Have you ever stumbled upon a dust-covered but unopened bottle of bourbon in your basem*nt?
You might not care if something’s cheap, but a limited-edition bottle will surely make you wonder, does bourbon go bad? Read on as we answer that in great detail with additional tips on proper storage.
Contents
Does Bourbon Really Expire?
Yes, bourbon expires once you open the bottle. The shelf life of bourbon and all of its premium qualities can only last for two to eight months unless stored correctly and away from any light source.
However, a properly stored and sealed bottle of bourbon lasts for many decades and is perfectly fine to drink. It has a high alcohol content that prevents the growth of any bacteria, leaving it safe to drink even after a long time.
How To Tell If Bourbon Has Gone Bad
Dull Taste
Bourbon has a distinct sweetness due to the high percentage of corn on its mash bill. It also has a biting kick towards the finish that is not present once the bourbon has gone bad.
Storing bourbon under certain conditions will change its flavor, eventually resulting in a duller taste. Although you can still taste all the vanilla, oak, and caramel notes, it seemed more like a watered-down version in the background without the spice.
Color Fades
As a type of whiskey, bourbon adapts its flavor and color from the barrel. The longer its aging process, the darker the liquid gets, ranging from medium amber to brown.
If you have an opened bottle of bourbon stored somewhere in your liquor cabinet for more than five years, chances are, it already has a cloudy appearance. The color change is more evident in dark bourbons than in lighter colored ones.
Molds Form
A bourbon that has gone bad is not dangerous to consume. If left in proper storage, bourbon is unlikely to form molds. But in rare cases that it appears, throw the bourbon right away.
If you store bourbon half-empty or with a minimal amount of liquor left in the bottle, the alcohol content will evaporate faster than the water. Although mold will not form right away, a contaminated cork will quicken the process.
How Long Does It Usually Last?
Opened
A bourbon’s shelf life is six months to two years if you have an opened bottle of this liquor stored properly. Opening the bottle introduces fresh air to the bourbon whiskey, leading it to go bad and lose its unique flavor profile [1].
It does not happen right away. You can still store the open bottles for the next two months and not worry about the taste or smell changing. But after a year, the bourbon whiskey will start losing its primary characteristics.
Unopened
An unopened bourbon bottle stored upright in a place with cool temperature and away from light sources has an indefinite shelf life. It could last your whole life, and it will still have the same taste and smell as the day it was first bottled.
However, a dry cork has a higher chance of breaking when you finally open the bottle. You can wet the cork once or twice a year.
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Things That Make Bourbons Go Bad
Evaporation
The alcohol evaporates faster if exposed to direct light resources, leaving behind the water content of bourbon. Experts recommend storing liquor in a cool and dark place before and after opening the bottle. It helps the alcohol evaporate slowly, maintaining all the important tasting profiles of bourbon.
Presence of Oxygen
An open bottle of bourbon does not only cause the evaporation process; it also invites the presence of oxygen.
Master distillers carefully crafted spirits like bourbon to achieve their full potential through meticulous experimenting. The entry of more oxygen can make the bourbon go bad because it disturbs the active chemicals present in the spirit.
Oxidation
But, how long does a bourbon last once the oxidation process occurs? It depends on the liquid left in the bottle. If only one-third of the liquid is left, it only takes two months to maintain its original flavors.
It is better to transfer the bourbon into a new bottle to minimize the oxygen and lengthen its flavorful qualities for up to one year.
What Happens When You Drink Old Bourbons
Nothing dangerous happens when you drink an old bourbon. Aside from the unpleasant tasting notes, an old liquor is generally safe to consume even after opening and storing it for a few years.
Unlike wine, bourbon’s aging process occurs only inside new charred oak barrels and not in a glass bottle. This popular myth made many people store their unopened bottles of bourbon for a long time.
However, a 12-year-old bourbon will remain the same 12-year-old bourbon even after a few years. An old bourbon will not make you sick, but you still have to drink responsibly and not overindulge in alcohol consumption. Learn how to drink bourbon as a beginner here.
Tips In Storing Bourbons To Prevent Possible Spoilage
Keep It In An Upright Position
We often see the horizontally stored unopened bottles inside a wine cellar, but it is a different story with a bottle of bourbon. Hard liquors like bourbon have a high alcohol percentage that the cork may not be able to withstand in constant contact [2].
Keeping the unopened bourbon upright is important, leading to the indefinite shelf life of the spirit.
