fussychicken Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Although I've never purchased any whiskey off of eBay, I occasionally look around as you can find some interesting bottles. In can sometimes be a fun way to look into the past. In any case I just found the following very interesting unopened bottle.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150193905348Of course this brings up many thoughts and questions:Is it just me or does the tax stamp looks too modern for 1872?Also, is it just me again, or is it strange to see whiskey this old being aged for 9 years? Most whiskey back then was hardly aged at all right?The fill level seems very good for a 135 year old bottle!The mash bill is very interesting! 2/3 rye and 1/3 cornFrom what I have read, some of you guys and gals have some early 1900s bourbon, but I have never read about anyone here having any pre-1900 whiskey. Does anyone know of anyone that has any whiskey this old?I guess what I am really trying to say is this for real? If so, although $480 is nothing to sneeze at, it actually sounds like a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Google brings up info on Murdoch Whiskeyhttp://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/cfm/dsp_unit.cfm?speccol=5646&box_no=&folderno=&serno=1&item=554&level=item&id=90053http://speccol.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/catalog/cfm/dsp_number.cfm?speccol=5646It may be legit.Though Murdoch is not mentioned...here is an informative Maryland Rye site:http://www.ellenjaye.com/maryland-baltimore.htmAnd: http://www.fohbc.com/PDF_Files/FarmerDistillersofMd_Sp2006.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesH007 Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Wow!! Nice looking bottle.....would love to give that a try . Incredibly great condition. I agree, fill level looks high for its age. Wonder if the whiskey is still any good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I don't think tax stamps were used before 1897. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonv Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I have seen tax stamps on early whiskey, but only because they were bottled early on but not sold by the distillery or distributor to a customer and ended up in the whiskey stocks of the company during prohibition. The whiskey had to be stamped to be sold after prohibition. I have also seen similar bottles bought by a distributor from an estate sale and to be sold to customers there was a stamp requirement. This happened in the 1930's when companies were looking for aged whiskey to be sold. Even so, this was a very small percentage of the whiskey sold nationwide and rare. Looking at the tax stamp on this bottle, I would say it was placed there in the 1930's. Whether it was placed there by the government or someone selling bootleg (and adulterated whiskey) I would not venture to say.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 I would not taste it without knowing it was safe....not knowing the real source or handling...somebody could have filled it with any fluid, be it wood alcohol or kerosene...even if unlikely. I would require chemical analysis...maybe some university or private chemist / food lab could do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 I worded my short post as I did because what Mike says is certainly correct, but there at a minimum one can be confident that the tax stamp was not applied when the product was allegedly bottled in 1872. It was applied at a much later date, though perhaps legitimately.Frankly, you'd either have to be insane or have money to piss away to buy this or any of the similar pre-Prohibition bottles that appear from time to time. It really is a pig in a poke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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