Storage again. Vertical or horizontal?

by **Nic Rhodes** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 11:12 pm

I have had to move the wine cellar which also contains the whisky but I am short on space. I know the recommendation is to store whisky bottles vertically but does anyone know what detrimental effects I will get if they are stored horizontally like the wine?

by **heer.veer** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 11:44 pm

You DON'T want Whisky to come in contact with the cork very much, believe me!

by **Oliver** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 3:37 am

You need to store your bottles verticaly. Of not, the malt absorbs the flavour of the corck, and in some cases the cork begins to desintegrate! Watch out for this especially where cask strength malts are concerned!
By the way, it is amazing to me how many Liquor stores here in New Orleans store their very best Malts (Macallan 25; Highland Park 25 etc...) upright... And they pretend to know about Single Malts!!!!!!!

by **Oliver** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 3:38 am

Sorry I meant the stores keep their best malt horyzontally!
You need to store them vertically of course!

by **Ize** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 8:30 am

Wines need to "breath" and gain age via cork, that's why they are horisontally stored. Whiskies do not and can't gain age in the bottle and contact to air must be kept as minimum as possible, that's why bottles are stored vertically as said already here. Liquid should not be in touch with the cork and so the cork is dry and work as it's best as insulator.

Kippis,
Ize

P.S. It is very sad view to see wines vertically and whiskies horisontally in the stores ...

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 11:33 am

Hi Nic,

The best way to store them is vertical( I mean), and at a nice cool(15-18 degrees Celcius) dark place. Because even the daylight can bring any harm to the whisky(coloring and the so called ester chains). Never horizontal(I mean) like some others said before, because glue and whisky don't match.....

Slainte,

Erik

[This message has been edited by Huurman (edited 12 November 2002).]

by **heer.veer** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 5:31 pm

Vertical ?

Whisky & Glue....???

Sorry, I don´t understand what you´re saying here

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 5:43 pm

heer.veer

Never vertical, because the hard tops on the cork seems to have some glue to keep the hard top and cork together, and when the bottle is stored vertical the alcohol may come thru the cork and disolve the glue, mix the cork, glue and whisky together and you have a wonderful dram

Unless you have a screwed cap...

by **Nic Rhodes** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 8:07 pm

Now I am confused.

I have a dedicate cellar properly decked out. It is the correct temperature and dark but due to my 'buying habits' I am short of space. The options are vertical or horizontal, we seem to have contraditory opinions here, who is right?

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 8:42 pm

Hi Nic,

I understand your confusement, and even I was mixing the wrong things together with the right ones.

Best way for storage:
Cool(between 15 and 18 degrees celcius)
Dark place
Standing up, wich means vertical
Pffff now we have been thru the wole thing I guess. Oh Nic it doesn't matter if store at 19 or 20 degrees celcius, but avoid any heat and daylight..

Confused? Yes and No, even I allowed to misled my self between horizontal and vertical...

Good luck Nic,

Erik

by **heer.veer** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 11:52 pm

That's ok.

So Upright, Dark and Cool.

Thanks y'all