I've been collecting and drinking spirits for decades, but I've only recently become a "whiskey collector." With my first bottle of rye—a Jim Beam Rye that was distilled in 1997—I learned how to determine its value. I discovered that just because I paid $500 for it doesn't mean it's worth that much. In fact, there are many factors you need to consider when determining the value of your whiskey collection.
The age of the whiskey
The age of the Midleton Irish whiskey is important. The older the whiskey, the more valuable it becomes. Age is determined by how long it has been aged in a barrel and can range from 4 to 25 years. As with most things, however, there are exceptions to this rule: some whiskeys are aged for only a few months or even hours before being bottled.
The longer a whiskey ages in its cask (barrel), the smoother and richer its flavor will be—so keep an eye out for older bottles if you're looking to get your money's worth!
The bottling year
The bottling year is the year in which the whiskey was bottled, and not when it was distilled. In other words, if you have a bottle of Glenlivet that has aged in your cellar for fifteen years and a bottle with a bottling date of 2016, that doesn't mean one is more valuable than the other. However, if both bottles have been sitting in your cellar at least ten years, then these two whiskies will be roughly equivalent in value according to their ages alone (i.e., they are likely worth about $30).
This is because age—the time that has passed since the whiskey was first distilled—is used by collectors as an indicator of quality. While there are exceptions like Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 15-year Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon (which can sell for upwards of $1,000 per bottle), most older whiskies command higher prices than younger ones due to their provenance alone: A twenty-year-old Scotch may be far tastier than its twelve-year counterpart because it spent two decades aging under ideal conditions while many younger variants went through warehouse fires or were blended with lesser products early on in their lives before being bottled up and sold off at lower values (or not at all).
The distillery
The distillery is the location where the whiskey was made. The word "distillery" usually refers to a single location, but it can also refer to a group of locations that are owned by one company.
The distilleries are responsible for ensuring that their products meet certain quality standards and conform to federal regulations.
They also determine how much to charge for their whiskey, which is based on many factors including what kind of whiskey it is (blended or single malt), whether it's aged or new, and where you live in relation to the distillery (the closer you live to the source, the more expensive it will be).
The condition of the bottle
The condition of the bottle is also important. A damaged or cracked bottle will have a lower value than if it were pristine. It's not unusual to see bottles with broken labels, but this will reduce their value as well. Corked bottles tend to be worth less than uncorked ones because they can't be opened and enjoyed like their un-stoppered brethren.
Rare bottles are typically worth more than common ones, especially if they are in good condition—but don't forget that there's no guarantee that your rare whiskey won't end up being worth less than you paid for it!
The rarity of release
The rarity of a whiskey is also a factor in determining the value of your collection. Rare bottles can be worth thousands of dollars, and are usually very old, or were released in very limited quantities. For example, there are only around 400 bottles of Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon on the market at any given time. A bottle of this bourbon may cost $1,000 or more per bottle!
Where it was made and sold
- Where it was made.
- Where it was sold.
- Where it was stored.
Who bottled it and the type of cork used on the bottle's closure
The bottlers of a bottle will sometimes indicate who bottled the product on the label. If they don't, you can try to determine who bottled it by looking up the bottler on your favorite search engine.
Most importantly, you should look at what kind of cork is used in order to know whether or not it has been aged in-cask and/or if it's been re-corked since being bottled.
Some corks are made from natural materials like cork trees while others use synthetic alternatives (also known as plastic corks). Natural corks are preferable because they allow for more oxygen transfer into the whiskey, which leads to better aging results when compared with their plastic counterparts (which prevent oxygen transfer). And even though these plastics may be more durable than natural corks, there's still a chance that they may break during transit or storage and cause leakage around your bottles' necks—not good!
Products mentioned in this post
Whiskey collection
Whiskey bottle
Irish whiskey
whiskey decanter
whiskey decanters
whiskey glasses
Collecting whiskey can be a rewarding hobby, but it can also be hard to get an accurate value for a collection.
Collecting whiskey can be a rewarding hobby, but it can also be hard to get an accurate value for a collection. There are many factors that influence the value of a whiskey collection.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I hope that this article has helped you better understand the process of determining the value of your Midleton Irish whiskey collection. It can be a difficult task to do on your own, but if you have the information about your bottles and a good understanding of what they're worth then it won't be so hard!
