Postal Grunt Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Lew Bryson contributes his opinion on corked whiskey bottles this morning. https://www.thedailybeast.com/dear-whiskey-brands-please-stop-using-corks?ref=scroll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I've never had a bad experience with corks, personally, I think it's "classy". Just my 2 cents... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueby Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I've had a few break. Mostly its the bigger ones like old EC12, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I've had more than 'a few' corks 'fail'; but, that is over a lifetime of popping and re-corking Bourbon (and other) bottles; and, some of those bottles were stored "long-term". Just to the point of reliability: I've only had one plastic cap "fail" as opposed to maybe around a dozen corks bite the dust. I've also had exactly one cork that added a "taint" to the distillate beneath it, and it wasn't undrinkable; but wasn't pleasant. Just a little personal experience to add to the conversation around reliability; but, not about the question of satisfaction with the uncorking (!POP!) of a bottle as opposed to the somewhat anti-climactic unscrewing of a plastic cap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Wouldn’t want to see one on a bottle of GTS, but for my daily drinkers... give me a screw top every time. Edited February 19, 2019 by Paddy 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limegoldconvertible68 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I’ve also had a few nice drinking glasses “fail” when I carelessly knocked them over or dropped them. Shatter into a million pieces. Still, I would never dream of switching to plactic. There’s just something about being “classy” when I’m drinking a nice Bourbon and I feel the same way about cork vs screw cap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterHorses Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I like the rationale after reading the article. Maybe a screwcap with a disposable cork inside is the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NDN98 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 9 hours ago, PhantomLamb said: I've never had a bad experience with corks, personally, I think it's "classy". Just my 2 cents... Ive had one or two bad cork experiences, but I have a drawer full of corks from bottles long gone and can always find one to replace it. I too think they are classier than screw tops. I am definitely not a fan of the metal screw tops on the new W12 and OWA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry in WashDC Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 (edited) [ASIDE - Methinks a "search" hereon will reveal several old threads on corks vs. screw vs. natural vs. artificial, etc., BUT that doesn't mean I will sit idly by.] AHEM!! When OGD BIB switched from orange screw cap to artificial cork stopper, a Sage known here on SB as Squire responded, "Ah, Poop." I agree with the sentiment. I LOVE the old orange screw cap and even to date decant new, artificially corked OGD BIB into an orange screw top. WHY? Because the screw top makes no noise when the bottle is opened and because orange is easier to find in the dark among all the other bottles. All that said, fatter corks like on EC or OGD 114 and A.Smith Bowman releases bother me because they don't seem to seal well once they are opened. Some others, like on RHF and similar fancy bottles, "feel" like the corks are picked at random rather than because they "fit". Aluminum screw caps, however, drive me crazy generally because they are usually TOO thin and fragile to seal properly. This happens a lot with wines so I keep Saran Wrap (or equivalent) on hand to improve the seal when aluminum is the cap. SO, based on my subjective experience, plastic screw caps are best (especially if they have some kind of cap liner inside), artificial corks are second best, regular small corks are third best, and large corks are fourth best (if they are well-fitted), BUT!! cheap, thin aluminum caps like on cheap wines and B/S JBW or BIB or Campari DRIVE ME CRAZY!!! SPEND TWO MORE CENTS PER BOTTLE AND GIVE US A DECENT CAP!! Edited February 20, 2019 by Harry in WashDC Edited for spacing, spelling and profanity-removing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schwoo Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I didn’t know about the cork issue, I have some Jack Daniels Sinatra stored on the side, thinking I was supposed to keep the cork wet. Do you guys think I’ll have a problem? I guess the only way to find out is to open a bottle......It’s been about two years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 1 hour ago, FasterHorses said: I like the rationale after reading the article. Maybe a screwcap with a disposable cork inside is the answer. Highland park has something like this on some bottles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 4 minutes ago, schwoo said: I didn’t know about the cork issue, I have some Jack Daniels Sinatra stored on the side, thinking I was supposed to keep the cork wet. Do you guys think I’ll have a problem? I guess the only way to find out is to open a bottle......It’s been about two years. I think chances are you will be fine, I have an EC BP that was for some reason upside