Spirits from the continent

[davidprout]

When I go to the continent and bring back whisky or brandy I have to break in to the plastic seal at the top before I can have a drink. The only surefire method I have found is a corkscrew down the middle. Is there an easy (and correct) way of opening these infernal things

[geofbob]

I think what you are referring to are not seals, but are pourers, designed to dispense one measure at a time. To use them, you have to tip the bottle quite steeply over the glass.That said, I don't like them, and usually try to remove them, like you finding that difficult - the corkscrew down the middle sounds pretty effective to me.