Should you decant your whiskey? 

Decanters were originally used to separate sediment from wine. In the old days, wine wasn't filtered of sediment as well as it is today. So you would slowly pour the wine into the decanter, leaving the sediment in the original wine bottle.

Okay I'll put my red label in a blue label bottle, problem solved.

I have a beautiful antique crystal decanter from my Grandfather, who passed it to my parents, and then to me. The main reason for a decanter from tradition I've heard is that each whiskey poured in creates a small aroma and taste, when a new whiskey is poured in, it adds to the aroma and taste. You only wash the outside, never inside. Gradually and overtime, your whiskey becomes uniquely your own, like no other made before. Think of it like a cast iron skillet for whiskey.

Everyone knows you put the cheep shit in the decanter so you friends only see your good stuff in sealed bottles

Great video! My experience is when people don't know they are drinking a inexpensive whiskey or bourbon they tend to have a more favorable opinion of that spirit than if they knew what it was lol.

You're right, it does look cool! I just started collecting decanters. I like the variety of shapes and patterns they have. The only problem is I have to keep refilling them!

Decanters are infinity bottles. It's where you blend the leftovers of bottles you like.

I would decant Johnnie Walker Red... straight into the toilet.

Decanting spirits should be temporary. Scotch, whiskey, brandy in decaters should be used for serving and atmosphere only then return to a better sealed bottle. Don't leave spirits in leaded crystal for more than a couple days. Keep the cheap stuff in your fine decanters for guests. Any questions, ask your butler or house servants.

The Whiskey Dic is the best reviewer on RU-vid. No nonsense, short, sweet, and to the point.

I deeply suspect that the danger from lead contamination is vastly exaggerated. If the decanter is filled with vinegar and allowed to set for a month, then emptied and rinsed, the lead that is available to be leached is very greatly reduced. It becomes negligible. A decanter that has been used for 20 years likewise has had the lead near the surface leached; the lead is less available the deeper it is in the glass matrix. And, while lead is a cumulative poison, the body does eliminate it, although slowly. The half life in an adult has been found to be about a month. I don't think it's ever been tested, but my guess is that before you could drink enough from a decanter to get symptoms of lead poisoning, you would pickle your brain with the alcohol.

Thanks, Anton LaVey.

I have a question.... Is this guy a vampire?

You would consume more lead in a single glass of tap water than you would the entire bottle of whiskey stored in a lead crystal decanter. Also a good decanter will have an airtight seal.

Props for the channel name. Got a chuckle out of me.

It may be a good idea to have a (sealed) decanter of, say, 500 ml. Now after you have consumed half of your one Liter bottle and want to put it away, then you can use the decanter that will have a negligible amount of air to oxidise the Scotch.

I don't decanter whiskey. I put whiskey in my fuckin stomach

If you do decant it should at least be kept out of any direct light. Light does change the quality of whisk(e)y. It's why it's a good idea to keep the cardboard tube things that most Scotch whiskies come in.

I just purchased a small 33 ounce decanter for my infinity bottle. I don't buy a lot of whiskey but do enjoy making an infinity bottle every now and then figured a 33 oz size may be better than a larger one.

Well then I guess it can be used to be more presentable. Saw the globe decanter with matching glasses and it looks beautiful to have on the bar or table top when you are drinking with friends. 🙂👍

I love how your videos are short and to the point! great info!

if it dose not contain lead isn't it just glass not crystal?

Not sure I 100% agree with this. I've found from my own experience that the flavor can change from sitting in a decanter. Especially if it sits in there for a long time. Wouldn't the extra space allow some ethanol to leave the liquid and start changing the flavor? My own decanter does have an actual cork and if I buy something that tastes hot or has one note that overpowers the rest, I'll often throw it in the decanter and let it sit for a while.

You were closer to the truth on your second reason... The original reason for decanting whisky (since I'm Scottish and you're talking Scotch whisky) is simple, you take a cheap and nasty whisky put it in a decanter and then add a little sherry or some other sweet product like maybe brandy and then you brag about what a special bottle of fine single malt you managed to buy... Personally, when I'm serving a nice malt, I always pour from the bottle and then let anyone who's interested, have a look at that bottle. That way they know exactly what they're drinking and can read the distillery blurb on the label (saves me trying to remember all the details too). The only legitimate reason to decant a good malt is blind tasting, maybe if you're having a tasting notes party, you hand out a flavour wheel diagram and play the 'guess the malt/ distiller' game. All other reasons are being a bit nobby or dishonest... (as you definitely touched on). 😉

It is also good if you are doing a tasting where you don't want your guest's opinions influenced by the lable.

