ralfy review 983 Extras - 'Oxidisation' of whisky over time. 

This man needs an award for Services to the Whisky Geek. Slainte Ralfy :)

Ralfy is a national treasure... Protect him at all cost!

I’ve had whiskies that I didn’t like that much and put in the back of the cabinet, only to rediscover it four or five years later and love it! Sometimes some rough edges smooth out or some sweetness emerges. And like you, I have a fair number of bottles in the “library,” so often bottles stick around for some years.

I live in a new build flat with all mod cons including a dishwasher that I & my wife have never used. Since about February of this year it’s become my booze cabinet 😁 Stores my whisky at a reasonably constant temp and out of the sunlight… …just have to be sure nobody ever turns it on!

Quaint, old-fashioned, flannel-free and 100% authentic.......don't ever change Ralfy!

What a fantastic episode! Thank you Ralfy!!!

I've always found it interesting that people get worried about oxygen but don't think about the greater problems - sunlight, heat, and evaporation. All booze is best kept in a cool, dark place. The whisky has already oxidized to some degree from sitting in the cask for many years. If a bottle is poorly sealed (which has a high likelihood of happening with corks) or if it sits nearly empty for a long time, evaporation can gradually cause damage. I wish the industry would switch to well designed screw caps, as is starting to happen with wine. A good screw cap provides a better seal and eliminates the risk of having the booze ruined by a tainted cork. Keeping corks wet helps to maintain the seal; a dry cork will shrink slightly and admit some air. When a bottle is starting to run out, it is best to either transfer the booze to a smaller well-sealed bottle or finish it quickly. I usually concentrate on finishing it since there is always something new that I want and I need to drink down old bottles to make room for new ones. Some wines and spirits get more exposure to oxygen during maturation than others. Oxidative Sherries (i.e. Oloroso and PX) and all types of Madeira are oxidized so completely during maturation that bottles of these wines seem to last forever once opened, as long as they stay sealed to avoid evaporation. Spirits that are aged in warmer climates also seem to be quite sturdy since there is a lot of interaction with the air and the wood during maturation. I'm not particularly worried about oxygen damaging the Texas whiskies in my collection; they have already had plenty of exposure to oxygen, so I don't think the Texas funk will fade any time soon.

That’s why people like me watch you because we like the way you are.

Outstanding "extra" Ralphie. Much gratitude.

Ralfy, the exception to whiskies lasting a long time is if the distillery is using corks better suited for red wines. The corks dissolve and crumble into the whisky and then break when you attempt to open the bottle. I’ve had some really bad experiences recently with Bruichladdich bottles.

Ralfy, the best of the best. If he was a whisky, he’d be the ultimate integrity bottling!

Getting closer to the 1000th review!!! Can´t wait to watch him making malt history!!!

Like you say, I think a lot of the worry about oxidation comes from wine and beer. People will drink half a bottle of wine and come back to it the next day and it tastes sour and they then assume the same is true of all alcoholic drinks. Thing is, the bacteria that turns ethanol into vinegar struggles if the alcohol content is too high. A spirit won't turn properly sour for months. Years, even. And if you keep the lid on between pours it may never happen because you're not giving the alcohol the opportunity to leave and make conditions more favourable. Coming from a chemical background I can offer some insight as to what's happening. Oxygen, although a very powerful substance, generally needs a bit of a shove to do anything. A catalyst, a microorganism, UV light (although this can destroy molecules all by itself), etc. Especially with smaller molecules. So, when it's in your whisky, it tends to go for the large, complex molecules with lots of places the oxygen can attack. Your oils and polyphenols. These molecules will typically be the ones that linger on the palate and give deep, rich, complex, and slightly astringent flavours and so it ends up losing the "lower end" of its flavour profile. And especially with polyphenols (including tannins) as they break down they become less astringent and more bitter, contributing to the stale taste.

As smart as an old fox, Ralfy. Always the good advice ! Many Thanks !

Please Ralfy, do not ever change, you need no improvement! Hope you have something special in mind for your 1000th video, CHEERS!

I had a scarabus batch strength, and I loved it. I'm new to this, it was my second bottle and after about two weeks and a wee bit, I was halfway through and it started to change. I don't know how an experienced drinker might consider it but the best way I can describe it is the taste turned a bit harsher and more intense, grany perhaps? I'm not sure if my words describe it right but I must say I liked it better before. The nose didn't change as much, I really liked the nose on it, I would smell it so much before drinking just a bit of a sip, only to nose it more. I don't know how to store a bottle below half unless I decant it so as to not have air. Also, I noticed if you decant an already oxidised bottle and level it for a few months, it mellows down just a bit.

