Can Whisky Continue to Age in Bottle
Does Whiskey Keep Aging in the Bottle?
Aging alcohol has a nice ring to it, I mean, leave a wine bottle around long enough and it might start increasing in value! But is it the same for whiskey?
Does whiskey keep aging in the bottle?
Whiskey doesn't age in the bottle at all. In fact, if kept in good condition, a bottle of whiskey will taste the exact same if you open it now or if you open it ten years from now. Barring outside influences, the flavor or quality of the whiskey does not improve or diminish with time.
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Why Does Wine Age in the Bottle and Not Whiskey?
We've all heard the line about fine wine only getting better with age, but why doesn't that hold true with whiskey? The key difference is in the composition of the product and what happens once the product is bottled.
Wine is the aged and fermented juice of a fruit, most commonly grapes. This juice has natural sugar content and, depending on the wine, some may be added during the winemaking process.
That means that once bottled, the wine still has natural sugar levels and is an organic product. Once in the bottle, the aging process for wine continues as a result, and it can change, for better or worse, with age.
Whiskey, on the other hand, is a combination of water and ethyl alcohol. The flavor of whiskey comes from two sources: the fermented grain mash, which forms the basis of all whiskey, and the cask in which it ages.
Different choices in the type of grain used and the barrel the whiskey is aged in provides the differing flavors. Once the whiskey is distilled and bottled, the aging process stops, meaning that the whiskey doesn't age anymore.
Does That Mean That A Bottle of Whiskey Can't Go Bad?
Because of the lack of aging in the bottle, whiskey doesn't ever truly spoil on its own. The only way that a whiskey can be negatively impacted is by outside sources. For the most part, proper storage conditions can prevent any negative influence. There are two main enemies of whiskey storage: air and light.
Both of these factors can have a negative impact on the flavor of the spirit. Light, particularly direct sunlight, allows UVA rays to interact with the whiskey.
This exposure to light actually breaks down some of the organic components in the beverage (this is why beer and wine are both more light sensitive than whiskey) and causes flavors to evaporate.
Most whiskey is sealed with a cork finish to prevent air from reaching the spirit. That's because prolonged exposure to air actually oxidizes the whiskey diminishing the flavors.
Every time the bottle is opened, new air comes in, adding to this process. This is why it is recommended that whiskey be stored in a cool, dark place, like a liquor cabinet.
It's worth noting that none of this will actually spoil whiskey, just diminish its flavor to the point that most whiskey drinkers will find it unpleasant. It takes an extraordinary circumstance for whiskey to become dangerous to drink.
How and Why Is Whiskey Aged?
Aging is an essential process to whiskey making. This isn't an overstatement. In fact, in Scotland, a spirit must be aged for a minimum of three years in a cask before it can even be legally called whiskey.
Many whiskeys are aged for a much more extended period of time, with many whiskeys being bottled after about 12 years. However, some whiskeys can be aged for as many as 75 years!
Whiskey is only put into barrels after it's gone through several steps. The process only includes grain, water and yeast, but the process is still involved.
The process requires malting (optional), mashing, fermenting, and distilling (which is normally done a minimum of two times). Only after the whiskey is distilled is it ready for maturation.
At this point, the spirit is put into its casks to become whiskey. Generally, these are oak casks that have been charred, although that's not always the case.
The casks are a major component of how whiskey gets its flavor. The most common type of oak barrels used, are made with American wood.
Many distilleries actually use casks that have been used in other alcohol creations to impart added flavor. For instance, many distilleries will use sherry casks, which are toasted and not charred, to give a different flavor.
During this aging process, the cask imparts flavor to the spirit. However, this isn't the only factor that imparts age. Since a cask is made of wood, it can take on the characteristics of the area surrounding it.
For instance, a whiskey aged on the coast and one aged in the Highlands of Scotland would taste notably different, even if everything about it was the same. This is one reason why the region is an important part of whiskey's characteristics.
Some distilleries have even taken this to the extreme. For example, some whiskeys are aged at sea, to impart a truly unique flavor.
This is done by taking the casks and loading them onto a boat to age and acquire a new flavor. The barrel and its surroundings play a massive part in the flavor of the final product.
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Why Is Aged Whiskey More Expensive?
Generally speaking, a whiskey that was aged in barrel for 12 years will be more expensive than one aged for 6. There are a few reasons for this.
First off, there is a perception that older whiskeys have a higher quality. Even more pertinent is the fact that older whiskeys are rarer and harder to produce.
That's because whiskey actually evaporates during the aging process. The oak casks are permeable, allowing air into the barrels during the years of aging.
On average, a barrel loses 2% of its spirit for every year of aging. This loss is called "the angel's share," and Scottish lore tells that whiskey is so divine that the angels can't resist in having their share as the spirit ages.
That means that a barrel that has been aging for 12 years has substantially and significantly less whiskey inside of it than a barrel that was aged for the minimum three years.
Since the process is the same to make an older whiskey, it means that older whiskeys cost substantially more to the distillery to make.