Glad to see someone be honest in opinion for use, and knowledgeable

Old leaded glass decanters can be used. The leeching takes place if you leave it in there, a long time. If you drink it in a week or so, there is no harm. Your stopper should not be lose like that.

It looks awesome, exactly. Like in old movies.

Rule number 1 Never Decanter Crown 👑 Royal because the bottle is already a Decanter!Rule number 2, follow rule number 1...!!!!!

I just bought my first decanter because I drink about a liter of whisky a week and it's cheaper in the giant 1.75 liter or bigger bottle and I don't feel like grabbing that monster bottle to fill my wee whiskey glass each time, so hello fill the decanter and pour from that :-)

My issue is solved, I will not purchase a decanter. The bottles or looking really nice anyway.

If you are serving really good whiskey, you should serve it first while your palate is fresh for the best enjoyment, just as you should lead with the best wine. Your palate falls off after the first few drinks, so its not as keen or discernable in later drinks, use the more common stuff later.

The best part about buying Hibiki Harmony: the bottle comes with a free decanter. The whisky inside of course is very nice, but after it's gone, those bottles are pretty and classy enough to be a decanter. Best part about decanters: they're infinity bottles! This is where you dump the last 2 ounces of the whisky you're drinking into the infinity bottle. As you drink more stuff, you can start coming up with amazing blends, and it's an ongoing whisky experiment! :D That said, I personally never saw a point in decanting (exception being infinity bottles), because the whisky already comes in a perfectly good container: the bottle it came in.

I would offer another reason too. If you have a bad cork and some gets into the whiskey (which even if you ingest it, no harm, no foul) I like to decant it through a coffee filter to remove the cork flecks. Happened when I had to salvage a cork from Johnnie Walker XR21 where the heat melted the adhesive in shipping. Disappointing for a $180-200 bottle.

Well when you break the cap or cork on your bottle or at the very bottom of a bottle, decanting isn’t a bad idea.

Just found this channel from all the way down here in the land down under. Decanters look cool but personally when I buy a nice bottle of whiskey part of that experience is the look of the bottle it came in. A nice looking bottle of whiskey better looking then a decanters way and I rather show of the nice bottle it came in

Decanting is also a problem if you don't finish it. Ever fall asleep with the cap off a bottle? Next day it tastes like water. You need to be able to seal it or else the alcohol will evaporate.

Jonnie Walker! The Man behind the man behind the Bar!

What I heard is if you have a Expensive bottle of scotch bourbon and so on and you're not drinking it very fast after you get halfway through the bottle it will start evaporating so it would not hurt to put it in a small bottle

I got a decanter as a gift and I have to say it's nicer to use than some of the oddly shaped/hard to pour from bottles out there.

Thanks for this video. It answered my question. On a side note, the company I work for gave me a bottle of red label for Christmas last year. I was like, thanks? Lol

My brother uses Johnny Walker Red Label for washing his feet to kill the fungi.

Just bought a beautiful Waterford crystal decanter and on the outside there was a label that read "fill with 50/50 vinegar and water and store overnight before use". This is to help leach out the lead before storing an alcoholic beverage in it. If you do some research on the matter it depends on the actual spirit involved as to how much lead gets leached out if the crystal. Also, Red Label is a mixing whiskey. It's designed for cocktails. Their website even states this. If you use it as it was designed it's really not that bad. And who would use a distinguished single malt in a cocktail anyways? Not this guy...

I think that most of the time the original bottle looks better than any decanter.

2:50 For sure should start putting my JRS Brown in a decanter then tell them its an ultra rare bourbon I am saving for a special occasion then offer them some generic buffalo trace.

As far as I know decanting red wine and port improves the flavour by oxigination. An open bottle of whisky is not the same as a decanted bottle of whisky since the act of decanting will impart oxegen into the whisky. Whether decanting improves or changes the flavour of whisky I have no idea.

Don't know how professional his answer is, but at least there are some honest thought s in this video

Just got few large bottles (Costco), gets tough to lift them during parties - thinking of going decanter route for this reason.

