Proper whisky cabinet

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  • Vasco
    Topic creator
    Guest, Member Vasco
    Joined: 14.05.2017Posts: 86CollectionVasco's Closed Bottles CollectionRatings: 4

    First of all, I apologize if this is not the correct place to start this thread.


    I'm a recent whisky enthusiast, which has been drinking all kind of cheap blends since 20 years ago, but only since 2013 started to enjoy regularly a proper single malt. The first ones were Balvenie 12 Doublewood and Singleton of Dufftown 12.


    I like to buy bottles "on the double" - one to taste, enjoy, and share with friends, the other to keep - to be opened in a special occasion. With very few exceptions, I usually don't sell bottles, despite considering recently to start to exchange some bottles.


    I want to buy or make a proper whisky cabinet, protecting bottles and/or boxes from light and temperature. Despite living in a fairly warm climate (in the summer, 30+ ºC are frequent, sometimes almost 40 ºC), I have a basement which is pretty cool (max. 25 ºC, usually below that). However, I would like to keep the bottles in a decent cabinet there.


    As most of you are much more experienced in this subject, are there any special tips concerning this? What do you recommend? With or without glass/windows? In close bottles, should I use Parafilm?


    Thanks in advance!


    Vasco

  • [Deleted User] Joined: 26.08.2016Posts: 0CollectionEmpty Bottle ClubRatings: 160
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    @Vasco


    Finding or making a whisky cabinet sounds like a fun project. I think the value of the bottles you have (or intend to acquire) would guide your cabinet selection and its location. Here are some factors you might want to consider:


    Humidity-A basement can be a humid place. Even in a cabinet, you might run the risk of bottle labels deteriorating over time. That might not be a big deal if you plan to drink the bottles yourself, but it would ruin their trade or commercial value.


    Light-As far as the cabinet, it seems a shame to shut away your whisky where it cannot be easily seen. For that reason, my personal preference is shelving or a glass-fronted cabinet. Most basements are quite dark, so storing the whisky where it is visible poses minimal risk from ambient light. I normally wouldn't worry about light impacting whisky (unless it is direct sunlight, which should be avoided).


    Temperature-Slightly cool temperatures are best for storing whisky, so your basement would be excellent in that regard.


    Parafilm-If you have valuable bottles that you want to store for an extended period of time, you could use Parafilm to be certain that you have no evaporation. Otherwise, I think it is unnecessary.





    Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets. (Ron Swanson)
  • bedlamborn Member bedlamborn Joined: 18.09.2016Posts: 611Collectionbedlamborns CollectionRatings: 21
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    As usual @Carlton gives good advice.


    For me who lives in Sweden I have to think about sunlight a lot since the sun is very low during summer in Sweden so I store my whiskies on top of my bookshelves so they stay away from sunlight.


    Humidity is your enemy. So how is your basement in that regard?

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  • Vasco
    Topic creator
    Guest, Member Vasco
    Joined: 14.05.2017Posts: 86CollectionVasco's Closed Bottles CollectionRatings: 4
    , edited May 16 2017 at 9:54PM
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    @Carlton


    Thank you for the tips. You gave me other idea - using some kind of darkened glass, if storing the bottles in the living room instead of the basement. Concerning Parafilm, I think I'll get some from the Amazon. I used to work in a lab with lots of it, but currently I don't have easy access to any. That film is awesome!


    I don't intend to sell any bottles, with few exceptions. I'm aiming to keep them and to open them in special occasions, like the first grandson or something like that! :smile: However, the aim is to keep them as intact as they can be.


    @Carlton @bedlamborn


    The basement is not really a basement. It is a closed parking spot in a apartment building, with roughly 30m2. Half of it is to park a car, and the other half I use to keep tools, old but working computers, a small backup pantry, suitcases, magazines, and, of course, wine and whisky. It is 3 floors below the ground, so it keeps a constant temperature - roughly 20ºC all the year. Concerning humidity, it is not a humid place - it was 10 years ago, when the building was new, but I used a dehumidifier, and now it is a dry-to-normal place.


