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Ardbeg
Distillery on Islay provides crafted
molecules in a “World First” Space
Experiment.
Pioneering
research project on board International
Space Station set to be unveiled at
Edinburgh’s International Science
Festival on Tuesday 10 April.
In the headlong rush of science…in the
late autumn of 2011…a rocket ship
blasted off from Earth at 25,000 mph.
Deep within it no ordinary cargo; for
the rocket carried research vials of
precious Ardbeg-crafted molecules, the
beginning of a fascinating first – a
research experiment by Ardbeg...in
space!
This is the most audacious adventure
ever undertaken by Ardbeg Distillery –
or any other distillery for that matter
– and it is set to be unveiled at
Edinburgh’s International Science
Festival on Tuesday 10 April.
Ardbeg is taking part in an experiment
led by US-based space research company
NanoRacks LLC to test these
micro-organic compounds. The maturation
experiment will test the interaction of
these Ardbeg-crafted molecules with
charred oak. This will take place in
normal gravity on Earth and also
microgravity, far up in space on the
International Space Station.
The vials contain a class of compounds
known as “terpenes” – a set of chemicals
which are very widespread in nature and
often very aromatic and flavour-active –
as well as other molecules. It is the
interaction of these molecules with oak
wood that forms the basis of this
maturation experiment.
This is believed to be the first time
anyone has ever studied terpenes and
other molecules in near zero-gravity.
This experiment could explain the
workings of these large, complex
molecules as they will remain on the
International Space Station for at least
two years and help uncover new truths
about the change that these molecules
undergo in this near zero-gravity
environment.
It could also have applications for a
variety of commercial and research
products, including future generations
of Ardbeg.
Working in close collaboration with the
Ardbeg Distillery team in Scotland, the
US team will closely monitor the
experiment against control samples here
on Earth; both in Houston, Texas at the
NanoRacks' facility, and also in
Warehouse 3 at Ardbeg Distillery on the
Scottish island of Islay.
Michael Johnson, Chief Technical Officer
of NanoRacks LLC, said: “By doing this
microgravity experiment on the
interaction of terpenes and other
molecules with the wood samples provided
by Ardbeg we will learn much about
flavours, even extending to applications
like food and perfume. At the same time
it should help Ardbeg find new chemical
building blocks in their own flavour
spectrum.”
From the Ardbeg side the experiment is
being led by Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of
Distilling and Whisky Creation at Ardbeg,
and widely considered one of the leading
innovators in his industry. A chemist by
training, Dr Lumsden will unveil the
initiative at the Edinburgh
International Science Festival on
Tuesday 10 April in a talk entitled
“Whisky Wisdom - Scotch Whisky ;
Science, Art or Myth?”
He explained: “This experiment will
throw new light on the effect of gravity
on the maturation process. We are all
tremendously excited by this experiment:
who knows where it will lead?”
This historic step for a Scottish
Distillery will also allow Ardbeg to
reach out to scientific bodies across
Scotland and throughout the world with
regular updates on progress.
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