How Many Bottles Do You Have / Keep Open?

[Guest]

41 minutes ago, Kepler said:

Lately I keep around a dozen bottles open at any given time.

 

I find that sometimes I enjoy focusing on fewer bottles, drinking from only those until they are empty, rather than jumping around across a bunch of different samples.  

 

In fact, I don't know that I ever enjoyed sipping whiskies more than in the old days when I could only afford one good expensive "sipper" bottle at a time.  Like when I got something special for Christmas, like my first Blanton's or Bookers.  Those were the good old days, simple times... but just as enjoyable (if not more so) than today when I have a big collection and a huge bunker of unopened bottles.

I can relate to that.  I've been through this before -- with guitars.  In fact, selling a few of those to buy more whiskey.  The only difference though, for me, is that learning about whiskey seems to require drinking a wide variety, whereas you can learn almost everything you need to know about guitar with one guitar (and a LOT of time). 

 

[MTNBourbon]

Right now, I have 5 open.

[BourbonGuy]

On ‎12‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 10:38 AM, smokinjoe said:

You're not wrong.  Bourbon is extremely stable in the bottle as long as you have a good seal from the cork or cap.  Open bottles can be enjoyed without change for many years if that seal is not compromised.  I might wrap the top of a corked bottle with plastic if I am not going to be visiting it for a long time, but that's about it.  Saran Wrap is acceptable.  Some use Parafilm.  I use Glads Press n Seal.

I have to ask.  How much was the bottles you wrap?  Less than a 1/4?  The reason I ask, I had a bottle of Jefferson 18.  Great bourbon, so I nursed it as it is unavailable now.  Near the end, I tasted it and it clearly degraded.  Also, when my Uncle passed, I opened a bottle of Pappy in his honor.  My cousin a  bottle she had for a number of years.  Again, because it is for most of us unavailable she nursed it.  It was also off.  I have since used the wine preservative for the special bottles. 

 

But the gentlemen on this board a much more acute tasters than myself.  Maybe its just psychological.

[BigRich]

I have to ask.  How much was the bottles you wrap?  Less than a 1/4?  The reason I ask, I had a bottle of Jefferson 18.  Great bourbon, so I nursed it as it is unavailable now.  Near the end, I tasted it and it clearly degraded.  Also, when my Uncle passed, I opened a bottle of Pappy in his honor.  My cousin a  bottle she had for a number of years.  Again, because it is for most of us unavailable she nursed it.  It was also off.  I have since used the wine preservative for the special bottles. 
 
But the gentlemen on this board a much more acute tasters than myself.  Maybe its just psychological.

I've experienced similar phenomenon but really only on older, more flavor nuanced bottles. For a Laphroaig 10 of a Maker's I can't say it would be the same.


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[musekatcher]

On 12/17/2016 at 6:30 PM, Steve L said:

Curious as I'm starting to have quite a few open and for the first time thought to limit that number (I think about 12 right now) before opening more...   Just ordered some spray (wine) preserver to slow oxidations -- but curious if any of you have set a limit for yourselves...or not?? : )

 

I usually only have one or two open at a time.  Immersing with the same pour for a week or two, can really reveal a lot more flattery and flavor especially with the mid-shelf or sub-$30 stuff imo.   I've discovered some will get boring though, which is also revealing.   Finally, I feel that the flavor profile changes for some whiskey after its open, and want to down it within a few months - just my .02 routine.

[Malakai432]

2 hours ago, musekatcher said:

 

I usually only have one or two open at a time.  Immersing with the same pour for a week or two, can really reveal a lot more flattery and flavor especially with the mid-shelf or sub-$30 stuff imo.   I've discovered some will get boring though, which is also revealing.   Finally, I feel that the flavor profile changes for some whiskey after its open, and want to down it within a few months - just my .02 routine.

 

Yeah that's kind of what I do.  The nose, palate, ect seems to change gradually the more you drink out of the same bottle consistantly.  It's nice to discover the gradual transition within a month or so.  Some bottles seem to taste better once they oxidize slightly, especially some cask strength variants. 

 

I'm kind of OCD about having multiple bottles open but I've never really sat on as much whiskey as I do now though.  I used to just blow through bottles of good whiskey in a weekend but have learned my lesson over time some of them very difficult lessons as I can't really find them readily available.  I used to blow through bottles of Laphroaige 18 other good Whiskies in a weekend .  I had to wise up someday. 

 

Edited December 27, 2016 by Malakai432

[mosugoji64]

The number of open bottles here is limited only by what I can fit into these three cases. I think it's about 90 right now.. A few in the bunker have been opened for a taste or to decant into smaller bottles. I used to fret over the number of open bottles but Mrs. Mosugoji encourages the hobby and I like seeing them so I stopped worrying about it.

