Corked

[hectic1]

Well it finally happened to me. I went to open a bottle of 2002 OFBB this evening and the cork broke off in the bottle...I decanted the rest using a coffee filter into a FRSmB bottle that I had sitting around. This event got me thinking...is there an age at which we start to see corks generally go bad? I know that there are a lot of variables in play like temp, humidity, etc. but I thought it would be interesting to see what make and vintage of bottles people have had the cork break on them.

So for me add 2002 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon to the list.

[SMOWK]

Just a thought, but I wonder if rolling the bottles around every once in a while to keep the cork wet, but not saturated, would help?

I always keep them in the bunker, and that's about it. I'd like to hear thoughts on "proper" aging. Good thread.

[Virus_Of_Life]

The term "Corked" doesn't refer to the cork breaking it refers to the liquid taking on a cork-ish flavor. A broken cork could still yield fine tasting whiskey; however truly corked whiskey could be ruined.

I have had the worst luck with WT 12 year and Kentucky Spirit corks breaking.

[SMOWK]

I've bought quite a few dusties with bad corks. None of them were "corked", luckily.

[hectic1]

The term "Corked" doesn't refer to the cork breaking it refers to the liquid taking on a cork-ish flavor. A broken cork could still yield fine tasting whiskey; however truly corked whiskey could be ruined.

I have had the worst luck with WT 12 year and Kentucky Spirit corks breaking.

Actually Christian I was using it in the context of getting "Corked" or "Screwed" but thanks for letting me know your thoughts on the title of my thread.

[Virus_Of_Life]

Actually Christian I was using it in the context of getting "Corked" or "Screwed" but thanks for letting me know your thoughts on the title of my thread.

Never heard the term getting "corked", but ok, you're welcome. Happy Thanksgiving.

[IronHead]

I got "corked" on a bottle of Pyrat XO once. Other than that I have been lucky.

[theDon]

Every WT Old # 8 I've bought from the mid to late 90's broke on me. Never tasted "corked" though. All superb. I've had a '69 Dant 10 year decanter that the cork was shrunk to the point it was not air tight and again tasted great. Most of my WT RR 101's have had broken corks with no ill effect and a '99 Rare Breed did the same. Probably due to the small cork that WT uses.

[SMOWK]

Every WT Old # 8 I've bought from the mid to late 90's broke on me. Never tasted "corked" though. All superb. I've had a '69 Dant 10 year decanter that the cork was shrunk to the point it was not air tight and again tasted great. Most of my WT RR 101's have had broken corks with no ill effect and a '99 Rare Breed did the same. Probably due to the small cork that WT uses.

I had a 99 Rare Breed cork break on me the other night. Other than the cork breaking, it wasn't a problem. I've gone through a couple, and still have one left, of WT Old #8 1.75L's from 1992 that haven't been a problem. Wish I could have, but never tried, a WTRR101. A little before my time.

[callmeox]

At least it wasn't corked.

[Dramiel McHinson]

I've been corked a few times but I think its caused by the Jack Daniels sauce in the baked beans.

I've had a few corks deteriorate and crumble in the bottle on me. It seems to happen to bottles that have sat for a couple of years after they were opened. I have a small fine screened metal strainer used for asian teas. I pour the whiskey into a glass jar through the strainer to get out the corkulations and then pour it back in the original bottle and use those cam style corks to seal the bottle. It's not sexy but it works.

[SMOWK]

I've been corked a few times but I think its caused by the Jack Daniels sauce in the baked beans.

I've had a few corks deteriorate and crumble in the bottle on me. It seems to happen to bottles that have sat for a couple of years after they were opened. I have a small fine screened metal strainer used for asian teas. I pour the whiskey into a glass jar through the strainer to get out the corkulations and then pour it back in the original bottle and use those cam style corks to seal the bottle. It's not sexy but it works.

I've found that the best way to remove cork is with a small rubber funnel and a sink screen. Coffee filters take too long.

[T Comp]

A while back I found a 94 Rare Breed and left a 95 on the shelf. When at the cash register, I was looking around a bit and then saw the clerk/owner go back to the shelf bringing back the 95. I was wondering what the heck he was doing until he showed me the 94 bottle and that the cork had snapped right off at the the top of the bottle line from him handling it. In broken English, he strongly conveyed I could no longer buy the 94, as it had to be returned for replacement. As he had already let me into the tiny liquor area blocked off by a sideways chair because "you're not one of them" I decided to walk out with the 95.

I have also had the cork break on two RR 101's but my 1.75 ml. old no. 8 brand 101 (from 93) luckily has a bottle cap. A 93 Rare Breed of mine had a cork that never broke but was so loose that I still transferred it to another bottle.

