# What could I do with old, sealed liquor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534 "2018-01-26T18:34:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adk77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@adk77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adk77)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/1 "2018-01-26T18:34:53Z")
So, I still have the remnants of a Basket of Cheer I won in 1975. Other than giving it away or pouring it down the drain (I drink wine/beer), I’ve been trying to come up with an idea re what to do with all of it. Still sealed, I have a Bols Peppermint Schnapps (quart), Bols Creme de Menthe (quart), RonRico Rum (375 ml), Crown Royal (750 ml), Ballantine’s Scotch (quart), Dewar’s Scotch (750 ml) and J&B Rare Scotch (one liter). Any ideas out there? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/2 "2018-01-26T18:43:32Z")
If you don’t want to drink it yourself, what’s wrong with giving it away ? It should all still be drinkable, even 30 years later. Would you prefer to use it as a household cleaner or something? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/3 "2018-01-26T18:54:49Z")
Yeah, they should all be drinkable. None of those are cream-based, so they’re okay. As for other things to do with them…well, you can cook with a bunch of those. Let’s see: peppermint schnapps and creme de menthe can be used in a number of desserts, for sure. Same with the rum. There’s various “drunken” meat type recipes out there, where a good amount of liquor is used to marinade the meat. Look up “drunken steak” for instance, for a use of the rum. Some of those whiskeys might do fine in a marinade. Look up “scotch whiskey marinade.” Hot buttered rum sauce for things like pancakes or bread pudding, or even over vanilla ice cream, etc… Are those the kinds of things you’re looking for? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/4 "2018-01-26T18:56:11Z")
My in-laws have an unopened bottle of scotch they got for a wedding present more than 50 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/5 "2018-01-26T19:56:52Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > My in-laws have an unopened bottle of scotch they got for a wedding present more than 50 years ago. What are they saving it for? When one of them dies does the survivor get to drink it? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/6 "2018-01-26T20:00:42Z")
> [@PigArcher](#): > > What are they saving it for? When one of them dies does the survivor get to drink it? Yeah, my wife’s dad has already passed, so there you go. They just weren’t drinkers, they weren’t saving it for anything, they just didn’t want to drink it but didn’t want to get rid of it either. The obvious solution would have been to open it at a party or something and share it around. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/7 "2018-01-26T20:04:18Z")
We inherited some liquor when my mother-in-law died that was at least forty years old. We drank it, and it was fine. If you want to give it away, I will volunteer to drink your health. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/8 "2018-01-26T20:18:45Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Yeah, my wife’s dad has already passed, so there you go. They just weren’t drinkers, they weren’t saving it for anything, they just didn’t want to drink it but didn’t want to get rid of it either. > > The obvious solution would have been to open it at a party or something and share it around. Yeah, I had a bottle like that, though didn’t keep it nearly as long as that. I brought a bottle back from Scotland from the place I worked at in 1996, and I designated it as the bottle of scotch I will share when I get married. Fifteen years later, we finally opened it and drank it. Of course, liquor doesn’t age in the bottle, but it’s always nice, I think, to have a “special” bottle with meaning around that you can open and appreciate that much more. (In addition, we had five different years of Dark Lord imperial stout that we broke open at the wedding after party, as well. At the time, it was fetching something like $500 on eBay for a collection of those years. But I believe in drinking alcohol, not selling it! 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/9 "2018-01-26T20:32:57Z")
What’s the shipping on the bottle of Crown? Ya wanna send it postage due, to FL?:eek: ( Not serious)😃 How about give it to your mailman. When I was a kid that’s what the customary gift seemed to be. What about workmen at your house. People are always asking what/if to tip a plumber or delivery guy. These bottles are free to you, but to others it seems you’re handing over $25+ Give it to someone down on their luck. Who says you can’t have a drink if you’re broke. Not every homeless person is an addict. If they’re an adult, let them make their own decisions. Maybe they could trade for food/blankets/smokes/protection. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/10 "2018-01-26T20:55:14Z")