    In conclusion, I have to decide where to put the bottles. Up here, with darkened glass, and wondering where I get space, and how do I tell my almost-2-year daughter "please don't run into the cabinet", down below, where I have to visit frequently to see the bottles! :smile:


    Thanks and regards,


    Vasco

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  • kroman Member Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
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    @Vasco


    first of all, congratulations on trying to make a nice display for your collection.  Unfortunately for me, my scotch is hidden away in a cupboard, so bear that in mind when I give my opinion...


    I would personally stay away from dark glass; what's the fun of displaying your collection if you have a hard time seeing it?  I recommend you keep your bottles in the original box it came with.


    1) It will protect your liquid from the light and from your daughter bumping into the cabinet a little (mine is almost 2 as well!).


    2) I find it more professional and streamlined than just having the bottles out in the open.  With the glare from the light and each bottle having different amounts of liquid in the bottles as they are drunk, it can look a little confusing to the eyes.  And this is probably just me, but a bunch of bottles in the cabinet looks like a bar, but with the boxes, it looks more like an elegant collection of art.  


    3) Unless if you plan on throwing the boxes away, you'll be able to store more bottles in the cabinet than having the bottle in front of the box, for example.


    4) The excitement of opening the box:  When you are showing off your collection, it's always cool to have people see the box, get excited about it, and WANT to open it to see the bottle that's inside.  This is why Christmas is so much fun.  People love opening gifts, and scotch drinkers love to open the box to see what's inside.



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  • Slàinte_Mhath Guest, Member Slàinte_Mhath Joined: 09.10.2016Posts: 134CollectionOslo Whisky ClubRatings: 211
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    I chose a cool room and some IKEA furniture which I slightly modified to suit my purpose. There are options which are far more expensive but I rather want to spend my hard earned cash on malts - not furniture. I decided to avoid glass doors to protect my whiskies from direct sunlight. This cupboard is only for bottles that wait to be opened, my open bottle rotation is in a whisky globus.


    image


    Slàinte!

    That's what I do. I drink, and I know things.” (Tyrion Lannister)

    >>> Whisky reviews by Slàinte Mhath <<<

  • Suzanne1967 Guest, Member Suzanne1967 Joined: 09.05.2015Posts: 68CollectionSuzanne and Lee's drinking CollectionRatings: 164
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    Good luck with finding something, we bought this from ebay - perhaps not the best solution, but at £10 it certainly fulfilled the criteria at a good price.... currently there is another 2 shelf units - open ones - in use as well...


    image



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  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    @SlàinteMhath


    what's that dalmore hiding behind the 12?

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  • Slàinte_Mhath Guest, Member Slàinte_Mhath Joined: 09.10.2016Posts: 134CollectionOslo Whisky ClubRatings: 211
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    @Suzanne1967


    That's a lovely cabinet! I should come for a vist. :biggrin:

    That's what I do. I drink, and I know things.” (Tyrion Lannister)

    >>> Whisky reviews by Slàinte Mhath <<<

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  • Slàinte_Mhath Guest, Member Slàinte_Mhath Joined: 09.10.2016Posts: 134CollectionOslo Whisky ClubRatings: 211
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    hwchoy said:

    @SlàinteMhath


    what's that dalmore hiding behind the 12?


    Just another Dalmore (the 15-year-old expression). I really don't like Dalmore's trend towards NAS, so I grabbed a few bottles as long as they are still available.

    That's what I do. I drink, and I know things.” (Tyrion Lannister)

    >>> Whisky reviews by Slàinte Mhath <<<

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  • Suzanne1967 Guest, Member Suzanne1967 Joined: 09.05.2015Posts: 68CollectionSuzanne and Lee's drinking CollectionRatings: 164
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    @hwchoy There is an 18, 15, Valour, KA111, Cigar Malt Reserve and a few others hidden in there....


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