Shipwreck liquor find stirs obvious question: Is it still drinkable?

Treasure hunters in Scandinavia have recovered dozens of cases of cognac and liqueur from the wreckage of a steamship that sank over a century ago in the Baltic Sea.

The liquor was recovered last month from the S.S. Kyros, a Swedish ship, 250 feet below the surface in international waters between Sweden and Finland. It sank in 1917 after being attacked by a German submarine in World War I. The Germans had determined the ship, which was headed to Russia, was carrying contraband, according to Ocean X Team, a Swedish search and salvage company that participated in the recovery.

The company said that the ship was carrying 50 cases of cognac, branded “De Haartman & Co.,” and 15 cases of liqueur, branded “Benedictine,” a brand now owned by Bacardi. The ship came from France and was supposed to reach St. Petersburg.

No one was killed in the attack. The find has raised the tantalizing possibility that the liquor could still be drinkable.

In 2010, divers discovered 170-year-old champagne in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. The champagne was subjected to thorough research, which included a series of tasting sessions.

“If ocean water is in it, forget it,” she said Amanda Schuster, editor of The Alcohol Professor website. “They really have to examine the bottles very carefully.”

However, David Wondrich, senior drinks columnist at The Daily Beast, said the cold water and pressure could have helped preserve the bottles’ contents.

Wondrich said spirits“tend to keep far better than most wines over very long periods.”