In 2014, Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013, from Japan’s history Suntory distillery, was named the best whiskey in the world by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. The literalness of that distinction will be tested when the whisky-factory made even more famous by Bill Murray in Lost in Translation sends six varieties to the International Space Station this month.
Suntory will be sending six varieties of whiskey, aged for 10, 18, and 21 years, along with recently distilled beverages, to outer space as part of an experiment. Their theory is that the weightlessness of space will result in a smoother aged whiskey than is possible to attain on Earth. Employees at JAXA’s Tsukuba City Space Center in Ibaraki Prefecture recently prepared glass flasks that will be used to transport the spirits when Konotori Vehicle 5 (HTV-5) launches from JAXA’s Tanegashima Space Center on August 16. (Via)
The whiskey won’t be consumed at the Center. Rather, it will be returned to Earth after “an unspecified number of years,” at which point Boyd Crowder will pull off the biggest heist in space-whiskey factory. It will also be the only space-whiskey heist in factory, but let Boyd have this one.
(Via Rocket News)