A wee dram

In 1907, Ernest Shackleton, aboard Nimrod, landed his Antarctic exploration party at Cape Royds in McMurdo Sound. He nearly made it to the pole in January 1909, he and 3 companions getting to 88° 23′ S, 190 kms short, before turning back because of supply limitations. The Nimrod returned later in 1909, to bring the party home. In departing they left a case of whisky under their hut, a case that was not discovered until 2010 when members of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust were carrying out restoration work under the hut floor.

Here the story gets interesting. Heritage Trust Chair, Paul East, had the idea that the whisky could provide a means of generating funds and raised the matter in conversation with UK High Commissioner to New Zealand. It turned out that High Commissioner, Vicki Treadwell, knew the Indian owner of Whyte and Mackay, the distillers who own the “Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Whisky” brand that Shackelton left behind, and knew that he was desperate to acquire a bottle. And so the deal was done. Whyte and Mackay agreed to recreate a replica blend. The story is well told by Rebecca Priestley in the following article:
http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/science/ernest-shackletons-100-year-old-whisky/

On Wednesday night Miang and I dined at the UK High Commission, in honour of visiting UK entrepreneur Professor Sir Mike Brady. At the end of the dinner, Vicki (next to me in the picture) astonished us all by producing a bottle of the replica, offering everyone a wee dram. It was delicious!

Remarkably, it is day 11 after my last bowel obstruction and I am doing well. Long may it continue.

PS: The election is now done. Turnout was poor. The polls were largely right and the current governing National party has been returned to power. The main opposition Labour party had a difficult job running against a popular Prime Minister, lost some support, and they will now have to rebuild. The Green party increased its share of the vote to just over 10%. The referendum returned a clear win for the current (German) voting system of Mixed Member Proportional representation.