Shackleton’s expedition sailed from Cape Royds hurriedly in 1909 as winter ice began forming in the sea, forcing them to leave some equipment and supplies, including the whisky, behind. However, no lives were lost.
Shackleton’s whisky recovered from South Pole ice
The crates of whisky were found under a hut built and used by Shackleton
They were buried beneath Shackleton’s Antarctic hut, built in 1908 for a failed expedition to the South Pole.
The ice-bound crates were first discovered three years ago.
The master blender at whisky company Whyte and Mackay said the find was a “gift from the heavens” for whisky lovers.
Richard Paterson, whose firm supplied the Mackinlay’s whisky for Shackleton, said: “If the contents can be confirmed, safely extracted and analysed, the original blend may be able to be replicated.
“Given the original recipe no longer exists this may open a door into history.”
Al Fastier from the trust said: “To our amazement we found five crates, three labelled as containing whisky and two labelled as containing brandy.
“The unexpected find of the brandy crates, one labelled Chas Mackinlay & Co and the other labelled The Hunter Valley Distillery Limited, Allandale, are a real bonus.”
The smell of whisky in the surrounding ice also indicated full bottles of spirits were inside, albeit that one or more might have broken.
