World's best whisky is being sent to age in space

Japanese is known to produce the world's greatest whisky. On Friday, the Tokyo-based brewing and distillery company, Suntory, announced that it will send six samples of its whiskies to the International Space Station (ISS). The whiskies will be sent to the ISS next month in an effort to test out the effects of a lack of gravity on the aging process.



Suntory is known as Japan's oldest whisky distillery. It produces Yamasaki Single Malt Cherry Cask 2013, which was named the best whisky in the world last year. A Suntory spokesperson spoke to the Wall Street Journal about sending whisky to outer space. He said that the samples being sent to the ISS include a whisky that has just been distilled as well as a 21-year-old single malt. This way they can test the different effects of zero-gravity on already aged versus new drinks.

The whiskies will be launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on August 16. According to Suntory, the goal is to learn how the temperature-stable and zero-gravity environment contributes to the "mellowness" of the aging drinks. According to Suntory, research has shown that environments that suppress liquid convection might lend a hand in the mellowing process of whisky.

After one year at the ISS, the first samples will return to earth. Another group of samples will remain in outer space for at least two years. As of now, there are no plans to sell the drinks upon their return.

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