What is likely to change in a spirit stored in an inert vessel over several months?

When a spirit is stored in an inert vessel, such as stainless steel or glass, over several months, it can undergo subtle changes that can lead to a smoother and more mouthfilling profile. Unlike aging in wooden barrels, which extracts compounds from the wood and often leads to additional flavors and darker colors, storage in inert vessels does not add flavors from wood, allowing the spirit's inherent qualities to evolve gently.

During this time, certain volatile compounds may dissipate, and the spirit can lose some of its harsher alcohol notes, resulting in a smoother mouthfeel. This is particularly relevant for spirits that may have high alcohol content, as they can feel more aggressive on the palate initially. The process can also allow for some integration of flavors if the spirit was originally blended, leading to a perception of enhanced smoothness.

The choices that imply a harsher taste, darker color, or development of specific fruity flavors do not align with the nature of storage in inert vessels, where significant flavor changes typically do not occur, and harsher notes are likely to mellow out instead.