If you buy say an 8 year old whisky, if you dont open it for another 20 years does it get better?

Question

I know an 8 year old whisky is alot cheaper than a 40 year old whisky but is that because theyve been aged for that long in a barrell or can you just leave it in the bottle and it will get better? Or will it get worse if i leave it. Please clarify.

Thanks.

Answer 1

No, it doesn't work like that.  Once it's in the bottle, it'll stay in the same condition for years and years (if unopened) but it won't mature, or get any better.  The maturation process comes from the cask the whisky is stored in - traditionally old sherry casks which give the whisky it's colour and depth (this only applies to single malts, grain blends are often coloured with caramel or the equivalent) although there are various special editions - for example, matured in bourbon casks and so on.

Answer 2

Nah just drink it now. If u leave it out for 32 more years, it wont be like 40 year old whisky. Whisky will definatly not mature in the bottle. So next time you have a hard time at work, come home, and drink yourself silly =)

Answer 3

if you leave in for 20 years .u would only be 20 years older

Answer 4

All the biz takes place in the barrel whilst it's maturing. What happens in the bottle afterwards is.......

nothing ! ! !

Answer 5

Ohhh.

When I First Read Your Question I Thought You Was Planning On Buying An 8 Year Old Child Some Whisky.

Oops.

Answer 6

the aging process has to happen in barrels otherwise nothing better comes out of it because the flavour wont get anymore complex. in fact it can get wasted if you keep em that long. alot of things can happen to a bottle, spillage, breakage, contents can even evaporate when not kept properly you'll end up stuck with 3/4 a bottle.

Answer 7

Aging only counts in the barrels, not in the bottle.

I don't think that the drinkability of the stuff will change from one year to the next.

Answer 8

No once it's taken out of the barrel and bottled the ageing process stops....

Answer 9

its aged in the barrel, or the time in a barrel is what counts, as long as its kept away from extreme light etc so it doesn't evaporate it will stay the same, no better no worse- spirits don't go off like wine or beer, and they also don't age or change once bottled

Answer 10

Once it's in the bottle it's lights out my dear lol