Would you drink a whisky aged in space?
The Ardbeg Supernova is, quite literally, out of this world
As a shimmering gold spirit, with notes of peppery, aromatic herbs, smoked fruits, briny seaweed and fennel, and a nose that wafts of sweet smoked toffee, brazil nuts and soot, you may say that Ardbeg Supernova is a whisky out of this world.
And, to describe it as such would by no means be an overstatement – for this whisky was produced from experiments aboard the International Space Station to honour the conclusion of the Scottish distillery’s exploration into maturing spirits in deep, dark space. In other, simpler, words, this is a space whisky.
Rather fittingly, the price tag on this tipple is also astronomical, so to grab a bottle for yourself would be an incredible feat. Fortunately, The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge is hosting an extensive tasting experience where you get to sample Ardbeg’s Supernova, as well as other whiskies of star quality, for just a fraction of the cost of a single bottle.
To mention just a few of the other stars enthusiasts can expect to enjoy, the Yamasaki 18 Year Old, a top notch Japanese whisky, and the American Pappy Rip Van Winkle 20 Year Old, recognised as one of the longest aged bourbons in the world, are also on the menu.
But the real star is clearly the Ardbeg. ‘From Islay to Houston – via the Universe’ reads the whisky’s slogan, and that is no exaggeration. First launched into space in 2011, the vials of Ardbeg spent years orbiting the planet on the International Space Station at 17,227 miles per hour, 15 times a day.
The vials contained a class of compounds known as ‘terpenes’. Ardbeg was invited by US based space research company NanoRacks to take part in testing these micro organic compounds in a maturation experiment (the interaction of these compounds with charred oak) in zero gravity.
So if you’re looking to sky rocket your whisky expectations, take this global trip for your tastebuds at the Capital, and cap it off with the delectably stratospheric Ardbeg Supernova and its blasts of spice and salted caramel, and accents of zingy aniseed and dark tar – opportunities like this only come along once in a blue moon, after all…
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