How to Store Whisky

Don’t worry, storing Laphroaig® isn’t as complex as making it. But there are a few things we recommend for home whisky storage to keep the colour and flavour of your whisky alive and kicking.

BOTTOMS DOWN

While wine is better stored on its side to keep the cork moist, whisky is a different story. If the whisky’s touching the cork, its higher proof will degrade it. So a trick of the trade is to store your bottle of Laphroaig® upright.

SUNLIGHT ISN’T YOUR FRIEND

Whisky survives better in the dark. The UV rays in sunshine fade the colour of whisky and prompt chemical reactions that compromise its quality. So keep your bottle in a cupboard, cellar or a dark corner.

NOT TOO HOT OR COLD

Laphroaig® likes the temperature just right. Too hot and the whisky will expand causing it to come into contact with the cork and potentially erode it. Too cold and the flavours become dull. So no saunas, freezers, or places where the temperature fluctuates wildly please. Ideally between 15°C-18°C or 59°F-64°F, which is room temperature.

CORK CARE

While overexposure to the alcohol in the whisky can degrade the cork over time, you don’t actually want the cork to be perfectly dry either. If it becomes brittle, it’ll lose its seal and even break off into the bottle. So every once in a while, give it a little tip to briefly wet the cork. When you wet your whistle perhaps.

DON’T LET IT HANG AROUND TOO LONG

Once the bottle is opened, the whisky oxidizes faster. This means flavour compounds slowly change and dull. By no means do we want you to rush through something so special. Just know that an opened bottle will have different flavours after a while.

BOTTLE IS BEST

There aren’t many sights more pleasing than whisky in a decanter, so we get the appeal. But unless yours seals properly, we wouldn’t recommend it for long-term storage. So remember – decanter for serving, bottle for preserving.

We hope these few steps for how to store whisky at home help keep your Laphroaig® in tip-top condition. Although we have every confidence your whisky won’t be in storage for long.