Is my 1970s bottle of spirits still drinkable?
I have a bottle of Le Bon Pre William, purchased in Switzerland and given to me about 50 years ago. So far, Ive resisted the temptation to open it. F.M., St Ives, NSW  Illustration by Simon Letch. Credit:  Its funny how bottles of donated spirits tend to sit in dark corners gathering dust for years. If youd bought it yourself, youd probably have drunk it by now  because you wanted to. Regifting is a valid option for those bottles of grappa, pink schnapps and Croatian slivovitz that visitors lay on you over the years. A cynic might suggest they were likely regifted to you in the first place. But the good thing about high-strength spirits is that they last for ages without deteriorating. Your Williams pear eau-de-vie will probably taste pretty close to mint condition  as long as it hasnt been kept in a hostile environment, such as on top of a basement heating unit or in the car boot. If its 50 years old, its probably cork-sealed and that could be a problem if its been lying down all that time. The strong alcohol (43 per cent by volume) could have eaten away at the cork, possibly with an undesirable result. Theres a better chance of it tasting pristine if its been standing up.