Suntory, the Japanese distillery famed for its’ Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky, shall be sending some samples of its infamous concoction into outer space. No, it’s not for the astronauts to have an intergalactic bar.
The six samples that will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) this Aug. 16 is part of a research study being conducted by Suntory focusing on the factors that affect whisky’s “mellowness.”
The study aims to find out how a zero-gravity, temperature-stable environment such as that found beyond the Earth affects the taste of the whisky.As time passes, the whisky’s flavor is known to mellow down. But the reasons why are still unknown, though it’s a known fact that different temperatures produce different subtle notes in the whisky.
A few samples will remain in the ISS for a year and be returned to Suntory for evaluation. The other samples will only be returned after two years for comparison.
Last year, Suntory’s Yamazaki Single Malt was named the best whisky in the world.
Photo courtesy of Liverpool Deli