A Brief History of Whisky Decanters

Don’t worry, I’m not going to give you a long and drawn-out history lesson about decanters, but I do want to talk to you about how they’ve evolved over the centuries. 

To keep things simple, today I’ll be talking exclusively about whisky decanters. If you want to look into the history of decanters in general, their origins can be traced back to the ancient Romans. Since then, they’ve undergone heaps of transformations and to cover each one in detail I’d need to write a book. So, for now we’re sticking with whisky. Hooray!

In the very early days of whisky distillation, whisky wasn’t sold in bottles like we get now. If you wanted to purchase some whisky, you needed to buy it by the barrel. As awesome as this sounds, not everybody could afford a whole cask of whisky, and shocking as it may be, not everybody wanted an entire barrel of whisky either. 

Savvy traders quickly caught on to this, and began to transfer the whisky from casks into smaller storage vessels and sell them individually instead. These laid the foundations for decanters. Originally they’d likely be made from materials like ceramic and wood, though glass and lead crystal was also used. 

It wasn’t long until wealthier individuals caught wind of this and opted for more attractive designs made from materials like ornate glass and crystal. As is often the way, this trend caught on and became more widespread, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

While decanters are still viewed as sophisticated, they’re far more mainstream now and are common in households all over the world. 

How to Use a Whisky Decanter

At risk of sounding patronising and telling you how to pour a liquid from one vessel to another, there are a few things you need to know if you’re new to whisky decanters. 

Choose a Suitable Decanter 

Firstly, if you’re going to use a decanter for your whisky, you need to find a suitable decanter that appeals to you. 

You can get as fancy or as basic as you like. You can get decanters in virtually every design imaginable. As well as conventional designs, you can get retro, artistic, contemporary, and art-deco designs. There are also novelty designs in the shape of things like skulls, globes, and even Storm Troopers! 

While some decanters can be expensive, there are others that are very cheap. You can often pick up some cracking designs at antique fairs, antique shops, and even car boots. 

Stuck for ideas? I don’t know if I mentioned, but GreatDrams recently released a unique, limited-edition decanter, which you can get here.

Keep it Clean 

Another thing to remember when keeping your whisky in a decanter is to keep it clean. That means washing it thoroughly between each use. 

By washing thoroughly, I mean thoroughly, and not just giving it a quick rinse under the cold tap. Use warm, soapy water and be sure to clean in all of the nooks and crannies, including the stopper. Be sure to give it a good rinse with clean water, and dry thoroughly before replacing the stopper. 

 If the neck is too narrow to get a cloth/pad/brush inside, you can purchase specially designed metal decanter cleaning balls. These are basically just small metal ball bearings you tip into the decanter with a little warm soapy water and swish about. As they roll around inside the agitate any dried sediment into the decanter, so you can just pour it away. 

Decide What to Use Your Decanter For 

Now you need to decide what your decanter is for. Yes, I know it’s for storing whisky, but what kind of whisky? Do you want to use it to store your favourite dram, or do you just have a whisky with a damaged stopper, or with a label you can’t stand to look at? 

Some people may use decanters for making their own blended whiskies, or creating their very own infinity “bottles” which I covered a few months back. 

If you have several whisky decanters on the go at once, make sure you label each one so you know which is which. 

Fill Your Decanter 

Now the time has come to pour your whisky out of the bottle, into its clean and shiny new decanter home. 

If you’re like me, you’ll think you can do it straight from the bottle without spilling it, only to spill it and curse yourself for not using a funnel. Use a funnel! This will make it much easier and means you won’t spill it and waste any. Just make sure the funnel you use is clean and sterile first. 

Oh, and FYI, make sure the decanter you’re filling is large enough to handle the amount of whisky you’re filling it with. Again, I’m guilty of trying to fill a 500ml decanter with a 750ml bottle of whisky. You can imagine the panic that set in when I realised the decanter wasn’t big enough. 

Always Check the Stopper 

To help preserve your whisky, and prevent any bugs, creepy crawlies, dust, and other nasties from getting in it, make sure the seal is on correctly whenever you’re not about to pour a dram. 

Not only does the stopper cap stop things from getting into your whisky, it also helps to prevent oxidation, which can cause the whisky to lose its flavour and character. 

Store it Properly 

One of the main points of a decanter is to be visually appealing and to help the whisky look attractive and stand out. Naturally, then, you’re going to want it to be visible, so it’s not much good just sticking it in a cupboard out of sight. 

Try to keep your decanter full of whisky out of direct sunlight, in a spot where it won’t get too hot. Sunlight can cause the whisky to degrade and lose its potency. It can also affect its colour. I’ve got mine on my drinks shelf in the living room, as it’s never in direct sunlight. 

Enjoy 

Finally, it’s time to enjoy your whisky. 

Grab your favourite glass, remove the stopper from the decanter and carefully pour the whisky, making sure not to spill a drop. 

As soon as you’ve poured a dram, make sure you replace the stopper on your decanter. Now let your whisky breathe a little, give it a good nosing, admire the “legs” and enjoy! 

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, treat yourself to a dram or two, or grab that exceptional decanter we’ve available, be sure to head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer. 

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.