cork or screwtop

[Kristian]

I've usually bought only such rums that have a cork top (by chance more than by plan) but there are many brands out there with simple screwtops. I purchased a bottle of Rhum Negrita (another thread) and despite its screwtop it seemed quite ok at the first tasting.

Is there a clear trend that says that better quality rums come with cork tops or are there screwtop brands that are equally good, or even better? Does the type of the top have anything to do with the quality of the treasure inside?

[anil]

I've had bottles of Rum in Jamaica that were both -They qualities do not vary much.

[Jim Dixon]

The short answer is no.

And in fact, several US winemakers are getting ready to introduce screwtops on their good wines to get consumers ready to abandon traditional corks. Bonny Doone will do about 80,000 cases of Big House red and white in screw tops, and Oregon's Argyle will start putting one of its best pinots in screwtop bottles.

The problem is the quality of natural cork (and not enough of it) leading to 'corked wines' and other issues with synthetic substitutes.

Jim

[Kristian]

I thought as much... However, the next thing that one wonders is if the traditionality of having a cork on the bottle is actually a part of the quality of the rum and shows that the manufacturer appreciates their own product enought to follow the said traditions... Even if the quality of the rum is not dependent of the type of cork, the image factor of having a cork top may play a part, no?

Does anyone here buy only cork top bottles when they are looking for quality rums?

[Bux]

I've never thought twice about the type of top or cap on a bottle of spirits be it rum, brandy, eau-de-vie or whiskey.

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

Not me.

[Ed Hamilton]

A couple of years ago a giant rum producer introduced a 8 year old rum with a cork closure, as it's called in the industry. The day that rum was supposed to be launched in Chicago, the product was recalled. Not for the product itself but for the closure. Seems the cork was attached to a piece of plastic so it could be easily removed by the consumer. But, the plastic and cork would separate leaving the smallish piece of natural cork stuck in the bottle. That problem has been resolved, at great expense.

Today there are a small number of rums that are contained under cork closures. El Dorade Special Reserve comes to mind. But in my experience, the corks tend to come apart, or like wine, unless the bottle is properly stored, the cork may shrink and then it doesn't seal. Fortunately, distilled spirits don't suffer the way wine does. Distilled spirits won't turn to vinegar, but in time, the alcohol will evaporate and the spirit will oxidize.

While I like the look and feel of a cork stopper it really doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the product, only the percieved quality. On the other hand, I don't like to throw bottles away and cork-closed bottles are my favorite for flavored olive oil - garlic and hot pepper, thyme and garlic, rosemary and hot pepper, etc.

Surprisingly I've had several cork-closed bottles for several years and they haven't leaked when stored on their side, unlike the cheap aluminum tops that commonly strip their threads, especially when they're covered with wax to make a nicer presentation, and there isn't a wire or thread to pull that will nicely cut the wax.

[mickblueeyes]

So Ed, do you part from the suggested storage techniques (by authors such as Michael Jackson and Jim Murray) and store whiskies (I call everything whisky ) on thier sides vs. upright?

I, too, have thought this was a good practice for some time. If the cork dries, there is too great a chance for it breaking or the whisky evaporating. I have received too many bottles from distributors that were low-fill or leaky due to poor storage techniques. Do you reccommend side storage, like wine? I have been doing with my bottles for some time, but I would like a professional opinion.

[Ed Hamilton]

My storage technique is rather unorthodox because I live on a boat and everything moves at least 25 º from the horizontal at very irregular intervals. I pack my bottles as tight as I can in lockers, with bottles on their sides because I can fit more bottles into a locker that way. I don't necessarily try to keep them horizontal except in the case of cork closures. I find a lot of aluminum closures that have stripped so I remove the metal cap and replace them with wine corks, of which I have an ample supply.

Most of the rums I have on board were bought in the islands where quality control is lacking on such things as closures. When I buy a bottle of rum I make sure the cap is tight before I leave the store. More than once I've smelled rum coming from one of the bottles in my canvas shopping due to a poorly installed closure.

In the states I store my stash upright since that's the easiest way to store it. BUT, if the closure doesn't close due to stripped threads, that bottle gets a cork and is drunk at the next opportunity. If the bottle has a tight metal closure I think upright is fine and probably safer than on its side.

I can't imagine the problems due to loose caps that commercial stores have to deal with on a regular basis. Pickle jars seem to open easier than liquor bottles.

[Dan Smith]

Due to the amount of wine that I drink, it has influenced me to store my corked bottles on their side.

Talking about the perceived quality of a corked bottle Vs. a normal one, I was very impressed with the Zacapa presentation, but quite disappointed that it didn't have a natural cork closure. It would have been a perfect addition to such a warm natural looking bottle with so much character. I guess, as Ed has pointed out, it's safer for shipping and storage to use a normal plastic cap.

Cheers