This batch of whiskey is the first to have ever been matured in orbit

Sep 3, 2014 18:03 GMT  ·  By
Whiskey that matured aboard the Internation Space Station will soon return to Earth
   Whiskey that matured aboard the Internation Space Station will soon return to Earth

Soon enough, the folks behind Scotland's Ardbeg Distillery will introduce the world to a batch of whiskey that matured not on Earth, but in outer space.

This batch was sent to the International Space Station 3 years ago, when the whiskey was still very young, and is expected to make it back to Earth this coming September 12, when it will land somewhere in Kazakhstan.

Those who hope that, on the day it finally returns to our planet, the whiskey will be served at some outrageous party would do well not to save the date, the folks at Ardbeg Distillery explain.

This is because the batch is not so much a batch as it is a vial containing very little of the popular alcoholic drink. Otherwise put, there simply isn't enough space-matured whiskey for Ardbeg Distillery to be able to throw a party.

What's more, it appears that, before finally tasting it, the Scottish whiskey enthusiasts will first perform extensive tests on the space-matured drink. These tests will hopefully reveal how different conditions influence the maturation process.

“This is one small step for man but one giant leap for whiskey. The team hopes to uncover how flavors develop in different gravitational conditions – findings which could revolutionize the whiskey-making process,” said Dr. Bill Lumsden.

“We hope to shine new light on the effect of gravity on the maturation process, but who knows where it will lead us? It could be to infinity and beyond,” the current director of Ardbeg Distillery went on to explain, as cited by Oddity Central.

In case anyone was wondering, the whiskey vial expected to return to Earth this September 12 was sent to the International Space Station back in October 2011. It reached its destination with the help of an unmanned cargo spacecraft, and has since been orbiting our planet 15 times per day.

To make sure that the information obtained during this experiment is as accurate as possible, the makeup of the space-matured whiskey is to be compared with that of regular whiskey, that was corked around the same time but that was kept on Earth, carefully tucked away inside a bottle.

“Ardbeg is known for taking risks and its development of some of the most coveted whiskies in the world, so it is fitting that it is the first distillery ever in space,” Dr. Bill Lumsden commented on Ardbeg Distillery's decision to carry out this study. “We are now close to the end, close to finding answers to something previously unknown which is truly exciting,” he added.