetches the highest prices, which won’t put your kids through college but might top $1,000 under the right circumstances.


Would I take $1,000.00 for the bottle, probably. Would I take far less if I knew it was going to someone, or a group of people who might truly appreciate and enjoy it for what it is, absolutely.

Surprisingly, the latter I've not yet seen. I was trying to avoid the mass market, but that seems the unfortunate route.

JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:12 pm

I should add, there have been some who have expressed a general interest in what I would want for the bottle, and I would respond with the following:
What they think is a fair and reasonable price and what are the willing to pay. As is said in my line of work, the measure of price is what a willing buyer is willing to pay a willing seller. JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby cowdery » Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:18 pm

It's a shame there isn't an easy way for people to legally sell alcohol, but there isn't and that tends to color everything. I've never really understood the people who are offended by the desire of someone who has come into possession of something of value to realize that value. If you discovered that you owned a valuable painting, it might be admirable if you hung it on the wall and took a non-monetary view of its value, but what is so wrong with taking the monetary view? We have had experiences with people who misrepresent themselves, and I agree with condemnation of that, but a person who presents something honestly, I don't have a problem with it. Sorry, but in my lexicon, profit is not a dirty word.
- Chuck Cowdery

Author of Bourbon, Straight
User avatar
cowdery
Registered User
 
Posts: 1586
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby Dump Bucket » Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:51 pm

JBF1213 wrote:From an e-mail I received from a third-party Bourbon lover, historian and author who was kind enough to respond to a series of my questions on the subject -

Very Very Old Fitzgerald happens to be one of the most highly prized collectible products out there and fetches the highest prices, which won’t put your kids through college but might top $1,000 under the right circumstances.


Would I take $1,000.00 for the bottle, probably. Would I take far less if I knew it was going to someone, or a group of people who might truly appreciate and enjoy it for what it is, absolutely.

Surprisingly, the latter I've not yet seen. I was trying to avoid the mass market, but that seems the unfortunate route.

JBF


Well, it is sought after, but you cost boggy is high. $300-650 is more like it, but
Jeff is right, the equvalant juice today for $65 to$100.

I have about half a bottle left of that juice and it is OK, not great. I have some prime from 74 that blows it out of the water.


The older ones from the 60s and 70s are Great... The end of the run is OK and you have an end of the run bottle.


Could you get a full $650 for it (last 3-4 from the early 70s sold on ebay for that), maybe, but I doubt it. The last half dozen of the last run ones (80s) peaked at $425 and the others sold from $125 (flook) to $325 (2 of them).


The last 6 months all of the bourbon prices have dropped and you might take 10-20% off of those prices to give yourself some expectations.


Personally, I would give you $250 for it if I was to buy it and then I would open it up with some of my bourbon nut friends... That is what I do with all my juice.

I recommend if you are really looking at cashing it in, you list it on ebay with all the info you can and start the auction at 1 cent. You really will get the best auction price that way.

Good luck and I still think you should drink it... :)
"What I do I do because I like to do." Alex DeLarge ACWO
User avatar
Dump Bucket
Bourbon Head
Bourbon Head
 
Posts: 522
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:42 pm
Location: Vail, AZ

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby drinkdrankdrunk » Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:05 pm

If only there was someone in the forum who did nothing all day but watch prices on Ebay and keep a thread updated of what things were going for, this same tired old discussion would not keep happening. We tried posting a "What's my bottle worth" thread, but that either gets overlooked or just doesn't satisfy someone who is intent on selling their wares.
User avatar
drinkdrankdrunk
Registered User
 
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:24 pm
Location: Tx

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:17 pm

I'm not terrible sure what to make of DDD's reply, but my original post, in addition to value, requested info re:
Any thoughts or concerns on reselling, venues for selling, shipping issues, and/or overall value.


To which I received responses noting some issues I had not anticipated or considered. Many of these issues will directly color what I do with the bottle, and for those words of wisdom I am grateful.

If this initial post belonged elsewhere, I apologize, but would have expected a moderator to move as appropriate. With that said, thanks to all who were kind enough to give me some food for thought and some offers in the process. If my life allowed for the leisure of travel, I'd love to pick a middle ground in St. Louis, call a quorum, pour shots around and enjoy. Short of that, who knows.

JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby drinkdrankdrunk » Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:32 pm

JBF1213 wrote:I'm not terrible sure what to make of DDD's reply, but my original post, in addition to value, requested info re:
Any thoughts or concerns on reselling, venues for selling, shipping issues, and/or overall value.


To which I received responses noting some issues I had not anticipated or considered. Many of these issues will directly color what I do with the bottle, and for those words of wisdom I am grateful.

If this initial post belonged elsewhere, I apologize, but would have expected a moderator to move as appropriate. With that said, thanks to all who were kind enough to give me some food for thought and some offers in the process. If my life allowed for the leisure of travel, I'd love to pick a middle ground in St. Louis, call a quorum, pour shots around and enjoy. Short of that, who knows.

JBF


Nothing meant by it. Just that we all dance around the legalities of selling, shipping liquor without a license. It's going to be done. UPS and Fed-Ex don't check for liquor, Ebay allows the sale, it's going to happen.
User avatar
drinkdrankdrunk
Registered User
 
Posts: 215
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:24 pm
Location: Tx

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby JBF1213 » Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:46 pm

Gotcha. I've gathered everyone, at almost every level, turns a blind eye. E-bay's terms are a good example. I'll take my issues off the board as I've clearly taken up too much of the bourbon world's time with my issues. Best wishes and thanks all for the thoughts. JBF
JBF1213
Registered User
 
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:32 pm

Re: Very Very Old Fitzgerald

Unread postby bunghole » Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:49 pm

It is really too bad that the BATF cannot officially allow for small private sales of collector status whiskies, and that all the states would follow suit. Highly unlikely, but it would seem welcomely desirable by serious collectors. In that way you could go to the whiskey forum of your choice and simply announce the intent to buy/sell and let the bidding begin.

The whole ebay scam is to become a "bottle collector" and the contents of the bottle are mearly incendental. It works to some extent. Sometimes Postal Inspectors arrive at your house at most inconvenient times with questions that could bring additional attention from agents of the B.A.T.F.

Given the fact that the fine folks that can easily afford to bid/spend $1,000.00 on a single bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald already have the very best legal firm(s) on retainer - even if convicted, they always get the shortest time and the very best cells in the prison. The Very Very Old Fitzgerald shows up on a regular basis as mouthwash!

HEY! That's It! A mouthwash auction!

Saint Linn
"A Kind Word Never Broke A Tooth."
User avatar
bunghole
Registered User
 
Posts: 2157
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:42 am
Location: Stuart's Draft, Virginia

Next

Return to Collector's Corner

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests