How Long Will an Opened Bottle of Whiskey Stay Good?
 

I'm fairly new to the scotch world, but have still managed to acquire and taste a few good ones. The problem is when i get a new bottle i can't help but open and try it. I now have about a dozen open bottles of whiskey. Recently though it occured to me that the spirits may not "keep" indefinately.

How long will an opened bottle of whiskey stay good? My favorite scotch is the Macallan 12yr and i drink it on a regular basis to wind down after work. However i also have a bottle of Highland Park 25yr that i don't necessarily want to drink on a regular basis, but it would be nice to have for special occasions-- such as maybe an annual new yrs toast. Does whikey go bad??

Thanks guys...

Seth

Storing Scotch / Whisky
 

Dear Seth,

I know the feeling of just not being able to wait to open a new bottle of Scotch. Of course we need to try it - even if it's meant for special occasions only!

Will your whisky go bad? No, it should not, but you have to store it properly. Here are guidelines:

1. Keep your whisky in a cupboard - or liquor cabinet. The key is to keep it OUT of the sunlight. If the Scotch came in a 'presentation type' box and if you can't keep it tucked away in the dark, then just keep it in the box or tube since it is designed to protect the whisky.

2. Temperature - what's ideal? First, don't expose it to extremes of temperatures and second, keep it at what's known as 'cellar temperatures' - which is between 65 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, or 18.3 - 19.4 Celsius. Now we realize not everyone has a the opportunity to store it in 'cellar like temps', but it is considered the ideal way to do it.

3. Store whisky in an upright position - you want to keep the Scotch AWAY from contact with the cork.

Your opened bottles of Scotch should not vary month to month, but it is possible there can be subtle changes over the years and that's mainly because even the best sealed bottles eventually will let air in. In addition, if a cork is being used, over a long period of time, that cork can deteriorate which would cause air to get into the bottle, and therefore evaporation. Also, the cork itself can sometimes flavor a whisky. Another problem could be with a metal cap - over a long period, that metal cap can sometimes deteriorate or rust and even quite possibly leave a metalic taste in the whisky.

Every bottle is different and it may just boil down to trial and error. There are many really old whiskies which should be perfectly fine to drink, but each person has to make their own assessment.

Enjoy your holidays - Cheers!

I do find when u get to the last couple of inches it does taste very different!
It must be the air/liquid ratio causes some reaction.

The best way to stop this is when u get to half a bottle make sure u finish it off, it works for me.

sound advice
 

OK - I'll take that one - great excuse to finish it off!! Thanks man!

I have also found (especially since opened my Ardbeg) that evaporation is occuring at an alarming rate from my glass!

Last night i went back to my glass a few times and there was definatly less in it than when i put it down 3/4 min ago.

I put this down to having the central heating on.

The glass i am using is 'the Glencairn glass' which i highly recommend by the way, but maybe next time buy one with a lid LOL

How to store an unopened bottle
 

My first son was just born. I want to buy a nice bottle of whisky and save it for 20-25 years. Do I need to buy a certain quality? What's the best way to store it? Will it last that long unopened/What will happen to the contents of the bottle if stored properly?

Thanks! Craig

I just bought a beer cellar I keep at 54 degrees. Is that too cold for my high end bourbons and other whiskies? Currently I store my good spirits on a low shelf in a closet under our stairs. It's dark and the temperature is fairly consistent. Should I keep it there or move some of the best bottles to the beer cellar?

4 bottles of unopened bourbon 0ver 20 years old
 

I just bought a box at an old tavern auction with 4 bottles of bourbon that are at least 20 years old. I got hold of a friend with a gun, and we took turns holding it on each other until a bottle was half gone.
No, but seriously , it seems fine to me. Even though the cap ring and seals where unbroken, the cap seemed a little loose, but there was no noticeable loss of content, it's very clear, and tast fine.

Keeping Whisky for years
 

Craig,
A quick comment on your message. Whisky is not like wine and does not age or improve in the bottle, so its going to be exactly the same in 25 years as it is now. The only benefit of doing what you have said is undoubtedly the whisky will be much more expensive in the future! I'd put the money in the bank and buy your son a nice bottle on his 25th. If you do really want to buy one now a keep it, get the best you can afford (my standard advise whenever buying whisky!) and probably best to keep if lying down so the cork doesn't dry out.

Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers,
Tom

Whoa! I'm sorry, but have to chime in here. Tom - I really appreciate your contribution here to this thread, but I have say, "Please do not keep your scotch lying down - in contact with the cork!" Unlike wine, this is NOT the ideal way to store your whisky! The cork can affect the quality of the spirit - and not in a good way!

A new meaning to "opened bottle"
 

I'd like to ask a similar question, if I may do so without highjacking the thread too much.

I also am looking to know how long a bottle of whiskey can last, but my concern is far more short term.

I was given a set of antique liquor decanters for my birthday, and couldn't help but clean one up and use it.

I only filled it with a low quality whiskey, reason being the cork had deteriorated from the glass stopper and I removed it.

So, my decanter sits on an antique jam cupboard that is set in front of a window, and the ornate stopper, with a slender stem which once held the cork, is no doubt letting in quite a lot of air.

I'm inclined to drink whiskey quite often, and so I'm not intending to "store" my whiskey on the jam cupboard.

Nevertheless, I was wondering if anyone could tell me how long whiskey could last in such a state.

I'm only worried that it could go bad in the manner of weeks. If it is still possible for it to last a few months, then I'll have no problems whatsoever.

Thank you for your time.

edgar - if you think air is easily getting to your scotch, then i would think it would deteriorate much, much faster. as for exactly how long - i don't know. what you could do is test it yourself. put in your low quality scotch and sample it each day while comparing to the same scotch which is properly sealed. let me know what happens.

I happen to found a bottle of whisky at my store room more then 20 year unopened, but the back of the box already turned to yellow, and the bottle of whisky seem less then the one i just bottle form market. Will the alcohol evaporated and the wishky deteriorate? Thanks

Rob, the reason there is less whisky in your bottle after 20 years is due to evaporation (angel's share) and this can happen to even the best sealed bottles. Your whisky should be fine, although when air does come in contact with it, the taste can alter. It doesn't go 'bad' - it just may not be as good as it was when first bottled. Here's a suggestion I have for those of you planning on keeping bottles of whisky for years to come - wrap it in saran wrap!! Really!

Craig, personally, I would opt for buying a bottle that gets distilled this year (the year your son was born) and bottled in say 20 - 25 years which would be the same age as your son. Next year is my in-laws 40th wedding anniversary, so I am going to give my Father-in-law a bottle of 40yo which was distilled in 1971, the year he was married.

I have been told that bottles of whisky once they get below about 25% full should be consumed quickly, and while this in itself is a great policy to adopt I still wonder what can be done to preserve the whisky as more air is allowed in contact with it.

I recently conducted a taste test with some friends where we compared a bottle of Laphroaig 1/4 Cask which I had sitting around at about 15% full with a brand new bottle - the taste was markedly different - the empty bottle having a dominant iodine taste compared to the magnificence of the fresh bottle.

I came up with a plan to purchase several different sized decanters in which to pour bottles as they get low but realistically this would be challenging if you have any sort of collection.

Wondering what you all think?

The only reason you should be keeping the last 25% of a bottle around for an extended period of time is because it's not terribly good whisky. Otherwise, either you need to focus on what's important (drinking the good stuff) or you need to stop buying so many good bottles that you can't get around to this one for months at a time! ;)

I respectfully disagree with that notion! I Really enjoy having a variety at hand, especially to help develop my palate and realize the differences in taste and aroma that different distilleries, regions, and bottlings can offer. I love a good Islay like Laphroaig or Lagavulin with a good cigar, but sometimes prefer some sweeter and lighter tastes that some Highlands Whiskeys can offer.

Another reason to keep some of a bottle around is for comparison. I recently performed two blind taste tests along with a friend on different occasions between the Laphroaig 15 and Laphroaig 18. On each of the two occasions we performed three consecutive blind tests. On both occasions, neither of us was able to identify with anything surpassing luck, the 18 from the 15. So for me, the extra money for the 18 doesn't make sense, either my palate isn't matured enough yet, or there isn't an appreciable difference between the two.

That and other blind taste tests I've done like it would be impossible without a variety.

Ammendment
 

I glossed over the statements made prior to yours, I didn't realize the post was in regard to the idea that Whiskeys "get worse" with too much oxygen present in the bottle. That Statement may well be true, because alcohol evaporates very quickly. I can't say I've tested to see whether that has a large effect on taste.

If you are convinced it does, I would suggest one of two things or both.

1. A vacuum seal, like the ones that are commonly used for wine

2. Wine preserving gas. There are many types available, but the idea is that a mixture of inert gases (mostly noble gases like Argon, which has an ionization energy of 1520.5 kJ mol-1) can be used to replace the oxygen before storage. Non-reactive gas replaces the other gases in the bottle.

I've tested both these approaches with wine and got some very good results.

URGENT -FOR EDGAR - DO NOT KEEP YOUR WHISKY IN ANTIQUE CRYSTAL DECANTERS.

I've just noticed this thread and this may seem silly but all older lead crystal decanters have a high lead content of up to 23% and any whisk[e]y's will start to extract the lead if it's left in the decanter for any length of time, I'm talking about weeks not years. All whisky sold in decanters for the past 30+ years are sold in a style of crystal that contains no lead and is safe for use.

In the 60's and 70's there were a number of deaths from lead poisoning in the US that were caused by lead glazed pottery being brought back from Mexico. THis caused checks to be made on all possible lead contaminants and crystal was near the top of the list.

If you want to use it for show when you have guests then fill the decanter before they arrive and empty it back into the bottle after they have left.

EXCELLENT information blenderm - the reality of this is so scary. THANK YOU so much for sharing! :D

Just wondering
 

My dad gave me an unopened bottle of Canadian Club from 1958. It's always been stored out of the light and at a fairly constant temp. I do see some "floaties" in it though. Is it still good to drink?

Hi
Why does one get a high pitched note when you tap a whiskey bottle with a fork or knife but if you shake that bottle and tap it again with a fork you get a very low pitched note.Why what causes that change of tone ?

a BIG thanks guys.....opening this 12yr van winkle special reserve now

:)

opened 40% whiskey
 

OOps, apologies for the extra 'e' in the drink!

Thanks!
 

Just opened my bottle of Jameson's Rarest Vinatage Reserve ($400) that I brought back from Dublin with me... only plan to drink it on very special occasions, so was searching how long it would keep for. Thanks for all the tips guys!

Can/should Whisky be refrigerated ?
 

I recently noticed that one of my adult sons has a bottle of Crown Royale in his refrigerator. He says that he heard somewhere that this is a good practice in order to preserve (keep fresh) whiskys. Is there any truth to this or is this just another "Wife's Tale" ?

Answers on Aging Once Opened
 

goldenwheels brings up and interesting topic, and here is a short on what I could go on for hours:

Cold: Yes, temperature affects a product.

Sometimes for the good, sometimes the bad. For example, citrus and tropical fruits (raw) are negatively affected by extended periods cold. As for alcohol, wines begin oxidizing once they're opened, and refrigeration can, for a short time, minimize the speed with which oxidation affects wine. Without refrigeration, most wines will show oxidative effects within 24-36 hours, if you know what you're looking for, and be pretty poor drinking 36-72 hours out from opening. Refrigeration isn't always helpful, however, but for those positively aided, I find an opened wine may achieve 2-3 days extra life if refrigerated. And this more for red wine than white.

As for spirits, the same will play out, but over a much longer period whence understanding the major negative oxidative influences have already played out during the distillation and maturation processes. Thus, spirits stay better once opened than wine, apple juice...

A question here is, how long will a bottle of spirits stay drinkable once opened? This depends on the spirit and bottling, of course. In my opinion, most rums keep well for shorter periods due to their often higher sugar contents. Tequilas and many brandies are the next to go. Then Bourbon and Canadian whisky. Then Scotch and finally vodka. There are many reasons for this pecking order which may include the base ingredient(s), the quality of the distiller, mass or handcrafted production, filtration, storage conditions during maturation, storage conditions after production (transport, warehousing, market, consumer's stash).

As an example for Scotch, a mass market whisky like Johnnie Walker, Dewar's, and many standard bottlings of malts like Glenmorangie and Macallan will go through chill filtering and/or a possible color adulteration. These processes, especially the filtering, makes for a much more stable product. They subsequently change less once opened than non-chill filtered whisky because the later have more compounds susceptible to change. Thus, the mass market brands often hold up longer once opened than the more hand crafted bottlings. This greatly depends on the product, however, as many mass produced products are quite poor from the get go.

Crown Royal is a mass produced product and slowing its decline once opened by refrigeration will be minimal compared to what a cool, dark storage cabinet will provide. A benefit of refrigeration, however, for the consumer who might drink it over ice and like it cold, is it is cold and not needing ice when they're ready to drink.

Length of Time Once Opened: I find quality mass market spirits should be consumed within the following time frame before negative oxidative affects start becoming obvious and ultimately problematic.

Light rums 3-12 months; dark rums 6-18 months; tequila blanco 3-9 months; tequila reposado and anejo 6-18 months; brandies 3-12 months; Bourbon and Canadian whisky 12-24 months; Scotch whisky 12-30 months. Vodka is a unique case because it is usually distilled to show next to nothing and is, subsequently, capable of lasting a long time. However, much mass market vodka is garbage and lasts a very short time before off aromas and flavors appear. So, vodka 3-36 months. For hand crafted spirits, knock 6 months off these numbers. For low quality spirits, why bother?

Storage conditions, of course, are important and any particular spirit may survive well outside of this guideline. But don't think the bottle of something you've had open 3-10 years is as good as the same bottling that's only been open a month or two, whether or not it is was refrigerated.

