How to date old Scotch Whisky?

[Mike M]

I inherited a bottle of Glenfarclas / Glenlivet 75%proof whiskey from my step father. before he passed away he told me it was around 30 years old & to enjoy it on a specail occasion. Any help would be nice to put a date on this bottle. Pictures can be sent. Thanks for any help.

Mike - Butler, Indiana

[Deactivated Member]

What size is the bottle? That would be a clue. I assume it's a British bottle--Scotch whisky has been minimum 40% since sometime between WWI and WWII, but under the old British proof system, 75 proof may be 40% or more. Someone here should know when they changed over. Any other label markings or tax stamps would be relevant info, too. I still won't know, but someone will!

[MGillespie]

Mike, one advantage you have is that Glenfarclas is family-owned and has not changed ownership in generations. I would contact the distillery directly and check with them, and will e-mail you an address in a private message.

Mark

[Deactivated Member]

The change from °proof to %vol was around 1979-1980.

I don't personally know this bottle, but I will look around to see if I can help with any value.
Regards,
WH

[Mike M]

Starting from the top of the bottle Right at the bottom of the neck is a paper label that reads:

GLENFARCLAS
Rare Highlands
ALL MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

The label below reads per line:

Product of Scotland
75 proof

Glenfarclas
- Glenlivet
All Malt unblended

SCOTCH WHISKY
12 years old

J & G Grant Ltd.

Propreitors

GLENFARCLAS GLENLIVET Distillery
Speyside Banffshire Scotland

Established 1845

Bottled by

James Sword & Son LTD.
Glascow

[Photon]

How to date old Sctoch Whisky:

1) Dress well (button down shirt - tie optional, no "droopy pants")
2) Buy Flowers
3) Behave like a gentleman (open doors, etc.)
4) Be sure and compliment

a) Aroma ("That's an enchanting scent you're wearing.")
b) Appearance ("You look stunning.")
5) Resist the urge to be your crass self

(No "I could just drink you up." That is a good way to feel a stinging sensation on your face)
6) Don't go to bar - other guys will be all over your table.

Hope this helps

-P.

[Jan]

How to date old Sctoch Whisky:

1) Dress well (button down shirt - tie optional, no "droopy pants")
2) Buy Flowers
3) Behave like a gentleman (open doors, etc.)
4) Be sure and compliment

a) Aroma ("That's an enchanting scent you're wearing.")
b) Appearance ("You look stunning.")
5) Resist the urge to be your crass self

(No "I could just drink you up." That is a good way to feel a stinging sensation on your face)
6) Don't go to bar - other guys will be all over your table.

Hope this helps

-P.

Cheers
Jan

[MGillespie]

You know, T and I resisted the urge to do just that...but I'm glad someone else did!

Mark

[Deactivated Member]

Spot on, Diz.

[Photon]

You know, T and I resisted the urge to do just that...but I'm glad someone else did!

Mark

Thanks for resisting guys. I had fun with it. I'll raise a glass to your self-control

-P.

[Deactivated Member]

A special occasion. You won't see it often!

[Lawrence]

Exellent! Well done, it took me a moment but in my defense I've haven't had a dram since Saturday night. Time to fix that.

[Muskrat Portage]

Photon: Well posted. You echoed my thoughts when I saw the Thread title. Glad you have less control than Bruce and Mark.
Pete

[Deactivated Member]

4) Be sure and compliment

a) Aroma ("That's an enchanting scent you're wearing.")
b) Appearance ("You look stunning.")

"Them's some legs you got there!"

(Oops, I have fallen afoul of 5) Resist the urge to be your crass self....)

[Photon]

4) Be sure and compliment

a) Aroma ("That's an enchanting scent you're wearing.")
b) Appearance ("You look stunning.")

"Them's some legs you got there!"

(Oops, I have fallen afoul of 5) Resist the urge to be your crass self....)

Perhaps the order of 4 & 5 should have been reversed...

-P.

[MGillespie]

You realize that Mike's going to think we're all a bunch of smartasses who don't take questions from newcomers seriously...

Mike, we are a bunch of smartasses, and please feel free to join in...I hope we were able to help, and I think if you use that e-mail address I sent privately (look at the top of the page to see how to read PM's), you'll get the answer you need.

Mark

[Mike M]

I am a smart ass also. I just got in from driving all week for work & sorry for not getting back to soon. As to how to date whisky I take not to offend her by taking some Vodka out with me to double date? I am not a big whisky/scotch drinker. Not to offend anyone on this group but, I would have preferred the Lionel set that he had & not the bottle of whisky. The bottle will probably sit down in the basement with the trains for a while. As to the person requesting a picture of this bottle I will be sending it to you in the next couple of days.

Mike

[Photon]

Not to offend anyone on this group but, I would have preferred the Lionel set that he had & not the bottle of whisky.

Mike

I hear that, when my grandfather moved to an assisted living center, I got his train set (as well as his wiring diagrams for the 4'x6' switchboard) , someone else got the booze. I got the better deal. I can't wait for my son to get old enough to enjoy it. (Well, maybe I can)

-P.

[Muskrat Portage]

...Not to offend anyone on this group but, I would have preferred the Lionel set that he had & not the bottle of whisky. The bottle will probably sit down in the basement with the trains for a while. ... Mike

Mike:
I'm definitely not offended as I have both the whisky and the Lionel trains in my basement! Fire up the layout and sip whisky while the trains roll - my idea of heaven.
Photon: Y'know that you can definitely run them until your son gets old enough to help, eh? There are also railway magazines you can subscribe to for help (ie: MR, RMC, ScaleRail etc) Pete

[Photon]

To get completely off-topic, We have a Geo-Trax train that we run together. That should work OK until I get the courage to open up the boxes. Besides, I don't have a place to set it up that 3 yr old proof. (Not much is actually - he took my keys while I was unloading the car the other day, got in the drivers seat and put the correct key -out of 10 - in the ignition. Luckily he can't reach the clutch.)

-P.

[Mike M]

Thanks for everyone's help on getting me the right information. I want to thank the member that gave me the email address to Glenfarclas and here is his reply to my bottle with the pictures that I sent him. This will let all of you know what he told me.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Dear Michael,



Yes after much searching this bottle in intact genuine ( we have seen a lot of fakes of late)

And as your suggest from the 60’s, we stopped using James Sword bottlers in the mid 1960’s so the whisky is from the 50’s.

It was a specific bottling done for the USA originally it would have been wrapped in tissue paper.



I hope this helps you, will you sell it or drink it?



Best regards,



George S. Grant

Brand Ambassador
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks again for the help,

Mike

[MGillespie]

Glad to help, Mike...enjoy it well...

Mark