Aged whiskey?!
Aged whiskey?
My husband was given some bottles of whisky that were from 1960, and 1956, is it still good? it has never been opened. Is it like wine, better with age?
Answers:
Today, almost all whiskey is aged in oak barrels before it is bottled and sold. Unaged whiskey, also called green whiskey or white dog, is as clear as vodka, but with much more flavor. Corn whiskey is just about the only green whiskey you will find at retail. It is the only unaged product permitted to use the term "whiskey" in the U.S. "Georgia Moon" is a widely distributed brand of corn whiskey.
Aged whiskey gets all of its color and much of its flavor from the oak. The aging process works like this. During warm weather, the liquid expands into the wood. During cool weather, the liquid contracts, pulling liquid out of the wood and bringing with it various sugars, tannins and other flavors. Whiskey does all of its aging in the wood, which is why it is left there for many years. Bourbon whiskey is always aged in new, white oak barrels, the insides of which are deeply charred. The whiskey is usually considered to be mature in 4 to 6 years. After about 12 years in most cases, the spirit becomes too woody for most tastes. Unlike wine, whiskey does not continue to age (i.e., change) in the bottle. A well-filled and well-sealed bottle of whiskey will taste exactly the same in 100 years as it does today.