How to Use Up Whiskey You Don’t Like

At some point, it happens to all of us: the liquor cabinet is too full to hold another bottle. I think of my whiskey collection more like a library than a pantry, which means I’m loath to finish anything. What if I need to go back and taste that weird truffle-flavored rye whiskey someday, just to remind myself what it tasted like?

Alas, if I never finished anything, I’d never be able to add to the collection – and there are definitely some bottles in there that I don’t look forward to drinking on their own. That means I’ve had to develop some strategies for clearing out the liquor cabinet without suffering through bad whiskey. In the same boat? Here are my strategies to use up whiskey fast.

Use it for cooking. Rogue’s Chipotle Whiskey is my least favorite whiskey I’ve ever tasted, hands down. There’s nothing you could do to make me drink it straight again – but, it turns out it’s a great way to deglaze a pan when I’m making a pot of chili. Try using whiskey in a ham glaze, as a way to flavor whipped cream, or in baked goods. I’ve even substituted whiskey for vodka in that famous Cooks Illustrated piecrust recipe when making pumpkin or apple pies, and it turns out fantastic.

Experiment with batch cocktails. Hosting a party? Make a punch. Everybody likes ladling cocktails into their own cups, and punch usually has enough going on that no single ingredient really stands out. As an added bonus, you’ll probably use up the entire bottle in one go.

Take it to a party and leave it behind. This is my signature move. Anytime you’re invited to a party, bring your bottle of unwanted whiskey. Bonus points if it’s a bottle that makes for good conversation. Last summer, I brought most of a bottle of Gold Bar whiskey to a Fourth of July barbecue. Everybody loved the ridiculous packaging, it got people talking to one another, and I felt like a hero – without having to drink the stuff myself.