# Whisky aging in its own glass bottle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296 "2003-12-27T20:08:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crow\_t\_robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@crow\_t\_robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crow_t_robot)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/1 "2003-12-27T20:08:11Z")
Does the taste deteriorate if it is kept unopened in its original glass bottle or does it get better (like wine-or so we are told). Googling just brings up cask aging etc. thanks ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/2 "2003-12-27T20:16:00Z")
No cite handy, but I’ve always been told that once the whisky is bottled, the aging process stops, so no it doesn’t get any better. I’m not sure about actual deterioration, but you will get some evaporation if the bottle is left for a very long time - even sealed. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/3 "2003-12-27T20:50:14Z")
From [here](http://www.heartoscotland.com/Categories/ScotchWhisky.htm) > [@](#): > > Scotch whisky is left to age in wooden casks for years (sometimes as long as 25 years). As soon as it hits the bottle, whisky stops aging, so year of bottling determines the age, not how long the bottle has been sitting in the cupboard. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/4 "2003-12-27T21:08:42Z")
Yes, it’s a truism that whiskey (or any other distilled spirit, as opposed to wine) doesn’t “age” in the bottle. But I wonder whether the flavor changes over time. It certainly doesn’t go “bad,” however. Check out [www.whiskymag.com](http://www.whiskymag.com) for more info. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/5 "2003-12-27T21:18:34Z")
If it still aged in the bottle, why would they store it in wooden barrels for up to 25 years. Many years ago there was a contest for the best use of the discarded barrels. Making furniture out of them was one of the winners, although I haven’t seen this done for quite awhile. The point being that just disposing of the barrels was an extra cost, that could be avoided if aging accured in bottles. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/6 "2003-12-28T04:45:38Z")
The aging process is an interaction between the charred oak of the barrel and the whiskey. The barrels used are usually ones that previously held wine. There’s nothing in a bottle to react to the whiskey. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/7 "2003-12-28T05:34:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AskNott \* > The aging process is an interaction between the charred oak of the barrel and the whiskey. The barrels used are usually ones that previously held wine. There’s nothing in a bottle to react to the whiskey. I believe it is _Sherry_ wine. It used to be that they would use casks which had been used to ship Sherry to the UK but now that sherry is shipped bottled Whisky manufacturers pay to have the casks built and seasoned in Spain with Sherry wine and then shipped to them. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whisky-aging-in-its-own-glass-bottle/221296/8 "2003-12-28T14:17:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AskNott \* > \*\*The barrels used [to make whiskey] are usually ones that previously held wine. \*\* Not Bourbon whiskey, which must be aged in new charred oak barrels.