Keep It Away From Direct Sunlight
Barrel-aging imparts organic compounds to bourbon, giving it unique flavors depending on the brand. But constant exposure to direct sunlight will release these chemicals and other radicals from the spirit, taking away its vibrant color and delectable taste.
Storing bourbon in a dark place or inside a liquor cabinet will help preserve the unique tasting notes that master distillers carefully crafted for this spirit.
Store Opened Bourbons In Smaller Bottles
After opening the glass bottle, you might wonder how long bourbon lasts. The oxidation process depends on the amount of bourbon left inside the glass bottle. A half-full bottle of bourbon contains more air, exposing the spirit to chemical changes that affect its flavor.
It became a common practice among enthusiasts to store bourbon in a smaller bottle, lowering its exposure to air.
Why It’s Bad To Refrigerate Bourbon
It is bad to refrigerate a bottle of bourbon because the cold temperature alters some of the background flavors of the spirit. Bourbon is at its prime if served at room temperature.
Although its high alcohol content prevents the liquid from solidifying, the sudden temperature fluctuations affect the volatiles of the spirit. But if you are at a humid location, then we highly recommend storing bourbon at a cool place with air conditioning for quality purposes.
Bourbon is not a big fan of temperature changes, and it always pays well to follow the proper food storage guidelines.
Read: Is Drinking Bourbon Good For You?
Is It Okay To Store It In A Decanter?
Yes, it is okay to store bourbon in a decanter after opening the bottle. But how long does bourbon last in a decanter? The ideal length of storing bourbon in a decanter is a few months.
Although there are different varieties of a decanter, it slightly has a less airtight seal than the original bottle. This condition shortens a bourbon’s shelf life and loses its flavor. However, it is good to store the liquor in a decanter if you plan to consume it immediately for the next month or two.
FAQs
Can old bourbon make you sick?
No, a glass of old bourbon will not make you sick. As mentioned earlier, it only gives you a watered-down version of the spirit’s flavors.
What does ice do to bourbon?
Ice dilutes the bourbon if left for too long to melt. Depending on personal preference, some people chill their drink with whiskey stones to avoid diluting the spirit. Here’s the best way to order bourbon.
So, Does Bourbon Go Bad?
Yes, bourbon can go bad if not stored properly. Since not everyone can drink bourbon in one sitting, it is important to know the right way to store the spirit.
You can transfer the bourbon to a small bottle and put it upright inside a cool and dark place. Most hard liquors contain high alcohol content that rarely grows dangerous bacteria. Although it’s rare, you can do a quick taste test or smell the bourbon before taking it.
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best co*cktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique co*cktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [emailprotected] or learn more about us here.
The shelf life of bourbon isn't much different from the shelf life of whiskey, as a whole. Unopened, a bottle of bourbon won't go bad. You can store it for decades. But once a bottle of bourbon is opened, it's got roughly 1 to 2 years before it goes bad.
Bourbon does not expire, but it can go bad if it's been exposed to oxygen, light, or heat. If your bourbon has changed color, smells moldy, or tastes bitter, it's best to throw it out. Bourbon will last about six months after it's been opened.
Bourbon whiskey has typically aged a minimum of two years, though most brands are aged at least four years and often longer than that. The drastic change in flavor profile comes from how temperature affects the barrels.
It can go for any amount of time. But, there are two exceptions to this – straight bourbon whiskey has to be aged for a minimum of two years, and bottled-in-bond must be aged for at least four years.
An unopened bottle of whiskey will last indefinitely if stored in proper condition. After opening a bottle of whiskey, you have as long as two years or as few as six months or less to drink it before it goes bad.
Can You Get Sick from Drinking Old Whiskey? If you found an old bottle of whiskey in the back of a liquor cabinet and want to give it a try, have no fear: In general, old liquor will not make you sick like other expired items. The only risk it poses is delivering a dull taste and underwhelming drinking experience.
An unopened bourbon bottle stored upright in a place with cool temperature and away from light sources has an indefinite shelf life. It could last your whole life, and it will still have the same taste and smell as the day it was first bottled.
Bourbon does not get better after it is bottled. Unlike wines, distilled spirits like bourbon do not get better once bottled because the aging process stops. Moreso, as long as the bottles are sealed, the taste will stay the same and no longer improve or get better.
Yes, bourbon increase in value with age because older bourbon bottles usually have higher retail prices than the new ones. Older bourbons are rarer, and with this, it gives a higher value to the liquor.
