Storing whisky

  • James_H
    Topic creator
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    Joined: 08.10.2014Posts: 24CollectionJames_Hs CollectionRatings: 3

    Hi.

    Im looking to get a wine cabinet to store wine, champagne and port. The cabinet will be temperature controlled at 11 degrees and humidity kept above 50%. Would these conditions be suitable for whisky storage (assuming the bottles can be kept upright) or are they better off in a cabinet at room temperature somewhere else?

  • ben_2 Guest, Administrator ben_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 271Collectionbens CollectionRatings: 92
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    Hello,

    Horst is currently doing video tastings and will answer you question tomorrow. However we have a special website about storing whisky for longer times.

    http://www.whisky.com/information/knowledge/about-whisky/storage/shelf-life.html

    Best Regards
    Benedikt

    I work for whisky.com
  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    Yes, this cabinet is close to perfect for long term storage. The low temperature keeps the evaporation pressure (boiling pressure) low. And constant temp. will prohibit the breathing of the whisky in the bottles.

    But if you want to have a dram from one of the bottles from the cabinet, be sure to remove the bottle the day before.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
  • Wayde Member Joined: 17.08.2016Posts: 1Ratings: 0
    , edited August 17 2016 at 5:26PM
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    Hi, I've read whisky info online, Whisky.com and Horst's videos have been most helpful, thank you all for adding depth to this new "hobby" of collecting whisky taste profiles in my memory.

    I have a "bar" where I store my whisky, a modest collection of about 8 or 9 open bottles. I never know what I'll be in the mood for when I take an evening dram. A few of those open bottle are down to about the halfway mark or less and have been up there for years, a bottle may last three to four years before being fully consumed. I understand that whisky will oxidate and that will adversely effect taste.

    What's an example of "too long" to leave a half or 1/3rd-full bottle sitting around before I either drink it up with friends or take action to protect it?

    Another factor is my basement bar has a string of LED lighting behind it, the lighting only goes on when I'm in the room but when it's on it lights up the bottles, I love how it looks, but am I damaging my whisky with LED light?

    There no direct sunlight in this room and it's always a steady cool temperature in the basement. The LED lights have a variety of colours they'll switch between, the "white-light" looks almost florescent but it's not a full-spectrum light, it's really just a cheap Ikea light-string illuminating from behind the bottles.

    Thanks for any advice
    Wayde

  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    Hello Wayde, I don't think, that LEDs can do harm to whisky. Only the UV-part of the sunlight is able to decolor the whisky. During this process some active taste compounds will suffer as well. The light from LEDs has not enough energy to harm.

    The speed in which bottles oxidize depends on several factors:

    - Amount of oxygen in the bottle
    - Time the whisky is exposed to oxygen
    - Number of openings of the bottles (fresh oxygen)
    - Frequence of recurring temperature changes
    - Absolute temperature

    But there are intrinsic factors of the whisky as well. Younger whisky will oxidize faster. The older ones had time enough to oxidize in the cask. And smoky whisky is more likely to oxidize, because the smoke compounds (phenols) are not fully oxidized to CO2.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
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