Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

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Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby kystormwatch » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:00 pm

Hello all,
I'm here today to pose a few questions.....

When, if ever, do you keep a special bottle of bourbon unopened?

Do any of the following make a difference to you when deciding?
rarity (maybe very old, limited production, experimental)
price (i.e. very expensive)
unique bottle design
special event bottling (anniversary edition, KY Derby issue, etc)
autographed by master distiller

Have you ever bought a bottle thinking "I'm going to buy that because it's going to be worth a fortune someday." (legal issues of resale aside - and yes, I know there are many!) When you keep a bottle, is it with the idea that you someday might sell it? Or do you maybe see it as something you might hand down to later generations?

I'd really appreciate the insight of those who have been bourbon fans (and possibly collectors) for more than just the few years that I've been at it.

Thanks!
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby drinkdrankdrunk » Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:51 pm

I have learned in my hunting experience to delay opening a bottle, but it is never my intention upon purchase of a bottle, no matter the price or rarity to never open it.

Some of the bottles I have put back I would like to save for one of my kids weddings, or to just open when I retire (if that ever happens).

Other than that, no the thought of a bottle being valuable for monetary gains in the near or distant future doesn't enter my mind. Nor should it being a bourbon enthusiast.

I may help out fellow enthusiast with bottles they are interested, that I care nothing about. But other than that, I don't buy bottles that I myself am not interested in consuming.
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby bunghole » Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:15 pm

DRINK IT MAN, DRINK IT!

My good friend, John Lipman, has one of the best - if not the best American whiskey collections on the face of the planet. If it is not open, he will open it. He is generous without fault, and friendly without foe. I cannot praise this man highly enough, and I am proud to call him my friend.

:arrow: ima :smilebox:
"A Kind Word Never Broke A Tooth."
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby ggilbertva » Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:41 pm

There are a few bottles that I have that I am keeping for a special occasion. 1978 Haller's County Fair BIB, Hirsch Blue Wax and Old Rip 15/107.

As for purchasing. the contents are the most important thing. I don't care about how fancy the bottle is or if the MD signed it or not. And, when I buy, it's to drink not to resell. Price does play a factor but I take quality over price.

Most of my 300+ bottles are either limited release or out of production bourbons. I don't bunker them because their limited or old, I bunker them because their outstanding examples of great bourbon and I want to enjoy these fine selections for years to come.
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby Dump Bucket » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:29 am

ggilbertva wrote:Most of my 300+ bottles ... ... I want to enjoy ... ...for years to come.


300 individual bottles of 300 representative 750ml bottle?
"What I do I do because I like to do." Alex DeLarge ACWO
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby enzo » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:30 am

I can't help myself. I open everything. The only thing that stops me from opening the next bottle, is waiting until I've tried the previous bottles first.

I buy whiskey to drink it. I have 32 open bottles currently. And the best part is being able to share it with friends.

You could die tomorrow. And wouldn't it be a shame if you never tried that special whiskey you were saving?
Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough.
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby cowdery » Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:22 pm

There are collectors, who buy bottles intending to never open them. There are collectors who are also drinkers, who buy one for the collection and one (or more) to drink. We have some of each group here, but I would say most of us are drinkers. I can't think of any bottle I own that I won't open, although I have many that I've had for years and haven't opened.
- Chuck Cowdery

Author of Bourbon, Straight
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby bunghole » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:02 pm

enzo wrote:I can't help myself. I open everything. The only thing that stops me from opening the next bottle, is waiting until I've tried the previous bottles first.

I buy whiskey to drink it. I have 32 open bottles currently. And the best part is being able to share it with friends.

You could die tomorrow. And wouldn't it be a shame if you never tried that special whiskey you were saving?



HUZZAH!
"A Kind Word Never Broke A Tooth."
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby bourbonv » Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:37 pm

I have many opened bottles autographed by the distiller. Guess what! When the bottle is empty, it is still autographed by the distiller.
Mike Veach
"Our people live almost exclusively on whiskey" - E H Taylor, Jr. 25 April 1873
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Re: Question: Keeping special/collectors bottles unopened

Unread postby cowdery » Wed Feb 11, 2009 6:11 pm

mozilla wrote:
bunghole wrote:My good friend, John Lipman, has one of the best - if not the best American whiskey collections on the face of the planet. If it is not open, he will open it. He is generous without fault, and friendly without foe. I cannot praise this man highly enough, and I am proud to call him my friend.

:arrow: ima :smilebox:


I can't do anything but agree with this statement. John Lipman is a wonderful friend from the word "go". He is very very generous with his time and friendship. Cheers to John!


And he's quite a handsome man too. :)
- Chuck Cowdery

Author of Bourbon, Straight
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