100 Year Old Whiskey Found Near South Pole

[Bloodshot Scott]

(Feb. 6) -- It's probably the most sought-after scotch in history – crates of whiskey buried in Antarctica by the famed explorer Ernest Shackleton a century ago. He abandoned them on a failed attempt to reach the South Pole in 1909, and they've been on ice – literally – ever since.

Researchers from New Zealand found the crates while restoring a hut Shackleton built and used during the expedition. He and his team were forced to cut short the trip and abandon supplies, including their booze, to sail away before winter ice trapped them there.

The New Zealand team first spotted two crates underneath the hut's floorboards in 2006, but they were too deeply embedded in ice to be salvaged. Researchers returned to the site this past week, and finally extracted the crates after drilling into the ice around them. The surprise was that there were three more crates than expected – one more of whiskey and two of brandy.

The second trip was backed by the same Scottish company that distilled Shackleton's whiskey, Mackinlay's Rare Old Scotch. It could be the longest booze run in history. The Whyte and Mackay distillery hopes to replicate the whiskey, which hasn't been made in a lifetime after the original recipe was lost.

"Given the original recipe no longer exists, this may open a door into history," the company's master blender, Richard Paterson, said in a release posted on the company's Web site. He called the find "a gift from the heavens" for whiskey lovers.

"If the contents can be confirmed, safely extracted and analyzed, the original blend may be able to be replicated," Paterson said.

Experts will try to extract the historic brew delicately. Some of the crates have cracked and ice has formed inside. Icebergs surrounding the crates smelled of whiskey, and there may have been leakage, according to Al Fastier, a restoration expert with the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust who made the find.

He told the BBC he heard the slosh of liquid inside the crates when they were moved, and is confident that much of the liquor is still inside.

Shackleton's expedition ran short of supplies on a long trek to the South Pole that began in 1907. He had to turn back about 100 miles from the pole in 1909. The team had to move quickly to escape as winter ice began to form, so they were forced to abandon all but essential equipment and supplies – including their whiskey. No lives were lost.

A Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, was first to reach the South Pole two years later, in 1911.

As for what the future holds for Shackleton's whiskey, there are international treaties preventing the removal of artifacts from Antarctica, but Paterson wrote on his blog that he hopes to get his hands on at least a sample of the whiskey, if not a couple bottles.

"What you all want to know is: How will it taste?" Paterson wrote. "To which the answer is: Cold."

http://www.aolnews.com/world/articl...whiskey-found-buried-near-south-pole/19347440

Stuff's gotta be worth some serious dough.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

This makes me think of that scene in the Kate Beckinsale film White Out where this guy pours whiskey over million year old ice, or however old it was supposed to be.

Beyond that, the way I look at liquor is, I am not going to spend a crap load of money on one bottle when all I am going to do is get shitfaced by it and whiz it out later. I will stick with my $5 pint of 110 Proof Vodka. :yesyes:

However, if they find a way to duplicate this whiskey, make it for a reasonable price I will be more than happy to try it then.

 

[GWhizz]

This calls for a celebration.

Whiskey chaser on the rocks, barkeep.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

This makes me think of that scene in the Kate Beckinsale film White Out where this guy pours whiskey over million year old ice, or however old it was supposed to be.

Beyond that, the way I look at liquor is, I am not going to spend a crap load of money on one bottle when all I am going to do is get shitfaced by it and whiz it out later. I will stick with my $5 pint of 110 Proof Vodka. :yesyes:

However, if they find a way to duplicate this whiskey, make it for a reasonable price I will be more than happy to try it then.

The cheapest pints 'round these parts are $4, but they're only 80 proof. It's cheap shit, but I've drank cheaper and the really really cheap shit gave me an irregular heart beat before. Scary shit it is.

 

[Elwood70]

so they were forced to abandon all but essential equipment and supplies – including their whiskey.....

I thought that whiskey was an essential....

