What’s the Shelf Life of Liquor?
Every home bartender has a bottle or two that has been sitting in the back of their liquor cabinet for an extended period of time. So what is the shelf life of a bottle of alcohol?
Shelf Life of Hard Liquors
The base liquors (brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey) are the most shelf-stable distilled spirits. These average 40 percent alcohol by volume (80 proof—though some are stronger) and typically do not contain added sugars, you can store these bottles for an extremely long time:
Unopened, these hard liquors have an indefinite shelf life.
Once opened, they will lose certain flavor qualities over a few years but will never really spoil.
The exceptions are flavored spirits, which may have sugar and additives that lower their shelf life. If you have a flavored vodka, rum, or tequila below 80 proof, it may contain sugar. Also, look for lower-proof flavored brandies and whiskies have "liqueur" on the label. Treat all of these like liqueurs.