I know with wine, storage conditions matter, so that if the bottles get too warm, the wine can be ruined. Is that also the case with liquors? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/11 "2018-01-26T21:41:35Z")
If it’s all sealed, chances are it’s all good. Check to see if anything has separated or changed color. You can make lovely desserts with hard liquor. The peppermint stuff is good as ice cream topping, for one. Or a nice hot chocolate or addition to a coffee drink. Candy making also comes t mind … or a topping for a cheesecake. Mix a little bit in whipped cream. The rum is a natural for cakes and the like – a hard sauce for pudding, a glaze for pound cakes. Use it in place of vanilla extract. Scotch whiskey cake comes to mind off the top of my head. Depending on the brand and the amount can also make a hell of a barbecue sauce. Need recipes? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/12 "2018-01-26T21:48:53Z")
> [@adk77](#): > > I’ve been trying to come up with an idea re what to do with all of it. Raise money for some worthy organization you know by means of a raffle: create a detailed description with photos, and sell 100+ tickets at $5 each. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/13 "2018-01-26T22:46:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I know with wine, storage conditions matter, so that if the bottles get too warm, the wine can be ruined. Is that also the case with liquors? I think not. Case in point. In 1975 NY Times food critic Craig Claiborne had a $4000 dinner for two in Paris: [http://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/14/archives/just-a-quiet-dinner-for-two-in-paris-31-dishes-nine-wines-a-4000.html](http://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/14/archives/just-a-quiet-dinner-for-two-in-paris-31-dishes-nine-wines-a-4000.html). The liqueur served at the end was an 1835 Madeira and it was fine. Somewhere I read of someone having an 1820 Napolean brandy. ---
**Author:** ![adk77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@adk77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adk77)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/14 "2018-01-27T00:23:43Z")
Good ideas so far, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/15 "2018-01-27T00:57:05Z")
I had a bottle of tequila I got when my mother emptied out her liquor cabinet after my stepfather died–she didn’t want the temptation in the house. The tequila was aged seven years before bottling, and according to the price sticker it was sold circa 1980–I got it in 1998. A year later I took it to a house warming party my son threw, two of my friends drank a few shots of it and ended up getting pregnant with their first child in the back of my van during the party. So that’s always an option, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/16 "2018-01-27T01:05:56Z")
You could send me the creme de menthe. (I love that stuff!) 😉 Seriously, are you having a party, or going to one in the near future? Offer to supply the booze! ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/17 "2018-01-27T01:53:12Z")
If you live near St. Louis, there’s a guy who pays good money for sealed bottles. He’s a collector who advertises in a local paper. He gave me $80 for an early 50’s bottle of Old Grand-Dad that was given to me a couple of decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/18 "2018-01-27T01:56:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I know with wine, storage conditions matter, so that if the bottles get too warm, the wine can be ruined. Is that also the case with liquors? In another post, I mentioned having an early 50s bottle of whiskey. It was bottled with a cork. The collector who bought it from me said that unlike wine, you shouldn’t lay the bottle so that the cork stays wet as it can cause evaporation. He said to stand the bottle up. Of course if you bottles don’t have corks, it’s probably not an issue. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/19 "2018-01-27T06:59:25Z")
> [@adk77](#): > > So, I still have the remnants of a Basket of Cheer I won in 1975. Other than giving it away or pouring it down the drain (I drink wine/beer), I’ve been trying to come up with an idea re what to do with all of it. > > Still sealed, I have a Bols Peppermint Schnapps (quart), Bols Creme de Menthe (quart), RonRico Rum (375 ml), Crown Royal (750 ml), Ballantine’s Scotch (quart), Dewar’s Scotch (750 ml) and J&B Rare Scotch (one liter). > > Any ideas out there? Thanks. I can take the scotch, You [make fudge with the schnapps](http://thedecoratedcookie.com/2016/12/peppermint-schnapps-boozy-fudge/), [cookies with the rum](https://www.thespruce.com/butter-rum-cookies-3052191) and I got nothing for the crème de menthe. Um, you might need a 32qt mixer, I can help with that too:cool: ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-could-i-do-with-old-sealed-liquor/807534/20 "2018-01-29T07:24:43Z")
Do any of your friends like it? You could serve it to them when they come over.