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

I thought that whiskey was an essential....

Believe it or not, for pirates centuries ago, in fact I believe that it was essential so their water did'nt go bad.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

The cheapest pints 'round these parts are $4, but they're only 80 proof. It's cheap shit, but I've drank cheaper and the really really cheap shit gave me an irregular heart beat before. Scary shit it is.

I can get a pint of Canadian Whiskey for &3.75, I think it is. I stay away from brands I am unfamiliar with. I generally stick with my 110 Proof Vodka though. Nice price, nice proof value, and all around good to go for the whole night after a quarter or half the bottle. Sometimes the whole bottle but that's every once in a while.

 

[StanScratch]

Party at the Antarctic!

 

[LaLiLuLeLohan]

I can get a pint of Canadian Whiskey for &3.75, I think it is. I stay away from brands I am unfamiliar with. I generally stick with my 110 Proof Vodka though. Nice price, nice proof value, and all around good to go for the whole night after a quarter or half the bottle. Sometimes the whole bottle but that's every once in a while.

I recently bought a bottle of Heaven Hill, a cheap 90 proof whiskey. It tasted like shit, but made me happy really fast.

Problem was that the hangover was awful. I rarely get hangovers. I can drink a 5th of JD and be OK in the morning, but the Heaven Hill was just brutal.

The cheapest vodka I've found is that 40 proof Kamchatka bullshit. It's like drinking water. You need to chase it with a Steel Reserve just to get a decent buzz. Not worth it.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

I recently bought a bottle of Heaven Hill, a cheap 90 proof whiskey. It tasted like shit, but made me happy really fast.

Problem was that the hangover was awful. I rarely get hangovers. I can drink a 5th of JD and be OK in the morning, but the Heaven Hill was just brutal.

The cheapest vodka I've found is that 40 proof Kamchatka bullshit. It's like drinking water. You need to chase it with a Steel Reserve just to get a decent buzz. Not worth it.

Korski is a decent one. I find the charcoal filtered vodkas to be a real huge, oh my, I should of stuck with what I knew kind of bottle.

I took a few drinks of it and I immediately threw it up, of course, after I started feeling the effects I could start drinking it with better ease. However, the first few, they are going to be a kicker. Of course, I drink mine straight, so that could be it.

 

[STDiva]

I drink Gasoline. The fuel.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

I drink Gasoline. The fuel.

Sounds like a challenge! I drink turpentine!

 

[mrtrebus]

This makes me think of that scene in the Kate Beckinsale film White Out where this guy pours whiskey over million year old ice, or however old it was supposed to be.

Please, I've tried to erase that shit movie from my memory circuits. Don't remind me of it!!!!!!!!

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

I recently bought a bottle of Heaven Hill, a cheap 90 proof whiskey. It tasted like shit, but made me happy really fast.

Problem was that the hangover was awful. I rarely get hangovers. I can drink a 5th of JD and be OK in the morning, but the Heaven Hill was just brutal.

The cheapest vodka I've found is that 40 proof Kamchatka bullshit. It's like drinking water. You need to chase it with a Steel Reserve just to get a decent buzz. Not worth it.

Haha. That's what I get for pints - the Kamchatka. Mine are 80 proof though and on an empty stomach you can get a high high. Locally we get Liters of Philips (decent brand of 80 proof vodka) for $6.99. Best deal in the Midwest from what I hear.

You are 100% right about correlating cheap spirits and just ungodly hangovers. That is a fact. The cheaper the shit, the more brutal the hangover.

 

[~~whimsy~~]

Please, I've tried to erase that shit movie from my memory circuits. Don't remind me of it!!!!!!!!

Remember the part where she touched the door handle and her fingers were frozen because she was being chased! Later having to have them amputated. The opening scenes where they were drinking vodka, that guy started shooting at them, of course he spilt the vodka. What a great movie

I rate it 8/10! What say you mrtrebus... think back on this film, think long and hard, think details.