Inherited several 50 yr old bottles of whiskey

[dennishoddy]

Don't they stop aging once removed from the barrel? For example, a 20 year whisky thats been in the bottle for 50 years is still only a 20 year whisky, not a 70 year. Right?

That’s correct.

 

[JD8]

Don't they stop aging once removed from the barrel? For example, a 20 year whisky thats been in the bottle for 50 years is still only a 20 year whisky, not a 70 year. Right?

Right, the "aging" in whisky occurs when stored in a charred barrel. The charcoal layer will "purify" the whisky. Obviously, this doesn't happen in a glass bottle.

 

[Claude]

It doesn't get any better sitting in glass, pop the top and drink away.

 

[O4L]

It's probably not the best tasting whiskey anyway and it's more than likely it's degraded over time depending on how it was stored over all those years so I would keep them sealed and add the to the collection as an unique item you inherited.