Would you buy a returned bottle?

Depends a lot on where you're buying it from. If it's a respected shop and you check that the bottle is still sealed I don't see an issue. Whisky is one of those things people buy for other people who might not always want it.

Anybody could have done anything to any given bottle, but I think something weird is only SLIGHTLY more likely for a bottle that's been bought & returned. I wouldn't worry a thing about it.

Keep in mind that there never really was a Halloween apple with a razor blade inside.

@Nock: I wouldn't be too worried about tampering. Most shops, if not all, would verify that the seal was intact before taking it back. Returning unopened bottles is very common. I've done it and I'm sure others on here have done it as well. As for improper storing, seems like it was a very short time frame and that is probably not an issue either. One more comment. Do you really think most men start their Christmas shopping in Oct or Nov.? If I was not prodded by my wife I'd be doing it on Dec 26. If he was typical guy he probably bought it on Christmas Eve. Enjoy the Stagg Jr.

Nock I you definitely agree with PeterG7. And we're not talking about a bottle of milk here. I have open whiskey bottles for 5 years now. There’s nothing wrong with them. They're even better now hahaha! Cheers! Enjoy!

The only other factor I'd have is how long the person held on to it and whether it was stored on its side for an extended period. I usually assume that bottles will spend a week or two angled such that the liquid is in constant contact with the cork, but if somebody, thinking that spirits should be stored like most wine, kept it on its side for a month or so before returning it... I'd be a bit worried. Almost nothing will significantly alter a spirit for a few days (to my knowledge): moderately elevated or depressed temperature, light, etc.

@Nock, it's not like buying a skid of Pappy or Masterson's from a wiseguy named Rocco. You buy one bottle and IF it is 'tainted' you make mint juleps or whatever seasonal cocktail is convenient when bottom feeders visit....this is tongue in cheek :-J

Sometimes you find a gem and take a chance. I was able to obtain one of my favourite whiskies through a trusted friend who lives thousands of miles away. The bottles in question were sleeping in a shop which happened to be operated by an owner who burned a lot of incense. The cardboard tubes, in which the bottles were stored, had absorbed this odor, which resembled 'assorted sweet tarts'(R) (as I remember them in my youth). The canisters have retained that delicious aroma to this day, but the whisky was not at all compromised. These were purchased approximately 6 - 7 years after this extremely Limited Edition was released and I do not regret for one moment buying them. Perhaps I do have some regret as two bottles were left on the shelf, for someone else to enjoy, and now I wish I had taken those to share with my friends.

@paddockjudge

what was that whisky?

Sort of a tangential question... how would you know if you're buying? a returned bottle.

I know someone who had 2 bottles of a batch-based malt, bought 1-2 years earlier. He opened one and didn't like it as much as other batches. So he bought a current batch and used the receipt to return the older batch. Same packaging, only a different number.

I think there are a few of us on Connosr would look at specific batch numbers, but some bottles don't even display them easily. And some whiskies, like Mac CS, discontinued, would be desirable in any batch. So how could you tell between a dusty and a return?

@Nozinan The bar code has a lot of information for a retailer. Using your example of returning a bottle 2 years after it was bought and presenting a current receipt. It appears the bottle wasn't scanned. If it had been, the receipt and bar code would not have matched.

I took a bottle back without a receipt and had no difficulty returning it. They scanned it, confirmed it was their product and gave me a credit. What they were looking for was the price. I had it for a considerable period and they were matching current pricing to past pricing. As it turned out the price had dropped. They honored the price I paid for it.

@PeterG7

All the batches have the same bar code. They look exactly the same except for the sticker with a batch number. It was A'Bunadh. I do not know if the bottle, the receipt, or both were scanned.

From a good friend for half price, yes. From a store, no way.