Best Bottles to Age

[Mr_Misanthropy]

I've decided to think waaaay ahead, and buy some good bottles of whiskey, wine, etc. to age for several years. I plan on giving some as gifts, and of course, enjoying some myself. I am a very occasional drinker, and I usually stick to a few favorite drinks. Martinis are the staple. I know I'm going to get a few bottles of Merlot to stick in the back of the closet, but what are some other good red wines to age? I'm not a Scotch fan, but I will probably get an already aged bottle to keep and give as a gift, or for some special occasion. Any good brands that age well?

My father is a big fan of Jack Daniels, so, I was thinking either a bottle of Single Barrel, or Gentleman Jack to age and give to him down the road. How long is the ideal minimum time to age a bottle of whiskey, wine, etc? Can clear/light alcohol be aged? I mean vodkas, gins, tequila, etc. Would the flavor even change?

What are some of your favorite bottles to age and enjoy down the road? Any particular prize bottles you've got tucked away?

 

[scotrace]

Others will know better than I, but a whiskey (scotch, cognac, etc) is bottled when it is at its best and will never get any better.

Wines age in the bottle. Spirits do not. So aging a bottle of Jack Single Barrel won't make it any better.

Or am I screwy as usual?

 

[KY Gentleman]

Thats correct. Once whiskey leaves the barrel it doesn't "age".

 

[BellyTank]

That's how I see it. It will get worse, not better.

Many good wines are cork-less nowadays- a trend which does away with the large loss corked wines suffer to spoilage. Most people buy to drink.


B
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[Absinthe_1900]

Some of the better absinthe out there, will age very well in the bottle. Never store absinthe on it's side, and always keep it in a dark cool place.

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

That makes sense about whiskey, I see how it wouldn't age past the barrel. I don't think I could find any real absinthe around here, unfortunately. Just the stuff that tastes waaay too anise flavored. Anise just isn't a flavor I like at all unfortunately.

So far it looks like I should stick to the red wines.

BT - So wine with a screw top lid is better to age than a cork top? Forgive me, I'm just having some trouble understanding the wording of your post. My fault entirely, though!

 

[BellyTank]

...not too sure about that, actually.
Longevity of screwcaps vs a wet cork...


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[tortswon]

Screw top vs. cork

No one really knows the answer to this yet as screw tops have only recently been placed into service on bottles of age worthy wines. They have not been around long enough. While cool is important for aging wines, a dark place is at least as important as is a place with no vibration (a reason to never buy a fine wine on a cruise). Another option for aging is cork finished beers. I have some from the mid-80's that I am currently drinking and what a positive difference that aging makes. Note that you do not want to age every cork finished bottle. Ask someone knowledgeble before you put a beer down for aging. Cheers! Sam

 

[dnjan]

I know I'm going to get a few bottles of Merlot to stick in the back of the closet, but what are some other good red wines to age?

From my limited experience with Washington wines, the Cabernet Sauvignon's age better than the Merlots. Of course any of the decent ones (either cabs or merlots) shouldn't really be opened until at least 5 years after the vintage date. Kind of like cutting into a Camembert before it has ripened ...

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

I know the cabernet sauvignon ages well, I just haven't come across one that I like. lol

 

[dnjan]

What price range are you looking at?

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

For a good bottle to age for several years, my price range would be $50-120

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

May I introduce you to some of the best red I've ever had...

http://www.stevenkent.com/

I recommend the 2001 Cab at the bottom, expensive but a large-format bottle. I had some recently and it made me sad that I can't afford it for regular consumption.

 

[Subvet642]

My in-laws don't really drink, but insist on having a stocked liquor cabinet. Not too long ago, they were running out of room, so, they sent a couple of bottles to our house: a mostly full bottle of Seagrams 7 and a full bottle of Old Crow. Well...it turnes out that they bought these bottles in the 70's and they had been sitting around for some 30 years. It is amazing what 30 years in a bottle can do, even to a whiskey like Seagrams, so smooth!

 

[Ethan Bentley]

My suggestion would be Port, vintage or LBV from 2000. This has certainly what I've been doing.