I think if my collection was large enough that anything might spend more than a year half-empty, I’d transfer the stuff to one of those beer bottles with a rubber-sealed cap attached - Grolsch if they’re still making those bottles for instance - I wouldn’t want to risk finding a year or two later that it had gone a bit flat. Most of my bottles don’t last 6 months, and the oxidisation changes to the contents are nice. I enjoyed the last third of my Kilchoman Senaig more than the first two as I found it was too smoke dominated. By the end of the bottle the sherry cask influence was much more noticeable.

Yet another great Extra ! Thanks again Ralfy .

Excellent extras, fascinating dram and lots of helpful info dear Ralfy. Thanks 🙏 kindest regards, S.

My Benromach CS 2007 really opened up with about a year at shoulder pour. Didn't like it at first but now all the notes are coming out and it's quite pleasant and complicated.

We love the graphics Ralfy :)))) Thanks so much!

That’s exactly my experience for the last 10 years. Whisky bible! Thanks Ralfy! ❤️

I've kept an opened bottle of 1972 cask strength Brora for this exact reason. It just gets even better.

Thanks for another malt moment of information. I would love to taste the 100 years old Shackleton bottles left at South Pole

Thanks again for the educational content Ralfy!

Whisky tends to oxi-die once you open it. It's highly recommended to reduce the amount of time in contact with air as much as possible. Even pouring into a glass is too much. Directly pour it into your neck till bottle is empty!

Thanks a lot Ralfy, for me it's a great masterclass of "oxidisation" of whisky. I have learned so much about it. You are a great teacher !!!👏👏👏

I store bottles in a closet and a pantry. Both cooler and dark compared to the rest of the house. I no longer gas any bottle. Some bottles do benefit from open storage. Glengarioch founders reserve, (old style) HP 12, Laphroaig QC, Glen Scotia Victoriana, Caol Ila 12, Red Breast 12 CS. Deanston 12. Balvenie Caribbean Cask. These are just some examples of bottles that changed either for the better or changed positively as they aged in an opened bottle. Bottles that didn’t age for the better: Glendronach 15 and 18, Springbank 12, Bunnahabhain 12. At least that’s my opinion. Maybe the heavily sherried stuff is best drunk in the short term . Heavily peated for the most part as well. Aside from that it’s not such a bad thing to let your bottle oxidize.

As always class, I like these educational vids. Lock and First Phil have done some and its great to remind your self of the whole prosses 🙂

Fantástico episodio❤gracias Ralfy!!

Ralfy, I’m not so sure the whole new/old score thing is a great idea. Part of what makes you so special is the archival relationship you have to whisky. If we now have to look back and try to translate scores it brings the history out of focus.

Learned a lot from this episode. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Ralfy. Love the bits in the video where your Scots temperament shines through !

One of the first (and arguably most impactful) things to happen in opened bottles is the evaporation of the ethanol. Which has nothing to do with oxidization. This happens more quickly in higher temps and if there is more air in the bottle. This is one of the biggest reason whisky changes in the bottle. Arguably more than oxidation.

Love ya Ralfy , learning more with every episode

It’s 2023 and I really don’t want or need better ‘graffics’ than these x

In my experience if you got a 40 - 43% whisky, be very quick with it cause they tend to flat out extremely fast. Every Macallan, Glenfiddich and Balvenie I’ve had bottled under 46% held up for max 6 months.

Informative video as always, ralfy. For me, oxidization isn't as huge a concern. For me, its most prominent after first crack, which is to say I often prefer the profile some months after first crack of a new bottle, and near the last 1/4 of a bottle. But both instances are easily avoided. Still insight into the process of maturation/production and general storage tips is helpful.

Big caveat to the point about oxidation improving whisky, if your bottle is >70% air it's not going to improve it. It's absolutely going to make it go flat and characterless quite fast.,,

Might seem weird but in general my bottles tend to get better, no worse over time. I can name quite a few whiskies that got significantly better after a few weeks and even better year later. Ardbeg Uigeadail, Lagavulin, Writers Tears... In fact it's become a habit to open a bottle and leave it rest for a few weeks before my second dram.

