A Tour De Force Article Scientifically Analyzing Circa-1900 Mackinlay Scotch Whisky

[Gillman]

As many here will recall, some years ago, researchers in the Antarctic discovered cases of Scotch whisky that explorer Ernest Shackelton had left in a cabin and which were preserved for about a century by the extreme cold.

Some of the bottles were brought back to Scotland and given sophisticated modern gas chromatographic and other analysis.

This is the article, published in 2011 in the U.K.'s Institute of Brewing's Journal, reporting the results:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2050-0416.2011.tb00455.x/pdf

Recently, most of the Journal's back issues were placed online for free consultation by researchers in brewing science and other interested parties. While mainly devoted to beer, the Journal has always published a number of articles on aspects of distilling.

The article is quite readable despite the formidable science and contains a good conclusion using laymen's terms.

Basically, the whisky was found to be - including by "sensory analysis" (i.e., tasting) - modern in style, closely resembling a current, moderately aged, lightly-peated single malt. The one area that seemed different was the greater amount of "feints" in the whisky: the article explains that the cut-off point (the cut) is somewhat different today so that a feinty note is not typically found in modern scotch whisky (a so-called "off" taste that nonetheless did not dominate the flavour, the taste is described as woody, spicy, winy/sweet, lightly smoky, i.e., very similar to a light malt of today. The article specifically notes that the whisky exhibited no flavours not found in modern whiskies). The science is so good that the likely source of the peat was ID'd: Orkney.

The ABV was about 47%, higher than the standard bottling strength today. The high strength was felt to preserve the whisky, which was clear, from chill haze, since at the time it was bottled, chill filtration did not exist.

These scientists and the successor company to Mackinlay deserve a round of thanks from whisky fans everywhere for this commanding and smartly written article which has both technical and considerable historical value.

Gary

Edited June 2, 2013 by Gillman

[squire]

Gary you may recall we could still get 94 proof Scots whisky well into the 1970s, I wonder if that was a common proof historically.

[Clavius]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing.

[Gillman]

Yes Squire and you still see that proof occasionally, for some malts.

Gary

[squire]

Haven't seen them in the South for years, as a matter of fact I quit buying Glenlivet and Laphroaig when they dropped to 86 proof.

[Gillman]

Yes for those but numerous merchants' bottlings and sometimes distillers' limited or special editions come out at 47% ABV.

Gary

[squire]

Not in our market Gary, unfortunately.

[Gillman]

Really? That is odd, since I assume bonded and other high test bourbon is available. Are there no large beverage stores that would carry a range of merchants' and other special bottlings in your state?

Gary

[squire]

None, the independent bottlers brands are not on our State ABC approved list and our merchants are only allowed to sell what's on the list.

[Gillman]

That is truly a pity. You will need to join us in Kentucky for a Gazebo gathering and take the opportunity on the way to check out Liquor Barn or Party Source in Louisville or elsewhere where they can be found!

Gary

[Gillman]

Actually if I am not mistaken, I think Tom and Barb had a bottle of the recreation made of this whisky by the distillery. I remember thinking it was a good lighter malt of today but feeling puzzled it didn't taste "historical". Now I see that really was the taste, as this article makes clear. I looked at Michael Jackson's late 1980's World Guide To Whisky and he mentions that the main malt made at the distillery today is Isle of Jura, a well-known lighter Hebrides malt. Jackson said (1987) that Jura was 8 years old and only lightly peaty with flowery and rounded notes - very similar to the findings of the researchers who e.g., pegged the age as between 5 and 10 but probably closer to 10. The only difference seems to be the slight feinty taste. If I had some Jura here, I'd add some drops of any new make spirit to try to get closer to that circa-1900 palate.

Gary

[squire]

We had Jura here for a few years and Jackson's take was spot on.

[Gillman]

Squire, you can probably buy that book online for very little and if you don't know it, I highly advise it.

Although I've read thousands of pages by now of whiskey history and lore, that book is the best single source of technical information and social and cultural history on the world's whiskies I have ever read. The only part that is somewhat dated are some of the tasting notes under the pictured labels, but even then if you read them with the appropriate qualifiers, most of it still applies. E.g., the standard Jura is now 10 years old, not eight, but his taste description is as applicable today as it was in the late 80's and by logical application, 1900.

The long essay-chapters remain virtually pristine, the only real change is ownership of some distilleries has changed, and a few in American closed, e.g. Medley's, but even that doesn't matter since many here remember the whiskeys or tasted them in dusty form. It's The World Guide To Whisky by Michael Jackson, published in 1987 by Dorling Kindersley in the U.K. (still a very active and reputed drinks and food publisher). His first words in the U.S. chapter: "In the land of conspicuous consumption, there is a reminder of drink on every other poster or page, yet there remains a peculiar ambivalence about it".

Gary

Edited June 2, 2013 by Gillman

[squire]

Yes Gary, I've owned the book since it was published and recommend it highly.

[Gillman]

Excellent!

Gary

[GaryT]

Thanks for sharing this, Gary! I saw the TV special on this and thought it was fascinating.

[GaryT]

You're right - while the science is sophisticated (and there are parts I am lost in), this document makes it very approachable. I wonder if Sazerac/BT is doing something similar with their Single Oak project?