Whisky collecting and investing is a trend sweeping the world. There are now investment funds in the tens of millions purely dedicated to whisky investment. So it seems that whisky investment is taking off like investment in wine grew rapidly in the 1980s. Just like wine you cannot open your bottle of whisky otherwise all value (other than drinking) is gone. And like fine wine, you must store your whisky correctly.
Unlike wine which has centuries worth of storage procedures, storing bottled whisky is a relatively new concept. One thing for sure, storing whisky is easier than storing wine or beer! Here are some rules to protect you whisky for decades – centuries even!
Temperature
Avoid extremes of heat – you don’t want to store your whisky in a room that’s too hot or too cold. Whisky won’t freeze unless the temperature goes below 112 degrees celsius and wont boil unless the temperature goes above 78 degrees celsius. Both these temperatures depend on the proof of the whisky – in other words how much water is in the whisky. More whisky less water (higher proof) means the whisky will be much less susceptible to changes in temperature.
Evaporation
It’s really a mixture of heat and humidity but it has to do with evaporation. Whisky, unlike wine, doesn’t mature in the bottle so there’s really not an “ideal” temperature (unlike wine, which is said to mature best between 12°C and 16°C). You want to keep it fairly cool because a higher, dryer temperature will result in faster evaporation if the seal of the cork is not 100%.
Consider wrapping all your bottles at the cap seal with Parafilm tape. Parafilm is a plastic paraffin film with a paper backing produced by in the United States and primarily used in laboratories. It is commonly used for sealing or protecting vessels and bottles. It is a ductile, malleable, waterproof, odourless, translucent and cohesive thermoplastic Parafin tape will help cut down evaporation greatly.
Light
Avoid light at all costs! Unlike beer, which is usually bottled in dark brown bottles, whisky is generally stored in lighter coloured bottles, usually clear, to show of its amazing radiant colour. Beer is stored in dark bottles to protect it from light, which changes the chemical composition of hops. When you boil hops, it releases/produces isohumulones, aka isomerised alpha acids, which produces the same chemicals that skunks spray when they come into contact with visible or UV light (hence the term “skunked beer”). Whisky is less affected by this but it still is a factor.
Another important factor to consider about light – is damage to the packaging, especially the front label. Collectable whisky must have a good label intact and the original packaging must not be faded. This significantly reduce the value of the whisky! Where sunlight or light touches the label, it will fade over time diminishing the bottle’s value. A dark place is best for storage away from sunlight.
Air
The reason air affects whisky has to do with oxidation, the same reason it affects wines and other spirits once they’ve been open. Air also influences the rate of evaporation, for example hot air will cause more evaporation. If possible store your whisky closer to the ground BUT not on the ground!
Storage
While storing wine we are advised to rest the bottle on its side. With whisky all you need is a standard shelf and you don’t really want the cork bathed in whisky all the time because the alcohol content is too high. Cork comes from a thick spongy tree and its great for plugging bottles, but high proof whisky slowly erodes the cork over time. The higher proof the whisky and the more it touches the cork, the faster the cork will break down.
Screw cap bottles are normally firmly affixed with a seal, but its worth checking the cap is turned tightly. Be careful not to break the seal! If you break the seal the whisky is no longer collectable nor investment grade.
If you would to sell your collectable or valuable whisky, please visit MyBottleShop’s Whisky Sale and Evaluation page.