I want to buy top shelf alcohol for my son’s 21st birthday (or some other milestones after that). He’s turning 1 soon.

Is this a bad idea? I have seen certain bottles that appreciate significantly over time (e.g. a bottle of Macallan scotch from the 80’s) but do they mature/taste different? Are there any rules I should follow for storing them for a long time? Are there alcohols that I should avoid? Obviously I’m not planning to leave a six pack in my basement for 20 years, but off the bat I was thinking a nice bottle of scotch or champagne. Will they spoil if I just leave them in a cool(ish) dark corner of my basement?