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Patron and Altos both say a sealed bottle of tequila keeps. On an open one, they’re ten months apart.
A sealed bottle
Patron’s answer: “An unopened bottle of tequila has an indefinite shelf life, which means it won’t ever really expire.” (Patron) Olmeca Altos says the same, as long as the bottle stays “hermetically sealed, that is, just as you bought it.” (Altos)
An open bottle
- Altos: “in the case of tequila the ideal is about 2 months.”
- Patron: once the bottle is opened, “it will remain at peak quality for 1 year.”
- Del Maguey, on mezcal: “an opened bottle should be consumed within a few years to enjoy the spirit at its best” (Del Maguey)
Del Maguey puts the change down to air: “when mezcal is exposed to air, its flavors can change, leading to a diminished tasting experience due to oxidation.”
In Dram+Vine, an open tequila runs on the same oxidation clock as whiskey, and that’s more generous than either tequila maker: a 40% tequila that’s still over half full gets three years. To hold a bottle to Patron’s year or Altos’ two months, pick the drink-by date yourself on the bottle’s detail screen, and the app counts down to that date.
What “bad” means here
Spoiled, to Altos, means a tequila whose “alcohol has evaporated or even that it has lost part of its aroma or flavor.” Patron says to trust your nose: “if it smells sour or off, it’s probably best to toss it.”
Altos also says to keep it out of the cold: “we should not put it in the refrigerator or even in the freezer.”