Bourbon whiskeys only display an age statement if the whiskey used is under four years old. Like scotch, a blended Bourbon's age statement must reflect the age of the youngest Bourbon used. Most Bourbons must be aged two years, although, if you slap the name Kentucky on it, it can be as young as one.
A bourbon barrel spends the first two-plus years of its life imparting rich flavor and color to the bourbon aging inside its charred oaken staves. By law, a barrel can be used just one time to distill bourbon in the US, despite the fact that these well-crafted barrels have a “lifespan” of up to 60 years.
Bourbon must be aged for at least five years in order to be distilled to a minimum of 160 proof (80% alcohol by volume). For bourbon, the aging process usually takes two years. In addition, if the liquor has not matured for more than four years, it must be labeled with an age statement.
Because whiskey has a lower freezing point than the recommended temperature in the United States, it will not freeze in a standard freezer. However, while keeping whiskey in the freezer will not damage it, icy temperatures will impact the liquid within the bottle.
Keeping any spirit in the freezer won't permanently harm it, but it will dull the flavors if you pull the bottle out and immediately pour a glass. While chilling flavorless vodka is fine and dandy, your expensive whiskey tastes way better at room temp.
Storing a bourbon bottle in a cool place is acceptable, but bourbon should not be refrigerated as it does not enhance the flavor. Many of the aromas of whiskey are lost when stored in a fridge.
Drinking a whisky that was opened years ago will not make you unwell. It is down to what your taste preference is more than anything else. If a whisky noticeably no longer tastes as good as it once did, then it's probably time to dispose of the bottle.
50-year-old whisky is almost the holy grail in spirits terms. Very few casks of whisky will reach 50 years old and still be drinkable, representing a tiny, tiny fraction of a percent.
The good news is that liquor such as gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, and rum, are considered shelf-stable. That means that as long as you store the bottle properly and it remains unopened, you can consider it safe to drink indefinitely.
Due to the high alcohol content and the fact that alcohol is an antiseptic (it kills bacteria) Bourbon and other whiskies contain little, if any, bacteria. Furthermore, Bourbon and other whiskies are often filtered prior to bottling, which is another deterrent to Bourbon-containing bacteria.
Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs, resulting in a higher likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes. Long-term heavy drinking causes alterations in the neurons, such as reductions in their size.
They tested the bacteria against whiskey, vodka, different types of mixers and various environmental conditions. Bacteria continued to thrive in all of the samples except one: you guessed it, the whiskey. Whiskey was the only drink that completely eliminated all traces of the bacteria.
In general, however, it is safe to drink bourbon that has been aged for 40 years, as long as it has been properly stored. It is possible for whiskey to go bad, but this is unlikely. As long as the seal is intact, the alcohol should be as good as new. There is no danger of consuming an expired bottle of alcohol.
The most sought-after bourbon in the world, Pappy Van Winkle 23-year-old, begins life as 53 gallons of new-make whiskey at 114 proof. What's left in the barrel after 23 years is a mere 14 gallons of bourbon at around 135-140 proof. What makes it into the bottle is even less.
Distilled one very cold day in December 1961 and laid down in two ex-bourbon hogshead casks, our Bowmore 50 Year Old has spent half a century maturing in the legendary No.
No, bourbon will not age in the bottle. Unlike wine, the aging process of aged whiskey will stop after it is bottled. To be considered a straight bourbon, it is required that the distilled spirit is aged for a minimum of two years in a new charred barrel [1].
Be sure you are keeping all bottles of bourbon away from direct sunlight, where UV rays can cause chemical changes that diminish the flavor of your whiskey. Also be sure to keep bottles sealed when not in use, and limit their oxygen exposure to decrease oxidation.
Pot distilled spirits, on the other hand, retain more innate funk and character through the distilling process, and generally benefit from some aging—think Scotch, brandy, mezcal. There are exceptions, of course. (Bourbon is column distilled but very effectively aged.)
Wild Turkey Diamond Anniversary Bourbon is a blend of 13 to 16 year old barrels hand selected by Eddie Russell to commemorate Wild Turkey's 60 years in business.
GORDON & MACPHAIL GENERATIONS MORTLACH 1939. 75 YEARS OLD. This 75 Years Old Mortlach is believed to be the world's oldest and most exclusive single malt Scotch whisky ever released. Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old is presented in a teardrop-shaped Generations decanter.
The first Bourbon king of France was Henry IV. He was born on 13 December 1553 in the Kingdom of Navarre. Antoine de Bourbon, his father, was a ninth-generation descendant of King Louis IX of France.
