There are plenty of things in life that keep me up at night. The state of the economy being one, with wondering how Britain’s Got Talent is still a thing after all these years being another. Perhaps the one thing that fills me with dread more than anything else, and makes my blood run cold at the mere thought of it, however, is having to throw whisky away! Yes, as whisky lovers you probably recoiled in horror at that statement just as much as I did typing it out. Throwing away whisky should be a crime tantamount to treason!

Now, every so often I’m guilty of leaving milk on the side to go bad after making a cup of tea. In fact, I’m guilty of that far more frequently than I should be, (just ask Kirsty) and I’m sure some of you are too. This had me wondering whether it’s possible for whisky to go off and turn bad? If so, what can be done to prevent it?

In today’s blog, I’ll be answering those questions and looking at things you can do to keep your beloved whisky fresh, and in the best condition possible.

So, Does Whisky Go Off?

When milk spoils and turns bad, you can tell right away because it tastes sour, and begins to resemble cottage cheese. When meat turns rancid, it smells bad, becomes discoloured, can become slimy, and if you’ve ever been unlucky enough to taste it, you’ll know how awful it tastes, and how ill it makes you.

But what about whisky? If you leave food for too long, especially somewhere warm and uncovered, it will go off, sooner rather than later. The same goes for milk and many other types of dairy. I’ve had previously unopened bottles of whisky however, left for months on end, with virtually no change in taste, aroma, or appearance. Why is that? Well, it’s mainly down to its high alcohol content.

You see, the alcohol in the whisky acts as a natural preservative. Harmful germs, bacteria, fungi, and other contaminants cannot survive in the alcohol, which helps to prevent the whisky from spoiling. Great, so whisky will never spoil nor lose its amazing flavours and aromas? Well, not quite.

Even though whisky doesn’t spoil in the conventional sense, it can still become discoloured and can lose its potency, along with many of its aromas and flavours. This is why it’s so important to store your whisky correctly, so as to keep it as fresh as possible.

How to Store Whisky Correctly

So, we’ve established that whisky doesn’t turn rancid, but we’ve also established that improper storage can cause it to lose those amazing flavours, aromas, colours, and characteristics we’ve come to expect from our beloved drams. This is why it’s so important to store your whisky properly.

Listen, I love a Great Dram (see what I did there?) of whisky as much as the next person, but I don’t love it enough to drink it by the bottle. After opening a fresh bottle of whisky and enjoying one, or possibly two drams (if it’s the weekend or a special occasion), I make sure I seal it properly and store it correctly. The next time I go to pour myself a dram, I want it to taste every bit as special as it did when I first broke the protective seal and popped off the lid for my first taste.

Here are a few tried and tested tips for you to follow to store your whisky properly and keep it as fresh as possible.

Store Out of Direct Sunlight

Even though it’s virtually impossible for a whisky to spoil, that doesn’t mean that you can keep it anywhere and not have to worry about its condition.

Storing a whisky in direct sunlight might not cause it to spoil, but it can cause it to become discoloured over time, plus it can lead to evaporation and can cause changes in the taste and aromas. Keeping it in direct sunlight will also cause the label to fade and discolour, and who wants that?

For best results, keep bottles of whisky, both opened and unopened, out of direct sunlight.

Keep the Whisky Fairly Cool

When it comes to temperature and whisky, you want to take the Goldilocks approach, I.E not too hot and not too cold. Out of the two however, it is better to keep your whisky on the cooler side of things, which is not hard here in the UK.

Ideally your whisky should be kept somewhere around room temperature, roughly between 14 – 19 degrees C. Don’t keep it in the fridge, unless it’s a dram that works best served chilled, as it being too cold can alter the taste and mouthfeel of the whisky.

A cool, dark, dry cupboard or drinks cabinet should work wonders.

Always Replace the Lid Properly

After enjoying a dram of whisky, make sure you immediately replace the lid before you forget to do so. When replacing the lid, make sure it’s screwed on/in nice and tight.

Putting the lid on nice and tight will help to prevent the whisky from oxidising, plus it helps to keep flies, creepy crawlies, and other contaminants from getting inside.

Avoid Humid Environments

I can’t even believe I’m saying this, but when storing your whisky, avoid humid environments like bathrooms.

While it’s unlikely you keep your whisky in your bathroom, you may keep it in the kitchen, which in itself can get quite humid. Humidity can damage the seal on your whisky and the cork, not to mention the label.

Keep Your Whisky as Airtight as Possible

As well as replacing the cap after pouring yourself a dram of whisky, another handy tip for keeping it fresh is to keep it as airtight as possible.

Either replace the cork or stopper with a bottle cap, or to really give it a fancy feel, store it in a good quality decanter with a tight seal. That tip actually came from our friends over at The Glenlivet, and they certainly know their whisky.

Decant Nearly Empty Bottles of Whisky into Smaller Vessels

If you’ve a nearly empty bottle of whisky which you’d be lucky to get a single measure out of, rather than leaving the last few dregs in the bottom of the bottle, instead decant it into a smaller bottle or decanter.

This all comes down to headspace. The more headspace there is in the bottle, the more oxygen can get inside, causing it to oxidise and react with the air. This can cause it to lose its taste, aroma, and character. A smaller storage vessel means less headspace, so less oxygen to react with.

Alternative, you can use the last few drops to begin building your own ‘infinity bottle’. Wondering what one of those are? Don’t worry, I’ll be covering that in the next blog or so, so keep your eyes peeled on the Great Drams blog page for that.

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at the amazing selection of unique whiskies we currently have in stock.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.