A bad whisky that had lost much of its character. Unless you forgot and found it a decade later. It was covered under a blanket in the back of his car, however his car often got very hot because it is very hot where he lives. The result of high temperature storage? Liqueurs and cordials like Grand Marnier, Drambuie, and Midori will spoil much sooner, though. Once a bottle of brandy is opened, it’s got about 1 to 2 years left before noticeable degradation in flavor and quality. Yes. The good news is that vodka has a longer shelf life than most liquors, but you’ll still want to be sure to drink it within a certain time frame. Does vodka go bad? The more common stuff, which averages around 40 percent alcohol by volume, will burn a small blue flame over the top of the drink that goes out with a light breath — same for vodka… It's best to keep your drinks in a cool, dark place. In case of distilled spirits the answer is negative, but they deteriorate because of the interaction with oxygen. Fortunately, a bottle of vodka can last for a long time before it goes bad. Liqueurs and cordials will eventually go bad. This experiment was done by the folks over Scotch Whisky magazine. Once opened, a bottle of vodka will eventually and inevitably go bad. Does alcohol go bad after opening? It simply loses flavor — generally a year after being opened. Does Brandy Go Bad? Vodka has a longer shelf life than most liquors; it can be stored from few to several years depending upon the storage and handling practices. Brandy, unopened, does not go bad if kept away from heat and light. Can alcohol go bad if exposed to heat? (credit: Jack Ward) Liqueurs and Cordials. Does vodka go bad? A thing to always keep in mind is that the liquor with the higher alcohol content will have a longer shelf life because it doesn't have a lot of other ingredients that will cause it to go bad such as grapes, sugar, hops and cream. Do Liqueurs and Cordials Go Bad? The length of a liqueurs’ shelf life can vary widely depending on its characteristics. Once a bottle of vodka is opened, the contents may begin to evaporate slowly and some flavor may be lost over time, but the vodka will remain safe to consume if it has been stored properly. To maximize the shelf life of vodka for quality purposes, store in a cool dry area away from direct heat or sunlight; keep tightly closed when not in use. You can consider them to be similar to drinks other than vodka, such as wine or whiskey, in fact. So the type of alcohol will determine whether or not it will go bad overtime once it has been opened. People will tell you the more times a vodka is distilled the better that is, don’t believe the hype. (iStock) So a buddy of mine had a bottle of Malibu Coconut Liqueur that sat in his car for about three to four months. After being opened, bottles of whiskey, vodka, tequila and rum won’t necessarily go bad, but they’ll start to lose their flavor after about 6-8 months (or even up to year). Prolonged exposure to sunlight has a detrimental effect on liquor, and the longer liquor is exposed to the sun, the worse the effects will be. A good bottle of vodka is a vital addition to any liquor cabinet, whether you're a connoisseur who wants to savor it straight or a dedicated mixologist who wants to include it in cocktails. Liquor does not expire to the point of causing sickness. Any food item will go bad if you are not storing it properly; so will vodka. Rosa graduated with a master degree in Food Safety from Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands.