Cork rot

[Picker22]

Was wondering if bourbon can get cork rot the same as wine does? I have a bottle of Buffalo Trace, and it has a horrible musty, moldy, dirty taste. I can't believe that this is a trait of this bourbon. There are a lot of you on this board that like BT, and it would be hard to believe that this taste would be appealing.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[barturtle]

Yes.

Cork taint can affect any cork finished product. Luckily you shouldn't store bourbon on its side lessening the chance of it happening, but it still can occur.

[ILLfarmboy]

The subject of mustiness comes up a lot when discussing Buffalo Trace. I have had about ten bottles all of which have had a certain singular characteristic that at first I took to be the earthy/mustiness that others have complained about. But know I doubt that conclusion. I have never found it objectionable, quite the contrary it sets it apart from all others while at the same time (in a milder form) it's also a "distillery characteristic" common in all Buffalo Trace products of moderate age. I detect a similarity in this regard with Saz. Jr. Apparently I have never had an off or at least seriously off bottle.

I did have a bottle of Blanton's that I think suffered from cork taint. When I first opened it it tasted well, bland. It was everything a bourbon should be but lacked any unique defining characteristic that would set it apart from the pack. After going back to it several months later it had a taste that I can best describe as "cafeteria smell". For some reason liquor stores around here have the habit of placing bottles that come in boxes like Blanton's horizontal on top of those that are upright on the shelf. Whiskey should always be stored upright.

[jburlowski]

FWIW,I drink BT Products more than from any other distiller and, of the dozens of bottles I've had, I 've never noticed the "mustiness" some have referred to.

Maybe its good luck or deficiencies in my sense of taste...

[cowdery]

Cork taint does exist but here on the forum, it's frequently cited when I think, in most cases, the person just has not found a particular whiskey to their taste. I have been drinking American whiskey for a long time. I have never had a bottle in my home that was tainted and most tainted bottles that I have tasted have been very old ones that also may have received some rough handling. My point is that cork taint is real, it does happen, but it is not common.

[jburlowski]

Cork taint does exist but here on the forum, it's frequently cited when I think, in most cases, the person just has not found a particular whiskey to their taste. I have been drinking American whiskey for a long time. I have never had a bottle in my home that was tainted and most tainted bottles that I have tasted have been very old ones that also may have received some rough handling. My point is that cork taint is real, it does happen, but it is not common.

I agree. And I find that ones sense of taste can vary widely from day to day --- based on state of health, what has been recently eaten, and, for all the hell I know, the phase of the moon. I always gives a new pour several tries over a period of time before I form an opinion. And, on the flip side, I've been surprised to find that a taste of a usual favorite occasionally seems "off"... even when both samples are from the same bottle.