Our founder, George Garvin Brown, was born September 2, 1846 in Munfordville, KY. In 1863 he moved to Louisville to attend high school, and eventually became a pharmaceutical salesman. And it was that particular line of work that led him to create the First Bottled Bourbon™, Old Forester, in 1870.
The Nelson's Green Brier Distillery will replace Belle Meade in the national market with Nelson Brothers Whiskey featuring a “Classic” line and a “Reserve” line. The classic line will be at 93.3 proof (46.65% alcohol by volume), made with a high rye bourbon mash bill and aged in new charred oak barrels.
Only an infinitesimal number of special barrels have gone the distance of 50 years, and their rarity and longevity always command top dollar. Current offerings of 50 year old scotch, like Dalmore, can cost as much as $60,000 a bottle, making others, like Benromach, look like a veritable bargain at $14,500.
White Dog: The colorless unaged distillate, just as it comes from the still and before it goes into the barrel for aging. Sometimes called "green whiskey" or "high wine” or “new-make”.
Since 2010, prices for bourbon casks have appreciated on average 13.85% per year on average, depending on the distillery and age. In comparison to other asset classes, bourbon has outpaced nearly every other category.
The speed of the aging process is determined by the volume of liquid and the surface area of the wood. That means a smaller barrel will age whiskey faster.
The entire barrel yields close to 200 bottles. Most distilleries start their buy-the-barrel programs around $8000. It can take upwards of two months to get your private selection bottles to your house.
Unopened, a bottle of bourbon won't go bad. You can store it for decades. But once a bottle of bourbon is opened, it's got roughly 1 to 2 years before it goes bad.
Bourbon whiskey has typically aged a minimum of two years, though most brands are aged at least four years and often longer than that. The drastic change in flavor profile comes from how temperature affects the barrels.
This 100 Year Tribute is still a single barrel bourbon and is made using the same mash bill and age as its standard Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon, but it is bottled at 100 proof rather than 90 proof.
An unopened bourbon bottle stored upright in a place with cool temperature and away from light sources has an indefinite shelf life. It could last your whole life, and it will still have the same taste and smell as the day it was first bottled.
50-year-old whisky is almost the holy grail in spirits terms. Very few casks of whisky will reach 50 years old and still be drinkable, representing a tiny, tiny fraction of a percent.
If an old whiskey looks or smells bad, discard it immediately. If it looks and smells fine, taste a small amount to determine if it is safe to drink. If it has a milder taste than usual, that is fine. But if it has a sour, metallic, or other strange taste, discard it.
It is another hard liquor that doesn't age with time. Once the bottle is opened, oxidation takes place which changes the taste and flavour of your drink. It's not just the oxidation but, the temperature where the whiskey bottle is stored and exposure to light can also impact the taste of your drink.
Beyond 12 or so years, however, the prospects get dicey. “When barrels age longer than 15 years, the bourbon picks up a sour or bitter taste from the barrel,” says Wild Turkey master distiller Eddie Russell.
Drinking a whisky that was opened years ago will not make you unwell. It is down to what your taste preference is more than anything else. If a whisky noticeably no longer tastes as good as it once did, then it's probably time to dispose of the bottle.
They tested the bacteria against whiskey, vodka, different types of mixers and various environmental conditions. Bacteria continued to thrive in all of the samples except one: you guessed it, the whiskey. Whiskey was the only drink that completely eliminated all traces of the bacteria.
If sealed correctly, scotch whiskey has a shelf life between 6 months to 2 years, whereas an opened bottle of wine can only last for a few days. Proper storage of unopened whiskey gives it a shelf life of about 10 years.
“While it depends on the type and style,” he says, “20 years is a good number.” But these aren't necessarily hard and fast rules; there are plenty of delectable two-decade-old bourbons out there.
10 year old whisky is a very popular age. Hitting double digits is an important benchmark, and for many it signifies a step up a league. Whether that holds any actual significance, 10 year old whiskies are definitely very popular, with particular favorites being Ardbeg 10 Year Old and Laphroaig 10 Year Old.
The shelf life of Jack Daniels varies significantly on how it is stored. A never once opened bottle can easily last you for 10 years and above, whereas an opened bottle has a shorter shelf life of 6 months to 2 years. What is this? The emptier the bottle, the speed of oxidation will increase and change its flavor.
Whether vodka goes bad or expires will depend on a variety of factors, including proper storage. Most alcohol will remain drinkable indefinitely if it is unopened. It's also unlikely that opened alcohol will “go bad” or be unsafe to drink as its high alcohol content protects it from germs.
Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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