Whisky Shelf Life
Whisky is a distilled spirit with an alcohol content of at least 40%. Because it is an environment where germs or bacteria cannot reproduce, it cannot spoil if stored properly. Thanks to that, whisky does not have an expiration date. This is one of whisky’s biggest advantages. However, the fact that it does not spoil does not mean its taste and aroma will remain the same.
Even unopened whisky can have its taste and aroma change due to evaporation, the storage environment, and cork deterioration, and in the case of unopened whisky where cork deterioration has occurred or whisky that has already been opened and come into contact with oxygen, an oxidation phenomenon commonly called “aeration” can also occur.
Of course, these changes do not necessarily cause only negative changes. Sometimes they can let you feel good tastes and aromas that were hidden in the whisky. Still, because these are not variables you can control directly, if you are a beginner, it is better to minimize variables as much as possible.
Then, let’s look at why these variables occur.
First is evaporation. If someone said the bottle was a brand-new bottle that had never been opened even once, but one day they went to drink it and found the amount had decreased by 10%, no one would believe it. But with whisky, it is possible. This happens because the cork can’t seal the bottle perfectly, and high-proof alcohol evaporates through that gap. In the past, when there was no clear understanding of this, it was said that angels took it and called it “Angel’s Share.” You can see that in an era with little understanding of science and high dependence on religion, whisky was called the water of life, and its evaporation was expressed as the angels’ share, meaning it was considered quite sacred. Probably to whisky enthusiasts, including me, it will still be considered sacred even today.
Next is the storage environment. Harsh conditions such as sunlight, extreme temperatures, and frequent temperature changes are not suitable for storing whisky. These factors have a major impact on whisky’s taste and aroma.
Next is cork deterioration. Whisky is a high-proof alcoholic beverage. Therefore, the cork that blocks the mouth of the bottle is always affected by alcohol. As a result, if stored for a long time, cork deterioration can occur and cause the oxidation phenomenon described below.
Lastly, oxidation. If the whisky’s cork has deteriorated or it has been opened, oxidation begins. This oxidation is commonly called “aeration” and changes the whisky’s taste and aroma. Usually, when oxidation occurs, the taste and aroma become lighter and more open. In the case of whisky with an overly strong taste and aroma, some people intentionally oxidize it, but excessive oxidation makes the whisky bland.
To summarize, whisky does not have an expiration date, but you should be mindful that its taste and aroma can change due to the factors mentioned above, and it must be stored properly. If stored well, you will be able to enjoy whisky at its best taste even after years or even decades.
Whisky Storage Location and Temperature
As mentioned earlier, whisky does not have an expiration date, but it is a sensitive drink whose taste and aroma change greatly depending on how it is stored. Therefore, I will tell you what kind of environment and temperature you should store it.
Whisky should be stored in a cool and dark place.
As I said before, whisky is vulnerable to sunlight. Therefore, it is best to store it in a dark place where sunlight does not reach. If you do not have a dark place, you should put it in an opaque case or box so that there is no direct contact with sunlight.
Also, because whisky is vulnerable to extreme temperatures and sensitive to temperature changes, it should be stored in a cool place with no temperature changes throughout all four seasons. It is best for the storage temperature to be room temperature or slightly lower, and because there must not be temperature changes, you should store it away from heat sources such as heated floor mats, heaters, and the like.
Additionally, humidity. While it is not as important as the location and temperature mentioned earlier, it is good to store it in a place that is not too dry to prevent the cork from drying out.
Additionally, it is best to avoid places with strong odors. Most whiskies with a cork stopper can absorb odors from the surrounding environment. Therefore, you should store it away from items around it that give off or may give off strong scents, such as spices, deodorants, and food.
Since whisky can be stored for as short as several years and as long as several decades, special care is needed for the storage location.
Whisky Storage Methods
When it comes to whisky storage methods, you may have many questions, and you may get confused. There are things you need to be careful about in this regard.
First is the storage tilt orientation. In the case of wine, which is more familiar than whisky, it is common to store it tilted. So, the wine wets and swells the cork stopper, and the swollen cork tightly blocks the mouth, preventing oxidation, which is wine’s biggest enemy.
However, in the case of whisky, if you store it tilted, you may end up throwing away precious whisky in a short period of time. As mentioned repeatedly, whisky is a high-proof alcoholic beverage above 40%. A strong alcohol content can cause cork deterioration if it comes into direct contact with the cork. In addition, whisky corks use a different material than wine corks, so you must store them vertically.
Next is sealing. There are many synthetic corks, but the more expensive the whisky, the more likely it is to use a natural cork. In the case of natural cork, it is difficult to have a standardized size with no deviation. So sometimes there can be a gap between the bottle mouth and the cork. The way to determine this is to stand the whisky bottle upright, hold only the cork, and twist the whisky bottle left and right to see whether it slips. If it slips even a little, storage problems may occur due to the gap. In this case, it is desirable to replace it with a different cork. People often reuse corks by keeping the corks from whiskies they have already finished instead of throwing them away, but it is also fine to purchase them online and use them. Also, even after replacement, you should test whether the replaced cork is a suitable cork using the method mentioned earlier.
In addition, if it is unopened whisky or whisky you will drink slowly, and you want to store it for the long term, I recommend buying “parafilm” and sealing the mouth. There are claims that it has no effect. However, there are also many claims that putting it on is effective, and because there is nothing to lose by putting it on, I recommend doing so. The method is to prepare enough parafilm to wrap around the bottle mouth about 2 to 3 turns, stretch it slightly, and wrap it as if wrapping electrical tape, then lightly pass a torch over it to apply gentle heat and melt it.
Lastly, about once every half year, you should briefly turn the whisky upside down or lay it on its side. This is the opposite of what I mentioned earlier. However, this does not mean you should store it upside down or on its side, but that you should do it briefly once every half year. The reason for doing this is to moisten the cork. If the cork is kept dry continuously, it shrinks and cannot seal the bottle mouth well. So, to prevent this, you let it intermittently contact the whisky to maintain minimal moisture. Because brief contact does not deteriorate the cork, you do not need to worry about cork deterioration caused by alcohol.