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Drilling for Whiskey in Antarctica

by Jordan Yerman | November 17, 2009 at 12:41 pm

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When Ernest Shackleton sailed to Antarctica in a failed mission to reach the South Pole, he brought along some McKinlay & Co whiskey... a type of whisky that is now extinct, except for the bottles now lodged beneath the Antarctic ice. A team of Kiwi whiskey-drillers will venture to Cape Royds, locate the abandoned crates of whiskey, drill down, and bring some samples back to civilization in order for Whyte & Macay's whiskey scientists to recreate the blend. The whiskey-nauts are bringing a special drill to safely free the bottles; in the event that that's not possible, they're to use a special syringe to withdraw a sample.

At what temperature does whiskey actually freeze? Antarctica gets to a balmy -5C in summer, but reaches a teeth-rattling -94C in the winter.

Expedition leader Al Fastier says he doesn't want to sample the contents of the frozen crates, saying, "It's better to imagine it than to taste it. That way it keeps its mystery". This is where Fastier and I reach an ideological fork in the road. I'd want to sample some right then and there, on the Antarctic ice. Hell, yeah.

"Even if most of the bottles have to remain in Antarctica for historic reasons, it would be good if we could get a couple."

Mr Paterson said the Shackleton expedition's whisky could still be drinkable and taste exactly how it did 100 years ago.