[fishnbowljoe]

I've had broken corks with WTKS pewter top, WTRB, RHF, 1792, and a couple others that I can't remember. That's why I always keep a couple of empty bottles on hand, and save all the corks from the bottles I finish.

I've only had a couple of instances with corked bourbons. Both were older decanters. One was a 1982 ER 101 decanter with a slight bit of taint. It was still drinkable. More so after I decanted it and let it sit for a while. I also had a mid 1970's Ezra Brooks Indy Car decanter that was corked so bad, the "liquid" that came out looked like muddy creek water. :puke: No use in even trying to save that one. Sure glad it was a gift. :grin: I never told my brother in law. Joe

[mberkow]

I haven't had any corks break on me but I have recently open a couple of bottles and found some residue from the cork stuck to the sides of the bottle neck. I'm not sure but neither seemed to be "real" cork but the rubberized substitutes.

They weren't cheap bootles either, one was Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve the other a Four Roses single barrel.

This happen to anyone else?

[Enoch]

I turn all my bourbon on its side for a few minutes every month to wet the cork. Don't really know if it makes a difference but my brother-in-law who collects wine suggested it. When a cork breaks, I use pressurized gas wine opener which just blows the broken cork out. I also bought 100 misc whiskey corks on ebay for $5 and pick one to replace the broken one.

[Special Reserve]

I've broken corks opening Weller Centennial (twice) and WT 12 CGF.

I just cleaned out the cork pieces with some compressed air and carefully pushed the remaining cork into the bottle. Then I poured the bourbon into a quart Pyrex measuring container carefully picked out any remaining pieces of cork using a toothpick.

There are YouTube videos demonstrating how to get a broken cork out of a bottle using a plastic bag. It worked well the three times I used it. Rinse out the bottle using a little of it original contents.

Refill and cork with a saved cork that fits.

[Chuckles]

Thanks for this thread. Just opened a recently purchased Weller Centennial and the cork snapped right off, tried a corkscrew (gently) and the bottom half of the cork (very dry) just crumbled into the bottle. Freaked. Checked here, and then poured the bourbon through a fine metal strainer (that my wife uses for Japanese tea) into a decanter, and all is well.

[unclebunk]

I've only ever had problems with WT products: WT CGF, a1997 Rare Breed and a RR 10/101. The corks on the last two broke on the same night!

[squire]

To me 'corked' implies the liquor has been made undrinkable by the presence of 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, commonly referred to as 'cork taint'. A bacterial sort of infection, it won't kill you but the smell is bad and requires a trip to the store for a replacement. This has only happened to me twice in 40 plus years of sampling whisky so I don't think it's a widespread problem.

[imbibehour]

The term "corked" is actually a wine term that squire has already mentioned. In "wine" terminology there is a fungus that is sometimes present in cork (because it's a natural tree product), and it will ruin a wine by making it smell bad. Usually it will smell damp, like a cellar, musty, no presence of fruit, wet carpet, wet dog, these are all terms synonymous with "corked" wine.

It doesn't mean anything about a broken cork and having pieces of cork stuck in the bottle. That's fixable

Now I suppose in bourbon lore a broken cork and using the term "corked" probably could be a different meaning as mentioned above. I could never imagine based on the big alcohol content of bourbon of it ever being "corked" in wine terms...

[squire]

Im, that surprised me also but the two bottles of whisky mentioned were high proof which you think would have sterilized the container. Not so, and when I say they smelled bad that was being generous.

I expect this sort of thing to happen occasionally with wine but not whisky.

[hectic1]

Alright guys...we all know that when speaking literaly about wine or bourbon being corked or having cort taint it has to do with the definition that has been provided multiple times in this thread. It was a play on words...Corked or *ucked by a cork breaking. Move on from giving the definition already...if you've had a cork break in a bottle let us know...that was the intent of the thread!:cool:

[Josh]

Just tell them to go cork themselves...

I have had corks break off. I've had the most trouble with older bottles of WT products, some of which have also been cork-tainted.

Aside from that I did have a problem with a 1989 EWSB once. There was nothing to strain it thru except a coffee filter so I went with that. It didn't seem to change the taste any.

[hectic1]

Just tell them to go cork themselves...

I have had corks break off. I've had the most trouble with older bottles of WT products, some of which have also been cork-tainted.

Aside from that I did have a problem with a 1989 EWSB once. There was nothing to strain it thru except a coffee filter so I went with that. It didn't seem to change the taste any.

Nice Josh...who said I haven't?

I'm always very careful now with the older bottles as it's no fun drinking an bottle of 8yr WT 101 out of a Pappy 15 bottle...it's just not the same experience!