Expert: Paul Wagner - 4/11/2007

Question
I have a 4/5 quart bottle (imprinted in glass) of Coronet VSQ brandy from 1956. It is 80 proof. There is also a recipe for cornet highball on the back of the label. I was wondering how much it is worth.
Thank you

Answer
Hi Tina

Distilled spirits like brandy and whisky are so high in alcohol that they don't change much in the bottle.  That's good news, in that they never really go bad.  But it is also a bit different from wine--great wines often improve very much in the bottle, and appreciate in value as well.

Distilled spirits really aren't worth a lot more when they are older than when they are younger.  (If they are aged in the barrel they do change--and those are worth a lot of money)  So while your brandy is just as good as it was when it was bottled, it probably isn't worth much more than when it was bottled.  I would estimate something like $35-50 for this bottle, at most.  

Rather than selling it, I would celebrate it's life by choosing a special occasion and opening this bottle with some close friends or family.

Paul Wagner