Shack's whisky

Once upon a time I questioned the motivation of the brave scientists who liberated 3 bottles of MacKinlay's finest  15 year old Scotch whisky, buried in 1907 under antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton's Nimrod base camp.  The plan was to deliver the ancient whisky bottles to MacKinlay's, who over the proceeding 100 years lost the recipe for that particular blend.  MacKinlay hoped they could recreate it.  Foolishly, I only saw party plans.



I now suspect the antarctic scientific community hopes that in a few years MacKinlay will roll out a few barrels of recreated "Shackleton" whisky, bottle it and offer it at prestige auction and whisky sales, proceeds going to Antarctic Heritage Trust.  MacKinlay could bottle water from the river Jordan, call it Shack, since no is likely to open it, nor would anyone have any expectations of what last century's whisky would taste like.  Explorer types would pay heavily for the privilege.  If the scheme worked, aged 10 year and 15 may be in the offing. Might work.

Much to my surprise, the 3 liberated bottles were returned to the antarctic Saturday, the expectation is that the bottles will  returned to Shackleton's cabin in March.  Foolishly, I though it was merely am excuse for a party.  I had forgotten the financial opportunities.

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Freeze-Part 3

I am not much of a believer in coincidence, but every now and then it bangs so loudly at the door it cannot be ignored. I have shared the stories of how our family freezes grapes and peaches, and received a beautiful email from a reader asking a clarifying question or two. Towards the end of the email she slid in how she spends half the year in Antarctica.

Now in a saloon, you might quietly slide down to the other side of the bar, but I 'm intrigued. Apsley Cherry Garrard's "The Worst Journey in the World" his book about the time spent on Scott's fatal expedition to the South Pole is one of my all time favorite books.

So we have passed emails over the week, and I came across a story about things other people freeze.

Seems Ernest Shackleton left behind a stash of Scotch Whisky in his hut when he abandoned his trek to the Pole. "Scientists" in the name of "research" recovered a case of Charles Mackinlay & Co's best from Shackleton's camp, and hightailed it to New Zealand, where they are "testing" the whisky to see if it is any good, all in the name of science.



In my wildest nightmares I can't imagine than any distiller, of any potent potable would be interested in cold storing their wares for 100 years, so the practical aspect is lost on me . The Kiwi's plan to return the leftovers to Shackleton's camp when the party, I mean research is complete.

The tent photo above is actually Scott's. If memory serves, there is a pretty good cellar there too awaiting "research". My correspondent has stayed there, and calls it one of the most beautiful places on earth.

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