Don't Waste the Last Ounce of Your Favorite Whiskey. Try This Unique Technique to Make It Last Longer

Enjoying good whiskey is a journey. It can take you around the world and fill your shelves with bottles that tell a story, whether bourbon, Scotch, rye whiskey, Japanese whisky, or Canadian whisky. While having a good tasting notes journal is a great way to catalog your various tastings, an "infinity bottle" is a tangible way to make sure your dead whiskeys live on. 

What Is an Infinity Bottle?

An infinity bottle is a personalized mix of Scotch, bourbon, rye, and other whiskeys that constantly evolves over the years. While there are certainly no rules when it comes to an infinity bottle, there's a method I stick to. I take the last ounce or two from near-finished bottles and pour the remnants into my infinity bottle. 

I’ve been refreshing my personal infinity bottle since early 2020. Over the years, I’ve added various whiskies to the mix as I drink some and replenish it. My infinity bottle is never empty, hence the name, making it a living personalized bottle that showcases my whiskey journey. 

The bottle is currently home to about two dozen different whiskeys, including 10-year Rip Van Winkle, High West Campfire, Old Elk, Jack Daniels Single Barrel, Weller Special Reserve, Heaven Hill Bottle-In-Bond, Smoke Wagon, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, Tin Cup, and more.

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I used an old sample bottle to house the unique mixture. I’ve kept a log of what has gone into the barrel over the years and have also noted it on duct tape applied to the back of my infinity bottle.

How it tastes is almost secondary to my personalized mix, created which is a testament to the drams I’ve enjoyed over the years. I’ve had some blends that taste amazing, and others that are downright bad. But that's all part of the adventure. It’s fun to pull out my infinity bottle when friends come over to drink whiskey around the fire pit. 

A pour from one of my infinity bottles.

David Young

How To Create Your Own Infinity Bottle

Starting an infinity bottle is pretty easy, but there are certain steps to keep in mind to help it succeed. 

First, consider the bottle you want to use. Over the years, I've used everything from a 1.75 liter Kirkland Signature Canadian Whiskey bottle to a small sample bottle. While any size bottle will work, I’ve found small ones work better for several reasons. One, it keeps less air from oxygenating your whiskey. Second, since you are only adding an ounce or two at a time, it can take years to fill a big bottle compared to months for a small one. 

Also, having a smaller bottle encourages you to drink from it more often and add more varied whiskeys to it more often. I’ve known people who will save a bottle that is special, rare, or has significance to them and use that for their Infinity Bottle. Just make sure to clean the bottle before starting and then have an airtight cork or lid for it.

Though you're blending various spirits in an Infinity Bottle, you are not technically “blending” whiskey. True whiskey blending is an art that takes time, practice, and intention. Major brands like Johnnie Walker employ master blenders, which are highly coveted and skilled positions. That’s not the point of an infinity blend. Dumping old whiskey in to see what comes out is most of the fun. 

With that in mind, I'm still a little selective about what goes into my infinity bottle. One practice to consider is keeping separate bottle for Scotch and bourbon. While the spirits are similar, their flavors are quite different and can clash at times. I’ve learned the hard way that a peaty Islay Scotch can soon overpower any other ingredient. 

I list all the whiskeys that go into my infinity bottle on a piece of duct tape.

David Young

I’m even a bit discerning with high-proof or really strong bourbons. Sometimes, if whiskey is really powerful, I'll put less into the Infinity Bottle than I might with a standard bourbon.

Over time, you find a nice balance and approach to how you blend your personalized infinity bottle. I started by just adding any whiskey in it, but throughout the past five years, I’ve been more careful, only adding whiskeys that I really like or want to live on.

Lastly, once you have your bottle started, make sure to drink it and share it. It can be easy to just leave it on the shelf or only try it once it’s just right. However, it's a living bottle that's intended to constantly change.

By trying the infinity regularly, you can better decide which whiskeys to add and which ones to leave out. In theory, you will end up with a truly unique bottle that not only tastes good but is a testament to all the past bottles you’ve enjoyed throughout the years. 

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