Ernest Shackleton failed in his bid to reach the South Pole but the Irish-born Antarctic explorer may have let the world a more significant gift.
Just discovered are three crates of whisky and two crates of brandy beneath the floorboards of hut used by Shackleton in 1908 during his quest to reach the South Pole.
The 102 year old Scotch whisky find is like finding the original recipe for distilling the hard stuff.
The whisky is from Whyte and Mackay Scottish master blenders and the whisky unearthed is the original blend for the brand which has long since been thought lost for ever.
Richard Paterson, a current day master blender for Whyte & Mackay, , described the unearthing of the bottles as “a gift from the heavens for whisky lovers,” and said “If the contents can be confirmed, safely extracted and analyzed, the original blend may be able to be replicated.”
Paterson described what the taste would be like
[W]hiskies back then — a harder age — were all quite heavy and peaty as that was the style. And depending on the storage conditions, it may still have that heaviness. For example, it may taste the same as it did back then if the cork has stayed in the bottle and kept it airtight.
Let's raise a glass to Ernest Shackleton from Kidare then, to thank him for saving something truly unique --not exactly what he wanted to be famous for but whatever.
5 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Bushothehill | Mar 08, 2010, 06:31 PM EST
Brit mentality when dealing with Irish: British press heralded actor, Richard Harris, as British actor, on winning the Palm D'Oro at Cannes film festival for "Sporting Life". Two weeks later after brawl outside London Brassiere Press headlines screamed; Irsh actor,Harris in West End Donnybrook.
Bushothehill | Mar 08, 2010, 06:22 PM EST
Hark back to the experience of the late Irish actor,Richard Harris, to understand the Anglo mentality in their dealings with the Irish. When Harris won the very prestigious Palm D'Oro best actor for his role in the "Sporting Life," the English press heralded the honor with headlines: British Actor wins greatest a
marmaure | Feb 08, 2010, 11:28 AM EST
None of the news reports I saw even bothered to identify Shackelton's identiy as being Irish. Had I not seen a wonderful one-man show on his life as an explorer at the Irish Rep. Co. here in NY, I would not have known about his colorful life. Pity not more was made about an Irishman making the trip to the Sout Pole.
mandokeith | Feb 08, 2010, 09:29 AM EST
Yes, but I would call it Shackleton's Reserve.
TimothyC | Feb 05, 2010, 11:38 PM EST
I think they should try to replicate that earlier blend and market it as Shackleton's blend.