Excellent video Ralfy. I love these extra's

I read an interesting story about bottles of champagne found in a shipwreck off the Finnish coast. It was 170 years old and still drinkable. But it had been stored in near perfect conditions: in the dark and at a constant cold temperature.

Dear Ralfy, thank you for video! I've always been neurotic about opening more than 2 bottles of whisky at a time for this very reason 😅Your explanation definitely helps

As always, really interesting, thank you very much!

Hi Ralfy, I have just found a gem in my local morrisons, it is a boxed 8 year old bottle of Bells, I noticed that the new bells does not now have an age statement on it, so im lucky to be able to have a drop of Bells 8 year old round about now Cheers!

Thanks Ralfy 👊

I will write it many times in the future: These videos are gold. To the point: Definitely no direct sunlight. But would ambient light also have a similar effect? I mean, if it is a bright room, but the sunbeams do not come directly through the window. I suppose it has some effect, but perhaps not as dramatic as direct contact or if the room were flooded with light for some time?

That was the best 20 minutes of my week so far

very interesting Ralfy, i was always under the impression that 2 year after opening the bottle would be done. so in retrospect, depending on the strength, it may last a lot longer . In saying that, the auctioneers, rate the the oxidization.

A Story. Down here in New Zealand we used to have a distillery called willowbank / Wilsons. It produced pre 1968 some of the most average and poor whiskey you could tragically buy. The 45 South was a shocking example. A friend found a bottle clearing out an Aunts house that had sat there for 45 years with a 1/4 drunk...... This was delivered in a blind test to the club and tasted like a desert whiskey, sweet and a complete and much pleasantly surprising change to its original savage dram. There ya go.

What a masterclass!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤you are the best for another time.I have follow and other youtubers but nobody is like you RALFY WE 💚YOU

Excellent episode. Top whiskey/whisky guy on the web.

I am totally of the opinion that Whisky is meant to be opened and enjoyed. I understand from this that the higher ABVs are able to be stored for longer, even after opening, but those ones are all the more tempting 🤤 🥃

What’s the general consensus regarding corks? Should I move my unopened bottles to let the cork get wet periodically or just leave the bottles alone?

Great video, do you still use private wine preserve and film to protect your whiskey or now do you allow them to age gracefully?

Hi Ralfy, oxidation is the better term, I guess. Cheers🍷

The chalk board is so delightfully on brand, I love it XD

Ralfi is just the best !

Hang about: The Angel's Share is due to evaporation, but Ι thought the Devil's Cut was the spirit absorbed by the cask wood? From what I've read, the Duppy Share is for the Caribbean what the Αngel's Share is for Scotland, except Duppies (Caribbean ghosts/spirits) are supposed to be darker entities.

Intresting.. would love a long in the awaiting re review of laphroaig quarter cask very affordable deep flavours decent abv.

12:17 "Where the bung is"...

Thanks for the heads-up. I need to drink my Benromach 21 quicker 😜 gladly it wasn’t €500 but €130 😉 I put the last 1/3 into a small bottle like you learned me before! Slainte 🥃

Brilliant Ralfy thank you 😂

Do a video on rum and how they top of casks with other casks because there is so much lost and they want to keep the casks full so they don’t over oxidize and evaporate quicker. When I get to a half bottle of anything I transfer it to half bottle size bottles.

Maybe old fashioned but 22ct information & content 👏👏👏👏

HELLO SIR …THANK YOU ..A SUGGESTION FROM A FAN ..AS YOU CLOSE IN ON 1000, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU INFORM YOUR FOLLOWERS WHICH LAST THREE WHISKIES YOU ARE GOING TO REVIEW IN ADVANCE ..AND WE WILL ALL GO AND STOCK UP ON NUMBER 1000 ..WE WILL RENAME THE WHISKY RALPHY 1000 🤓🤓BEST WISHES AND EID MUBARIK AND THANK YOU AGAIN

So we then should let whiskies oxidise if they are strong, cask strength whiskies. (But for how long?) But if they are old or weaker 40-43% whiskies, then private preserve would be the way to go? Can we still stop the oxidisation with private preserve for those stronger whiskies?

Am I missing something or is it “oxidation “ ? Either way, love the education!! Thanks

How to wash bottles. I just rinse with water then fill with water and dump it out the next day.