I've had a lot of poor spirits in bars and restaurants. Part of the problem is the more unique bottlings you find out aren't turned very quickly, and they sit on the shelf, back lit, in an environment with continual temperature fluctuation. Thus, I've learned and tend to drink very standard stuff like Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Glenmorangie when out because they're what most people know and are therefore turned pretty frequently. One of the worst spirits I've ever had out (compared to a dram from a freshly opened bottle) is Remy's Louis XIII Cognac; at $150-250 a dram, a place that has it opened has likely had it open 5-10 years and, if so, it will be drink poorly.

I follow a drinking path rather than a storage path, once something is open. After all, a 750 ml bottle is only 1 ounce 25-26 drams, and having a dozen whiskies open at a time means you should be rotating your open stock at least yearly. If you only buy one whisky at a time, you should be through it within two months. If you're not getting through it that fast, I suggest enjoying more frequently and never having to worry about a bottle declining to the point of being poor.

Most consumers don't have this level of experience with being able to identify a poor drinking spirit because of how long it has been open. If they have an old bottle at home, what do they have to compare it to? That said, if understanding this, it can be learned quite quickly. My hope here is, if you ever get a crappy dram out somewhere, you have the knowledge and confidence to send it back - because you're surely going to need to convince the bartender it's off.

My limited experience
 

Hello folks I just wandered in looking for news about the effects of air on whisky, because I've noticed a marked change in flavor when I get near the bottom of a fifth. It generally takes me two weeks or a bit less to go through a fifth, and during the final three or four days my whisky seems to get more bitter (not sure that's the precise word).

I think I agree with other posters who state that the volume of air can accelerate the flavor changes when there begins to be more air than whisky in the bottle.

I recently changed to buying larger bottles, (1.75 liters), because it's cheaper that way, but I wonder if I need to get back to the fifths, and drink the final few shots quickly to avoid that end stage flavor change.

Do others here have similar experiences, or contrary views to add?

(I will be browsing the rest of this forum...might be a good idea for me to register and hang around!)

~Ben

Patel
 

Jojo,

I am from India and the city where I live has 4 months of summer with scorching 40-45C in the afternoon and 2 months of winter with lowest temp of 18-20C. Rest of the year it is in between 29-34C. I have individual AirConditioners in each room. Everynight my bedroom AC is on (living room off) and in the day time the living room AC is on (BedRoom off) providing the inside temp of 23-26C year round. If I'm in my Hobby room or the HomeTheater room with family, the living room's AC is off (unless my wife or my kid is still using it) so I simply cant move my whole collection of single malts from one room to the other every single day... Also, I can't afford to leave the AC on in one room just for the bottles as the electricity is extremely expensive here.

Direct sunlight is not an issue here but I don't have a basement either. Can I use a wine chiller (custom made to store bottles vertically) with a temp matching my room temp (23-26C) or set to "Cellar like" temp (19C) as you have mentioned? Or how about a Refrigerator?

Hi, Jojo

I would like to ask you for advice in a particular case here. I have a few bottles of scotch that I would like to keep unopened for a long time lets say 20+ years. I read throughout the whole forum here and I learned that I have to keep those bottles out of light and out of heat. I can take care of that, I keep those bottles in a small wine cellar that always stays at 66 degrees and there's no light getting to that cellar. Bottles are in upright position. Here is the tricky part I need advice about: I live in Arizona and as you know it's a very dry state. I wanna know how to keep the cork from drying out and shrinking and as a result letting air gets in the bottle and the scotch evaporating. I read the part where you suggest saran wrap. Do you think that will help in my case? I also thought of flipping the bottle upside down every once in a while for a quick second or two. The bottle will stay in upright position so the cork won't affect the quality and the taste of the scotch, but flipping it quickly will just let the liquid wet the cork and prevent the drying of the cork. Do you think that might work, and if so how often do you suggest I should flip the bottles for a second or two? Any other suggestions?
Thanks for your time

Hi there! Your situation is really a tough call since you want to avoid fluctuation of temperatures. In this case, I would suggest using the wine chiller set to an ideal temperature for scotch and open the door every so often because what you want to avoid is a very dry environment. There needs to be some humidity. It takes about 10 years for the cork to dry out, so if you are not storing longer that that time frame (I hope not, just drink and ENJOY...), your scotch should be fine. What happens when the cork starts to dry out is air starts to seep in and oxidation (and evaporaton) takes place - that's what can cause the taste of the spirit to change. If you did not have a cool place to store your whisky, then I'd suggest keeping your bottles in the darkest, coolest spot in your home that is consistent. Good luck!

