Caretaker accused of drinking $102K worth of historic whiskey

[Rickster71]

Scottdale mansion's caretaker accused of drinking $102K worth of historic whiskey | TribLIVE
The mystery of the missing whiskey has all the elements of a page-turner: a beautiful estate, a century in time, a thirsty thief and a bit of DNA on the lip of a bottle.

I wonder how much that is per shot?

​

 

[Pyrrho]

If the thief had been civilized and drank it from a glass instead of drinking from the bottles, he might have gotten away with his crime by not leaving DNA on the bottle tops.

 

[j_garcia]

Well, I guess it was still adequately sealed since it didn't kill him. WOW, some people.

 

[Grador]

Call me cynical, but this only gets a slight head shaking from me since it doesn't sound like any of the value was in the product quality. If this guy had swigged down what was supposed to be several bottles of the best whiskey ever made I'd be lobbying to hang the man.

 

[Pyrrho]

Well, I guess it was still adequately sealed since it didn't kill him. WOW, some people.

Since a very significant percentage of what whisky is, is alcohol, and given that alcohol is itself a preservative, it should have an incredibly long shelf life. If you buy a bottle, there is no need to put it in the refrigerator, and you can just leave it on a shelf for many years, and it will still be good. Even if you have opened the bottle, and consequently, have broken the original seal. 100 years does not seem like such a long time for whisky to me. I would not be surprised if many titled people in Europe drink whisky that their grandparents purchased, or was purchased by an earlier ancestor.

 

[Pyrrho]

Call me cynical, but this only gets a slight head shaking from me since it doesn't sound like any of the value was in the product quality. If this guy had swigged down what was supposed to be several bottles of the best whiskey ever made I'd be lobbying to hang the man.

If I understand you, you mean that because you do not put any value in the whisky, no one else should either. So no one should care that it was stolen. Does that sum up your position accurately? If not, what do you mean?

 

[Grador]

If I understand you, you mean that because you do not put any value in the whisky, no one else should either. So no one should care that it was stolen. Does that sum up your position accurately? If not, what do you mean?

You have not only missed my point, but turned it on it's head. To me this is just simple theft since the value of the whiskey is only in it's age. Theft is still not cool. I would be way more upset though if this guy wasted some amazing whiskey by drinking it out of the bottle like swill.

Theft is common, it's hard for me to get worked up when the values are in this range.

 

[96cobra10101]

So, was all the whiskey worth 100k, and he drank about half? Article title is misleading. Not that I matters, he committed theft, but why can't journalist be accurate?

 

[Grador]

So, was all the whiskey worth 100k, and he drank about half? Article title is misleading. Not that I matters, he committed theft, but why can't journalist be accurate?

Actually it sounds like 1/2 the bottles in 2/5 of the cases were opened if I'm reading this correctly. So he drank 1/5 of it?

Edit: OR 2/5 of the cases were opened and those cases were put on the bottom of a pile with 2/5 of the bottles taken. It's pretty poorly worded.

Edit 2: 10 total cases not 12, reworking math

 

[Pyrrho]

Actually it sounds like 1/2 the bottles in 2/5 of the cases were opened if I'm reading this correctly. So he drank 1/5 of it?

Edit: OR 2/5 of the cases were opened and those cases were put on the bottom of a pile with 2/5 of the bottles taken. It's pretty poorly worded.

Edit 2: 10 total cases not 12, reworking math

You need to put down the whisky and reread the article when you are sober. Here are a few key points for you:

...Hill discovered hidden in the walls and stairwell nine cases of Old Farm Pure Rye Whiskey...

Now Saunders is charged by Scottdale police with receiving stolen property and theft for allegedly drinking 52 bottles...

Hill told police Chief Barry Pritts that she stored the whiskey in a living room in the nine original cases, each containing 12 bottles.​

Now, a little math will answer some questions. With 12 bottles in a case, that means that 4 cases would be 48 bottles, so he drank 4 bottles more than 4 cases (since 48 + 4 = 52). This means that the total that he drank was almost half of the whisky (as the total whisky is 12 x 9 = 108). He was only 2 bottles short of drinking exactly half (54 x 2 = 108, and 52 + 2 = 54).


As for the value, it is somewhat arbitrary, because, in a very real sense, the whisky is priceless. This is because no amount of money is going to replace what has been destroyed. You can't go out and buy this stuff anywhere, or at least it is unlikely that you can.