Opened bottles are not a big deal. People forget that oxygen is only 21% of air. Normally all the issues are due to improper storage of opened bottles (by the window) or loose corks. A whisky will improve once opened, just like how it will improve by sitting a few minutes in the glass.

youre a good one, ralfy. a classic!

1. I certainly agree with Ralfy that oxidisation can be a beautiful thing to some bottles, I experienced it before. However, given that I am staying in a hot country, a place where the average temperature is 30ºC, the story can be quite different. All my bottles are stored in dark cabinets. All my sealed bottles are wrapped with parafilm. And I use wine preserver for some of my opened independent bottling bottles. Still, things can go very bad with all these precaution. Ralfy, can you give us some advice on how to deal with oxidizing 'flavours-begin-to-go-down-hill' bottles (I tried to decan them into smaller glass bottles. It doesn’t work). 2. According to my experience, it seems that bottles that are matured in port pipe are much easier to be over-oxidised, including Glen Scotia 14 for Campbeltown festival, Glenallachie 11 port finish. Does anyone agree with me? 3. Ralfy, how about oxidisation to rum? My bottles of Hampden 8yo 46% official bottling, and Berry Bros' Fijian Rum 8yo 46% don't change much after being opened for a year. But their flavours starts to decline after 2 years.

Ralfy, I’m curious about that gap of oxygen that forms and grows as the whisky evaporates. What keeps that portion of the wood cask from drying out and becoming rancid without whisky contact? Thanks!

Hi Ralfy. I am living in the tropics. Any advice on the range of humidity levels to keep my btls in tip top condition? Cheers.. Great content once again 👍

Ralfy hasn´t oxidized one bit!

This is why you should trink whisky and not only look at it or collect. Nice video. Thanks!

Have you heard of Scottish Beithier Fire and will you be trying it? 75%!

My concern isnt the oxidation of the larger organic molecules (the flavour!) But the oxidation of the light ethanol molecules (alcohol)... If just 1% of the ethanol oxidizes to acetic acid (vinegar) its surely going to affect taste and acidity?

Excess ethanol gasses off and the good flavors concentrate.

Ralfy Are you familiar with the device that can keep the oxygen in the used portion of the whisky bottle like a vacuum so as to prolong the oxidation process?

good stuff sir.. but i have a question, what do you think about "blended Scotch" like a Johnny Walker?

Hi Ralfy, when you say an 'active cask', are you referring to a cask that breaths more or less? Or does an 'active cask' refer to a very well seasoned cask that transfers all the aromas from its initial cask to whisky? Great video, thx.

yes, the neck pour tastes different due to lack of oxygen exposure. Will a whisky aged longer be at a lower ABV when it comes out of the cask? I am going to have to empty my 43% ABV Laga 16 quickly!

Old cs grains flourish with oxidisation is my experience

Ralphy, just out of interest, when you say that bottle has sat on your shelf for 6 years, do you mean with some innert gas , or would you have opened that bottle and left it in its natural state for 6 years ?

ive had 1 bottle of the last 20 or so that was flat believe that more can happen with temperature extremes during shipping

no need to power thrase, tebble tennis is more healthy. the key is that the looser of each set takes a shot of cheap whisky

For me just after one day a whisky already starts to die down in flavor to where 50% of the aroma and flavor is gone. My thing is to drink a bottle on 2 days max.

Just WOW

HELP opinion please. I have glendronach parliament bottled 2021 48% nonchill filtered. If I open it how long after would you guess it will reach its prime flavour, if I barely drink or open thereafter? Supposedly the liquid therein could be 26yrs old … Thank you

tea …… worst still some blended whisky 😂😂😂

Hey he pronounces whiskley as "HHHHWishkey". Exactly how Jerry Seinfeld and Stewie Griffin HATED! Shadows of Donna Chang.

Certain liquors are much better after they've 'oxidized' .

Malty Moffat mysteries

Ralfy, I have a question. How best do you handle the last third of the bottle? When the air to spirit ratio is two thirds air or even more? What then do pray tell.

What about “Private Preserve Wine Preserver” (Amazon)?

do they roll the casks from time to time or is it leave them be?

I've done my first purchase of old bottle whisky. A 1980s Black Bottle. I am curious, if I can detect old bottle effect. I've experienced oxidisation before, tho.

Subbed

Defo been a propaganda war on this topic. We all used to worry about this and use private preserve or decant into smaller bottles. But we don’t care anymore and see it as positive, at least in the first 25cl or so.