down in it's tube for who knows how long and it was fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterHorses Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 5 minutes ago, kevinbrink said: Highland park has something like this on some bottles Dang it..One of these days I'll be ahead of the curve on a great idea. That top pretty much solves this whole problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueby Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 ECBP is the only one I ever had a bad leak problem with. Had two bottles in the trunk and in the 1/2 hour ride home I lost about an ounce in bottle. The plastic grocery store bag had a bunch of liquid when I picked it up. The bottle still had the plastic seal around the cork but the cork was so loose it wouldnt seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinbrink Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 6 minutes ago, FasterHorses said: Dang it..One of these days I'll be ahead of the curve on a great idea. That top pretty much solves this whole problem. I'd prefer artificial cork, but I remember opening this botte and thinking there was some genius to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosmith Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Clueby said: ECBP is the only one I ever had a bad leak problem with. Had two bottles in the trunk and in the 1/2 hour ride home I lost about an ounce in bottle. The plastic grocery store bag had a bunch of liquid when I picked it up. The bottle still had the plastic seal around the cork but the cork was so loose it wouldnt seal. Yeah, I too had a bottle of ECBP batch 11 that had a loose cork that leaked out about an oz. of the precious elixir. Replaced it with an OGD 114 cork. No problems with any of the new style bottles with non composite corks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canarse Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 I don't get the cork obsession. Give me the most reliable seal for the bottle. I kind of like the screw tops. It reminds me of my dad and his friends when they drank. I was disappointed when HMcK BiB went to a cork. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlutz Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 I pay $20 for not-on-sale family sized Skyy vodka. We cook with it. It has a metal screw top with plastic insert. Solid, firm, reliable seal. There’s no reason more expensive whiskeys do not have better seals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bourbon Air Tours Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 In my humble opinion, a leaking cork seal is best cured by using a couple of glasses and making a pour for you and your friends, putting the cork out of its misery. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyD Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 I despise the natural corks. I like the way High West makes theirs though. Nothing worse than a dry cork flaking and dropping into the liquid. I prefer the rubber/plastic ones. The Japanese are smarter on this front with their screw tops. When I have a dry or broken cork, I used a vacuvin. Keeps a seal for a good time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMartin42 Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Guess I’ve been lucky. I’ve only had a couple of cork issues in my life. I shrugged them them off as aberrations. Count me in the crowd that loves that sound when a cork comes out of the bottle. Synthetic is just fine too. Screw top is fine but I do hate the metal screw caps. Damn you Weller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardsandBourbon Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 9:35 PM, Clueby said: ECBP is the only one I ever had a bad leak problem with. Had two bottles in the trunk and in the 1/2 hour ride home I lost about an ounce in bottle. The plastic grocery store bag had a bunch of liquid when I picked it up. The bottle still had the plastic seal around the cork but the cork was so loose it wouldnt seal. And the first thing I thought was . . . Did you drink the leaked EC? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueby Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 8 minutes ago, CardsandBourbon said: And the first thing I thought was . . . Did you drink the leaked EC? HA..no I didn't drink it out of the plastic grocery bag! There was probably close to an ounce. My trunk smelled amazing though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCWoody Posted February 28, 2019 Share Posted February 28, 2019 I like screw caps, those of us that have been drinking bourbon for 20 plus years I'm sure have had corks break. I've never had a screw cap fail. I do understand the "classy" side of the argument, but if I want to keep a bottle of Wild Turkey RR 10y bourbon for my grandsons wedding, I want to know that I can open it that day with out having to filter out the cork after 10 minutes of trying to push it in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebo Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 (edited) It's so much easier to just unscrew the cap. After I pour it in the glass and drink it, What difference does it make that it was a screw cap or a cork? Edited March 3, 2019 by ebo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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