Back in 2011 , Ardbeg Distillery , of Islay in Scotland , send off a sample of unmatured malted whisky into outer space aboard the International Space Station . Now , the samples have been tested — and here ’s how it tastes .
Samples of the distillery ’s whiskey were age aboard the space station : seal in something calledMixStix , astronauts were able-bodied to release the whisky into the presence of the woodwind instrument used to age the liquor at a predetermined second in prison term . Meanwhile , a control sample also sit down softly in Scotland , ageing the elbow room the spirit usually does .
The sampling come in back from space last class , but a series of scientific trial run — including gasolene chromatography and high-pitched - pressing liquid state chromatography as well as the more schematic taste testing — think of that the termination have only just been published .
you may take thefull report from Ardberg , include plenty of technical results . But crucially , its story also contains tasting notes which liken the whiskey maturate aboard the International Space Station to that which sat on Earth . Here you go :
world sample distribution : “ The sample had a woody aroma , redolent of an aged Ardbeg elan , with pinch of true cedar , sweetened smoke and of age balsamic acetum , as well as raisins , golden syrup brittle , vanilla extract and burnt oranges .
“ On the roof of the mouth , its woody , balsamy flavours shone through , along with a aloof fruitiness , some charcoal and antiseptic notes , leading to a long , lingering aftertaste , with savour of gentle smoke , tar and creamy fudge . ”
Space sample : “ Its vivid aroma had hint of antiseptic smoke , rubber and smoked Pisces , along with a rummy , sweet-smelling mention , like reddish blue or cassis , and muscular woody tones , leading to a meaty aroma .
“ The taste was very focused , with smoke fruit such as prune , raisins , sugared plum and cherries , earthy peat smoke , peppermint , aniseed , cinnamon and smoked Roger Bacon or hickory - smoked jambon . The aftertaste is acute and long , with hints of wood , antiseptic lozenges and rubberlike bullet . ”
In fact , Ardbeg reason out that the two whiskeys have “ a dramatically dissimilar flavour visibility , which will give rise to the potential development of new flavours . ” They append that that the “ difference in flavour between the ISS and control samples is so marked , that further analysis will be carried out to clear up the creation of the unlike flavours . ”
In practical terms it ’s improbable that whiskey will be aged in blank any fourth dimension before long as the costs would be astronomic . But maybe one Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , when we colonise Mars , we can look forward to new and interesting preference in our liquor . We might even have anappropriate glassto tope it from , too .
[ ArdbegviaBBCviaPopular Science ]
Image byTherese Tjernströmunder Creative Commons license .
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