Found a bottle of whisky in the celler - any good?

[Togri v. 2.0]

I found a bottle of Lagavulin 16 years in my mother’s cellar. Back in 2002 or 2003 (or thereabout) I bought 20 or so bottles of single malt from a guy (an importer) delivering booze to where I worked after School. A lot of money back then but I got a good deal. Over the years I have either opened them myself or gifted them away.

Looking through my mother’s celler/basement today I found that I still had three bottles left. One Lagavulin, one Talisker and one Johnnie Walker.

Anyone here know if the Lagavulin is any good? It must be from the late 80s but I don’t know how to tell. Can you tell?

I was going to open it but I am by no means a whisky afficionado so if it is worth anything/would mean more to another person, I would rather sell it and get something less special (and put the money towards another watch probably . I seached for Lagavulin 16 years and could see that some older bottles are quite expensive but I have no idea, if this is one. I have no illusions that this was a “special” whisky when I bought it but sometimes time improves an item

It is probably nothing special but just tought I would check and even though this is a watch forum there seem to be some people here who know their single malt

 

[Walrus]

I’m pretty sure there is a whiskey thread as I wanted to pick up a bottle of the Bob Dylan whiskey I asked which one would be a good choice and got some helpful feedback. I just got it is I’m a Dylan fan to me I can’t tell what’s good or bad as booze makes me do funny and not funny things so I rarely touch it.

 

[Davidt]

Lagavulin is the devils juice. In a good way. Absolutely wonderful.

 

[Boojumhunter]

One of my first whiskeys, still one of my favourites. On the smoky/peaty end of the spectrum (opposite to the sherried Glenfarclas and Glenmorangie cousins) but not oppressively so. And, for what it's worth, the spirit spirit of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. The actor Nick Offerman actually buddied up with Lagavulin to make an impressive special edition.

L'chaim! Picture of whiskey in glass and watch on view now required...

 

[Dan S]

I love Lagavulin, but it's an acquired taste for many.

 

[Faz]

Togri v. 2.0

I found a bottle of Lagavulin 16 years in my mother’s cellar. Back in 2002 or 2003 (or thereabout) I bought 20 or so bottles of single malt from a guy (an importer) delivering booze to where I worked after School. A lot of money back then but I got a good deal. Over the years I have either opened them myself or gifted them away.

Looking through my mother’s celler/basement today I found that I still had three bottles left. One Lagavulin, one Talisker and one Johnnie Walker.

Anyone here know if the Lagavulin is any good? It must be from the late 80s but I don’t know how to tell. Can you tell?

I was going to open it but I am by no means a whisky afficionado so if it is worth anything/would mean more to another person, I would rather sell it and get something less special (and put the money towards another watch probably . I seached for Lagavulin 16 years and could see that some older bottles are quite expensive but I have no idea, if this is one. I have no illusions that this was a “special” whisky when I bought it but sometimes time improves an item

It is probably nothing special but just tought I would check and even though this is a watch forum there seem to be some people here who know their single malt

Actually my favourite! Increasingly harder and harder to find and expensive! I have a few in reserve and I buy them when I find them if the price is right. As you probably already know, once bottled, unlike wine, it doesn’t age. If the bottle is well sealed, it will last forever and you’ll have the perfect dram of Islay malt every time.

 

[SC1]

As my dad would say,

"If it tastes good, drink it - if tastes bad, cook with it - if it tastes like shit, clean tools with it."

 

[Larry S]

“It’s a campfire in your mouth” …. Ron Swanson (Parks and Recreation) … I love it, most of my friends are happy to pass. It’s expensive but hardly rare. What is interesting is that it has now aged another 20 years. Now $150 at Binnys.wow!

 

[Donn Chambers]

Togri v. 2.0

I found a bottle of Lagavulin 16 years in my mother’s cellar. Back in 2002 or 2003 (or thereabout) I bought 20 or so bottles of single malt from a guy (an importer) delivering booze to where I worked after School. A lot of money back then but I got a good deal. Over the years I have either opened them myself or gifted them away.

Looking through my mother’s celler/basement today I found that I still had three bottles left. One Lagavulin, one Talisker and one Johnnie Walker.

Anyone here know if the Lagavulin is any good? It must be from the late 80s but I don’t know how to tell. Can you tell?

I was going to open it but I am by no means a whisky afficionado so if it is worth anything/would mean more to another person, I would rather sell it and get something less special (and put the money towards another watch probably . I seached for Lagavulin 16 years and could see that some older bottles are quite expensive but I have no idea, if this is one. I have no illusions that this was a “special” whisky when I bought it but sometimes time improves an item

It is probably nothing special but just tought I would check and even though this is a watch forum there seem to be some people here who know their single malt

Sorry, that is going to be horrible after all these years. Please send it to me and I will take care of it for you!



But seriously, it will be perfectly fine to drink. Should taste the same as it did the day it was bottled. A friend of mine found an unopened bottle of Pinch blended scotch from the 1950s in his father’s house after he died — this was around 1998, so a lot older than yours. We opened it and enjoyed quite a few drinks to his father’s memory.

now, is it worth anything. That I can’t tell you. 16 years is a standard bottling, which sells for about $100. But older bottles of scotch can sell for a lot more. So you’d have to do some research.

me, I’d drink it because Lagavulin 16 is my favorite.

 

[Syzygy]

It is an acquired taste, but if you like smoky/peaty it's wonderful. I'm more a highland Scotch fan (Auchentoshan is a favorite), but on those days when it's dark outside, windy and raining, just barely above freezing, and I have a strong fire in the fireplace...I pour a glass of Lagavulin!

 

[ghce]

Whiskey is fer drinking not sitin on the shelf collectin dust but if you can sell it and buy 5 other ones from the proceeds..........

 

[Dan S]

I could be wrong, but I don't think that Scotch ages in the bottle. I think the aging is all done in barrels before bottling. So it is still a 16-year Scotch.

 

[pdxleaf]

This is one of the best threads on the theme, 'Can anyone tell me about what I found in my parent's house?"

 

[fiberguy]

Dan S

I could be wrong, but I don't think that Scotch ages in the bottle. I think the aging is all done in barrels before bottling. So it is still a 16-year Scotch.

Correct. I recently read that old unopened bottles are still very drinkable

 

[Faz]

Donn Chambers

Should taste the same as it did the day it was bottled.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Clearly past it’s prime! As this may be a hazmat by this point, I will send you my address and I will safely dispose of it using a special filtration process through my kidneys.

 

[Faz]

Dan S

I could be wrong, but I don't think that Scotch ages in the bottle. I think the aging is all done in barrels before bottling. So it is still a 16-year Scotch.

 

[krogerfoot]

Very happy for you, I say through my gnashing teeth. In addition to my father’s Cartier tank watches that he left to me but ended up in someone else’s pockets, my inheritance from my mother includes this birth year wine bottle with contents sadly not included. I actually had a chance to buy another bottle* from 1971 for about $200 recently and am still kicking myself for not doing so. I am doing inheritance all wrong somehow.

* Presumably with the wine still in it

Edited: Oct 20, 2022

 

[flw]

It's pure gold in a glass. Add a small splash of water (just a few drops) to an ounce or two, and sit back by the fireplace. Enjoy. Repeat.

 

[TDBK]

Online pricing for an old bottle of Lagavulin 16 is in the hundreds of dollars (e.g. here).