Mackinlay's Shackleton 'The Discovery' Edition Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky
Mackinlay's Shackleton 'The Discovery' Edition Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky is a 47.3% ABV (94.6 proof), 750mL blended malt Scotch whisky — Whyte & Mackay's recreation of the Mackinlay's whisky Sir Ernest Shackleton took on his Nimrod expedition of 1907–1909 and left behind at the Cape Royds hut, where conservators of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust found the crates encased in ice in 2007. Three recovered bottles were analysed in Scotland, and master blender Richard Paterson rebuilt the whisky from that analysis: about 47.3% ABV, sherry-cask matured, lightly peated, in the style of the likely Glen Mhor original — the recreation itself includes rare 1983 Glen Mhor among Speyside, Island and Highland malts. The first edition was limited to 50,000 bottles, and Malt Advocate scored it 92 points in 2011. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 47.3% (94.6 proof) — the analysed strength of the 1907 original
- Size: 750mL (US bottling)
- Style: Blended malt Scotch whisky — Speyside, Island and Highland malts, including rare 1983 Glen Mhor
- Cask profile: Sherry-cask matured, lightly peated (per the analysis of the original)
- Edition: The Discovery — first edition (2011), limited to 50,000 bottles
- Packaging: Solid timber crate-style box with expedition booklets and inserts (confirm stock before apply — see flag)
- Score: 92 points — Malt Advocate (Whisky Advocate), 2011
- Producer: Mackinlay's (founded 1815, Leith) — a Whyte & Mackay brand; recreation blended by Richard Paterson
Whisky from the Ice: the Nimrod Expedition, Recreated
Shackleton stocked Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt for the Nimrod expedition's hut at Cape Royds; when the party sailed home in 1909, short of the Pole by under 100 miles, the whisky stayed — frozen under the hut for almost a century. The Antarctic Heritage Trust's conservators uncovered the crates in 2007, and three bottles made the journey to Scotland, where Richard Paterson — "The Nose" — took the original apart note by note and rebuilt it. Proceeds from the release helped fund the Trust's conservation of the hut. Browse the story further on the Shackleton vendor page or explore the Scotch whisky shelf.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Light honey / straw gold. Nose: Soft and refined — crushed apple, pear and fresh pineapple, oak shavings, buttery vanilla, creamy caramel and nutmeg, a whisper of marmalade and cinnamon, a tease of smoke, ginger and muscovado sugar. Palate: Gentle bonfire smoke giving way to rich toffee, treacle and pecan nuts, warming at full strength. Finish: Lingering — creme brulee, orange rind and freshly baked bread (Whyte & Mackay notes).
How to Enjoy
Neat, in a tulip glass, to follow the smoke-to-toffee arc; a few drops of water open the fruit. A whisky to pour slowly and read about while you drink it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which expedition is this from? Shackleton's Nimrod expedition (1907–1909) — the bottles were left at the Cape Royds hut in 1909 and found in the ice in 2007. It is not the later Endurance expedition.
Is it the original 1907 whisky? No — it is a faithful recreation, blended by Richard Paterson from Whyte & Mackay stocks (including 1983 Glen Mhor) to match the laboratory analysis of three recovered original bottles.
How strong is it? 47.3% ABV — the same strength the analysis found in the original whisky.
A first-edition piece of whisky history — order the Shackleton Discovery Edition from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
