Expert: Paul Wagner - 6/7/2010

Question
i have a very old lookin bottle that says Bras Arme hennessy cognac it also says 80 proof and 4/5 quart can you tell me how to find out year and value?

Answer
HI Mandy

I can tell you the value.  Distilled spirits like this don't appreciate in value the way some find wines do---the alcohol content is so high that they simply don't change much in time in the bottle.  That means your bottle is worth about what a current bottling of the same product is worth--maybe about $40-50 or so.  But you won't be able to sell it directly in tne US--you'll have to go through a retailer or auction house, and pay them a commission.

In my opinion, this is a bottle you should either drink or give to a friend who likes Cognac.

Hope that helps.

Paul Wagner