WHYTE & MACKAY RELEASES NEW BLENDED SCOTCH

Whyte & Mackay, a renowned Scottish producer and marketer of Scotch whisky, has released a unique blend based on Shackleton’s whisky. Unlike mainstream blends, this blended scotch has a story to tell.

Sir Ernest Shackleton, a British explorer set sail on the Nimrod excursion to explore the Antarctic in 1907. His ship was packed with 25 hand-selected cases of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky. However, the expedition failed to reach the South Pole.

In 2007, three cases of 19th century Scotch were discovered beneath the wooden floor boards of the abandoned expedition base. Whyte and Mackay purchased three bottles of whisky and set to recreate the long-lost recipe.

This new premium blend was launched at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. The recreated whisky is bottled at 40% ABV, with no age statement at such. The packaging reflects the expedition. The polar charts of the 1900s inspire the Antarctic blue colour used on the pack and label.

“This momentous launch for Whyte & Mackay represents an exciting, emerging direction for Scotch whisky,” claimed Stuart Bertram, head of whisky development brands at Whyte & Mackay.

Master blender Richard Paterson, the man behind this blended scotch, stated, “A gentle bite of peat smoke reminds us of the unforgiving place he and his men found themselves in. And, in the same way a successful crew needs time to forge a bond, I allowed my creation time to marry and come together.”

A contribution from Shackleton whisky sales will be made to the Antarctic Heritage Trust, to help preserve Shackleton’s 1907 basecamp on Antarctica and support all other related projects.

Shackleton is priced at £40, and will initially be available in the UK and France, before rolling out to the US, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, in September.