Expert: Paul Wagner - 9/10/2011

Question
Paul,

Hello, I am in need of your help with a bottle of 30yr Ballantines. It has a red/white tax stamp series 112 with #36714983 . On the back is the federal law forbids on the bottle. The bottom says:

S987
Bottle
A Made in I
Scotland
UOB

on the side of the tax stamp is :


"21" Brands INC
New York, N. Y.

Any help you can offer for determining age/ price / year put in bottle?

Answer
HI Steve

Distilled spirits like this are so high in alcohol that they don't change, for better or for worse, once they go into the bottle.  Each lot is blended to taste the same as previous lots, and the companies don't want people asking for different lots or dates.  So that is all deliberately obscured in the packaging.

The good news is that your bottle is perfectly good to drink.  The bad news is that it won't have appreciated in value the way some fine wines do.  This one is worth just about what a current bottling of the same stuff is worth.  

Sorry that I can't give you more exciting news....but hope you enjoy it~!

Paul Wagner