Does whiskey go bad?
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You’ve had your whiskey bottle sitting untouched in your liquor cabinet for years, and now you’re wondering if it’s still any good. Whiskey is one of the most popular and favorite alcoholic beverages globally. While its peak flavor may not be “bad,” whiskey does lose its potency over time. We’ll teach you how to tell if whiskey has gone bad and why it is essential if you know how to identify old whiskey.
How to store whiskey – Storage Tips For Whiskey
- Keep the room dark. Store the bottles away from direct sunlight to avoid affecting the delicate flavors and perfect color of the spirit and causing evaporation. To limit light exposure to a minimum, consider employing motion-activated lights.
- Make sure they’re ready to be transported. If your whiskey collection is going on the road, ensure the bottles are properly packaged, adding firm, insulating layers to keep them from breaking. A steady, cool temperature and no intense light are ideal travel circumstances.
- Store whiskey bottles upright and keep an eye on the cork’s condition. Constant exposure to alcohol can deteriorate the cork, causing it to dissolve and impart unpleasant flavors to the liquid. Flip the bottles a few times a year to keep the cork from drying out or oxidizing.
- Keep the bottle and label in good shape. The condition of the label influences the value of the bottle. Consider keeping whiskey bottles in the respective boxes or cases to avoid tearing or scuffing the labels.
- Maintain a stable temperature and humidity level. Temperature and humidity fluctuations can cause liquid to expand and contract, causing the whiskey to become unstable. Excessive humidity might harm the labels and push the cork to deteriorate. Add climate control notifications to your alarm system to be notified if the temperature or moisture in your cellar changes.
How long does whiskey last unopened?
The answer is a question of quality, not safety, given suitable storage circumstances – a bottle of whiskey (whisky) has an endless shelf life when properly maintained, even after it has been opened.
Keep whiskey in a cool, dry place away from direct heat or sunlight to extend its shelf life and keep it firmly covered when not in use.
Rye whiskey
A bottle of rye has an unlimited shelf life if properly preserved, regardless of whether it has been opened or not — quality, not safe. In general, rye has an endless shelf life, but it must be removed if it acquires an unpleasant odor, flavor, or look to retain quality.
Fireball whiskey
Once opened, the shelf life of fireball whiskey is about 6 to 2 years. During this time, the alcohol in the bottle begins to evaporate, changing the flavor of the whiskey.
Bourbon whiskey
The shelf life of whiskey bourbon is similar to the shelf life of usual whiskey in general. A bottle of bourbon will not spoil if left unopened. You can keep the bourbon whiskey for decades. However, once you open the bottle of bourbon whiskey, it has around 1 to 2 years until it expires.
Does whiskey go bad?
In Fridge
If kept in the refrigerator, the flavor and brand name may be destroyed, which is not a great idea for collecting. Furthermore, sediments may form, reducing the purity of whiskey, particularly in non-chill filtered whiskies.
In Freezer
Any alcohol in the freezer will not hurt it permanently, but this will dull the taste if you take it out and pour a glass right away. While freezing flavorless vodka is lovely and dandy, serving your premium whiskey at room temperature is preferable.
Under Sun
Keep the whiskey bottle far from direct sunlight and heat sources in a dark, cool location. While none of these circumstances will cause the whiskey to deteriorate, they may harm the flavor. As a result, you should also avoid too much heat and frequent temperature fluctuations.
Light, particularly direct sunshine, is whiskey’s worst enemy. If you place a whiskey bottle in front of a large, sunny window, chemical processes will begin to destroy the drink before long. Direct sunlight will harm those beautiful esters and other taste molecules, and it won’t be a good thing.
In Decanter
Decanting the whiskey can potentially damage it if bottling it would not influence its age. When you open the bottle and the contents are poured into a decanter, the same air movement that affects the wine also affects the whiskey, but not in a good way.
In Flask
A metal flask will discolor whiskey over time, such as a week, resulting in a dark, greyish color. When whiskey is stored for more than three days, it might develop a metallic flavor. The flask can become too heated if the seal is insufficient, allowing the whiskey to oxidize more quickly.
How to tell if whiskey has gone bad?
If an old whiskey seems or smells nasty, throw it out right away. Taste a tiny quantity to see whether it’s safe to drink if it looks and smells OK. It’s acceptable if it has a milder flavor than usual. However, toss it out if it has sour, metallic, or other unusual flavors.
Left open
If left out in the open, it will evaporate and become “bad” or unusable. It shouldn’t go off if it’s been opened and re-sealed, as long as it’s roughly full.
Most whiskey experts estimate that a half-full bottle of whiskey will survive 1 to 2 years once opened. Whiskey lasts roughly 6 months if it’s just a quarter full. The less whiskey in the bottle, the more oxygen there is.
With age
An old bottle of whiskey that was opened a few years ago but kept sealed in a cupboard for a long time will be safe to consume. It may not taste wonderful (mainly if it’s nearly empty), but it’s perfectly safe to drink.
