Expired Cognac? 14 December 2022 at 3:23PM in Food shopping & groceries 13 replies 1.6K views

StinkerPinker

Hi, not sure if this the correct place to post this, sorry.

I bought a 70cl bottle of Martell Cognac in the run up to Christmas 2020 to give as a gift, but that went awry and never happened.   I forgot about it last Christmas and it remained in storage.  I would like to give it this Christmas as a gift but am unsure whether it is still drinkable.  Do sealed bottles of spirits expire?    I examined the bottle and there is a tiny marking near the base saying 2020/08/12 L10:10L.   I don't drink and am reluctant to simply bin it.     What do you think?
stinker ...

TonyMMM

it will last for decades ... absolutely fine - enjoy.

marcia_

 It doesn't expire it gets better with age

DullGreyGuy

marcia_ said:

 It doesn't expire it gets better with age

Tends to be less true once bottled for spirits, its different for wine. 

That said, at 40% ABV or higher it should last almost indefinitely 

Rosa_Damascena

Expired Cognac?

There is no such thing!

StinkerPinker

Thanks everybody - very reassuring!  Merry Christmas!
stinker ...

pumpkin89

The date marking is a batch code, most likely the date it was bottled.  They put that on just in case a problem is found and they have to recall all the bottles manufactured in the same batch.

Katiehound

I still have a bottle of Amaretto disarrono priced in Deutsche marks- so just a few years old.
Perfectly fine.
 Just checked to see how old....well at least 20 years  'though I think it might be older.....

Longwalker

Katiehound said:

I still have a bottle of Amaretto disarrono priced in Deutsche marks- so just a few years old.
Perfectly fine.
 Just checked to see how old....well at least 20 years  'though I think it might be older.....

Understandable - disgusting stuff

RobM99

Well, I just tried some the same. I think I can sady say its all cogny lotsy, Wooh! S'great... clunk!

A._Badger

marcia_ said:

 It doesn't expire it gets better with age

Not in a glass bottle, it doesn't. It only ages in wooden barrels. Still, it won't get any worse and has an indefinite lifespan.