Should you use a decanter?

I think we all have a visual in our heads of a classy bourbon drinker. They usually have a nice leather chair, a cigar, and they usually have their spirit of choice in a fancy glass bottle, that is different from the one it came in. That fancy glass bottle is known as a decanter. A decanter is a glass bottle that was originally used to help remove sediment from the bottle. While this isn't a main concern today, in the past it was much more prevalent (Just a note: this can still be a an issue today if your spirit is non-chill filtered, or just not filtered properly/adequately)

However, there are still more reasons to use a decanter and honestly one of them is the aesthetic although that is not the only reasons.

It allows the the bourbon to "open up": Allowing the bourbon to open up and breath can lead to more complex and deep flavors and aromas. This can lead to a much better experience especially on some of those hard to find bourbons that we all love!
It also can help preserve the bourbon: A good decanter will protect the bourbon from light and air allowing it to stay good for a very long time. A note though not all decanters are built the same. One of the one's that I personally own that looks awesome has no seal at the top and is clear glass so it is not protected from either air or sunlight.

Do you use a decanter? Let me know by rating what you currently have in there on the world's best whiskey app NEAT: Whiskey Finder!.