[Masset1982]

2 hours ago, mosugoji64 said:

The number of open bottles here is limited only by what I can fit into these three cases. I think it's about 90 right now.. A few in the bunker have been opened for a taste or to decant into smaller bottles. I used to fret over the number of open bottles but Mrs. Mosugoji encourages the hobby and I like seeing them so I stopped worrying about it.

Great selection and it looks very nice too. 

[GreggJ]

Defintely too many, IMHO.  I have been making an effort to not open anything unless it is a replacement.  Right not I would estimate 25-30 open bottles.  I would like to get in the 15-20 range.  

[Limegoldconvertible68]

2 hours ago, GreggJ said:

Defintely too many, IMHO.  I have been making an effort to not open anything unless it is a replacement.  Right not I would estimate 25-30 open bottles.  I would like to get in the 15-20 range.  

I'm in the same boat as most here with believing I have too many open and trying to whittle it down. My big problem is that I'm still new enough to this hobby that I regularly find things I have never tasted. Knowing how hard it is to find some of these bottles it's hard not to open them on the spot just to find out if it's something I like and need to buy more of while it's still sitting on the shelf. 

[JTaylor]

1 hour ago, Limegoldconvertible68 said:

I'm in the same boat as most here with believing I have too many open and trying to whittle it down. My big problem is that I'm still new enough to this hobby that I regularly find things I have never tasted. Knowing how hard it is to find some of these bottles it's hard not to open them on the spot just to find out if it's something I like and need to buy more of while it's still sitting on the shelf. 

Yep, exactly. Then one day when I was contemplating an unknown bottle at my regular LS (one of their private selections) one of the girls there asked me if I'd like to try it... What?!?!?! Yes please!  She opened a cupboard behind the counter and exposed a variety of open bottles and poured me a mini shot! Now I know to ask, and anymore I don't even have to! 

[Kepler]

3 hours ago, Limegoldconvertible68 said:

Knowing how hard it is to find some of these bottles it's hard not to open them on the spot just to find out if it's something I like and need to buy more of while it's still sitting on the shelf. 

Ahh, the old conundrum.  Yeah it is especially difficult when it's a private store select, and you almost have to open it and try it at least once in order to find out whether it's good enough that you need to stock up.  Always a tough call, but....

 

1 hour ago, JTaylor said:

Yep, exactly. Then one day when I was contemplating an unknown bottle at my regular LS (one of their private selections) one of the girls there asked me if I'd like to try it... What?!?!?! Yes please!  She opened a cupboard behind the counter and exposed a variety of open bottles and poured me a mini shot! Now I know to ask, and anymore I don't even have to! 

... it sure makes it easy (and very appreciated) when the store has an open bottle so we can sample it.  I love that.  Those stores really do deserve our business, so let's reward them by sending them our business.  Cheers all.

[Clueby]

22 hours ago, mosugoji64 said:

The number of open bottles here is limited only by what I can fit into these three cases. I think it's about 90 right now.. A few in the bunker have been opened for a taste or to decant into smaller bottles. I used to fret over the number of open bottles but Mrs. Mosugoji encourages the hobby and I like seeing them so I stopped worrying about it.

That's a great collection!! What can you tell about that Weller Water bottle?

[mosugoji64]

3 hours ago, Clueby said:

That's a great collection!! What can you tell about that Weller Water bottle?

 

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Regarding Weller Water, that was one of the schemes devised by distillers to create add-on sales during the glut years. They were hoping customers would be willing to pay a few more dollars for water from the same source used in their whiskey. IIRC, a few of the distillers tried it. It was a failure but left behind a cool collectible for us Weller fans.

[musekatcher]

4 hours ago, mosugoji64 said:

 

Thanks for the kind words, guys! Regarding Weller Water, that was one of the schemes devised by distillers to create add-on sales during the glut years. They were hoping customers would be willing to pay a few more dollars for water from the same source used in their whiskey. IIRC, a few of the distillers tried it. It was a failure but left behind a cool collectible for us Weller fans.

 

I've wondered about that.  Isn't the water quality an important part of the mash, as well as the bottling?  We've noticed things as simple as iced tea and coffee are different when we are at the lake or travelling?  I don't add water to bourbon, but if I did, I'd think the water source would be important in the glass as well? 

[mosugoji64]

6 hours ago, musekatcher said:

 

I've wondered about that.  Isn't the water quality an important part of the mash, as well as the bottling?  We've noticed things as simple as iced tea and coffee are different when we are at the lake or travelling?  I don't add water to bourbon, but if I did, I'd think the water source would be important in the glass as well? 

 

The best way to find out would be to do a blind SBS tasting with different water sources added to the same whiskey. Give it a try and let us know what you think!