How long will makers mark last

Left sealed in the dark, whiskey and hard liquors can last for years. The high alcohol content in liquors that have been reduced via distillation protects them from molds and bacterium that will destroy the product once the bottle has been sealed. All whiskey varieties — including regular, rye, bourbon, scotch, and the famous Jack Daniels — have an almost indefinite shelf life when stored correctly, but there are things to consider for both opened and unopened bottles.

If there is around half a bottle remaining, you should drink it within six months. If there is a quarter or less left, finish it up within three months. Once opened, whiskey begins to evaporate. Because alcohol evaporates more quickly than water, you may lose some of the alcoholic kick, which results in a smoother more mellow drink. Today's Top Stories. Two Creatives on Their Journeys to Sustainability. LeBron James and Maker's Mark are cut from the same cloth.

Related Story. Related Stories. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. You can keep an unopened bottle of bourbon for many years and not worry about any changes to the flavor.

Bourbon only ages in wood, so no flavor change should happen. Sure, the cheap bottles who cares, but the expensive ones should be something you enjoy over time. While the shelf life of bourbon is indefinite, for quality purpose you want to store the opened bottle properly. Once you have opened the bottle, you still want to keep it away from any sources of light or heat.

Besides those two factors, oxidation is a process you should be aware of. In that process, the compounds are changed by oxygen, which affects the flavor of the bourbon. You can experience how oxidation works by leaving a glass of bourbon out overnight and drinking it in the morning. The more air, the faster this process takes place. Also, the more air in the bottle, the faster the oxidation.

Some of these organic compounds are responsible for the wonderful flavour and aroma of whiskey. Once they break down, the whiskey loses some of its flavours and aroma. Exposure to UV light may even cause free radicals to develop in the whiskey, which can tarnish the flavour of the whiskey. Eventually, exposure to sunlight can cause evaporation, reducing the amount of whiskey remaining in the bottle and changing its flavour even more.

It is also common for whiskey exposed to sunlight to lose its colour. Once you have opened a bottle of whiskey the alcohol that is present will begin to slowly evaporate, which will make it taste smoother. Having a smoother tasting whiskey is usually a good thing and the reason why people often decant a newly opened bottle of whiskey.

An opened bottle of whiskey will also begin to oxidise. This is the process that occurs when oxygen interacts with the compounds within the whiskey.

This can have an unpredictable effect on a spirit, sometimes making it taste better, other times making it taste worse. The amount of time that an opened bottle of whiskey will last can vary based upon the air to whiskey ratio in the bottle.