I respect whiskey not only for its strength and unique taste, but also for its ability to be stored for a long time. Enough to imagine how valuable a bottle of alcohol will be in 10 or 20 years to save a couple for a special occasion. But so that the taste of the drink does not suffer, it is necessary to strictly observe the basic rules for its storage.
Top mistakes
I decided to buy a couple of bottles of expensive whiskey and age them for at least five years, despite the temptation to open and try here and now. For this reason, I became interested in the storage conditions of the drink and found a lot of useful information.
It turns out that alcohol quickly deteriorates under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
Sunlight triggers chemical processes that release iso-alpha acid, which makes the drink bitter. And yet, despite the fact that whiskey is a fairly strong drink, not only in terms of degrees, but also in terms of resistance to light, its flavor bouquet can change a lot, as well as the color, which will become lighter and unattractive.
Another big enemy of whiskey was storage temperature. At too high rates, the drink evaporates even from a hermetically sealed container, at low rates, an unpleasant precipitate appears in the form of flakes. And what a shame, this rule applies to both cheap and expensive varieties.
However, the most dangerous temperature drops within 3-4 degrees Celsius. In this case, the container expands unevenly, the tightness is broken, oxygen can get inside, causing oxidation.
It is air that is another enemy of alcohol, changing the taste and aroma of the drink in the case of oxidation of the substances that form them. If it enters the bottle, it will cause the alcohol and essential oils to evaporate.
How and where to store
After reviewing the basic rules, I wondered where I should store the stocked whiskey. The place should be not only reliable, impregnable, like a fortress, excluding the theft of a drink by close relatives, but also with a temperature of 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, dark and dry. A cellar immediately came to mind, but I don’t have one.
I decided to confine myself to a closet, locked with a key and standing away from the batteries and the window, from where sunlight could fall on it. I even had to rearrange the room, but the thought of five-year-old whiskey gave me strength.
I put the container upside down. This is also a prerequisite for storage. So alcohol will not come into contact with the cork, which can be decomposed if the strength of the drink is more than 40 degrees. I wouldn’t want to uncork whiskey in a few years and see pieces of cork in the glass, as well as feel an unpleasant taste.
By the way, before opening a bottle that has been stored for a long time, a dry cork must be moistened with alcohol so that it does not crumble.
I hope I will not forget this rule, years later, when it comes time to open my aged whiskey.
If the bottle is already open
I also placed a sipped bottle of my favorite liquor in the closet. Of course, you can’t keep it open for a long time, a maximum of a year. All the same oxygen treacherously penetrates inside to spoil the taste of the drink. For the same reason, the original cork had to be replaced with a plastic one – it closes the container more tightly.
When storing an open bottle, the amount of alcohol left is also important.
2/3 capacity is enough to keep the taste of the drink at the same level throughout the year. But a smaller amount (1/3) should not be stored, it is better to drink it up as soon as possible, enjoying the great taste.