How should you store Old Bottle whiskey?

1. How should Old Bottle whiskey be stored?

Due to their rarity, Old Bottle whiskeys that were bottled 20 to over half a century ago are often stored for a long time before being opened. Because Old Bottle whiskey is an area that only a small segment of whiskey enthusiasts are interested in, there is little information related to Old Bottle whiskey, and it is not easy to obtain reliable information.

There are many different opinions regarding how to store Old Bottle whiskey, but there are two main views:

① Corks on Old Bottle whiskey should be kept from coming into contact with the whiskey as much as possible to prevent deterioration.

: Whiskey has a higher alcohol content than other alcoholic beverages that use corks, such as wine, so the corks deteriorate more quickly. For this reason, when storing whiskey for a long period of time, it is often recommended to store the bottle upright, unlike wine. For this reason, even in the case of Old Bottle whiskey, it is often recommended to store the bottle upright to prevent further deterioration of the cork.

② Even if the bottle of Old Bottle whiskey is unopened, you should periodically turn the bottle upside down to wet the cork.

: Due to the high alcohol content of whiskey, bottles are generally stored upright to prevent the cork from deteriorating. However, leaving a whiskey bottle upright can cause the cork to dry out and shrink. It's said that if the cork shrinks, the bottle's seal becomes weaker, which can lead to deterioration due to leakage or evaporation. For this reason, it's sometimes recommended to occasionally wet the cork of Old Bottle whiskey.

2. In the end, which storage method is correct?

This is a 20-year-old Bell's Royal Reserve Scotch Whisky that I purchased and stored. It was sold in Japan in the 1980s. At the time of purchase, there were no visible external problems, and the cork was not loose. After that, I wrapped the unopened cork in parafilm and stored it upright in a cool, dark place for about a year and a half.

Later, when I tried to drink it and peeled back the Parafilm, something seemed a bit strange. The cork cap seal had deteriorated so much that it was covered in white powder. I naturally assumed it would break, but when I tried to pull out the cork, it came out easily without any resistance. The image above shows the state of the cork at that time.

The cork was tightly wrapped in multiple layers of parafilm, which prevented the whiskey from deteriorating, but the cork was in a state where it could not be stored for much longer. Since it was in a sealed bottle, I thought that the water evaporating from inside the bottle would be enough to keep the cork from drying out, but I was completely wrong.

As can be seen from these cases, storing Old Bottle whiskey upright causes the cork to dry out and deteriorate, making it impossible to keep the bottle airtight. Therefore, we have concluded that it is best to turn Old Bottle whiskey upside down periodically (probably every 2-3 months) and thoroughly wet the cork for about 10 seconds, if possible.

3. Why do corks shrink?

This is a dishwashing sponge made from synthetic resin. The image on the left is a brand new, unused sponge, while the image on the right shows one that has been wetted with water and then dried. When a sponge is wet, it shrinks as it dries, closing the gaps inside the sponge and reducing its volume.

Something similar happens to whiskey corks. Corks that have been wet with whiskey for a long time will shrink and become very thin while the bottle is stored upright, crushing the gaps inside the cork.

On the other hand, even if the cork has been wet with whiskey, unless it has been repeatedly immersed in whiskey, the cork may not shrink significantly even if the whiskey is stored upright for a long time.

 

In other words, for Old Bottle whiskeys where evaporation is minimal and the cork is likely to be in good condition, it is fine to store the whiskey upright without wetting the cork too much. However, for Old Bottle whiskeys where evaporation is evident to a certain extent, it may be better to assume that the cork is in poor condition and wet it periodically for long-term storage.

 

Storing Old Bottle whiskey can be quite complicated, but it's best to manage and store it well by regularly checking the condition of each bottle. I hope this information will be helpful to you as you enjoy Old Bottle whiskey.