Time in opened bottle: best and worst?

I had almost forgotten Jim Croce.

@RikS One bottle that surprised me how much it improved over about a year was Talisker 10 - it lost some sharpness and became deeper over time. One which didn't fare so well with time open was Ardbeg 10 - the peat went quite flat and I didn't really enjoy the last couple of inches of the bottle (also over about a year).

I could bore you all to tears answering this one ha!

Suffice to say, as a general rule I find lower abv and CF/coloured whiskys tend to have less 'staying power' than more modern/craft presented whiskys: A good example would be Jura Superstition - it was never stellar but OK to start with. It's been open 9 months now and is flat as a pancake, although it makes a nice whisky sauce. Port Askaig 100 proof on the other hand just got better and better the longer it was left.

I think a good time for finishing whiskys is between three and six months; that's without gassing, mind, and when I get to the last few pours they go on the high priority list :)

@Jonathan - The 'youth' would say X Men . . .

@RianC i suppose a bit of a higher abv is indeed managing to keep some "alcohol to drive flavours" better, though chemistry isn't really my strong side...

Since I'm limited to what I can bring back to Canada from the US without paying duty I leave whisky behind when I come north in the spring. I can tell you that heat is not a friend of whisky. Some of the whisky was bought years ago and I've seen the results first hand when I opened them. There is the challenge of a dried cork! Watching it disintegrate as one tries to remove it is not fun. Especially, when there is only a tiny portion left and you're resigned to the inevitable fact that it will soon be floating. Then there is the smell. If I had to describe it I would say musty. Of course, I had to taste it. I've had this particular whisky before and it tasted nothing like what I was used to. It was somewhere between vile and really vile. I was resigned that it was undrinkable. I was also thinking about all the other ones that had shared the same hot, dark closet over the past 5 summers. Were they also doomed. There is a silver lining to this story. I found a stopper that fit the bottle and left it on the counter for a couple of days. Just before I was going to pour it down the sink I decided to give it another try. Allowing air in changed it. The musk was gone. It was very drinkable. Over time it reverted back to the flavours that I knew this whisky to have. I also became very adept at isolating the floating cork in my glass. So, I did learn something from this experience! Whisky is pretty resilient. Since, I didn't want to go through this experience again I paid the duty and brought all the whisky back with me last spring.

I've never noticed a bottle change over time—but then again, I've never left one "in the back of the cabinet" for years.

My bottles typically sit open, ungassed, for about six months. And as far I can tell, they're always the same at the end as they were at the beginning.

@MadSingleMalt There really is something very disturbing when one is removing a cork and a portion remains in the neck. A cork screw is the only way to remove it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. The cork is so dry it just crumbles. That is one of the prices one pays when whisky is stored in a hot closet that has little ventilation. I've learned my lesson. I still store whisky, however, it is now in a cool, well ventilated area.

Probably not a surprise to anyone... but I just went back tonight to my 1L bottle of Ardbeg 10. I know many love it, and my reaction has been "nice, a solid 87, at most... but I have other expressions from Ardbeg that I like more...". Now, I can't say whether it's my palate tonight, but this bottle has been open about 6 months, and seems it is really come into itself now. It's balanced out, and I'd almost say stepped up a very pleasant malt sweetness. In simple terms, I like it more than ever! Seems that half a year opened has done this one good....!!

Longrow Peated. This is down to the last sixth or so and it is nosing and tasting better than ever. The peat and smoke have become much more integrated and there is a beautifully sweet and sour barley note coming from the grain along with a gorgeous vanilla note.

Interesting discussion. Worst is easy for me: Tullamore DEW. Yes, it's an entry-level Irish blend, but when my sister brought me a bottle I was impressed at first. I would have guessed that there was a high proportion of Single Pot Still and Malt whisky in the blend, but only 2 weeks later, it had gone totally flat and tasted like rubbing alcohol. It was quite shocking. I hoped it was my palate that was off, but the bottle lasted another 2 months and was never as good as it tasted the first 2 days it was open.

As for improving with time....I'm still hoping my W.L. Weller 12 will get better when I revisit it next March, on the 1 year anniversary of purchase. The Old Weller Antique 107 has been great right out of the gate and hasn't changed much with time. I revisited it last night and it was terrific. THAT one I'd gladly stockpile, and my review will undoubtedly reflect that. (foreshadowing anyone?)

Dalwhinnie 15 - after a few months was quite disappointing.

Springbank 12 CS - my first bottle didn't impress me fresh (was probably me) but a year later was fantastic. SInce then I've noticed my Springbanks seem to improve with time.

@Nozinan Springbank definitely benefits a lot from a bit of air. Both in the bottle and in the glass.

Bowmore Laimrig improved tremendously in the first month. Stranahan improved over a year with a truck load of banana flavor. Bookers was stable for a whole year than turned in three weeks toward dill pickles, although that flavor was there from the beginning.

I been reading reviews of Deanston 2008 Bordeaux Red Wine Cask matured. The general consensus from reviews indicates that it improves overtime in the bottle with air exposure. I am tempted to this pick up and give it a try. Thanks @Astroke for brings the Glen Garioch 1998 Wine Cask bottled in 2014 to the epic tasting.

This part below probably belongs in a separate thread: (thinking and asking introspective questions about whisky) I wonder if wine cask maturation may have a fuller nose and flavour advantages over just finishing an aged spirit in wine/sherry/port/rum/beer(IPA)cask. If cask finished whiskies are done for two purposes? Firstly, to add interest and flavour complexity to a decent whisky. OR, Secondly, to mask a weak or harsh whisky. I'm noticing a increasing trend towards NAS "XYZ" cask finished whiskies. Primarily, with newer and crafty distilleries. This leads into the primary argument of which is more desirable "spirit or cask driven whisky"? For myself, a quality spirit take priority over cask flavours. If the ingredients (barley, water, and yeast) are of good quality and treated with respect in the process of distillation with the proper cut. Then matured in a quality cask bourbon and or sherry. The results should speak for itself. I wonder it this Deanston 2008 Bordeaux Red Wine proves me wrong?

@fiddich1980 I picked up the Deanston 2008 Bordeaux and opened it last week. Tasted it SbS against the Glen Garioch 1998 and enjoyed it as much or even better. A desert dram for sure like the GG 1998 with a real viscous mouthful, delicious. IMO

Decent price as well.

@Astroke I picked up a bottle today. Thanks for the feed back. I'm looking forward to opening it up. It hits all the marks, an age statement nine years, NCF, a good price, and decent 58.7% ABV.

@fiddich1980 this should be a quote to remember "a quality spirit take priority over cask flavours".

I believe spirit is where there is the most chance of finding something unique, otherwise the cask flavours are a bit more predictable even if delicious.

Yes I'm sure there are "outliers" casks and that quality wood makes a difference but without the contribution and depth from the spirit.

I enjoy when flavoring casks are used as an accent, as part of a vatting rather than across all casks. I suppose that requires a good inventory and good blending skills.