The only thing better than buying a nice bottle of whiskey is buying two nice bottles of whiskey—one to drink now and one to lay down for a rainy day. as whiskey grows in popularity, it has become increasingly important to properly store your bottles. whether you eventually open or sell your treasures, preserving the boxes, labels and, most importantly, liquid in the bottle is crucial. these are seven tips for keeping your whiskey bottles in tip-top shape.
1. keep them cool
The first and perhaps most important tip to maintaining your collection is to control the environment in which they’re stored. bottles should be kept in a cool space, with a stable, non-extreme temperature. fluctuating temps can cause the liquid in the bottle to expand, eventually damaging the cork and stopper, while humidity works on the outer surface, damaging the labels and boxes.
2. Avoid sunlight
Alongside extreme temperatures, direct sunlight can do a number on your whiskey. enough of it over a long period of time will degrade the flavors, throwing off the delicate balance of your precious whiskey. plus, sunlight affects the temperature, which can destabilize the spirit. dark and cool spaces are optimal.
3. Keep them upright
We’ve all been there: you’re excited to open that special bottle, you peel off the plastic and lift of the cork, and it crumbles and breaks off. keeping the cork immersed in a high-abv spirit will make it disintegrate. this situation is easily averted by keeping your bottles upright in storage. wine can be stored horizontally. whiskey and other spirits cannot.