The world’s first whisky matured in Antarctica has been unveiled — a pioneering achievement conceived by whisky entrepreneur Daniel Monk, founder of Cask World, and brought to life in partnership with La Alazana Distillery in Argentina.
The whisky, named Isla Marambio, has just been bottled at La Alazana Distillery and will form part of Cask World’s 8 Continent Series, which will become the world’s first collection of whiskies matured across all continents when it launches in 2026.
Isla Marambio is an 8-year-old Argentinian single malt whisky that was first distilled and matured for five years in virgin oak casks at La Alazana Distillery in Chubut Province, Patagonia. It was then transferred to ex-bourbon casks and stored for three years at Base Marambio, an Argentine research station on Seymour Island, under extreme Antarctic conditions.
Housed in an uninsulated hut and exposed to temperatures ranging from –35 °C to +10 °C, the casks experienced dramatic environmental variations. During maturation, the outside of the casks developed a frost coating — a striking sign of the intense cold and fluctuating Antarctic climate that shaped the whisky’s unique ageing process. After three years, the casks were returned to Argentina for bottling.
Co-founder and distiller Lila Serenelli of La Alazana described the whisky’s distinctive nature:
“We already know it’s different. When I was decanting it, there was a very special floral note not so strong in our whisky usually. The Antarctic conditions — sub-zero averages and low evaporation — seem to have preserved the spirit’s richness while allowing subtle extraction and oxidation. It’s something truly unique.”
Reflecting on her time in Antarctica, she added:
“It’s so far away, so vast, that it’s shocking. Standing there, staring at the frozen sea, I felt tears in my eyes knowing our whisky had spent three years in that place.”
Daniel Monk, creator of the 8 Continent Series, said:
“It made perfect sense to work with Néstor and Lila Serenelli — they’re pioneers who never hesitate to do what’s never been done. Together we made history by maturing whisky in Antarctica — a symbol of purity, endurance, and balance.
This collection — the 8 Continent Series — will be more than whisky. It’s the story of the world told through flavour, climate, and collaboration. It represents exploration, connection, and the spirit of doing the impossible.”
The project was carried out with the support of the Argentine Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, who facilitated transport of the casks to and from Antarctica aboard a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft between Buenos Aires, Río Gallegos, and Base Marambio.
Set for release in 2026, Isla Marambio marks not only a technical first but also a symbolic milestone — the moment whisky reached its final frontier.
Whisky has now been matured on every continent on Earth.
