The fill level wasn't perfect in my Ballantine's, as you may be able to glean from the photos. The bigger challenge was that the tax strip was virtually gone. The screw cap was certainly sealed, that wasn't the issue. The issue was how old was this damn bottle? After researching a zillion Ballantine's ads from the past 50+ years, I was able to conclude that this specific label (with standard measurements) was used from 1968-1979. So I'm going with 1970s. More importantly, the whisky was entirely drinkable.
Brand: Ballantine's
Ownership at the time: Hiram Walker Gooderham & Worts
Ownership at the time: Hiram Walker Gooderham & Worts
Current ownership: Pernod Ricard
Distributed by: 21 Brands, Inc.
Distributed by: 21 Brands, Inc.
Type: Scotch Blended Whisky
Age: minimum 3 years
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Bottled: probably between 1968 and 1979
Bottled: probably between 1968 and 1979
Yeah, it's weird at times. So are most of the dusties that sit on sunny Southern California shelves for 30+ years. It takes time open up and let go of the funk, much like my old '70s JW Black Label. But it's never boring and makes for a pleasant mindless sipper once the weird stuff fades out. It's also better than the current Ballantine's Finest but not as drastically so as the Grouse issue noted yesterday. There's definitely plenty of grain filler here and I do wish there was more fruit going on. But I'd happily buy this for $20 or less (okay, maybe $25 for historical value) any day.
Availability - Happy Hunting!
Pricing - ???
Rating - 78 (needs a little breathing time)