Synthetic cork plea

[trumpstylz]

A friend recently got a bottle of high west rezendevous that ended up having some wierd flavors- tasted like a spearamint bourbon. Anyways, it ended up that the cork was rotten or that the whiskey oxidized.

I feel that the best option is the screw cap. But if bottlers really need to make an impression with their high end whiskies (and not lose customers over something as trivial as using screw tops) that they should start using the sythetic (plastic?) corks. I think a friend had had a wt kentucky spirit, and while the top of the cork (the wooden handle part) actually broke off, he was still able to get at the stuff inside and seal it up because they used a synthetic cork.

High west did replace the bottle however.

[Clavius]

I'm not a big fan of real cork being used for any whiskies. As I understand it, you don't want to store a bottle of whiskey sideways if it has a real cork as this may affect the whiskey itself. But if you store it long term right side up you risk the cork eventually drying out at some point. Granted we're talking long term here. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on either of the above.

[Enoch]

I think, just like wine, that buyers feel a natural cork is better. The wine industry has known for years that synthetic is better but it hurts sales.

I took 8 different bottles of bourbon to my wife's family Christmas weekend (nearly 40 serious drinkers). They know nothing about whiskey/bourbon/rye and yet all the cork bottles were empty by Sunday and the screw-tops were hardly touched (which included a 1980 OGD BIB - a wonderful bourbon).

I even filled an empty Pappy 15 with cheap new Old Fitz and they raved about it, exclaiming how they could see it was worth $60 a bottle and yet another bottle of new Old Fitz they didn't like....same bourbon.

It also seems the the number of cork tops has increased since the 80s with the emergence of high-end SB and 1B bourbons.

Last thought... even my 1934 bottle of Old Taylor has a screw-on top.

[MJL]

Refilling empty bottles is just evil.....:slappin:

[MJL]

Agreed with the whole discussion. Anyone whose pulled enough cork stoppers from spirit bottles will eventually confirm that they are less than optimal. My only beef with synthetic corks or stoppers are that they can be a real pain to pull and even harder to reinsert. I recently bought an older bottle of Wild Turkey Russel Reserve 101 proof that lost about an ounce from the cork on the way home. Pissed me the hell off but what can I do?

[Special Reserve]

Real cork has aesthetic value but nothing else. I've had to pull too many broken corks out of bottles and I'm not a fan of synthetic cork either.

The lowly screw cap is the best.

[Enoch]

The lowly screw cap is the best.

I totally agree!

[Enoch]

Refilling empty bottles is just evil.....:slappin:

But it's fun to mess with my brothers-in-law.

[Special Reserve]

Refilling empty bottles is just evil.....:slappin:

I do this. I found a case of lower shelved bourbon that was 30 to 35 years old that I got at a low cost. I transfer a bottle to a classy bottle and use it to make bourbon and Coke or ginger drinks. None of this bourbon is terrible but when you are accustomed to drinking upper mid-shelved bourbons or better it is hard to drink lower shelved bourbons neat.

I always make the drink strong and everybody who is served this thinks it is great. Of course they are not hardcore bourbon drinkers.

[trumpstylz]

Real cork has aesthetic value but nothing else. I've had to pull too many broken corks out of bottles and I'm not a fan of synthetic cork either.

I agree, the screw top would be optimal. But if I had to choose the lesser of 2 evils, the synthetic cork would win hands down.

[Enoch]

Awhile back I purchased a shoebox full of synthetic corks on ebay in various sizes and use them when others begin to have problems.

[trumpstylz]

Awhile back I purchased a shoebox full of synthetic corks on ebay in various sizes and use them when others begin to have problems.

I'm guessing they're wine corks?

[cas]

Are any bourbons bottled with synthetic corks? I can't think of one.

Craig

[fricky]

I like corks in whiskey bottles. I never had a problem with cork taint or any other negative effect of cork in whiskey. I have had cork-related problems in bottles of wine. I have also had a difficult time in removing synthetic stoppers from wine bottles.

[Special Reserve]

Are any bourbons bottled with synthetic corks? I can't think of one.

Craig

JRPS 17 had a synthetic cork.

[trumpstylz]

Are any bourbons bottled with synthetic corks? I can't think of one.

Craig

I'm pretty sure kentucky spirit is, as well as the costco bourbon. Google search seems to indicate that MM46 and some of the JPS 17 and Knob creek bottlings use it as well.

Someone else mentioned previously that RR 90 might also use it.

[Enoch]

I'm guessing they're wine corks?

The are actually brand new t-corks similar to the one used in Maker's 46. Some guy bought them for his bar. His bar went under so he sold them in lots of about 100.

[Enoch]

Are any bourbons bottled with synthetic corks? I can't think of one.

Craig

Maker's 46 and Jefferson's 10 year Rye.

My current KC and WTKS use natural corks.

[RegChumpington]

How do the synthetic corks differ from what's used on the bottles of Buffalo Trace's White Dog? Every one I've seen of those separates from the top and the whole thing becomes a real chore. ("Why am I going to this trouble to open a white dog!?")

I'm sure there's a design flaw there...

I had an Abhainn Dearg last month that was painful because of cork taint. Even though screw tops feel cheaper/bottom shelf, I think I'd gladly go that direction.

[Enoch]

How do the synthetic corks differ from what's used on the bottles of Buffalo Trace's White Dog? Every one I've seen of those separates from the top and the whole thing becomes a real chore. ("Why am I going to this trouble to open a white dog!?")

I'm sure there's a design flaw there...

I had an Abhainn Dearg last month that was painful because of cork taint. Even though screw tops feel cheaper/bottom shelf, I think I'd gladly go that direction.

The White Dog uses a synthetic cork. The ones I bought are a solid piece so it can't separate. Similar to the ones used in Magellan Gin. They look similar to the picture below.

[ebo]

Are any bourbons bottled with synthetic corks? I can't think of one.

Craig

I had a bottle of Old Ezra 101 that had a synthetic cork. None of the bottles I've had in the last year are corked... they all have screw caps.

[B.B. Babington]

though it's not US whiskey, I think crown XR uses synthetic similar to 1800 tequila and BT white dog.

I prefer plastic twist top, but have had them crack.

I think some small productions use stopper for ease of hand bottling.

[steeltownbbq]

I think, just like wine, that buyers feel a natural cork is better. The wine industry has known for years that synthetic is better but it hurts sales.

The wine industry struggles with the cork issue too. The consumer (not us obviously) equates screw caps with an inferior product. But the producers know that natural cork often leads to all kinds of bad things happening with their product. But, people won't buy a premium product with out a cork.

Good book on the wine industry's attempt to overcome the deficiencies and cost of natural cork, and the challenges in marketing synthetic closures.

Author Taber, George M. Title To cork or not to cork : tradition, romance, science, and the battle for the wine bottle / George M. Taber.

http://www.amazon.com/Cork-Not-Tradition-Romance-Science/dp/B003JTHSJK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325376025&sr=8-1

[ILLfarmboy]

The White Dog uses a synthetic cork. The ones I bought are a solid piece so it can't separate. Similar to the ones used in Magellan Gin. They look similar to the picture below.

Glad to see they have fixed that problem.

The only synthetic cork that I've encountered that isn't hard to pull out of the bottle is Maker's 46.

Evey damn bottle I've had of El Tosoro tequila with a synthetic cork has separated. Ditto for BT's white dog (older tops)

[spinningrecords]

Are any bourbons bottled with synthetic corks? I can't think of one.

Craig