Hi there, my first question to you is why are you storing scotch for 20 years plus? If this is absolutely your intentions, then your worst enemy is going to be lack of humidity which is going to dry out the corks faster. Arizona is so incredibly DRY! You don't want to flip your bottles as there really isn't any benefit to that when it comes to scotch. Sounds like you are doing what you should, but see if you achieve consistent humidity levels. Another idea in addition to the saran wrap is to put your bottles in a box (try to get one from the liquor store that has the bottle dividers) and then tightly seal it. Not sure what other suggestions I can offer, but I really would want you to enjoy your scotch now and within the next couple of years! Good luck and enjoy :)

Firstly, if they're all corked bottles then logically they're malts and if you're intending to store the whisky as an investment then I'd say don't, just enjoy them. If you really want to store them then there are a couple of things you can do but there's no guarantee that any of the corks or contents will last that long in good shape.

You can seal the neck + top of the bottle with sealing wax [as Makers] and this should keep the cork OK, the alternative is to make certain that the bottles sit on something wet i.e. rags or damp sand and are kept humid all the time. This will in the long term fox the labels but at least they will have been kept in an ideal humidity.

I wouldn't recommend saran wrap as experiment a number of years ago showed that the slight evaporation that occurs has a very detrimental effect on the labels as it's not just water that evaporates.

Remember to store any boxes/cartons in a safe dry place as these will not benefit from damp conditions.

Thanks Blenderm - I always appreciate your expert opinions! As for the Saran wrap, what are your thoughts on using it for already opened bottles of scotch that will be consumed over a couple of years rather than an extended time frame? I personally have never done this since scotch doesn't stick around here for much more than a year. ;) However, a good friend (also an avid scotch collector) suggests this method. Your thoughts?

Hi Jojo, as long as the cork is in good condition and a tight fit then there's no problems about a bottle being opened for a few years, like you mine don't last that long.

If you think about it nearly all whisky companies have stocks of product that may lie in their warehouses for a year or more, it then goes to a wholesaler who again may have it for a year or more, then it reaches the retailer and who knows how long it lies in the shop.

I know of brands that were discontinued 10 to 15 years ago and they are still on sale in shops around the world so unless you only buy new releases how do you know how long its been since it was bottled. The packaging and label very seldom change once the brand is established and most companies now date code the bottles with laser markings that only the company can read.

In the words of the prophet "you pays your money and you takes your chance" that's why I always recommend drinking the whisky rather than storing it.

Great points - thanks for sharing! As for this, "In the words of the prophet "you pays your money and you takes your chance" that's why I always recommend drinking the whisky rather than storing it." I completely agree!

Spoiled Crock
 

Actually i have a problem and i am kinda worry about it.My wedding will be held next month.So i decided to open my long keep liquor.2 bottle of brandy.(XO and Cordon Blue). the problem now is today i was trying to check the liquor and open one of the bottle and check its taste.To my surprise the crock is spoiled.it break when i am trying to open it.Now the cap is remove from the crock.i need some help
- how am i gonna take out the crock witout pushing it in?
- will my bottle last till next month?
- what shall i do to preserve the taste until next month ?

help me please.... thanks in advance

Tlc
 

I have to ask kinda along the line of all the information below. What are the concerns of Bourbon stored sealed in decorative proceline decanters. I have several that My father had collected and some are 20+ Years old "Ducks Unlimited". If they were sealed would the bourbon still be safe to drink?

I'll probably get flamed for this, but here you go. If you can't get the cork out, push it in, and cork it again with a used wine cork. Like this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...A/b59aa136.jpg
Notice the La Crema cork from my wife's wine, it fits perfectly. the original cork broke in half after being in a bag with a bunch of other stuff.
If you can't get the other cap out, push it in, re-cork it, and when you want to drink your bottle, pour it using a strainer. It's only a month, and if you are confident you and your people will finish that bottle, then it's - in my opinion, the best way to go.

Here's an old trick to get out the cork once it's been pushed into teh bottle.
First decant the whisky into a glass not plastic jug
Second take about a 30cm [12inch] piece of string, put the two ends together and push the loop into the bottle.
Third invert the bottle so the cork drops down to the neck lengthwise. Flip the loop over the cork, then pull smoothly.
The cork should come out witha little finagling then empty the bits out of the bottle, rinse, dry, return the whisky and cork [with a white wine cork if possible] but never let the whisky touch the cork.

If you're like me then there's always a nearly empty bottle of whisky that I can help on it's way, if so then just use that one.
Slainthe

I wouldn't push the cork into the bottle. Just carefully use a corkscrew to get it and pull it out. Than use a wine bottle cork as noted above to reseal the bottle.

Corks Gone Bad!
 

