Dud corks

[PureDrop]

maybe just bad luck or ...
I've been in "reduce no. of open bottles" for a good while ... and finally reached the stage where I felt I needed to open a few to balance the range of tastes on offer.
Basically, over a period of a few days before Christmas, I had 3 corks break in the bottle.
Two broke on the one night while opening the bottles (Auchentoshan 16 CS and Cragganmore 10) - very annoying.
A newly-opened Glenkinchie delivered one or two glasses before giving up the ghost.
I've only ever had one cork break previously and that was from a long-open bottle (Celtic Whiskey Shop Bushmills Sherry Hogshead CS) a month or so previous.
the only thing in common is that 3 are/were from Diageo (two being of the same style).
All bottles have been stored upright, likely for ~10 years (cool, dark, etc.). The Auchentoshan was bought in the Distillery so was unlikely to have been stored on its side for long.
Thoughts? Have I entered the cork twilight zone?
I finally got around to removing the half corks ... and managed to get three out more or less intact even though there was little integrity left in the remaining bits of cork - they were very crumbly and indeed dusty.
Great to get reaquainted with the CWS Bushmills & the Auchentoshan is/was stunning.
M

[varizoltan]

Hi Michael,

it happened to me a good few times too

now, if i open a bottle i have not opened for a while, i usually turn them sideways for a bit and gently move the cork a bit, than start to twist it and than get it upright and take out the cork.

it worked that way, but surely not a guarantee