Whiskey falls under the category of spirits, which are alcoholic beverages made by fermenting and distilling grains.
Vodka is also a spirit that can come from potatoes or grains, so not all spirits come from distilling grains. Nevertheless, the process remains the same.
Whiskey can be distilled once or several times, depending on the manufacturer, and it needs to rest and age before bottling.
The whiskey-making process may also include charcoal filtration, adding flavor during maturation, and other manufacturer-specific procedures.
Therefore, in addition to all falling under the spirit category, different brands of whiskey may have nothing in common, even though they are the same type of drink. Moreover, the whiskey spirit category further divides into subcategories, such as bourbon, single malt whiskey, Scotch, etc.
All these traits make whiskey a unique drink, and a very highly regarded one, as a lot of effort is needed to make even the simplest and most traditional kind of whiskey.
So, when it comes to whiskey and its complexity, it would be nice to know how long you can enjoy it, as most of us don’t finish the bottle the same day when we bought it.
Whiskey is a slow sipper and cocktail mixer, and in no case is it intended to chug, like beer, for instance.
Therefore the slower you drink it, the more you enjoy it. If your whiskey is better for a cocktail, then again, you probably won’t be drinking the entire bottle in a short period of time.
So, can a fine whiskey overnight?
A fine whiskey is a whiskey that ages for a longer time and is also free of artificial flavorings and colors. A fine whiskey can absolutely age overnight, and it won’t even feel it.
However, even a whiskey with artificial flavorings and colors can also overnight, as the distillation process makes whiskey and any spirit very durable.
Whiskey is not a perishable product, so it’s not like leaving milk open overnight. The distillation process is what gives whiskey its durability and resilience. Basically, the chemical interaction between the elements is what triggers spoilage.
Whiskey is a very pure drink, so any chemical reaction is not very likely to happen. However, oxidation can make it lose quality, but it again, it won’t spoil in the traditional sense of the word. An unopened bottle of whiskey can stay unchanged indefinitely.
Unlike wine, which gets better with age, whiskey will not get any better, but it won’t get any worse, either. The problem arises when the protective seal breaks, which is when oxygen enters the bottle.
However, even then, the whiskey will stay good for a long time, as the oxidation process takes longer to start and develop. So, whether you open your whiskey or not, you have a significant amount of time until it starts showing signs of oxidation.
In this article, I will explain everything about the whiskey duration period and how to store it so that you can enjoy it the longest.
Can You Leave Whiskey Out Overnight?
Yes, you can leave whiskey out overnight. Whiskey doesn’t require refrigeration, and therefore you can leave it on the counter and find it the next day in the same state in which you left it.
An unopened bottle of whiskey can stay good indefinitely, as the only thing that could start altering it is the oxidation process. The oxidation process needs oxygen to trigger it, and an unopened bottle of whiskey is sealed so that oxygen cannot penetrate inside the liquid.
Once the protective seal break, your whiskey becomes more vulnerable to the elements, mainly oxygen. Nevertheless, even if you leave your whiskey open overnight, it will still be safe, as oxidation is a slow process and it takes time to develop.
Though the oxidation may start the instant you remove the protective seal, it will need a long time until it makes a difference in the whiskey.
To keep your whiskey safe for as long as possible, you can be mindful of the way you store it. Although whiskey isn’t very demanding when it comes to storing, it does do better under certain conditions.
Don’t leave your whiskey out overnight without the cap on. Always put the cap back on the bottleneck and tighten it up. Keep your whiskey in a cool and dark room. Although the spoilage process develops slowly, keeping your whiskey under optimal conditions can never harm it.
How Long Can Whiskey Be Left Out?
An unopened whiskey is good indefinitely. As long as oxygen doesn’t penetrate the liquid, your whiskey will be safe and sound. It won’t change at all, and it will be in the same shape as it was when it was bottled.
Even an opened whiskey is very durable, and it doesn’t require refrigeration unless that is your personal preference and you like drinking your whiskey cold or chilled.
Even though the oxidation process starts right after opening the bottle and breaking the protective sea, you still have plenty of time to enjoy your perfectly fine whiskey.
An opened bottle of whiskey is still good for at least six months after opening it, and it can push up to two years if you keep it under good conditions. Make sure you keep it out of light and in a cool place, as light and heat can speed up the oxidation process.
Moreover, heat and light can trigger chemical reactions inside the liquid, making it seem blurry instead of clear, which is often the case with low-shelf whiskeys that contain plenty of artificial colorings and flavorings. The more impure the whiskey is, the faster it will spoil.
Luckily, even the cheapest, most lowlife whiskies are pretty pure since they have to be distilled, so there is not much heat and light can do during the first few months after you open it.
How Long Can Whisky Be Kept After Opening?
After opening your bottle of whiskey, you have at least six months to enjoy it, as it will taste like it did when you first opened it. However, after six months, if you still have your bottle of whiskey, you need to store it properly.
Proper storage is always necessary and beneficial, so you don’t have to wait for six months to give your opened bottle of whiskey the best possible storage conditions. Storing your whiskey well can considerably prolong its shelf-life for up to two years.
To make your whiskey last as long as possible, store it in a cool, dark, and dry place. The heat and light may speed up the oxidation process and also trigger some additional chemical reactions in the bottle.
Ethanol evaporation will happen no matter how you store your whiskey, but the hotter it is, the faster it will progress. Moreover, the ethanol starts evaporating from the bottle the hotter the storage space is.
The ethanol evaporation will weaken your whiskey, but it will also make it taste a little bland. Nevertheless, it is a process that takes a long time, just like oxidation.
Is A Glass Of Whiskey A Night OK?
Generally speaking, there is no harm in anything that you do in moderation. If you don’t have any health problems or a certain condition that makes you intolerant to alcohol or that alcohol makes it progress, it is perfectly ok to have a glass of whiskey a night.
It is a well-known fact that alcohol can have a beneficial effect on circulatory health. Although it isn’t nutrient-dense, alcohol does a good job disinfecting the, and in moderate amounts, it can be beneficial.
Moreover, for a healthy person, having a glass of whiskey a night can even have a therapeutic effect.
In addition, alcohol can be a good stress reliever, so a glass of whiskey a night can be an excellent way to finish your day and relax. As long as you don’t go overboard and turn the one glass into many glasses a night, you will be just fine.
Is Old Whiskey Safe To Drink?
If you have been keeping an opened bottle of whiskey for years, it is technically old in human years, but in whiskey years, it hasn’t aged a day. So, an old whiskey isn’t a whiskey that has been sitting unopened in your basement. Since you can keep it indefinitely, it is absolutely safe to drink it.
If you have an opened bottle of whiskey, it is still safe to drink, as whiskey doesn’t spoil in the traditional sense. It may get blurry and taste bland, but it won’t do you any harm health-wise.
Also, stale whiskey isn’t enjoyable at all, so I seriously doubt that you will keep on drinking it once you’ve noticed that it doesn’t taste good.
Resources:
- https://blackenedwhiskey.com/blog/does-whiskey-expire/
