What alcohol gets better with age? (2023)

What types of alcohol get better with age?

Aging spirits like whiskey, brandy, and rum allows them to become more refined and gives them their classic color and flavor. Brandy and whiskey are the most common types of aged spirits, but scotch, tequila, and bourbon can also be aged to add depth and complexity.

Aging is the process of storing distilled spirits (or wines) in barrels for a specific period of time. The goal of maturation is to remove harsh flavors from the raw alcohol while adding distinct flavor characteristics found in the barrel's wood.

In a nutshell, aging spirits is done to give them a superior flavor and drinking quality. Aging allows specific chemical reactions to occur, as well as simply allowing the spirits to “steep” and develop flavor over time. Ultimately, aging spirits makes for a more enjoyable drinking experience.

It's true that it doesn't work like wine, people don't leave whisky in the bottle to improve its taste. However, factors such as oxidation and exposure to sunlight can change the taste of whisky that has been sitting on the shelf. Most enthusiasts will agree that the change is not for the better, however.

The whole purpose behind ageing spirits is to reduce the harsher flavours that are associated with raw alcohol, while introducing flavours that are found in the wood of the barrel, which adds a distinct taste.

Unlike other spirits, tequila does not improve with age. In fact, tequila that has been aged in oak barrels for more than two years is considered over-aged and may taste unpleasant. When stored in a glass bottle, tequila will not change in flavor or quality over time.

When it comes to rum and other spirits, age matters. Generally speaking, older rum is considered to be of higher quality than its younger counterparts, and for good reason: the overall taste and texture of rum improves with age.

Believe it or not, red wine keeps you looking young since it's full of antioxidants that fight ageing and restore collagen.

While some aging is desirable to achieve the best flavor profile, too much aging can actually cause the Bourbon to lose flavor. A great distiller can find the sweet spot in the aging process where the youngest whiskey no longer has its sharp, unfinished taste but hasn't succumbed to flavor loss from over-aging.

Yes, some beers can improve with age, but cellaring beer provides no guarantee that the beer will be any better than when it was fresh. True, the volatile compounds, like hop aroma, that make up flavors and aromas change when beer is aged.

Does Jack Daniels get better with age?

Unlike wine, an unopened bottle of whiskey does not get better the longer it sits on your shelf. It can sit there for years, even decades, as long as it's stored in the right environment, particularly the right temperature (room temperature, around 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit).

50-year-old whisky is almost the holy grail in spirits terms. Very few casks of whisky will reach 50 years old and still be drinkable, representing a tiny, tiny fraction of a percent.

Practically speaking, cognac ageing decreases the alcohol dryness sensation, grants colour to the spirit (which still is crystal clear up until here), develops fruity and spicy aromas.

If a cognac has been aged for longer, it does not necessarily mean it is better. Younger cognacs, such as a VS, tend to have a fresher, livelier aromas of fruit, where as older eaux-de-vie such as VSOPs tend to be smoother, with clear notes of oak and spices.

Whiskey that has been over aged can taste bitter or ashy because the wood flavor takes over the grains. Depending on the type of whiskey, where it was produced, and the quality of the wood barrels, anything from 5 to 20 years of aging will make the perfect spirit in your bar.

Once opened, there aren't many changes. Vodka is a durable spirit. The shelf life of opened vodka is around 10 to 20 years. Having opened the bottle, the seal will be weaker and the oxidation more rapid, relatively speaking.

tequila has an indefinite shelf life. After opening a bottle, the flavor and aroma will deteriorate over time. If you have an open bottle of wine in your cabinet for a long time, it is most likely safe to drink. If you notice that the liquor tastes strange, smells strange, or has an odor, discard it.

When stored properly in a cabinet at room temperature, your tequila will last indefinitely but you should still drink it within a few years because evaporation can happen even if the bottle is unopened. In the same manner, most popular liquors like whiskey and vodka shelf life are practically indefinite as well.

Anything that's been distilled, such as gin, vodka, rum, tequila or whisky, stops aging once it's been bottled. Most brands are best enjoyed in the first year.

Does gin get better with age?

Unopened gin has a shelf life of several years - or even longer. So long as the bottle or seal isn't broken, i.e. no air has been getting in, the alcohol will taste exactly the same when you do finally open it as when you bought it. Unlike wine, bottled gin doesn't get better with age!

If unopened and properly stored, the flavor of your rum can hold up for over twenty years. The taste will likely have changed slightly in that time span, but it should still be good to drink. If the bottle has been opened, its aging process speeds up dramatically.

The effects of alcohol change as we age

You may also notice that your body's reaction to alcohol is different than before. Some older people feel the effects of alcohol more strongly without increasing the amount they drink. This can make them more likely to have accidents such as falls, fractures, and car crashes.

Allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to drink alcohol in regulated environments with supervision would decrease unsafe drinking activity. There are fewer drunk driving traffic accidents and fatalities in many countries with MLDA of 18.

Whiskey is meant to be enjoyed over time, but once you open a bottle, the clock starts ticking. Most scientists believe that if your bottle is at least half full, it can last one to two years, but if it's almost empty, with a quarter or less whiskey left, it'll expire in about six months.

Those who do not take medication and are in good health should limit their total alcohol consumption to no more than seven drinks per week. Additionally, those 65+ should consume no more than three drinks on any given day.

“Many factors appear to be involved in worsening of hangover in old age. One is that the liver capacity to cope with the toxicity of acetaldehyde decreases as we get old,” Kim said in an email. Acetaldehyde is directly detoxified in the liver by an antioxidant called glutathione.

It's never too late to stop drinking, even if you're already experiencing health problems as a result of excess alcohol consumption. The amount of alcohol required to do long-term damage is surprisingly low, so even cutting back by a few drinks a week can have a dramatic impact on your health and longevity.

Drinking by those under the age 21 is a public health problem. Excessive drinking contributes to more than 3,900 deaths among people below the age of 21 in the U.S. each year. Underage drinking cost the U.S. economy $24 billion in 2010.

Teens get drunk twice as fast as adults,⁹ but have more trouble knowing when to stop. Teens naturally overdo it and binge more often than adults. Enforcing the legal drinking age of 21 reduces traffic crashes,^4-6 protects young people's maturing brains,^12,14 and keeps young people safer overall.

Does lower drinking age have less problems?

People who begin alcohol use before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop problems with alcohol than those who wait until they're 21, according to the CDC.