I do find that the last 20% of a bottle of Scotch tastes best, so there must be something in this airing business. My last bottle of Ardbeg was almost undrinkable when I opened it but, again the last bit: nectar of the gods. Maybe I should try a wine decanter on the next bottle.

Red label is tried and true. Is it my favorite whisky, no but it works in a pinch. It is also a great extender. You have a bunch of pals over and you have a 3/4 liter of red and 1/3 liter of some single malt, you can mix the two to get a nice sipper.

This is Oct 16 man. And Im still watching it lolz

I think with cheaper whiskys it makes sense.. I get that opening a bottle makes it basically a decanter. But you still need to pour some, just opening it does nothing. Its like letting a wine breath does next to nothing because the there is next to no air exchange going on in the neck of the bottle. Which is why most restaurants nowadays hyperdecant by putting wine in a blender.

Decanters are good for infinity bottles, if you have a few ounces left of a bottle pour it into a decanter and keep adding to it with your next bottle eventually youll have a unique blend of bourbon or scotch.

"Churchill’s favourite whisky was, perhaps surprisingly, not a single malt but a blend. Johnnie Walker Red Label formed the basis of his daily whisky and water; a drink which his children called a 'Papa Cocktail’. This consisted simply of a tipple of Johnnie Walker covering the bottom of a glass, then filled with water and sipped throughout the day."

Only if you want to drink it in the very near future. Sunlight and oxygen do not assist in keeping your whisky for its optimal shelf life.

love your authenticity... keep up the vids!!!

JWB comes corked, I had a cork disintegrate and had cork in the Whiskey. Had to filter it out. Putting it in a Decanter could solve the problem.

My best friend told me the other day that he un-ironically regards Red Label as his "Favourite Scotch". He's eighteen.

One factor to consider is uv light destroys heavy molecules

I’m a few years late to this vid, but your hate for red label endures and gave me a smile 😆

I'm going to put as much red label in decanters as I want home boy. Don't tell me how to live.

A decanter that is not airtigth is a waste of money, one of the main reasons people decant whiskey is so that when they've drunk half the bottle or so they can put it in a smaller bottle to keep the exposure to air as small as possible

You would be getter off to pay about the same amount as Red Label and get Jameson or any of the Irish whiskeys. They are in the same price point and they taste way better than the Johnnie Walker Red Label!

Idk i my decanter is lead but i pur my James balllc barrel it i doont think it will affect me much after 1 bottle

are there decanters made of sapphire glass? i'd imagine not, but that would be really cool

Only if you're going to drink it in a timely manner.

Very informative, thanks !

Lmao that was really funny. Ty for the humor. You could use the red label to light a bon fire lol.

decanters are to put cheap whisky or fine whisky in a bottle to stop people from judging you and just enjoy a drink with each other .

Does decanting compromise the taste of the whisky negatively?

You should sell the Whiskey Dic-anter

I agree and disagree. The decanter that you have there is more or less the same size as a bottle of whisky, so I do agree that there is no difference. However, when I decant my whisky I use a wide bottom decanter, with a bottom width of about 10 inches. There is where the decanter makes a difference. Since there is far more spirit making contact with the air than with a narrow bottle, the time in which it oxidizes is much faster than with a narrow decanter or whisky bottle. Contact with the air means there more contact with oxygen. Oxygen oxidizes the spirit, hence, breaking down the molecules within it and making the whisky settle, therefore, bringing out the more subtle flavors and nuances come out, making the whisky have more complexity. And with the wider bottom, as I mentioned, it’s much quicker. I tried it with hundreds of different types, from single malts to bourbons and it does make a difference. Some more than others, but there’s always a significant difference in terms with speed of oxidation.

Thanks for this video. I’ve often wondered this. The obvious retort from me (respectfully of course) would be: does it make it look awesome? Does it really? How are your friends going to know they’re drinking Pappy (or whatever bougie bottle you have) if you take it off the labeled bottle and put it in a decanter? Seriously though part of the draw or all alcohol to me has been the bottles: the shapes and colors and marketing, etc. So I’m anti-decanter obviously 😂

You've said in your other videos that if you were to drink 75% of a bottle, that it would only be good for a few months do to the exposure of air inside the bottle. What if you transferred that whiskey to a smaller bottle (preferably with a cork)? Would that increase the lifetime of the whiskey? I was thinking about getting a couple small 250 - 375 ml bottles for a couple of those bottles I don't quite want to finish off yet. Thanks!

