Man Opens Whiskey Saved 17 Years—Instantly Learns Hard Lesson

Newsweek

a day ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
A man who saved a bottle of whiskey for 17 years was left disappointed when he finally opened it, only to discover the cork had completely disintegrated.
The Reddit user, u/Prestigious_Owl_549, shared the story of what happened when they decided to open a long-forgotten bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old. His post quickly gained attention on Reddit, where it resonated with other whiskey lovers.
"Important lesson that I learned—the value of things changes over time. What was once very precious or hard to get, may have held a special place in our hearts/minds, may not really be that great once we go on and explore more or as we grow older," he told Newsweek.
The poster said that the whiskey had originally been a gift from a colleague in 2008, when he was managing a team of engineers during a demanding project at a major IT company. After years of working long hours together, one of their team members gave them the bottle as a gesture of gratitude and friendship. At the time, it was one of the most-premium whiskeys he owned, so he chose to save it for a special occasion.
A new bottle retails at around $74, but the value increases as it ages.
As the years went by, the poster's financial situation improved, and their taste in whiskey evolved, with their collection expanding to include single malts, Irish whiskeys, bourbons, and bottles such as Dalwhinnie 15, Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, Laphroaig, Ardbeg, and Blue Label. The once-cherished Green Label ended up pushed to the back of their bar.
Recently, as he reflected on middle age and the habit of saving things for later, the poster decided that "later" had finally arrived. He took the Green Label out, but when he tried to open it, the cork crumbled in their hands. Half of it lodged in the bottle neck, and attempts to remove it only made matters worse, leaving bits of cork floating in the whiskey. In the end, he had to strain the entire bottle through a sieve and transfer it into an empty Glenfiddich bottle.
Despite the ordeal, the poster admitted the whiskey itself was still nice, though he weren't sure it had been worth saving for nearly two decades. Reflecting on the experience, he said he learned some important lessons: bottles should be rotated or stored on their side occasionally to keep corks hydrated; and people shouldn't wait for special occasions to enjoy what he has.
A split image of the corked whiskey bottle standing on a counter top.
A split image of the corked whiskey bottle standing on a counter top.
Prestigious_Owl_549/Prestigious_Owl_549
Other Reddit users were quick to weigh in with advice and reassurance. "I see no problem, you fixed it already," one commenter said. Another posted: "Simply rotating the bottle vertically to soak the cork for a few seconds every few weeks is enough to preserve the cork."
Some offered practical solutions for next time. "This happens frequently with old wine bottles (and just the random bad luck). If you don't already have one get an Ah-So wine opener … Always keep some coffee filters on hand, and then decant the wine/whiskey into a new bottle to filter out any cork bits that fall down into the bottle," one user advised.
Another added: "A wine bottle corkscrew pops these right out. If a piece breaks off it's not a big deal."
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