I have quite a collection of scotches, and like to have a diverse selection open to cater to the likes of my mates. As such, I may have 6-8 bottles open at any time. However, on average almost 2 out of three bottles that have been open more than a couple months or so develop deteriorated corks; they just twist off or crumble when I try to open them - enormously frustrating! It's not because they are too dry, since I live in Houston, and they stay upright in a failry dark place. Could it be from too much humidity? Or temperature swings (the house often will go to low 80's (F) during the day, and then cool off (74-76F) when we get home in the evening and overnight). I've thought of "waxing" the necks and tops of the bottles to protect them from the environment, but that does not seem to be very practical except for an ocasional one-off for special bottles. Any good advice appreciated!

Since the early 90's all Scotch Whisky corks are cold wax rolled, they're tumbled with blocks of wax to coat the outsides. This was mainly to combat the problem of dust coming from the corks so I wouldn't bother waxing them.

It sounds more like they're getting too dry, one of the problems of central heating/air conditioning is that the humidity is usually quite low and that your temperature is a bit high. I always recommend that bottles are stored in the same type of conditions as wine no matter whether they are sealed or opened.

I'd try keeping them in a household fridge which is normally around the 4 to 6 degree range. The only problem you may encounter would be cold floc but that's not a real problem only a visual one and once you've poured a glass of whisky and left it out for a couple of minutes the floc will disappear.

Thanks for expert advice blenderm! (And just a note to others... the 4-6 degree (celcius) range is equal to 39 to 43 degrees farenheit)

removing pour spout from bottle
 

i feel foolish serving my guests from large economy size bottles how do i remove the pourer to transfer to smaller bottle

Ezra Brooks
 

My father knew a older guy in northern Wisconsin whom was a collector of sorts, long story short- i have a full, unopened collectors series 'Overland Express" 4/5 qt 90 proof Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. 1969
is it Ok can i enjoy it? thanks s/

Yes, it will be fine.

Storing opened scotch
 

I bought a bottle of 18 year scotch to celebrate the birth of my first son. I thought it would be great to share with my son after tasting it on the day of his birth. I had one glass, and then re-corked the bottle and put it away in a cupboard. Is there anything else that I should do to preserve this until my son's 21st birthday?

Personally, I would not have opened the seal and uncorked it. Just get another bottle and leave it sealed. And, of course, enjoy the rest of the open bottle.
If you must keep that one, seal it with wax. That's probably your best bet at a good seal for the long term.
Good luck.
Here's another idea for you. Buy a bunch of whisky as it's released that was distilled in his birth year.
Cheers.

whiskey quality diminishes
 

I have been in the liquor biz for a few years now and bourbon is my Achilles heal. Whiskey is never quite as good as the day it was bottled. Obviously the more you have consumed out of the bottle the more the oxygen will affect taste. It is hard to buy a $280 bottle of Pappy and not save it. But the flavor will change over time.

I'd say the opposite. It's hard to buy a $275 bottle of 21 yr old Macallan and NOT drink it. ;)
Cheers!

Whisky from fridge to room temp.
 

Is the taste/quality of whisky affected if it's stored in the fridge and then stored at room temp. I know that once beer is stored in the fridge and can not be stored at room temperature. This is how we usually get that "skunky" beer taste. Does the same apply to whisky?

General rule is that you don't want flucuations in temps. However, what affects the change in the taste of whisky most is air. Even the best sealed bottles eventually allow air to seep in. The whisky will not go bad, the taste will just start to change as years pass. Don't keep it in the fridge - cellar like temps are best, keep it OUT of sunlight and store straight up (not in contact with the cork) is best. If you ask me, I'm going to tell you to enjoy your whisky NOW :D

got the same idesa m8 just had my son was looking for the same advise ??

If the problem is oxygen, can we use nitrogen to replace the air in the bottle then seal it? I heard this method is applied to wine.

Whisky plus Thumps up
 

How long we can keep whisky with thumps up or coca cola

what will happen if we add whisky in coca cola and keep it in bottle for 24 hours?

Yes, this helps prolong the life of the product once it has been opened and subjected to air.

Though very rare, really good bars and restaurants will do this with their spirits. However, there is probably less than 1 in 10,000 that actually care about their inventory and that their customer's drinks are pristine, as most of them just care that their customers are drinking.

whisky goes bitter after 48 hours
 

I bought a bottle of Bowmore single malt at a duty free shop in Singapore Changi Airport. Opened it during a family gathering. It was lovely and extremely smooth with a slight smoky woody flavour. We finished half of it and I brought the rest home. 2 days later, I had a bit of it on the rocks. It tasted like the worst scotch I had ever tasted. Bitter with a kind of petroleum or chemical aftertaste. How did a good smooth scotch turn into the worst tasting stuff in 48 hours?

