Expert: Paul Wagner - 2/18/2009

Question
I have a unopened Cognac bottle that my dad's great uncle bought when he was over in Europe around 1908.  It has a brown label with FRANCE on the neck of it! I assume he bought it in FRANCE but i don't know anything about it! im pretty sure its worth alot of money.  If you have any information about it, I would appreciate it! I think it has to be at least 100 years old. It has never seen the light and it has been kept in the dark storage for many years

Answer
Hi Brian

Distilled products like this don't change with age, because the alcohol levels are so high nothing changes.  So you bottle should be perfectly fine to drink, but it won't have appreciated much in value.  

The bottle may be more valuable than the liquid inside.  Check with the folks at antiquebottles.com for more information about that.  They are very nice people.

Sorry that I can't give you more exciting news.

Paul Wagner