In October 2011, samples of single malt scotch whiskey were sent to the International Space Station (ISS) as a result of a partnership between Scotland's Ardberg Distillery and Texas-based space research company NanoRacks. The scientists hoped to determine the affect of microgravity on the whiskey samples' maturation process, and the samples are expected to return to earth on September 12^th after having spent the past few years orbiting the Earth over 15,000 times at the speed of 17,227 miles per hour.

According to the Huffington Post, NanoRacks scientists are very interested in the micro-organic compounds known as "terpenes" that are inside the whiskey. They hope that studying the terpenes and the changes they have undergone while in space will lead to the development of new and unique flavors of whiskey.

NanoRacks chief executive Jeff Mamber told the Washington Post, "It's very real science... it could open up a whole new area of flavoring, consumer products, and yes, maybe even whiskey," conveying his excitement about the prospect.

Sending beverages to space is not an unheard of idea. In the past, Italian espresso brewer Lavazza sent a space-ready espresso machine to the ISS in collaboration with the European Space Agency. Furthermore, Japanese company Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is currently planning to send a can of their famous sports drink, Pocari Sweat, to the moon as a part of their Lunar Dream Capsule Project.

Once the whiskey has returned to earth, it will be shipped to a Houston lab, where it will be compared to whiskey from the Ardberg distillery from which it was sent. Nature World News reports that whiskey creator Bill Lumsden will publish the findings of the experiment in a peer-reviewed journal for whiskey enthusiasts and scientists alike to enjoy.

The whiskey samples are the first to mature in space, and, as Lumsden to Nature World News, "This is one small step for man, but one giant leap for whiskey."