60 year old Whiskey - any point?
Discussion
I've had a (possibly stupid) idea to get my old man a bottle of whiskey bottled when he was born. He'll be 60 next year.
I know almost nothing about whiskey, can't stand the stuff really.
Is there any point spending (what I presume will be quite a lot of) money on a 60 year old bottle? Would it be any nicer than a great single malt?
I know almost nothing about whiskey, can't stand the stuff really.
Is there any point spending (what I presume will be quite a lot of) money on a 60 year old bottle? Would it be any nicer than a great single malt?
Raify said:
I've had a (possibly stupid) idea to get my old man a bottle of whiskey bottled when he was born. He'll be 60 next year.
I know almost nothing about whiskey, can't stand the stuff really.
Is there any point spending (what I presume will be quite a lot of) money on a 60 year old bottle? Would it be any nicer than a great single malt?
it'd be a nice present but do you know anything about what sort of whisky he likes? As you have little knowledge of the subject yourself it could be a minefield.I know almost nothing about whiskey, can't stand the stuff really.
Is there any point spending (what I presume will be quite a lot of) money on a 60 year old bottle? Would it be any nicer than a great single malt?
tuffer said:
My impression was that it only got better when in the barrel, so having spent 60 years in a bottle may not be adding a lot.
But then again I hate the stuff so what do I know.
Actually you are quite right. Whisky only matures in the barrel. Once bottled it just sits there.But then again I hate the stuff so what do I know.
60 year old whisky, if you find any, will be massively expensive. This is because with each passing year some of the whisky escapes the barrel by evaporation - this is known as "The Angels' Share". So after sixty years what was once a full barrel may have very little in it. Added to this with each passing year the likelihood increases that the whisky may have spoiled. They lose a few barrels along the way.
So five and ten year old is bog-standard aging. Twenty or thirty year aging is very special. More than that isn't something I've ever shelled out for!
http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/age/60yearold.html
The bottles I have seen in expensive shops in the Highlands were in glass cases with burglar alarms!
Yes of course, the age of a whisk(e)y, although haveing nothing to do with quality, is directly related to how out of pocket you will be 
No but really, an older whiskey has much more chance to soak in the tannins and flavourings of the cask its been sitting in, therefore giving it a more complex flavour. If your old man considers himself somewhat of a connoisseur, then it would be well worth it IMO, if he isnt, it still sounds like a thoutful gift. perhaps consider a 21 year old whiskey :P
No but really, an older whiskey has much more chance to soak in the tannins and flavourings of the cask its been sitting in, therefore giving it a more complex flavour. If your old man considers himself somewhat of a connoisseur, then it would be well worth it IMO, if he isnt, it still sounds like a thoutful gift. perhaps consider a 21 year old whiskey :P
Just get him a selection of four 15 year old bottlings! 
Sorry, my insatiable whisky appetite has reared its ugly head again hasnt it...
This may not be what you were after, but I recently bought a genuine newspaper from the birth date of a family member. If you get the whole paper then theres some interest in what was happening in the world at the time they were born, as well as being quite an attractive (and relevant) thing hung on the wall in a frame. (As far as I remember it cost about 80 quid for a framed version).
Sorry, my insatiable whisky appetite has reared its ugly head again hasnt it...
This may not be what you were after, but I recently bought a genuine newspaper from the birth date of a family member. If you get the whole paper then theres some interest in what was happening in the world at the time they were born, as well as being quite an attractive (and relevant) thing hung on the wall in a frame. (As far as I remember it cost about 80 quid for a framed version).
I dont think any of the Islay distilleries would do a 60 year old bottling.
a word of warning - if you want to buy a bottle of whisky aged 60 years, expect to pay at least £5,000.
Something bottled sixty years ago (or distilled sixty years ago and bottled between then and now) will be cheaper, but hard to find.
a word of warning - if you want to buy a bottle of whisky aged 60 years, expect to pay at least £5,000.
Something bottled sixty years ago (or distilled sixty years ago and bottled between then and now) will be cheaper, but hard to find.
