Expert: Paul Wagner - 2/12/2011

Question
Hello, I am wondering about the value of my little bottle.  It is unopened, and has a red waxed top. It reads Chasart then Cuvee Speciale 1836 then Fournisseur De La Cour  -   Leverancier Van Het Hof.  Also has a  building that looks like the entrance to a kingdom.  Then it reads EAU-DE-VIE 100% PUR GRAIN CONT.10cl INH   R.C.C 105.833 H.R.C.   Then S.A. de CHASSART N.V.   What do you think of it?  Is it worth anything to a collector?  A million dollars would be great! HA HA! But you never know, that's why I am asking you.  If it is valuable, I will be sure to reward you for your help. Thanks.

Answer
Hi Wendy

I think that the date on your bottle is the the date company was founded...and not actually the date that the product was made.  This is because distilled products are almost never vintage dated...

Distilled spirits like this are so high in alcohol that they don't change much in the bottle, for better or worse.  The good news is that this should be perfectly good to drink.  The bad news is that it won't have appreciated in value the way some fine wines do.  This is worth just about as much as a current bottling of the same stuff.

You might try contacting the guys at antiquebottles.com  They are very nice people, and it's possible the that bottle itself will have more value than the liquid inside.  They're the ones who could tell you that.   

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

Paul Wagner