Question: Storage of Rum

[adri_dand]

Opening up a Can of... er... Bottle of worms

Ahoy Capn'!

What to do with all of these open bottles?!

What has been your experience with opening multiple bottles of rum (or other spirits) that you will not necessarily consume quickly? What about storing the bottles? is it o.k. to have them sitting on a bureau in a room where there is light coming through a window?

Thanks.

[Capn Jimbo]

Good question. Sue Sea and I have well over 100 bottles including some collector's items including some Cruzan Estate Diamond 5 Year (discontinued) and, sadly, now some Barbancourt Five Star.

These are stored in a dark closet; however all are unopened. The great majority have been opened for reviewing and drinking. About a third in a nice glass display case (upright), the rest divided between upright storage in a secondary cabinet and horizontal storage in a nice IKEA wooden wine bottle rack.

I'm sure you agree that light is bad, and perhaps you've heard that wine is stored horizontally (on its side) to keep the corks from drying out. Makes sense to me, and it sure makes a case for screw tops.

[RT]

I've got about 50 bottles, half opened and half still sealed. All standing upright on a shelf that does not receive direct sunlight.

When I first open a bottle with a cork seal, I inspect the cork to be sure it is in good condition and sealing tightly. If it is even slightly loose, I replace it with a plastic stopper.

While I appreciate good rums, I find my palate is not so touchy as to reject a rum that has been open 6 months. Usually I try to finish the bottle within 12-18 months, and I rarely detect anything offensive.