Whiskey on Ice!

[LVThunder]

Cheers! Explorer's Scotch Found Under Ice

12:50pm UK, Friday February 05, 2010

Lulu Sinclair, Sky News Online

Crates of Scotch whisky and brandy have been recovered from the ice under the Antarctic hut where Ernest Shackleton stayed.

They were retrieved more than 100 years after being buried there by the legendary polar explorer.

Although some of the bottles had cracked because of the ice, the team who found them - restorers working on the hut - said they were sure the crates contained intact bottles "given liquid can be heard when the crates are moved".

The New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust team had expected to find two cases of McKinlay and Co whisky but were amazed to find five.

"The unexpected find of the brandy crates, one labelled Chas. Mackinlay & Co and the other labelled The Hunter Valley Distillery Limited Allandale (Australia) are a real bonus," said team leader Al Fastier.

The crates were originally found under the hut's floorboards in 2006, but they were too deeply embedded in ice to be dislodged.

The New Zealanders agreed to drill the ice to try to retrieve some bottles, although the rest must stay under conservation guidelines agreed to by 12 Antarctic Treaty nations.

Whyte & Mackay, which owns the McKinlay brand and supplied the whisky for Shackleton, launched the bid to recover the bottles for samples to test and decide whether to relaunch the defunct spirit.

The drinks group's master blender Richard Paterson described the find as "a gift from the heavens for whisky lovers".

"If the contents can be confirmed, safely extracted and analysed, the original blend may be able to be replicated," he said in a statement.

"Given the original recipe no longer exists, this may open a door into history."

Shackleton's expedition ran short of supplies on its long ski trek to the South Pole from the northern Antarctic coast in 1907-1909 and turned back about 100 miles short of its goal.

They sailed away in 1909 as winter ice formed, leaving behind some of their equipment - and the whisky and brandy.

[Blackcloud]

Whoa, it would be interesting to taste that and see what differences there might be. I have never believed that our beverages of today taste like what they used to. Probably better, but in some regards probably not as easy to drink. I imagine whiskey of old was probably lighter in flavor and left less "ghost" when you took some in. I think we distill them to be much more astringent today. Just my guess. But that would be interesting to taste.

[LVThunder]

Do you have this "throwback pepsi" in your area, made with REAL sugar??

It tastes just like I remember as a kid. Had some at our football party and that shit disappeared real quick. Bought a case of the stuff just for me the other day! Pepsi says it will be for a limited time only but I don't think they can ignore sales numbers and they can get a higher price for it then today's pepsi.

Someone told me Mtn Dew has a "throwback Dew" with real sugar that is supposed to be outstanding as well.

[Ron1]

LV the Pepsi would taste great if it is bottled in glass like old times

[Shorty]

LV the Pepsi would taste great if it is bottled in glass like old times

Thats it right there! I just picked up some of the old fashioned Mt Dew made with real sugar. Havent tried it yet though.

That wine find is awesome! If grapes on the vine hit an early freeze they jump up in sugar content and wineries ended up producing an Ice Wine, but I cant imagine the wine being frozen for 100 yrs!

[LVThunder]

the Pepsi would taste great if it is bottled in glass like old times

Tastes damn good even out of the can....or just pour it into a frozen glass....no ice

[GTG3]

Check around and see if you can find any Coke or Pepsi bottled in Mexico.That taists like the dirnk of when I was young. THe local Pepsi deliverly guy was telling me about the Throwback Pepsi comming out.
I go to eat in a real Mexican restraunt and he has a 1/2 cooler of real Mexican drinks both sodas and juices no of which taistl like ours. He has a neat non acholic Sangrea but sometimes it has a different taiste like it sat too long and got "GOOD"
GEORGE!!

[topsgt]

I have several 12 packs of the throw back Mt Dew. Glass bottles are the only way to go. We are a short 90 min ride from the Dublin Dr Pepper plant the have always made Dr Pepper with real sugar in bottles.

Top

[Blackcloud]

I generally don't like Pepsi (yeah, I'm one of those), so I won't be trying the sugared version. I did have a throwback Mountain Dew but it was in a plastic bottle and I wasn't impressed. I have had those Dr Peppers with sugar in them. Only time I could ever get them was when I was on business in Texas. Like Top alluded to, they make them there, and the distribution patter on the "real sugar" version is limited to a fairly local area. Those are real good.

Brandy is made from wine but it is distilled just like whiskey. Storing for a long long time is no problem except for the corking material. Sometimes corks get mildewy, but I'm thinking there won't be any mildew in that cold frozen wasteland. And you are right Shorty. Ice wine is some good stuff. I used to be able to buy it regularly in Germany, but it is probably 3 times the price of regular wine.