Combined with the higher perception of quality and the relative rarity of older whiskeys, it makes sense that there is a higher price point associated with it.
Are Other Spirits Aged Like Whiskey?
Aging is a legal requirement for a spirit to become a whiskey, but it can be an optional component for other spirits. Aging varies from spirit to spirit.
For example, gin doesn't need any aging to be drinkable, although some distilleries do age their gin in barrels to impart flavor.
Vodka is another example of a spirit that doesn't generally get aged.
Other spirits, like rum, are almost always aged in barrels. A good rule of thumb to consider is that if a spirit has a brown color, then it likely has seen some form of aging.
What Are the Different Types of Whiskey?
Whiskey is a pretty general category of spirit, and there are lots of types of whiskey. The differences between them can come from a couple of sources. Sometimes, the difference is simply geographic, and sometimes it is how the whiskey itself is made.
- Scotch: Simply referred to as whisky in Scotland (and yes, leaving off the e in that spelling is intentional), this refers simply to any whiskey that comes from Scotland. Scotch can only originate from Scotland. Also, Scotch is almost always made with malted barley.
- Irish Whiskey: For the historically rival regions, the e is added back into the word and again requires the whiskey be made only in Ireland (think Jameson!). However, other than spelling, there aren't any substantial differences between Irish whiskey and Scotch.
- Bourbon: One of America's quintessential spirits, bourbon can only be made in the United States. However, the difference isn't just the region.
Whereas Scotch and Irish whiskey are made with malted barley, a bourbon must be made with at least 51% corn. Other requirements include that the distilled liquid must be lower than 160 proof and then put into the barrel at 125 proof or less.
Also, no additives can be put into the spirit. While most often associated with Kentucky, bourbon can be made anywhere in the US.
- Rye: This one is a little bit confusing. Rye whiskey may refer to Canadian whiskey. However, no rye is actually used when making the spirit. That said, American rye whiskey exists and requires a minimum of 51% rye to be used in the process. So I hope I cleared that one up for you.
- Tennessee Whiskey – Made only in Tennessee, this requires a special process, called the Lincoln County Process. Before aging, the whiskey is actually filtered through charcoal chips. The most famous whiskey of this variety is Jack Daniel's.
What Is Single Malt Whiskey And Is It Aged Differently?
Particularly with Scotch, one of the biggest questions people ask pertain the differences between single malt and blended whiskeys.
There is a perception that single malts are inherently better than blends. It all comes down to personal preference, but one thing is certain: single malts and blends are different.
Single malt whiskey comes only from pot stills at one distillery. Basically, a single malt whiskey comes from one batch of whiskey at one location.
On the other hand, a blended whiskey combines multiple single malts in a column still. A good blend is smooth and harmonious. The point of these whiskeys is different.
A single malt is designed to showcase the qualities of a specific region or distillery, making it very distinct.
A blend is made to be smooth and easy to drink. However, in either instance, the whiskey is aged in oak casks for final maturation.
How Much Whiskey Is in a Barrel?
With all the talk about barrels, casks, and aging, it may beg the question of just how much whiskey is aged in a single barrel. There is no single and easy answer as there are many different sizes used from a variety of barrel manufacturers.
Perhaps the most common size is that of a standard bourbon barrel, which holds about 53 gallons, which means that each barrel would have about 265 fifths in it once filled.
However, recall that the angel's share means that about a gallon of that spirit would evaporate for each year the whiskey is aged.
What Is Peated Whiskey, and How is it Different?
Even to those new to whiskey, it can be easy to tell the difference between a peated whiskey and a non-peated whiskey. Peated whiskey has an instantly recognizable smoky flavor that isn't present in the rest of the whiskey world.
These tend to be polarizing, most either really enjoy peated whiskeys or strongly dislike them.
Primarily associated with Scotland, peated whiskeys actually acquire their flavor during the malted process. The start of the whiskey-making process involves fermenting barley in a mash.
At this point, the malted barley needs to be dried in a kiln. Traditionally, this was done by heating the kiln with a fire. In Scotland, peat was the most readily accessible fuel for a fire and was used to heat houses as well as kilns.
When burned, peat gives off a particularly aromatic smoke that even permeates the kiln. Scientifically, this adds phenols to the whiskey, which alters the flavor of the spirit itself.
The flavors that are most commonly associated with it are smoke, tar, and even ash. Since many consumers prefer unpeated whiskeys, many distilleries switched to fires stoked with alternate fuel.
However, peated whiskeys are still available, and many consumers seek them out. While peated whiskeys can be made anywhere in the world, they are currently most strongly associated with the Islay region of Scotland.
That being considered, the aging process is generally identical between peated and unpeated whiskeys. The distinctive flavor of the spirit comes solely from the malting process and not from the aging.
Whiskeys of either variety need to be aged for several years before they are ready for consumption.
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Source: https://vifbarware.com/does-whiskey-keep-aging-in-the-bottle-heres-the-truth-scotch-bourbon-etc/