The Scottish whisky that spent three years ageing aboard the International Space Station has finally been tasted. The result, according to the Ardbeg distillery and aerospace company NanoRacks, is a whisky with a "noticeably different" flavour profile to one matured on earth.

Ardbeg, a distillery from the Isle of Islay in Scotland, and NanoRacks hoped to determine what effect microgravity conditions would have on terpene, a set of organic compounds found in whisky and other foods that give them a distinct flavour. By sending unmatured whisky into space along with charred oak wood shavings—which were only brought together inside a sealed vial once in space—they also hoped to reveal the effect of microgravity on the extraction of certain flavour compounds from the oak. A control sample was left back on Earth for comparison.

Three distinct analyses were conducted upon the whisky's return to Earth: chromatography for volatile congener analysis (substances other than alcohol produced during fermentation that give it its flavour); high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) for maturation-related congener analysis; and "organoleptic assessment," which is an incredibly fancy way of describing a simple taste test.

While the analysis of major volatile congeners demonstrated no significant differences between the two samples, there was a larger difference in the effect the oak shavings had on the maturation process. Ardbeg and NanoRacks found that the control samples back on Earth extracted more flavour-active derivatives from the oak than the space sample, which they believe indicate that the conditions of microgravity inhibited their extraction from the oak.

The biggest difference was in the tasting, though. In the triangle tests conducted, almost all participants picked out a difference between the space whisky and the mundane Earth-matured control.

The Earth sample was said to be "reminiscent of an aged Ardbeg style, with hints of cedar, sweet smoke and aged balsamic vinegar, as well as raisins, treacle toffee, vanilla and burnt oranges... On the palate, its woody, balsamic flavours shone through, along with a distant fruitiness, some charcoal and antiseptic notes, leading to a long, lingering aftertaste, with flavours of gentle smoke, tar and creamy fudge."

The ISS sample apparently had a very different scent and flavour profile, which testers described as "intense and rounded, with notes of antiseptic smoke, rubber, smoked fish and a curious, perfumed note, like cassis or violet," and woody tones leading to a "beefy aroma." The taste was different, too, with it being described as "very focused” and an aftertaste that was "intense and long, with hints of wood, antiseptic lozenges and rubbery smoke."

While antiseptic lozenges and rubbery smoke might not sound like the most appetising flavours, Ardbeg hopes to continue experimenting with microgravity maturation in order to try and create different flavours. Interestingly, it's not the only whisky company looking to space for new flavours. Earlier this year, Tokyo-based Suntory—which is widely regarded as making one of the best whiskies in the world—sent six samples of its whiskies and other alcohols to the ISS earlier this year, in order to observe the effects of microgravity on the maturation process.