How Long Will Opened Bourbon Stay Good?

You may have sussed out the differences between bourbon and Scotch, and also the differences between bourbon and whiskey, but it's time to talk turkey about bourbon. Namely, how long does it last? Bourbon, of course, is a whiskey of American provenance that contains at least 51% corn in its mash. It's likely to originate in Kentucky, but that isn't a strict requirement. Consider how a lucky Redditor found a rare bottle of King of Kentucky bourbon sitting on a shelf at Costco. That's the kind of find that justifies a conversation about properly preserving your bottles so they can go the distance. What good is owning a bottle of premium bourbon if it goes off on you?

Foodie spoke with Chris Blatner, Executive Bourbon Steward and founder of urbanbourbonist on Instagram, about how long you can expect an open bottle of bourbon to preserve its quality. Blatner says that the spirit "can retain a very high quality for years if stored properly." With that said, there are some conditions, as a little attention is required to ensure that your bourbon tastes just as good down the line as when it first entered the bottle.

Bourbon has a long lifespan, Blatner confirms, but there's something critical to note: "once a bottle is less than half full, oxidation speeds up." To that end, if you have consumed a bottle down to the halfway mark, it makes sense to transfer the spirit into a smaller vessel "to reduce air exposure." A modest-sized glass bottle that seals well is a strong candidate for transferring your bourbon so that it lasts. Still, how long are we talking here?

Blatner states that, with a run-of-the-mill bourbon, you may begin "noticing a difference after 6–12 months if they're half full or lower, but high-proof bourbons tend to hold up longer." This tracks with the fact that most high-proof liquors are long-lasting, as the alcohol acts as a preservative. This assumes, of course, that you are taking the right steps to store your bourbon properly: keeping it at room temperature, away from light, and storing the bottle upright.