Heard it through the
Grapevine
What’s in Your Attic?
“The excited homeowner also revealed
“Couple finds 60 bottles of 1920s bootleg whiskey in secret walls of New York home
to Fox News that his research has led him to believe that bottles and hidden compartments were used by a bootlegger named Adolph Humpfner. Drummond explained that after Humpfner’s death (which was apparently under mysterious circumstances), secret compartments were found in his other properties and vehicles. “It’s insane,” Drummond said after relaying the story of Humpfner.
“Old homes usually have a couple of
“As far as their own discoveries, Drum-
As bottle collectors, we all dream of finding treasure, whether by digging, or at an antique store, or scoring an amazing deal at auction. From Fox News in Jackson, Mississippi, comes this story:
secrets hiding behind their walls, but they’re usually not this boozy.
“A couple in upstate New York made what they call a “wild discovery” when they uncovered what appears to be an old bootlegger’s supply hidden in the walls of their house. They also say that, upon further inspection, they’ve found hidden compartments with more bottles dating back to the 1920s stashed away. “Nick Drummond, who owns the house with his partner Patrick in Ames, N.Y., spoke with Fox News, confirming that so far, “it’s about 60 bottles actually, and there are more compartments we have to open in the floor. I definitely think there is more to find! “According to him, they had previously heard stories about the house. “We were actually told by a neighbor that the home was rumored to have been built by a bootlegger and a German baron,” he said, “and found the story endearing, but took it with a grain of salt. We never thought any part of the story was actually true!” “Drummond explained, “The more we keep digging, the more we’ve found, too! We set up an Instagram account called @bootleggerbungalow, and have been trying to document the discoveries alongside our renovation. Our followers have actually been helping us solve the mystery!”
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
One of the bottles found at the home.
mond says that while he’s not “a whiskey expert by any means,” he does “enjoy a good whiskey from time to time. Drummond said auction houses and collectors have contacted him, speculating that the value on some of the bottles might range between $500 and $1,200.”
The brand of whiskey found has quite a history of its own. Old Smuggler is an internationally known distinctive blended scotch whiskey dating back to 1835. Its fine, smooth taste is due to its special blend of the finest scotch whiskies. In 1644, the Scottish Parliament introduced a notorious excise duty on scotch whiskey. This tax would continue to rise for the next several decades. This was simply unacceptable to those whose families had been making whiskey mainly for themselves. Smuggling quickly became a way of life for the distillers, who made it their mission to share their whiskies throughout the Scottish Isles. Unable to curtail the smuggling, the government was eventually forced to reduce the duty in the early 1800s, leading to the establishment of legal distilleries. One of the few distilleries to have survived from that time is Old Smuggler, who chose their name to honor the spirit of the early whiskey makers.
A package of Old Smuggler comes out of the hatch.
