I helped an older acquaintance (older than me so he must be really old) get in a few loads of wood. Last load he called me to his truck and gave me a boxed presentation decanter of Japanese Suntory "Excellence" 80 year anniversary whiskey. Said that someone years ago gave it to him as a gift and that my friend "Wern't no japan whiskey drinker". Kindly put, my friend is "of a frugal nature" and probably wouldn't be giving away bottles of whiskey unless he got them for free and didn't like that whiskey. Curious as to what Japanese whiskey was all about, I did an internet search and discovered that the 80th anniversary bottling was in 1969-70. There are no commercial stocks left. The whiskey is now known as vintage and I saw recent auction prices as high as $560ish for my bottle and box. Is this for real?? Apparently, some people don't drink whiskey, they just collect it. Don't know whether to give it back, have it auctioned off and split the money or just drink it! It scores very high in tasters ratings and I have to admit a strong desire to taste it!
How often do you get a chance to try something few have ever done? If it's good, insist your friend join you in a shot as you gaze upon the wood stacks.
Save it and buy yourself a bottle that you have been putting off in the mean time. It would be a shame to crack something open that is worth hundreds.....or more?
This is an interesting "problem" to have. I'd give it back to the guy with your new wisdom. Otherwise I'd sell it and buy a bunch of 'merican bourbon. What if you open and and don't care for it? Best case you love it... but $500 love? I'm not enough of a connoisseur to appreciate the wicked expensive stuff.
I heard that if you drink too much of it, your eyes start slanting and you develop a real need for thick eyeglasses..................... You also start wanting to take pictures of everything you see.
I know they love our US whiskey and bourbon and pay a lot for it. I wasn't aware that they actually made any over in Japan.
Ummmm Google has a bit of info. This is just the 18 year stuff. I'd sell it and give a chunk of the cash to your friend.
For sure an interesting problem to have. I doubt the fellow realized just how much that is worth and if it were me I'd for sure make him aware and probably try to give it back. Once upon a time we had a Japanese lady working and she gave me an interesting looking bottle of some rare type of wine. It was a beautiful bottle but the wine was terrible. I would not tell her that though as she was a sweet lady. I was full of thank yous for that.
Vintage and collectible whiskeys are $$$. I would look at its current appreciation. If it beats what you could get on the market today I would put it in a fireproof safe. Maybe a fireprrof waterproof safe buried in the back yard. Just remember to dig it up shortly before you forget it is there, or put it in a will.
Neither am I! I wish! The stuff I have is blended not single malt so not as rare! Too funny! Maybe put it in the gun safe? Somehow that seems wrong!
I was stationed 13 months at MCAS Iwakuni, which was about 4o kilometers from Hiroshima Japan. All Marines on that base seem to choose Suntory Red Whisky as their choice since American whisky demanded quite a higher price. I finished off many fifths of Suntory Red during my time in Japan but I have never had a drop since. Kirin was our beer of choice.
Sell the bottle buy an expensive one around 100 bucks, drink it and be happy. buy a good bourbon for the fella who passed it over to ye and im sure theres still some change left to make an investment for a chainsaw.... check out the whisky bible
...expensive japanese one it should say* Thats at least what i would do but on the other hand why not get some good friends over to your house and have a good sipp and a brilliant night to remember.
