Clarification on storing conditions for single malts

[abscent]

Hi!

I have a few questions I'd love to get answered as I can't really find complete info elsewhere online.

I have a box/storage room of sorts where I currently keep some whiskies I don't plan to drink for a (long) while. (Special occasions and all that)

1. The temperature ranges from about 17C-24C depending on the seasons. I've always read that you should avoid fluctuations - is this range too wide for long term storage? Should it be more stable? What kind of range do they put in 'fluctuations'? What is the best storage temperature?

2. Humidity varies from 20-50%. I reckon as long as humidity is not in one of the extremes this is perfectly OK?

3. Are bottles susceptible to aritifical light? Or is it only sunlight? Can't find a definite answer on this.

4. Can the cardboard boxes/cartons/tubes the whiskies come in taint it?

Because I recently watched a Ralfy video where he says you shouldn't store your bottles in their cartons/boxes as it can potentially taint the whisky, even if it is sealed/never opened. Are there any sources on this or is he speaking just from his own experience/guessing?

I currently store the whiskies in cartons but now I'm thinking I shouldn't. And with me using the store room anywhere from 1-5 days a week un-covered bottles will recieve aritficial light from the roof lamp from anywhere from 2 minutes to a couple of hours. Am I between a rock and a hard place here?

Can anyone shed some light (pun intendend maybe) on this?

Thanks!

[opelfruit]

You're fine don't worry. Yes, ideally it shouldn't be too humid and below room temperature if you're being very picky but it won't make that much difference.

It's the wavelength of light that's the issue. UV light is the problem and some artificial lights can give this out but the idea is that don't store long term in direct light, turning an artificial light on every now and then won't matter.

Never heard about boxes etc tainting. Personally it's a load of tosh. Ralfy. Pinch of salt. He says a lot of things that he's read/heard elsewhere without actually confirming facts. He does it a lot. I heard him talk about using the little magnets that some boxes have in them to put along car fuel lines to improve mpg - factually, totally not true.


Worst case (absolute worse case) if you had an open bottle for a long time still in its tube, as you do get evaporation from the bottle seal. However, if you've left your bottles open for that long without stopping the oxidisation (pump or inert gas layer) then your whisky will likely be flawed anyway, tube or not.
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[abscent]

Thanks for the info! That's a load off my mind indeed

[sorren]

As Opel says !!
I have stored some bottles for at least 20 years in a bedroom, curtains closed, no heating and in the tube.. Still fine ! Have some bottles from the 60s kept in similar way and whisky inside the bottles is fine too..

[Darwin]