I’m just repeating what @Sarah_Kirschbaum said, but am doing so because it’s so important … “bottle aging” is not a thing with whisky. And, once opened, the spirit will degrade — how quickly that happens will depend on various factors, not the least of which is personal palate preference/sensitivity.
In summary, to my knowledge and based on my own experience, bottle aging whisky does absolutely nothing to help them.
Actually, I didn’t say that - whisky does age in bottle. Just very, very slowly. OBE (Old Bottle Effect) is a real thing.
Edited to add that whisky can change a LOT in bottle in the first year or so after bottling. There is bottle shock, just like wine. Having tasted all our imports immediately after bottling and then several times over the next few months to a year, I know this to be true. Our Ledaig went from something I didn’t much care for to something I liked quite a bit.
Also, while it’s definitely true that the spirit will degrade with air, especially if there’s a lot of headspace, some air is often a reall good thing, with bottles needing to wake up or settle down after being opened.
Interesting, I have wondered how different availability is in UK or EU. Last year I stumbled on a shelf full of Springbank 10 at Costco for like $80. Bought one to try, should have bought a few more.
How much in-bottle time is required before you notice which changes?
if it was Springbank’s 10 yo cask strength that is a very unfortunate missed opportunity.
Probably not, think it was the regular green label. Even so…
I don’t think there’s any rule, many years or probably decades. I think of it as mellowing, getting a little dustier, earthier, harsh notes and smoke can fade. It can add complexity, but it can bring out some volatile notes, too, which isn’t always a good thing. Some people love it. OBE is highly sought after by a lot of collectors.
@M.Kaplan can add more color, I’m sure, having had a lot more old bottles than I have.
For Bourbon I’m thinking probably 30-40+ years plus before it becomes “dusty”
I dislike OBE in whisky. I regularly open bottles that were bottled 50+ years ago and they show none, because they are stored properly in a cool, dark room, upright, often with the neck sealed with Parafilm to retard oxidation and selective evaporation (not every compound evaporates at the same rate, if at all).
OBE often shows dusty, muted aromatics and tastes unbalanced, stale and harsh. I’m not a chemist, but I assume that the combination of oxidation and selective evaporation creates structural imbalance. I often pick up a caraway/celery seed herbaceous finish, too. I imagine light strike is often a factor, too for anything stuck on a shelf in a clear bottle.
Chartreuse, on the other hand, changes for the better in bottle, glacially, over many decades. None of the detriments of OBE. I assume that the sugar has something/a lot to do with it. I love old Chartreuse.
I’ve only had Springbank 10 before (in Kyoto), but really liked it.
This is pricey but i don’t drink it a lot so thinking of a purchase. Around $250 plus plus. Is this a good choice?
Interesting. For me, that just sounds like very slow and gradual degradation over a very long time, which I think should be reasonably expected with nearly any beverage or food product.
But what’s happening in bottle is quite different than what is happening in barrel. So you can’t just buy a 30 yo whisky (bottled at 30 yo), sit on it for 10 years, and then expect it to present as it would if it had been barrel-aged for 40 years. I know you know this, just putting it out there for others who might not know.
I have my own beliefs on this question, but since I doubt I’ve ever experienced OBE to any meaningful degree I’ll just ask: do you feel whiskies develop in the bottle aromatically, texturally, and tastewise the way fine wines do?
Of course you can’t - the way whisky ages in barrel is largely because of the barrel.
And no, it’s not like wine. No one thinks it ages like wine in bottle, even those who like OBE.
When I asked chat CPT about Springbank 15, saying I liked the older versions of Macallan 18, it steered me towards this
: [GlenDronach] 18 Allardice
Glenfarcas 17 or 21
And said I should try a glass of the Springbank 15
.
Comments on the above whiskies?
They are not like Springbank.
They were trying to suggest one like old Macallan 18
Also not like Springbank. I wouldn’t buy a Macallan 18 distilled after 1978. Starting with the 1979 vintage (in order to juice the cashflow in anticipation of selling to the eventual Japanese buyers), they cherry picked the best casks of 18 for Gran Riserva.
How is HazelBurn, anybody like it? Worth chasing? We,don’t get any Spingbank here but as a peat averse guy I’ve always wanted to try.
Well , never having a Springbank 15, guess I’ll just pass on them all.
I don’t think it’s bad; I also don’t think it’s anything special. But I love peat, and generally look to Highland/Speyside for my unpeated whiskies. as always, YMMV.