 

[j_garcia]

Since a very significant percentage of what whisky is, is alcohol, and given that alcohol is itself a preservative, it should have an incredibly long shelf life. If you buy a bottle, there is no need to put it in the refrigerator, and you can just leave it on a shelf for many years, and it will still be good. Even if you have opened the bottle, and consequently, have broken the original seal. 100 years does not seem like such a long time for whisky to me. I would not be surprised if many titled people in Europe drink whisky that their grandparents purchased, or was purchased by an earlier ancestor.

Yes, but the article did state that if a bottle was not properly sealed, botulism was possible. I figured it would be far less than likely being alcohol, but it was mentioned.

 

[Grador]

You need to put down the whisky and reread the article when you are sober. Here are a few key points for you:

...Hill discovered hidden in the walls and stairwell nine cases of Old Farm Pure Rye Whiskey...

Now Saunders is charged by Scottdale police with receiving stolen property and theft for allegedly drinking 52 bottles...

Hill told police Chief Barry Pritts that she stored the whiskey in a living room in the nine original cases, each containing 12 bottles.​

Now, a little math will answer some questions. With 12 bottles in a case, that means that 4 cases would be 48 bottles, so he drank 4 bottles more than 4 cases (since 48 + 4 = 52). This means that the total that he drank was almost half of the whisky (as the total whisky is 12 x 9 = 108). He was only 2 bottles short of drinking exactly half (54 x 2 = 108, and 52 + 2 = 54).


As for the value, it is somewhat arbitrary, because, in a very real sense, the whisky is priceless. This is because no amount of money is going to replace what has been destroyed. You can't go out and buy this stuff anywhere, or at least it is unlikely that you can.

I missed the 52 bottle note when I went and re-skimmed the article. I also think you need to recheck what I initially read for tone. You seem to think I'm condoning this or something?

Or seriously stating I'd like to see a man hung for drinking stolen whiskey...

 

[Alex2507]

I think he should sue the estate for turning him into an alcoholic.

 

[Pyrrho]

Yes, but the article did state that if a bottle was not properly sealed, botulism was possible. I figured it would be far less than likely being alcohol, but it was mentioned.

The article said that some guy said it, but the reporter who wrote the article does not claim it is true, and I am reluctant to believe it.

Whisky is reasonably effective as an antiseptic:

The Straight Dope: Can liquor be used as an emergency antiseptic?

That should surprise no one, as alcohol is commonly used as an antiseptic, though often a different type of alcohol is used as an antiseptic than the type found in alcoholic beverages.


According to the article, the guy who said that botulism was possible was Bob DeCroo, who also said that the whisky was not worth more than $200 a bottle. I don't believe that either. Even I might pay $200 for a bottle to try, but I am sure that I would be outbid at that price. Basically, Bob DeCroo sounds like an idiot.

Now, if some reputable laboratory comes out with a study of whisky that has botulism from not being properly sealed, then I will believe it. But not coming from some idiot whose expertise is bottle collecting and who does not even know the value of old bottles of whisky.

 

[Grador]

I would bet my entire beer and whiskey collection that there are organisms that can grow in whiskey. I would not on the other hand assume any of those can be found around your house nor near your whiskey.

I don't know of any alcohol resistant strains of botulinum.

 

[j_garcia]

According to the article, the guy who said that botulism was possible was Bob DeCroo, who also said that the whisky was not worth more than $200 a bottle. I don't believe that either. Even I might pay $200 for a bottle to try, but I am sure that I would be outbid at that price. Basically, Bob DeCroo sounds like an idiot.

Now, if some reputable laboratory comes out with a study of whisky that has botulism from not being properly sealed, then I will believe it. But not coming from some idiot whose expertise is bottle collecting and who does not even know the value of old bottles of whisky.

I didn't catch that it was someone else saying that, but I agree, his assessment of the value was ridiculous. Which also leads me to believe he didn't know what he was talking about regarding the botulism. Apparently it IS possible though, but as I said, not real likely with proper production:
Notes from the Field: Botulism From Drinking Prison-Made Illicit Alcohol — Arizona, 2012

 

[gmichael]

But how good did they taste? No one mentions that.

 

[lsiberian]

I would bet my entire beer and whiskey collection that there are organisms that can grow in whiskey. I would not on the other hand assume any of those can be found around your house nor near your whiskey.

I don't know of any alcohol resistant strains of botulinum.

Can I house sit this weekend. I promise not to drink half your whiskey.

 

[lsiberian]

But how good did they taste? No one mentions that.

No kidding. I'm sorry, but whiskey is meant for drinking. Clearly the lady wasn't willing to do the necessary deed this man had to save the spirits.

 

[gmichael]

Can I house sit this weekend. I promise not to drink half your whiskey.

All of it?