Mccormick Whiskey Hot to Read the Bottle Code
Whether you're trying to date a bottle of bourbon or determine the relative age of a dusty bottle of Scotch the procedure for US bottles is pretty much the same; information technology's a matter of looking at clues and narrowing down possibilities. Kind of like playing a game of Clue, except with booze.
That doesn't mean information technology'southward e'er easy, and figuring out the verbal age can be a existent hassle, only there are 11 basic clues and resources I use when trying to determine how old a dusty canteen of whiskey is. Below is a run through of each along with some additional resources at the end.
- Start with obvious
- Look for canteen codes
- Government warnings
- UPC codes
- Imperial or Metric?
- Federal tax strips & state tax stamps
- Bonded whiskey = a wealth of info
- Federal Law Forbids Auction or Reuse of this Bottle
- Drinking glass engagement
- Make history
- Google Books – Magazines
Start With The obvious
Wait for any clues on the bottle itself that'll pin point it. In the paradigm above nosotros see that it'due south commemorating the 200th ceremony of Evan Williams and on the bottle they say the distillery was founded in 1783. Doing some simple math puts this bottle at 1983. Prissy and simple.
Look For Bottle Codes
Some canteen codes are easy to decipher while others are non, but if they exist they're a great place to commencement. If y'all can't decipher them, and can't observe anyone else online who has a clue, reach out to the maker (if possible) and run into if they can steer yous in the right management.
Government Warning
You know that big block of text on the back of your whiskey that tells you not to operate machinery or be pregnant while drinking? If it'south not there then your bottle is probable from earlier 1989 when the Surgeon Full general'due south alert became mandatory.
UPC Codes
Does your dusty canteen of whskey have a UPC on the dorsum? They fully came into way around 1985, but began popping upward in the late 70s and early on 80s. If the UPC code is missing yous tin can move the estimated engagement of the canteen dorsum to at least pre-1985.
Imperial or Metric?
How the liquid in the bottle is measured can also be a clue. From 1981 forrad all bottles in the U.s.a. started carrying metric (ml, liter, etc.) statements. Before 1979 bottles in the U.s.a. were measured using the Majestic system (pint, quart, gallon, etc.). The switch started happening in 1979 and some bottles from 79 / 80 will carry both on the bottle, but could still carry one or the other.
Federal Tax Strips
Does your bottle of whiskey have a revenue enhancement strip? Tax strips are the blue (if exported), green or scarlet strips that get upwards the side of the neck and over the cap and will either say U.S. Internal Acquirement or Bureau of ATF. If information technology says ATF on the strip and so your bottle is from 1977 – 1985. If it mentions the IRS then information technology'due south pre-1977 which still covers a lot of time, but fearfulness not. Nosotros tin can intermission it down to smaller chunks fo fourth dimension thanks to tax strip changes over the years.
- 1934-1944: Weight/Proof Marks on ends, no "Series" nearly Hawkeye'due south feet. Upper-left edge reads "US Internal Revenue"
- 1945-1972: Words "Series" and "111″/"112″ added well-nigh Eagles anxiety. Upper-left border reads "US Internal Revenue"
- 1973-1976: Volume markings removed from ends of Tax Strip. Upper-left edge reads "United states of america Internal Revenue"
- 1977-1983: No Volume markings. No "Serial" or "111″/"112″ nigh Eagle's feet. Upper-left border reads "Bureau of ATF"
- In 1982 the words "Tax Paid" and "Distilled Spirits" were removed and replaced with simply "Distilled" and "Spirits" on the bottom of the strips.
- The green Bottled in Bond strips were discontinued starting December 1, 1982.
(details via wchurst on DrinksPlanet)
State Tax Stamps
Some states also used their own taxation stamps (pinnacle left of the canteen to a higher place) which tin can give clues similar the State Treasurer's proper name, tax rate, State Secretary'south signature, etc. Well-nigh of that info tin can be looked up online so you tin can narrow your date range by looking upward who was in charge when the taxation stamp was used.
Bottled Under Supervision
A petty side note hither. If you see this it'southwardnot a revenue enhancement-strip. It'southward a Manufacturer'southward strip designed to reproduce the general wait of a tax strip. Strips similar this were added past many manufacturers in the mid lxxx's afterwards the tax strip requirement was lifted.
Most strips of this type were simply produced for a few years at best, as manufacturers soon realized that most of their consumers had never dealt with any "refilled" bottles, as was so common to discover prior to the 1940's.
For near 100 Years the employ of a Federal tax strip over the cap/cork of a bottle ensured that the canteen's
contents were 18-carat. Perhaps manufacturers believed that consumers still shared this view and lead them to include their own strip once tax strips were no longer required.
(via Walter Hurst)
Bonded Whiskey = A Wealth Of Info
If you're lucky enough to score a dusty bonded whiskey your job is even easier because the green taxation strip will country both the made (distilled) and bottled engagement. Though if the numbers accept faded you tin brawl-park it by looking at the circumlocution on the strip itself.
If it reads: "This bottle has been filled and stamped under the provisions of sections 5008 and 5243 Internal Revenue Code." and so it's pre-August 1959 considering in August of 1959 the sections it refers to changed to 5205 and 5233.
Federal Law Forbids Sale Or Reuse Of This Bottle
Typically embossed on the canteen itself, though sometimes printed on the characterization, these words will engagement your whiskey to sometime betwixt 1932 – 1964.
Glass Date
I ever save this for a last resort, merely look at the bottom of your bottle. Is there a 2 digit date on the bottom? Likely at that place is and it could denote when the bottle was fabricated. Information technology does Non denote when the whiskey was put in the bottle, every bit some propose, but mayhap when the bottle was made – or fifty-fifty when the mold for the canteen was made. It could likewise just be a proof number or something from the manufacturer and hateful null at all in regards to age. Take these with a grain of salt.
Brand History
Is information technology a brand that's currently in existence? Reach out and see if anyone at the company can tell you when it's from. If it'southward a style that's no longer made do a quick Google search to see if you lot tin find out how long it was made for. If it's a dead distillery wait it upwards and see how long the distillery was effectually for. Basically I'k telling y'all to Google it. And speaking of Googling it…
Google Books – Magazines
Another peachy way to effigy out the relative date of your canteen is advertising. Search for your bottle (by name) in Google Books nether the magazines. Find ads that depict your bottle and you lot'll know roughly when it'southward from. Bottle label designs tin change over the years and advertising volition e'er depict what the label looked like at that time so consumers could exit and get that verbal bottle. Y'all tin can basically use advert as a visual history of characterization changes.
https://books.google.com/books/magazines/language/en
Using the info here you should have no problem figuring out at least a ballpark age for your dusty finds. With a bit of practice yous'll soon accept your friends request you how to engagement a canteen of whiskey, merely if you want to make 'em "learn the difficult way" you tin always send them hither. Nothing incorrect with that.
Thank you!
P.S. if you're looking for another corking whiskey bottle dating resource give these a peek.
Other Resources
- http://whiskeyid.com/
- http://www.drinksplanet.com/dating-a-bottle-1444.html
- http://www.drinksplanet.com/dating-us-bottles-via-tax-stamps…-1205.html
Source: https://thewhiskeyjug.com/whiskey/how-to-date-a-bottle-of-whiskey/