Mackinlay's Whisky. Credit: NZAHT.org
Robyn's splendid post yesterday may have whetted your appetite for histories of exploration. Well you wash all that food for thought down with an update on the Shackleton whisky. In November I posted here details of an attempt to extract some of Shackleton's whisky, and, hopefully, recreate the stuff. There's some details on a Guardian blog. Whyte and Mackay, responsible for the original stuff, are keenly interested in the development: no small wonder, as there could be a serious market for this: the history nerds, alcoholics, and explorers would be queued up down the street to buy it by the case. Which, coincidentally, I hope they ship in wood. Their Master blender, Richard Paterson, speculated it might taste 'Cold', and there's a video on his blog too, of the whisky. Finally, a thoughtful piece can be found on the California Academy of Sciences blog, of an expedition to visit the hut, with beautiful images too. It's still some time off, as they've still got to recreate and produce and bottle the stuff. That said, it's a blend, so when they know what goes in it, it could be on the market fairly sharpish. Hopefully sensibly-priced, but more likely to hit around the £70-90 price mark in some kind of fancy historical packaging, would be my guess. I hope I'm proved wrong.
However arduous the work may seem, when the Lab gets hold of a bottle of the recreation, we'll post very full tasting notes. I personally undertake to do this. Promise! Perhaps historical drinkies could make a good Lab session next year. Does that tickle your fancy?
