Scottish whisky was sent into space three years ago in an experiment to observe how the impact of gravity affects the way it matures and now it's coming back to Earth.

Islay's Ardberg Distillery blasted compounds of charred oak and unmatured malt to the International Space Station via an unmanned cargo spacecraft in October 2011.

Like Us on Facebook

Scientists hope to understand how these compounds react with each other in close to zero gravity.

The vial of Ardberg was specially designed for its space mission where it has been orbiting the Earth's atmosphere at 17,227 mph, 15 times a day for 1,045 days.

Apart from unmatured malt and charred oak, the vial contains chemical compounds called terpenes which were launched by a Soyuz rocket from Baikanur, Kazakhstan.

An identical bottle of Ardberg is also housed at the distillery for the same period that will act as a control sample.

The space whisky will land on September 12 and will be compared to the control sample. It is expected to land on solid ground aboard a rocket on Kazakhstan.

After the two samples will be reunited, it will then be brought to a laboratory in Houston, Texas where scientists will compare them. Scientists will examine the interaction between the Ardberg-crafted molecules mixed with the charred oak ones in the space whisky and Earth whisky.

In 2011, Texas-based tech company NanoRacks invited Ardberg  to take part in this space experiment.

According to Bill Lumsden, Ardberg's director for distilling and creation, the distillery is all about taking risks in the development of the most coveted whiskies in the world and it is only fitting that Ardebrg should be the first whisky sent to space. 

He added that Ardberg aims to revolutionize the whisky-making process by studying how flavors develop in different gravitational conditions.

TagsWant to Taste Whisky Matured in Space?, space whisky, ardberg, space whisky ardberg, ardberg sent whisky to space, soyuz rocket sent whisky to space, nanoracks, nanoracks ardberg, space whisky nanoracks, ardberg space whisky, whisky in space, whisky ardberg, weirdest whisky, space aged whisky, drink in space, Want to Taste Whisky Aged in Space?