Expert: Paul Wagner - 3/10/2011

Question
I have come across a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum  with seal and unopened from 1971. Is there any value for this item ?

Answer
Hi George

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 stuff 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 current bottlings of the same stuff.

You might try contacting the guys at antiquebottles.com  They are very nice people, and it's possible the that bottles will have more value than the liquid inside.  They're the ones who could tell you that.   But in general, they value older Scotch bottles more than rum...

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

Paul Wagner