Argentinian distillery bottles world’s first Antarctic-aged whisky
La Alazana Distillery in Argentina has unveiled the world’s first single malt matured in Antarctica in partnership with new world whisky bottler Cask World.
The whisky, called Isla Marambio, was bottled at La Alazana Distillery in Chubut Province, Argentina, and will be part of Cask World’s ‘8 Continent Series’, which is slated to be the world’s first collection of whiskies matured on all seven continents when it is released in 2026.
The series will also include whiskies from India, South Africa, Brazil, Canada, and Wales.
Isla Marambio is an eight-year-old Antarctica-matured Argentinian single malt whisky that was distilled and initially matured for five years in virgin oak casks at La Alazana Distillery – a pioneering producer of South American single malt whiskies that focuses on small-scale production in Patagonia’s unique climate.
It was then transferred into 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 variation.
During maturation, the outside of the casks developed a frost coating, a visible sign of the intense cold and fluctuating Antarctic climate that shaped the whisky’s unique ageing process.
The casks were then returned to Argentina for bottling.
Lila Serenelli, co-founder and distiller at La Alazana, said: “We already know it’s different. When I was decanting it there was a very special floral note that is not so strong in our whisky usually. There’s something that I think has happened. I can’t assure it, but it’s a thought… although there are temperature variations, the mid temperatures tend to be under zero. This movement allows extraction and oxidation, but holds the ethanol in, and reduces evaporation. We’ll have better insight when we measure the ABV of the vatted whisky.”
Speaking of the whisky’s ageing location, she added: “I can say that it’s very cold, very far, extremely vast and it’s so far away that it’s shocking. When I was standing there, staring at the frozen sea, I just got this aching in my heart that pulled tears from my eyes and I just knew that our whisky spent three whole years there and that was just it.”
Daniel Monk, founder of Cask World and creator of the 8 Continent Series, said: “It made perfect sense to work on this project with [co-founders] Néstor and Lila Serenelli in Patagonia. They’re pioneers who, like me, believe in doing something that’s never been done before. I was in their garden in Argentina when I shared the idea of maturing whisky in Antarctica – they didn’t hesitate. They are the heroes who made it possible, overcoming every challenge to make the Antarctic maturation a reality.
“Together we made history by sending casks of La Alazana whisky to Base Marambio, where they were matured on the Antarctic continent. For me, Antarctica isn’t just a frontier — it’s a symbol of purity, endurance, and balance.
“This collection I’m pulling together – the 8 Continent Series – will be more than a set of whiskies; it will be the story of the world told through flavour, climate, and collaboration.
“For me, the dream of maturing whisky on every continent isn’t just about whisky – it’s about what it represents: the spirit of exploration, connection, and pushing the limits of what’s possible. My life has always been about daring things most would call impossible – from cycling across continents to overcoming addiction, sailing the Atlantic circuit with my children, and building a whisky business that connects people and places.
“When I discovered so many countries making whisky few had ever heard of, I felt compelled to visit the distilleries and meet the people behind them. From that moment, I knew it was new world whiskies I wanted to focus on and to shine a light on this remarkable period of growth and creativity.”
The project was carried out with the support of the Argentine Ministry of Defence and armed forces, who facilitated transport of the casks both to and from Antarctica, aboard a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft between Buenos Aires, Río Gallegos, and Base Marambio.
Monk previously produced The Intrepid Whisky, the world’s largest bottle of whisky.
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