An unopened bottle of spirits keeps indefinitely if stored upright away from heat and light. Once opened, whisky, gin, vodka, rum and tequila stay safe to drink, but Drinks House 247 suggests finishing them within one to two years, because air slowly fades the aroma, and faster once the bottle is less than a third full.
Spirits do not go off in the way wine, beer or milk do. Their high alcohol content, usually 37.5% to 40% ABV or more, stops bacteria and moulds from growing, so an opened bottle will not make anyone ill. What does change is the flavour. Over months and years, an opened bottle loses some of what made it worth buying.
Two things. First, oxidation: the air that enters the bottle slowly reacts with aroma compounds, flattening the brighter notes. Second, evaporation: every time the cap comes off, a little alcohol and aroma escape. Neither happens quickly, but both accelerate as the level in the bottle drops, because there is more air in contact with less liquid. This empty space at the top of the bottle is called headspace.
| Spirit | Best within, once opened | What fades first |
|---|---|---|
| Vodka | Years; changes very little | Very little to lose |
| Gin | About 1 to 2 years | Fresh citrus and floral botanicals |
| Blanco tequila | About 1 to 2 years | Bright, peppery agave notes |
| Aged tequila, rum and brandy | About 1 to 2 years | Top notes; the oak character lasts longer |
| Whisky | About 1 to 2 years if more than half full | Delicate fruit and floral aromas; smoke lasts well |
| Cream liqueurs | Follow the label | Dairy content can spoil; keep cool |
| Vermouth and fortified wines | About 1 to 2 months, in the fridge | Freshness; it oxidises like wine |
These are guides for flavour, not safety. A bottle opened three years ago is still safe; it may simply taste flatter than it did.
A full bottle has only a small pocket of air. A bottle with a few centimetres left has a large one, so the remaining spirit is exposed to far more oxygen. A whisky that tasted the same for a year at three-quarters full can change noticeably within months once it is down to its last quarter. If you have a special bottle in that state, the best option is to drink it, or pour it into a smaller bottle that it fills to the top.
Natural corks in spirits bottles can dry out and crumble over many years, particularly if the bottle is stored in a warm room. If a cork breaks, strain the spirit through a clean coffee filter to remove any fragments and move it to a bottle with a screw cap or a spare stopper. The spirit itself is unaffected.
No. Whisky and other aged spirits only develop while they are in the cask, where wood and air work on them over years. Once bottled, they stop ageing. A 12-year-old whisky bottled in 2010 is still a 12-year-old whisky today. Unopened, it will taste much as it did on release; opened, it will slowly lose aroma.
Compare it with your memory of the first pour, or with a fresh bottle if you have one. Signs of fading include a muted nose, a thinner texture and a shorter finish. If you notice a sour, musty or cardboard-like smell, the cork may have been tainted; that is unpleasant but not harmful.
Not in a harmful way. Their high alcohol content prevents spoilage. But opened spirits slowly lose aroma and flavour, so most are best within one to two years.
About one to two years if the bottle is more than half full. Once it is down to the last quarter or so, the flavour can fade within months.
Gin stays safe to drink, but its fresh citrus and floral notes fade over time. Aim to finish an opened bottle within one to two years.
Yes. Store spirits upright, tightly sealed, away from light and heat. High-strength alcohol can damage a cork kept in constant contact with it.
Browse whisky, gin and spirits, or see how whisky delivery and vodka delivery work across London. For more on storage, read whether spirits need the fridge and how to set up a drinks trolley.
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