Air bubbles under bottle labels

[Scudder]

Hi, I'm new to this board and to the world of whisky drinking/collecting, but finding it a fascinating and very enjoyable experience so far!

I have a question about ordering bottles through the post ... occasionally a bottle gets delivered with what I would call 'label bubble' - air bubbles under the label. Often there is condensation on the bottle itself, which I presume is part of the problem, either in the way it has been stored or fluctuations in temperature during transit etc.

A couple of these bottles I have purchased for collecting purposes rather than drinking, so I'm wondering would these label bubbles devalue the bottle in any way, and if so, do I have a viable case for requesting a refund from the seller? The bottles themselves are relatively new onto the market (maybe 1 or 2 years old) so I'm thinking this is more of a storage/courier issue, rather than natural wear and tear over time.

Any advice appreciated, thanks!

[opelfruit]

Hi and welcome.

Yes it would devalue the bottles to some extent. The extent of the impact would depend upon quite a few things, like how rare/collectable the whisky is in the first place. Highly collectable whiskies command a higher price if the bottles are in perfect condition and anal collectors may well not purchase a bottle that is impaired....but some would, it all depends on the market at the time and who is buying.

If you collected stamps and one had a greasy smudge mark on it or a sligh ttear, would it be worth less than a perfect example? Yes.


You can return the item to the seller for a refund (for an online purchase) as long as it's done within 14 calendar days of receiving the item, but delievery is at your cost and should be fully insured.

In addition to this you are also covered under the Consumer Contacts Regulations but this is for return of faulty goods......and I doubt very much that a bubble in the label on a bottle of whisky is considered "faulty"......it was sold to tbe consumed, it's not their fault you want to collect it
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"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[Quaich1]

Hi Scudder. An interesting question. I personally have never come across this problem over the years because my bottles are picked up from the shop. I've heard of delivered bottles coming smashed and particularly their packaging/boxes coming banged-up from delivery. I brought some bottles in luggage within Canada in "hot" summer and never had a condensation problem even when the luggage was waiting outside to be put on the plane.

The question becomes partly if the bottles you are referring to are more common mass produced standard ones, is it possible the labels have a quality control problem. Also, any defacing or "damage" to a collectable bottle I would think adversely affect value just as a collectable coin with a scratch or mark is worth less than one without. The other issue relates to whether this "label bubbling" you refer to always happens from the same company that is sending you the whisky or a variety of sellers and is it a packaging material problem? I take it that the bubbling effect is presumably there on receipt of the item upon delivery and doesn't appear later while in your possession during your storage.

Finally, your condensation hypothesis is possible but that would suggest some extreme
temp changes in a short time. Perhaps you should post a photo of the label so we can get a better idea as to what you are referring to and just how unsightly it is. The first thing I would have done however is call the place you bought it from and get their view of the situation and if offered a replacement, take it.
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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

[Scudder]

Thanks for replies so far.

Yes, I also wondered if it might be a packaging production problem as interestingly, this has happened twice on two separate occasions with two particular bottles ... the bottle shape may have something to do with it (a slight narrowing from top to bottom, meaning a difference in circumference for the attached label. Maybe it can't cope ...).

They arrive in that state, which is the frustrating thing. But you are right, it is wiser to collect bottles in person from a shop so you can inspect before you buy.

The bottles aren't hugely collectable, but I do want them to be as near as pristine as possible ... I'm looking into refund options right now, so we shall see!

[opelfruit]

It's worth pointing out that the Consumer Contracts Regulations are the minimum that have to be provided, they are legal rights you have to return for online sales. The company you bought from may go above and beyond these and offer refunds in 28 days etc, and they may be more than happy to give you a refund for the label issue.

Also of note is that the supplier should be refunding the cost of basic delivery from them to you, so you should get some (or all) of the initial delivery cost back.....you just have to pay to send it back to them.
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"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[Scudder]

thanks opelfruit.

one seller has offered a refund, the other is looking into it ... they thought cold storage conditions overnight at a courier depot might be the problem.

i'm based in scotland and it's pretty damp/cold here right now -- perhaps the lesson here is not to order any whisky through the post until the summer!

[Scudder]

Update: looks like there's a batch problem with one of the bottles. Another retailer has checked their stock of it and discovered similar issues - they are contacting the distillery direct, but this indicates a production problem to me ...

[opelfruit]

glad it's getting sorted.

What were they by the way? (Whisky geeks, so we need to ask right )
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[Bookie]

In the past i have had problems with air bubbles in labels from mainly independent bottlers and i put this down to the quality of the labels/glue and the fact they had been labeled by hand. I thought it must be a bit like wallpaper if you handle the pasted side of the paper before putting it on the wall you may take off some of the paste and bubbles may appear in cold moist/humid atmosphere. It can an somtimes be sorted by carefully blowing it with hot air from a hairdryer.

Most bottlers have a high quality labeling system now and air bubbles are rare but they can still appear if the bottles are exposed to extreme temperature changes and humidity. But when i pay a lot of money for a whisky i expect it to be perfect, including the label especially if it is for collecting and possibly to sell on at a later date. It really shouldnt happen though and should not be accepted.

[Scudder]

[raithrover]

Odd findings on labels really - have these been shipped abroad and this transportation has caused the problem somehow?