Whiskey Lovers, Take Note: Does Your Opened Bottle Ever Go Bad?

There's nothing that says, "I'm an adult," quite like a well-stocked home bar. For those who like to imbibe, opening your liquor cabinet and seeing all those beautiful bottles to choose from is one of life's pleasures. However, there's one important question you might not have thought to ask: does a bottle of whiskey go bad once opened? The answer is no — with a caveat. We spoke to Caitlin Bartlemay, master distiller of Hood River Distillers, to learn about how to properly store whiskey to ensure it doesn't spoil or expire. The expert confirmed that while old whiskey won't make you sick (unless you drink too much of it), it will noticeably diminish in quality.

"The key here is knowing what closure it has, and also using best practices for storing just about anything," Bartlemay told Food Republic. What does that mean? Similar to storing wine (or any spirit for that matter), having a dedicated space that is light-controlled and set at the right temperature is crucial. "You want to keep your whiskey bottles in a cool, dark, and dry place," according to the expert. "If you are storing them on top of the fridge, you're going to make every distiller around the world cry." Exposure to UV rays will also drain the color and affect the shelf-life of the liquor, hence the need to shield your bottles from direct sunlight. 

How you store your whiskey is just as important as where you store it, according to Caitlin Bartlemay. When it comes to how long an open bottle of whiskey retains its best flavor, the answer may surprise you. Three to six months is considered the ideal shelf life for a bottle, though proper handling of it may help extend that timeframe.

One key to maintaining the quality — and quantity — of a bottle of whiskey depends on how the bottle is stopped. "[If] the whiskey in question has a natural cork closure, you will want to tip the bottle on its side to keep the cork wet," Bartlemay advised. "If the cork dries out too much, it could shrink and let more vapor exchange happen that will change and evaporate the whiskey over time." 

This is a big part of why you shouldn't store good whiskey in its original bottle. The cork shrinking will speed up the diminishing of quality of your best booze, and while that may not lead to mold or outright expiration of the spirit, it will certainly ruin what makes the drink so special to begin with. The good news is, if you take Bartlemay's advice and stock up on the proper supplies, this shouldn't become an issue. "I have bottles that I have returned to after a few years of being open and still enjoy them, but it's because I've taken the time to make sure they are being stored with care," the expert shared.