Where whisky does change a little with air exposure, in my experience it does the most evolving in the first few days it's open, and usually does so for the better, a change of such drastic nature as you experienced with your Bowmore is unusual. That said, I'd be willing to bet the problem was not with your bottle of Bowmore but with your ice. Was your ice sitting in your freezer since last summer? Try your Bowmore neat or, if you must have water, with a few drops of bottled water. I'll bet you'll find your Bowmore will drink just fine (then the rest of the malt-heads on the board won't have to cringe thinking of a fine Islay on the rocks).

Glenfidith 18
 

I am from India bought a 12 year old glenfiditch around a year back it's kept in my closet I want to gift it to my friend now but not able to understand if it's fine or gone bad can you help please

It should be just fine, whisky is much hardier than wine.
Cheers!

Wedding Scotch
 

Hi,

My fiance and I are considering buying a nice bottle of scotch for our wedding that each year on our anniversary we'll have a drink together from. We're hoping for it to last around 10 years or so opened. Do you have any suggestions to keep it as similar to when we open it as possible by our tenth anniversary?

Thanks!

I wouldn't keep a bottle open that long. A good malt does wane and will likely have some problems developing 6-8 months out from being opened. Granted most people don't know what they are, but opening and holding isn't suggested by the truly educated unless the bottles are subject to a preservation system.

Thus, I might suggest something you've not thought about: Buy 10 bottles. Open one each anniversary and drink it by the time the next anniversary roles around. One thing is a definite: Your relationship will evolve the same as your whisky drinking and you wouldn't want a stale whisky ten years from now the same way you don't want a stale mate.

Buy single cask whiskies as they will be as unique as your mate will hopefully become, and over the years you will simply not be able to replace those bottles.

Like I tell people about my wife, when I met her and she decided to allow me to call her my wife, I was a 100 point wine in her eyes. After two years of marriage I was 95 points. We celebrate our 7th anniversary this year and I'm now down to 89 points. However, I am still able to convince her that I will be getting better with age.

Anyway, you might choose a smattering of 10 year whiskies, and as time goes by you might look for vintage bottlings from the year of your marriage. Remember, you marriage will be a journey the same as your whisky exploration.

Scotch going bad
 

Unopened Bottles - Sealed and stored away from bright sunlight, in a cool place, you should be able to keep a single malt indefinitely. The corks used in today’s bottling are exceptionally good and there should be no deterioration. However, in much older bottlings, before corks were made to current high standards, the corks have been known to deteriorate and spoil the contents.

Opened Bottles - The answer really depends on how much air is in the bottle. As you take each dram, more air is then able to interact with the spirit. The more air there is, the greater the chance that it will start to alter the character of the remainder of the spirit. A little left for too long will result in faster deterioration.

I've decided to buy glass marbles, run then through the dishwasher and carefully add them to the bottles as I drink them. I'm hoping that slows down the deterioration.

Storage
 

I was looking to purchase a bottle of whiskey (specifically a speyside scotch) casked in the year of my birth to share with my children on their 21st birthday. I do not have children yet, the storage is my concern, because as I am now 25, finding a good scotch from 1987 is an increasingly expensive prospect. Any suggestions as to what to do for storage? Also, I was considering the Muirheads 25 Year Silver Seal 1987. Does anyone have experience with this?

Blenderm, I am from india where the the temperatures range between 12 in winter to 45 degrees Celsius in summers. I happened to find the stash which my dad collected(gifts which my dad got from others). Its no major quantity just few Johnnie walker black label and Chivas bottled age 12 years. They were stored in a room with constant room temperature of 22degrees centigrade. The bottles were stored not in a standing position and were in that position for a long time. My question is are they drinkable and how different would they taste.

opened whisky
 

Hey Folks, I was hoping you could help me out. I am a new fan of single malts and blends as I have tried about 15 scotches and several higher end bourbons.

In early October I bought a bottle of Glenlivet 12 yr. I opened it and drank about 3/4 of it by the middle of November with the help of some friends. One day in November I went to a friends house and brought my bottle. It was left on a outdoor patio for about 3 hours in 50 F weather. Other than that I have left it in its box, in a cupboard in about 68 F temperature.

I didn't drink anymore until today January 21 because I had been traveling for a while. Today I had some and it was terrible. Completely changed. I didn't get sweetness, apples or any of the other sweet, fruity notes that Glen 12 should have. Some peat was there with a very bitter taste on the development that bordered on stale, old moist wood. The finish was peaty and stale. Overall it was bland.

Why did this change in only a few months? Please help me learn to keep my open bottles of whisky. I do not want to continue this hobby if I can't buy bottles and keep them more than 2 months. - Jason

Whisky should keep for years as long as you keep the air out but using the cork. Maybe someone else will have an answer as to why it changed so much.

Jason - your whisky should not have changed so much in just two months. It is in its peak condition once bottled and shelf life is believed to be between 10 - 15 years. After that period of time, the color and taste may begin to deteriorate. Give in another shot (not literally :) ) Perhaps it was your palate at that particular time? Keep us posted.

