Tequila Never Expires, But Here's How To Keep It In Peak Condition

If you fit these two criteria: one, is an occasional liquor sipper and two, have one or a collection of open, half-finished tequilas (we don't judge!) in your liquor cabinet ... you might've wondered once or twice how long they'd actually last before expiring. The good news is that a bottle of tequila — even after it's been opened — can last almost indefinitely, so no need to stress if you've been saving a special reserve for the right moment. But here's the thing: if you want to enjoy your tequila at the peak of its quality, you best get to finishing it fast.

Once you've popped the cork on a bottle of tequila, air rushes in and mingles with the liquor inside, slowly oxidizing and degrading its quality — taste, flavor, and even the overall appearance of the tequila. You generally won't notice it if you keep the tequila for, say, two or three months. But after a year? You'll definitely notice the change.

The most striking is the change in color. The tequila would look a bit murkier than usual when you pour it into a glass. Then, when you smell it, the aroma of the spirit would seem flat instead of the vibrant floral and herbal scent (even woody if you have aged tequilas like reposado or añejo) you get in the beginning. Finally, if you take a sip and it tastes weird with a bad aftertaste, then your tequila has definitely gone past its prime.

A lot of things can affect the quality of tequila even when it's safely sealed away in an airtight bottle. The first is, of course, air exposure. This is why whenever you're not pouring, seal it up tight to keep the liquor from oxidizing.

Proper storage counts for a lot, too. Aim for a spot with these three adjectives: cool, dark, and moderately dry. We need somewhere cool because heat fluctuations can make the liquor expand and contract inside the bottle, which can eventually break the cork's seal and allow air to seep in. Dark, simply because UV light doesn't make a good combo with liquors (any kind, not just tequila). UV can break down the chemical structure of the spirit, long enough and the alcohol would be completely ruined. Lastly, we need somewhere dry to protect the cork from turning soggy and eventually "leak" air (but the air shouldn't be so dry that the cork becomes dehydrated and cracked).

On the bright side, even oxidized tequilas are still safe to drink — we're just not sure if you'd enjoy the experience. But here's an idea if you've got some "out-of-date" tequila: while it won't be a decent straight-shot anymore, how about mixing it into a zesty Paloma? The extra ingredients will help you take the edge off the sub-prime tequila and make it enjoyable again!