It’s all well and good knowing how to drink whisky, but how do you store it?
As a general rule a cool, odour-free environment of medium humidity is best to ensure your favourite whiskies are kept in tip-top condition.
Here’s what you can do to make sure that exceptional bottle which has been sitting patiently in the cabinet all this time is best prepared for the momentous moment of opening…
1. Avoid direct light
Always store your whisky away from direct sunlight. Over time the sun’s rays can potentially deteriorate the condition of a whisky, as well as cause the label to fade.
2. Keep the bottles upright
Make sure your whisky stands tall. Whisky bottles should never be stored on their side, they should always be kept upright.
3. Keep the conditions cool
You want the temperature to be cool but not too cold (as this can make the whisky cloudy or evaporate). You shouldn’t store whisky in the fridge or freezer. The ideal temperature is between 15 to 20°C.
4. Avoid humidity
If whisky gets hot it can expand the bottle and damage the cork seal. Keep your bottles in a dry, cool place.
5. Keep sealed once opened
Knowing how to store whisky once opened is important. Once you’ve started a bottle of whisky, store it in a sealed container to avoid it being exposed to oxygen. Swap the cork for a bottle cap or keep it in a decanter with a tight seal.
6. Finish off nearly empty bottles
Many of us have a particular bottle reserved for special occasions. If you’re intending to keep your whisky for a long time, it will retain more of its vibrancy if you decant it into a smaller bottle once there is roughly half left.
But why use a decanter for whisky? Well, whisky can oxidise over time, and lose some of its perceived character. By decanting it into a smaller bottle, there will be less interaction with the air. Transfer bottles with less than a third left into a new container or get some friends over for a whisky tasting party!