Shackleton's Scotch Replicated

Stranded out in the cold - frostbitten and hungry. With nothing to eat but dried seal meat, few supplies and ambitions dwindling. Nothing to drink but delicious scotch. Sounds like a hell of a good life, huh?

As a follow up to my previous post, more on Shackleton's Scotch below:

According to tasters of Shackleton's 100+ year old scotch, the frozen whisky was far from swill. In fact, it was delicious enough that the Whyte and Mackay Distillery has produced 50,000 bottles replicating its taste.

The "new" scotch is "well-balanced, with soft fruity characters and a touch of smoke." While it sounds like he's reading a cheap wine label, and 'smoke' is code for 'metal carboys' I'd drop a fair amount of money on a bottle of that in the event that they make more of them.

Bobby Burns

Over the last month and a half or so, I must apologize for my lack of posts - its been a busy few months, and I have been reduced mostly to swilling liquor neat or quaffing Stellas.  I know, life is hard, right?  Today, however, I'd like to pull out an old classic I've had a few times before, and in the last few days have made a bunch of times:  The Bobby Burns.

I can't find a recipe online that is quite what I've been using from Dale Degroff's paragon of drinking insight, The Essential Cocktail.  I won't reprint his here, but I will say, he favors more Scotch than vermouth or benedictine - most recipes online seem to favor either splitting it three ways, or keeping the scotch and sweet vermouth even.

Bobby Burns
Scotch
Sweet Vermouth
Benedictine

Add to shaker, stir, pour, and sit back and enjoy.

This one is obviously a close cousin to the Manhattan, so if you enjoy a silky, cool Manhattan at the end of the day, try out a Bobby Burns.  With the woody/oakiness of the scotch, and the tangy finish of the Benedictine, this drink differs from the Manhattan in its finish.  Usually on my first sip, it has a taste nearly indistinguishable from a Manhattan. It is often not until the second or third taste that I can pull out that it's scotch, and has the telltale bitter finish of benedictine. 

Since I recently ran out of Benedictine, I've been making the last few with B&B, which mellows the flavor a little.  I like it better without the brandy, but it's pretty good either way.

Scotch and Shackleton's Stash to be Studied

Aged Scotch dating to the 1907 Nimrod Expedition to Antarctica, led by Ernest Shackleton was flown by private jet to a lab in Scotland for testing and tasting. 

http://www.coolantarctica.com/images/shackleton.jpg

Researchers could hear the Scotch sloshing around despite the -22ºF.

I like my whisky almost any way, from rocket fuel to smooth and smoky, but I can't imagine how rich this stuff must taste.  My only problem is, I am the chagrined owner of a case of 'aging' dandelion wine.  Now this dandelion wine is home-brew as most of you know. My concern with this Nimrod Whisky is that no matter how excited you are about a bottle that's been hidden away, that doesn't mean it's any good.  Well, that's what I'm telling myself anyway, since the scotch being tested and tasted for six weeks before going back into cold storage.

The Water of Life - Not Just for Drunks Anymore

Most cultures have a word for their national liquor and it usually boils down to something resembling "Water of Life."  While anyone knows I could launch into a stupefying yet sophistic rant about what that says about alcohol's value in society, history, and politics, I'll stick to the recent news that my friend Jake sent my way.  Scottish Scientists Develop Whisky Biofuel.

Judging by the article, it's years down the line, but what's important to note is that it's an old process, and it uses pot ale, not whisky itself.  When I first clicked the link, I was afraid it was going to be a scientific process that told me I could just pour liquor into my tank and drive on it...  ...I'm glad that fear was unfounded.

They're starting a spin-off company from the university, so if you're interested in moving to Scotland and being a part of a project that might revolutionize the way people think about whisky, I'd investigate.