Wadeski said:
I dont think any of the Islay distilleries would do a 60 year old bottling.
a word of warning - if you want to buy a bottle of whisky aged 60 years, expect to pay at least £5,000.
Something bottled sixty years ago (or distilled sixty years ago and bottled between then and now) will be cheaper, but hard to find.
Thanks for the info everyone. It's sounding like a stupid idea! a word of warning - if you want to buy a bottle of whisky aged 60 years, expect to pay at least £5,000.
Something bottled sixty years ago (or distilled sixty years ago and bottled between then and now) will be cheaper, but hard to find.
But, out of curiosity, what would be the rough cost of a "distilled in '51 and bottled sometime after" bottle?
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-2204.aspx
one here for just over £300 ^
Surely won't be the best whisky you can get for £300, but it's the sentimental value really isn't it.
one here for just over £300 ^
Surely won't be the best whisky you can get for £300, but it's the sentimental value really isn't it.
Wadeski said:
a word of warning - if you want to buy a bottle of whisky aged 60 years, expect to pay at least £5,000.
£5000? Rubbish. I can get these:1 btl 1936 Mortlach £1450 btl
1 btl 1937 Pride of Strathspey £1250 btl
2 btls 1938 MacPhails £995 btl
1 btls 1938 Pride of Strathspey £995 btl
2 btls 1939 Old Elgin £850 btl
1 btl 1940 Old Elgin £820 btl
2 btls 1945 MacPhails £695 btl
1 btl 1946 MacPhails £625 btl
5 btls 1948 Glen Grant £575 btl
5 btls 1949 Glen Grant £625 btl
1 btl 1949 Strathisla £550 btl
1 btl 1949 Mortlach £550 btl
5 btls 1950 Glen Grant £525 btl
2 btls 1950 MacPhails £495 btl
Engineer1 said:
I'd have thought 4 15yr might be better and you may be able to get some good drinking whisky, a 60yr old whiskey if bought on price may be a interesting drink.
That's what I wanted to find out. It's only worth buying if it's actually nice to drink, and not just expensive because it's old.Bebs said:
Wadeski said:
a word of warning - if you want to buy a bottle of whisky aged 60 years, expect to pay at least £5,000.
£5000? Rubbish. I can get these:1 btl 1936 Mortlach £1450 btl
1 btl 1937 Pride of Strathspey £1250 btl
2 btls 1938 MacPhails £995 btl
1 btls 1938 Pride of Strathspey £995 btl
2 btls 1939 Old Elgin £850 btl
1 btl 1940 Old Elgin £820 btl
2 btls 1945 MacPhails £695 btl
1 btl 1946 MacPhails £625 btl
5 btls 1948 Glen Grant £575 btl
5 btls 1949 Glen Grant £625 btl
1 btl 1949 Strathisla £550 btl
1 btl 1949 Mortlach £550 btl
5 btls 1950 Glen Grant £525 btl
2 btls 1950 MacPhails £495 btl
As has been said, it may be easier to find a whisky distilled in his birth year.
Have any of you actually tried such old whisky? I had a dram of a 50 year old Macallan and it wasn't that great to be honest. Certainly not worth the money (not mine) that was paid for it IMHO but then I'm not really much of a fan of Macallan at the best of times. By that age a cask will have lost an awful lot to the angels and what will be left can often be spoiled by the sheer strength of the oak influence.
I've never seen a 60 year old Islay whisky before.
No offence but buying such expensive whisky for somebody else could be a minefield$ you could splash out a few grand and he may not like it! Or, he may not open it. Seriosuly, I know people who have some valuable whiskies unopened because "they are saving it" or "it's too good to open". Whisky is for drinking and it's a tragedy to have such special stuff shut away in a bottle. It's made to be enjoyed.
Personally, knowing he is a whisky fan I would consider buying him a membership for the smws and a few bottles of their single cask whisky. Maybe throw in a trip to one of their places in Edinburgh. I guarantee he'll love that
Slainte Mhath!
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