How to store gin at home

One of the most common questions we hear at tastings at our distillery is: what's the best way to store gin at home? The good news is gin is hardy stuff — but a few simple habits will keep every bottle tasting the way we intended. Here's how to keep your Humdinger Gin in tip-top condition.

Store your gin somewhere cool

Heat is gin's quiet enemy — it speeds up oxidation and evaporation and dulls the botanicals that give each gin its character. Around 4°C is the optimum, but in practice a cool, dark cupboard with a consistent temperature — ideally on the southern side of the house — works very well.

Keep it out of direct sunlight

As much as we like seeing our bottles on display, sunlight breaks down flavour compounds — and it fades colour too. Fruit gins are the most vulnerable: leave a Pink Gin or Sloe Gin in the sun long enough and that gorgeous colour can turn an unsightly brown.

Interesting fact: this is why some distillers use really big labels — they help block out most of the damaging light.

Keep the cap tightly sealed

Air causes oxidation just like heat and light do, and the bright citrus notes are always the first to fade. Keep the lid on tight, and try not to open and close the bottle more often than you need to — every opening lets fresh air in.

Store bottles upright, not on their side

Unlike wine, gin should always stand upright, for two reasons:

• It reduces the likelihood of leaks
• It stops the closure sitting in the spirit — natural and agglomerated cork can slowly leach colour into your gin

Keeping bottles upright (and cool) all but eliminates the risk.

Should you keep gin in the fridge or freezer?

It won't hurt it — at 40% ABV, gin won't freeze in a home freezer. But very cold gin mutes the botanicals, so we'd save the freezer for bottles you drink neat and ice-cold, and keep the rest in the cupboard. For a G&T, chill the glass and the tonic instead — the flavour stays brighter.

Does gin go off?

Unopened and stored properly — upright, sealed, cool and out of the sun — gin keeps its quality and botanical flavours for several years. Once opened, it's still very forgiving, though the citrus-led notes slowly soften as air gets in, so an open bottle is at its absolute best within a year. Not that a Humdinger tends to sit on the shelf that long!

Stock the shelf: browse our NZ-made gins, carry them home in our six-bottle jute bag, or send one as a gin gift delivered nationwide.