Ever gazed upon that dusty, half-open bottle of booze from two Christmases ago and thought, ‘Darling, are you still good, or have you gone over to the dark side?’
Well, my spirited friend, you’re not alone. Dive into this intoxicating read as we uncork the truth about the shelf life of your favorite libations once they’ve been greeted by the outside world. Cheers to knowing when to sip or skip!
How Long Does Scotch Last?
It depends on how much exposure it has had to air, light and heat. So once you open it, the durability drops dramatically. Let’s talk unopened vs. opened.
How Long Does Scotch Last If It Is Unopened?
Scotch and other types of hard liquor have a low sugar content and high alcohol content. Alcohol kills bacteria, so these spirits tend to last a very long time if unopened. There’s no real expiration date on an old bottle of hard liquor.
How Long Does Scotch Last Once It Is Opened?
Generally speaking, about 1 to 2 years. Again however, this depends on exposure to light, air and extreme temperatures.
The lower the level of remaining liquor in the bottle, the more air is in the bottle and the faster it will degrade. So if you have an unloved bottle or two with an eight of an inch left at the bottom, use it up or toss it out!
Note: For hard liquors, when we say “degrade” we’re mostly talking about flavor and color. Even old, opened liquor is typically safe to drink, but it might no longer be pleasant.
Here Is What You Can Do With That Aging Alcohol:
He has a recipe in the video, but you can really put whatever you want in Jungle Juice and it will taste pretty good.
Other Recipe Ideas For Scotch
Scotch Chocolate Walnut Tart
Ingredients:
-1/2 cup of melted butter
-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
-1/2 cup of quick-cooking oats
-1/2 cup of light brown sugar
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
-1/4 cup of Scotch whiskey
-3/4 cup of chopped walnuts
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips
-1 unbaked 9-inch tart pastry shell
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, cocoa, oats, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Scotch whiskey until the mixture is evenly combined.
3. Stir in the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.
4. Pour the mixture into the unbaked tart pastry shell and spread the mixture evenly.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
6. Allow the tart to cool before serving.
Current Thrive Market Promo:
Scotch Spiked Bacon Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients:
-5 cups of popped popcorn
-1/4 cup of butter
-1/3 cup of light corn syrup
-1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
-1/2 cup of packed light brown sugar
-1/4 cup of Scotch whiskey
-1/2 cup of cooked and crumbled bacon
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Spread the popcorn out on an ungreased baking sheet.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the corn syrup, baking soda, sea salt, and brown sugar.
4. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the Scotch whiskey.
6. Pour the mixture over the popcorn and mix until evenly coated.
7. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the popcorn.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
9. Turn the oven off and leave the popcorn in the oven for 1 hour.
10. Remove from oven and let the popcorn cool before serving.
Sources
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/not-all-alcohol-gets-better-age