When it comes to whiskey, age is most important. You may have seen (pop culture nerd) Don Draper Mad Man Or harvey specter From Suit Break out a bottle of 20-year-old Scotch for special occasions, because, in most cases, older whiskey tastes better than newer varieties. This is due to three main factors: older whiskeys have a more unique and complex flavor profile, a fuller flavor, and a longer finish.
According to this logic, an 18 year old whiskey is much better than a 3 year old bottle. However, there is widespread confusion about the factors that determine a whiskey’s age – and more importantly, whether Usqubaugh continues to age after being bottled. For example, what if you find a 15 year old bottle of your grandfather’s Glen precious collectionSince it’s been 20 years since he bought it, does that mean the whiskey is now 35 years old? Here’s what you need to know.
Does whiskey age in bottle? Here’s everything you need to know
What is the aging process? Before discussing the pertinent question whether whiskey ages in a bottle, let us first understand how the whole process works. It all starts when Soul Maturing in oak casks. The more time the whiskey spends in the cask, the more flavor it will impart from the wood in which it matures. Different categories of golden nectar have different requirements for this method. For example, Scotch whiskey has to be matured for at least three years (and one day) to be legally classified as scotchWhereas American bourbon must be aged for at least two years in freshly charred oak barrels.
The temperature of the surrounding environment also plays an important role in the aging process. If the cask is stored in a warm climate, the whiskey will mature much faster than if the cask is stored in a cooler climate.
Does whiskey become old after bottling?
Once whiskey is bottled, it stops aging. Usquebaugh gets its flavor from the barrel in which it is matured. This is because the spirit penetrates the wood fibers, breaks down compounds like wood sugars, and then pulls them out of the wood and into the whiskey. Simply put, it is the interaction between the whiskey and the wood that drives the entire aging process. Once the whiskey is put into a bottle, aging process Stops immediately.
So that bottle of Glen from your grandfather’s collection isn’t 45 year old whiskey. If it is unopened, it is still 15 Year Old Scotch and will taste exactly like 15 Year Old Scotch.
It will only reflect changes in flavor based on exposure to oxygen, exposure to light, and temperature fluctuations.
