This is a new one on me so I thought I’d ask the SigForum brain trust for your input...

I stopped by the one place after work that keeps my favorite bourbon in stock to pick up a bottle this evening and had something happen that I’ve never experienced before; what I consider to be a bad/defective bottle of bourbon! What normally tastes extremely good whenever I get it, this time tastes like dirt, soil.... just definitely not right or normal!

Does a person return an opened bottle of bourbon because it tastes bad? Do you dump it and try again? How should I proceed here???

Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks!

I don't drink, not even Bourbon, but if I thought I had something that was bad, I'd first seek a second opinion--in your case, probably a friend who also likes Bourbon. Then, if it's not just you, I'd take it back to the store and ask them to try it. If they agree it's bad, they'll probably just replace it with another bottle.

flashguy

It happens. Call the store to see if they will take it back. If not, contact the distiller via email and let them know you got a skunky bottle. Provide a lot number if possible.

If neither of those options yield satisfaction, pour it out and try a new brand. Life is too short to spend too much time worrying about one bottle of bad whiskey.

This happened to me a few years ago with Johnnie Walker scotch. I've been drinking that, either red or black, all my life. And one day, in the middle of a bottle, I just couldn't stand the stuff. I swore it was a bad bottle, but I didnt want to buy another bottle just to see if that was any better, so I just went to a couple of bars and tried it there. Tried Chivas also as I used to drink that occasionally as well. Didn't like any of them. They all tasted like kerosene!

After a year or two of not drinking scotch, I started drinking different kinds of single malt scotch and am enjoying those. (I never like single malt before)

The only explanation I have is that my taste buds have changed as I have gotten older.

Lots of things can affect your pallet, try a sip of it tomorrow.

Does that same company make scotch?

See if another bourbon drinker verifies it doesn't taste right. A couple of years ago, my wife said some Chinese food just didn't taste right. Turns out the food was fine. The problem was with her. She had a medical condition that affected her sense of taste.

Does the bottle have a cork cap?

Ask a buddy. If he agrees it is funky, take it to the store. Have someone there try it (if they are allowed).

Grab another bottle off the shelf of that store. Taste it with you and your buddy. If it is good, time to talk to the distiller or just write it off. If it is bad, as kkina suggested with the cork cap...time to look at the store.

Did it have a plastic wrap around the cork?

Do a double blind taste with a bourbon aficionado and a different bourbon.
If he concurs with your analysis, return it.

quote:

Originally posted by msfzoe:
Do a double blind taste with a bourbon aficionado and a different bourbon.
If he concurs with your analysis, return it.

Here's a surer way:

1) Buy a dozen or two different brands/bottles of Bourbon.

2) Invite a crowd of SigForumites over.

3) Challenge them to "find the bad bottle."

You will soon know all you need to know about this issue. Good luck, see you soon!

Find out who the bourbon's local distributor is and contact them. Their local sales rep has a breakage allowance and will probably just tell the store to comp you a new bottle in exchange for the bad one and he'll take it off their next bill.

Lots of counterfeiting in liquor as well. I'd call the distiller.

Lots of different ideas here, so a few bullet points from me, then will follow-up later today with what happens...

- Same batch as previous bottle as it came from the same store just a few days later, and they don't sell it that quick

- My palette / tastes hasn't changed because it has been less than 48 hours since I finished the last bottle of it purchased from the same store, and IT tasted fine as all the others have

- Medical condition? Possibly, but it sure came on quick if that's the answer!

- Plastic cap with the safety ring and no sign of tampering, so nothing has been "introduced" to the contents after bottling; it was well sealed when I opened it.

- I don't have any friends around here who are bourbon drinkers to taste test, and without a good tasting bottle to compare it to, it wouldn't help much anyway.


Will take the remainder of the bottle by the store while I'm out running errands after while and see what the say and report back later. If they don't replace it, this will be the last bottle of my new favorite bourbon I'll likely buy!

This is kind of weird but I am going to tell you this. A friend of mine drinks a certain soda. One day he poured and took a drink and he had a bad taste. He read something about it during his life and drove himself to he ER. They told him he was having a heart attack and that two of his arteries were 90% blocked. One being the widow maker. He had no other symptoms except a weird taste of his soda. Just throwing that out here.

I was at a large liquor store prior to Christmas and they had a partial bottle of Bourbon behind the counter. They said it had been returned as the cork was bad.

I would take it back to where you got it.

If your retailer can't help reach out to the manufacturer. They're generally very good about replacing faulty bottles.

Ypu should be able to tell the distillery the serial # and they can look up all the processes. Most likely they will send you an apology letter and free merch if they determine it was out of spec.

What brand?

I had this happen a few years ago with a bottle of Jack Daniels black label. I contacted the distillary and told them my problem. They sent a prepaid box to me to ship the bottle back to them. I did, and they made me whole for the whiskey. The distilleries do not want a load of bad product out on the market.

Not exactly the same, but I bought a fifth of whiskey at the local liquor market. On the way home a portion leaked out on the floor of my car. I was not happy to buy a half bottle. You couldn’t see where it leaked past the seal. I took it back and raised hell, but MICHIGAN State law says they can’t take it back once it leaves the store. Only $20, but it still pisses me off.