I have lovely (and expensive) Edinburgh crystal decanters, can I use them for scotch?!
Answers: I see on the Internet some sites that say not to because of the lead content, and some sites say it is OK to use. Why would they make decanters out of lead crystal if you can't use them? Does anyone know the truth about this?
It was said that the lead in the decanter may leech into the liquid, which is pure rubbish. The potential leeching effect is .0001 of 1% over a 10 year span. There is more of that in the air you breathe! To go a step further, there would have to be radical changes in temperature to even get that effect. I have a pair of matching Baccarat Crystal decanters, one for whisky and the other for brandy. Elegant.
Be safe, use them for show and not to decant. Found this article that might help. Buy a lead free set and worry no more.