Although collecting whisky is exciting for afficionados, it can also become an expensive hobby, with some rare bottles fetching prices in the tens of thousands of euro’s, or even more.

Let’s say you’ve gotten your hands on a pricey bottle of rare vintage single malt whisky, and you are wondering how to properly store the bottle so that it will stay in pristine state for years to come… When you make an investment in whisky, the last thing you want is for the item to be affected by improper storage, air exposure, heat, or humidity.

It is essential to store the bottle upright in a cool, dark place. Due to the high level of alcohol in whisky, if a bottle is stored on its side, the cork can be dissolved or disintegrated over time.

You shouldn’t be too concerned if the whisky comes into contact with the cork for short periods of time, such as when you are traveling with the bottles, or when they are being shipped or handled. This will likely not do any noticeable damage to your product.

However, for long-term storage, the bottles must be kept upright in a cool place to avoid temperature fluctuations. The most important point is to maintain a consistent temperature for your whisky. As long as the temperature doesn’t rise to much above room temperature, you’re good!

Temperature fluctuations might be threat to the quality of your whisky over time! Experts say that 15°C is the ideal temperature to store your whisky bottles.

Another important tip to remember is to always avoid placing your bottles in a place where they will be exposed to any form of light. Although heat and direct sunlight are considered the biggest enemies of whisky, even exposure to indirect lighting sources over time can cause noticeable changes to the quality of your bottle or its label.

Therefore, always store your bottles in a dark cabinet or cupboard, or if you are a true collector, you may have access to a special temperature-controlled whisky cellar. Even keeping your bottles in their original cardboard packaging, if available, may allow for better protection from natural elements.

Parafilm is essentially a type of parrafin wax film that is pliable, odorless, and waterproof. It is also inexpensive and portable, and you can easily cut a custom length, Parafilm is the perfect material to use if you have expensive bottles of whisky that you would like to preserve for a long period of time. It will allow your unopened whisky bottle to remain airtight, keeping the filling level of your bottle as high as possible.

As whisky matures, a small amount of liquid may be lost, resulting in a lower fill level even in unopened bottles. Most collectors feel that sealing a bottle with Parafilm is a way to protect their whisky from the air fluctuations that may otherwise cause changes to the whisky.

If you are planning to properly preserve your Single Malts, use Parafilm to aid in the long-term storage of your whisky bottles. It will simply add a layer of protection for your bottle(s).

The sealing process is quite simple. Parafilm comes in a roll, so you will need to cut a length corresponding to the amount needed for your bottle. Once you have your strip ready to go, simply stretch the film as much as possible and wrap it tightly around the neck of the bottle.