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Whisky Aged On NASA's International Space Station Tastes "Different"

Posted by samzenpus on from the space-shots dept.

MarkWhittington writes: Back in October 2011 Ardbeg Distillery on Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, sent a vial of whisky to the International Space Station courtesy of Houston based Nanoracks. The idea was the see if microgravity affects the way that whisky ages, particularly the way terpenes that are the building blocks of food and liquors behave. A similar vial was kept on Earth as a comparison. The BBC reported that the contents of the two vials were sampled and compared. As it turns out, pronounced differences were noted.

11 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah!!! by Eloking · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's the sort of science that I like!

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    Elok
    1. Re:Yeah!!! by ls671 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Chris Hadfield here. I drank the whole bottle and it sure tasted different. But summary has to be modified, strictly scientifically speaking, we aren't sure if the change of taste came from the fact that the whiskey aged in space or from the fact that I was in space while drinking it.

      In phase two, we expect to be able to wait until bottles are back on the planet before taste testing.

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      Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
    2. Re:Yeah!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      If it was the science of marketing they would have aptly called it "Moonshine"

    3. Re: Yeah!!! by binarylarry · · Score: 4, Funny

      In space its actually called Earthshine

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      Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
    4. Re:Yeah!!! by ClickOnThis · · Score: 3, Funny

      But, but ... what was in the bottle that went back to Earth?

      Oh God no ...

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      If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
  2. Re:I support space research. by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Funny

    I support space research......but couldn't they find anything more important to study?

    MORE important than WHISKY?

    That sound you just heard was my head exploding.

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    #DeleteChrome
  3. Re:I support space research. by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, cognac.

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    Mostly random stuff.
  4. Einstein's whisky by GrantRobertson · · Score: 5, Funny

    Of course they tasted different. Due to relativity, the one on the ground aged longer.

  5. Re: I support space research. by MenThal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Star board aged port? You'll have your hands full with confused seamen.

  6. I love tasting notes by ILongForDarkness · · Score: 3, Funny

    They never say the thing tastes like what it is. Never does wine have a "distinctive note of fermented grapes". I also love to read a couple tasting notes about the same thing. One will say "citris, vanilla and anise" another "watermelon", "bacon", "chocolate". Without fail they seem to have complete different components. Then you get in the room with a wine or whiskey snob and watch them discuss the "peach note" in the drink. Fantastic.

  7. Re: I support space research. by omnichad · · Score: 4, Funny

    You want to damn an entire agency because a single vial of liquid was taken into space?

    Only if it was over 3 ounces.