That last part is me hahaha people who don’t drink much can’t tell

Maybe I´m the only one but JW Red Label is a good whisky in his price category, together with J&B, Cutty Sark, William Lawsons etc. There are even cheaper whiskies, so the best you can do is buy 4 or 5 cheap whiskies, blend them in a decanter and make them a social drink for friends who care shit or a nica game/poker/rpg night

I like the last reason, that was funny.

Decanter question: I have an old I.W. Harper decanter. Etched glass with the gentleman bowing to the lady. Sentimental old school. But it needs a new stopper cork to be put into service. Anyone know where I can get one or get it done?

You missed an important reason for decanting, as a natural product, wine is also sometimes has a tendency to form sediments. Decanting allows you to separate the wine from those sediments, which can impart a bitter, funky, and altogether unpleasant flavor. As far as I can tell, that's the only "legitimate" reason to decant anything.

the Ford ad that was on before this stole a phrase from Sheamus and Cesaro.

Cool channel, Sir. I really like the videos.

I have no idea what the point of a whiskey decanter is beyond being decorative. I cant afford the overly expensive stuff but some decanters look pretty cool. That said, the cheap brands spend a lot of their revenue trying to replicate the taste of the expensive ones for a lower cost, in wines it's gotten to the point that all but a few people can't tell the difference between 50 year old French estate and 1 year old California crap.

Thanks now when a mates got scotch in a decanter I know I’m not drinking it!!!! 😃

I prefer it straight out of the bottle with a 1 litre chaser of pepsi

Love the name of the channel is the whiskey dic intended to be a double entendre

I hear you talking about whiskey and how you should smell it and feel the blended flavors and how it's delicious even! I can't stand it smell or it taste either and I've tried good trades like blue label but never works with me! Can you tell me how to feel what you feel about whiskey please?

If you make a second channel call it the whiskey thesaurus

Since so much effort goes into making packaging and accompanying blurb attractive, I reckon that whisky has more showing-off appeal in its original bottle and wrappings, not in a rather kitch bottle with badly fitting stopper.

Which brand of whiskey is this?

I'll been hearing that whisky is better below the shoulder, if true then why not just decant for an hour and then put it back in the bottle.

I found this really cool, retro/old school looking decanter amongst my mother's glassware, I think it was a gift at my parent's wedding, not sure (yes, THAT old...). Anyway, I was planning to use it as my 'infinity bottle' seeing as no one has touched the thing in over a decade, might as well use it...It isn't crystal, so what makes the glass different from any other bottle? It was made in Italy if that helps... It's entirely glass but the 'cork' part that connects to glass lid to the glass bottle is a thick, transparent plastic of some kind. I tested it to see if it was air tight and it was. You can fill it up, close it, then hold it upside down and nothing leaks, it functions like a normal bottle, just with a cooler design. Are you saying it could be dangerous or alter the taste? That seems odd...I mean, I thought storing whiskey was its entire purpose?

How long is it good to finasih whiney in lead decanter bro

The only reason I know what decant mean is from runescape :)

From what I was able to gather, I can pour some cheap whiskey into a decanter to make it look fancy for my guests, but I still wonder if I can let some 1910 bourbon sit in there for a week. Another channel claimed that whiskey can only sit in a decanter for a day, but your point about an opened bottle of whiskey and a decanter being the same thing makes more sense to me. Can you please clear that up for me?

Whisky should never be decanted unless - it's a cheap whisky; or will be consumed within a few days. Otherwise, leave it in the bottle. It is extremely rare to find a near airtight decanter, so you'll be wasting good product (and aromas) if you decant for more than a few days.

I enjoyed the video. So now I've Liked and Subscribed!

It's interesting how Red Label is considered the worst of all blended scotches but still is the top 1 or 2 scotches ever in terms of popularity. Maybe a majority of consumers prioritize cost and availability more than quality.

Decanters work great because 95% of people can't actually taste significant differences between hard liquor, but don't want to be served the cheapest shit possible even though they really wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a $15 bottle and a $50 bottle. You pour the cheap stuff into a decanter to erase the stigma of cheap alcohol without having to waste your expensive bottles on people who can't even appreciate it.

I thought the decanter is a way of not showing off just like tearing off a cigars band. Maybe it’s more of the British thing.

Nice.