I tried it again today. It was much better. You're right; it must have been an off night for my taste buds. I did drink it after a large dinner of grilled Mahi Mahi with avocado and mango salsa.

Thanks for helping me solve the mystery!

Glad that helped. I remember the first time I tried Macallan 18 yr and I was in heaven. The next time, I was sorely disappointed - but thankfully - it was just an off night for my taste buds I suppose. Scotch always tastes best -for me- with complementing foods - makes all the difference in the world. Hope you continue to enjoy!

Very interesting posts on a subject that has had me curious the last few months regarding differing impressions dependent on palate condition.
Quite frustrating to find a favorite drink to have changed for the negative, but also a relief to realize later that it still tastes great and a little attention paid to what one's been eating is very worthwhile.

I've copied this from post (with slight augmentation here) I responded to earlier today:

Very few in the industry know enough to submit to the fact that spirits do go bad once opened. However, the do go bad or can have negative consequence over time!

Depending on filtration, cask marriage, storage conditions (and this means from bottling, transport to market, time in distribution warehouses and retail shelves to the drinker's bar/home environment, hot/cold/light exposure) spirits can change negatively in bottle. Given a good bottle at opening, once a bottle is opened and has air contact, unless it's being preserved in a no-oxygen environment like argon, you have 3-6 months to drink it at its best. Sometimes just 2-6 weeks for more unique single cask-type bottlings. There are certain aldehydes that develop with air exposure that can, and do, negatively affect the spirit in time.

Most vodkas hold up longer because they are quite neutral and have had most flavor congeners removed in the multiple distillation and filtration processes compared to most whiskies (especially single malt whisky). So understand, malt whiskies with hundreds of congeners can negatively evolve with air contact much faster.

The problem is most people in the industry don't know this, and can't recognize it if they do! In fact, after 12 years in the industry and 30 years studying products, I've only met a handful of people who know this and purport it in their business dealings.

Phillip Hills' book Appreciating Whisky goes into this in some detail. He is the only one I've read who's drilled this point heavily!

The fact is, big peated malts like Lagavulin have so much going on in them that there is a lot that can go wrong, but people probably notice any issues in them less because of all of the things going on compared to say a bottle of Dalwhinnie or Glenkinchie that's been sitting open on a bar's shelf for three years.

My point being, I think you had a big lesson that your malt went south in 3-4 months!

My advice, only keep open what you can drink in 2-3 months (at least you only lost 1/4 of a bottle). Being that you had your whiskey open about 3-4 months, your experience is one that proves my point. And where I've had bottles open longer without incident, why risk it?

I get through 6-10 bottles of whisky a month so I routinely will have 8-12 bottles open at home. I've toyed with buying a preservation system but now simply mark the date I open a whisky on the bottle's label and drink up in a timely manner. I call it self-preservation.

Living near New York, I have frequented most of bars with better whisky selections. None of them have anything in place for product preservation. I've subsequently had terribly drams poured me at Brandy Library, Keens Steakhouse, St. Andrews, Caledonia to name a few. I've also had the same issue at whisky bars and pubs in Scotland. The only two establishments that have ever done anything when pointing out a bad dram is the Highlander Inn in Craigellachie and the Mashtun in Aberlour, they removed the bad bottle from the shelf, didn't charge me for the bad dram and got me another whisky. So rather than try a rare whisky that's been open for a year or more in a pub, I tend to drink what's been opened most recently when I'm out.

This is a wealth of information. Would you take this and expand on it for an article on our blog?

http://www.whisky.com/blog/

Yes. How would you like it formatted. Or I'll check if I can see an email address for you and send it there? Just let me know how you want it.

Great, I'll PM you.

His most recent post suggests that his taste buds were just off at the time.

does whisky ho bad?
 

I think sooner or later everything gets bad

A bit of a correction here after viewing quite a few Ralfy reviews of Scotch. If it's a single malt, then yes, the whisky should be exactly the same no matter how much time has passed. However, with a blended Scotch whisky time may alter the contents. In at least two instances, one when comparing a 40 year old bottle of JW Red with a current JW Red, and second when comparing a twelve year old bottle of Buchanon 12 with its current issue, Ralfy convincingly states that with the passage of time, the various components of the blend, e.g., the barley and particular grain(s) may form a more perfect union so to speak, leading him to definitely favor the older versions of the same whisky blend.

I should test his conclusion because I do have an unopened bottle of Chivas 12 that is at least 10 years old (rescued from my deceased mother-in-law's home). I certainly could buy a new bottle of Chivas 12 and do a side by side blindfold test, except that I'd rather spend good liquor money on something else. http://www.whisky.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif