Ernest Shackleton

Three crates of Mackinlay's whisky and two more of brandy were recovered last year from beneath the floor of the hut, where they had been abandoned by the unsuccessful British expedition to the South Pole in 1907-09.

One case was taken to New Zealand to be carefully thawed at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, and three of its bottles were later flown to Scotland.

Now Richard Paterson, master blender at White & Mackay, which own the Mackinlay's brand, has painstakingly recreated the original.

The Glasgow-based distillery plans to produce 50,000 bottles of Shackleton's whisky at £100 a time, with 5 per cent of the sale price going to New Zealand's Antarctic Heritage Trust, which recovered the hoard.

Mr Paterson has dedicated eight weeks to blending and fine-tuning a range of malts to come up with the replica.

The only other person known to have tasted both the original whisky and Whyte & Mackay's recreation is whisky writer Dave Broom.

"The Shackleton whisky is not what I expected at all, and not what anyone would have expected," Mr Broom said.

"It's so light, so fresh, so delicate and still in one piece. It's a gorgeous whisky.

"Richard has done a great job as it's a very tricky whisky to replicate, because you have this delicacy, subtlety and the smoke just coming through.

"The sweetness, fragrance and spice, and the subtle smoke, are all there in the replica.

"I'm blown away," he said.

Mr Paterson said matching the whisky had tested his blending skills but it was a labour of love.

He said the quality, purity and taste of the spirit was amazing.

"It was a real privilege getting to handle, nose and taste such a rare and beautiful bottle of whisky.

"The biggest surprise was the light flavour and the clear, almost vibrant colour of the liquid," he said.

"I hope I have done our forefathers and Ernest Shackleton proud with the replica."

Nigel Watson, of the Antarctic Heritage Trust, said it had still not been decided whether the original bottles of whisky would be returned to the hut.

by Paul Chapman

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Posted in: Whisky Industry News

Tags: single malt