The first whisky ever to make it to the South Pole and back, will be part of a limited edition bottling of Ardgowan Expedition aged malt, when the new distillery opens near Inverkip.
There is little doubt that no-one enjoyed a more remote dram than Antarctic explorer Barney Swan – who is currently en route to the South Pole.
On Hogmanay he and his team of three toasted 2018 with what is thought to be the most southerly dram in the world – ever. 
At midnight Antarctic time they were less than 140 nautical miles from the South Pole - Barney and teammates Kyle O’Donoghue and Martin Barnett are currently on the South Pole Energy Challenge – which will be the world’s first polar trip to use zero carbon all the way.
Over this expedition, they aim to highlight the challenge of climate change and will demonstrate and showcase cutting edge technologies robust enough to work in one of the harshest environments on earth.
The trio are relying on hi-tech kit on their low carbon mission. 
The challenge is the brainchild of Barney’s father and polar pioneer Robert Swan, who joined them on the early part of the journey.
The team described their aged malt as ‘fantastic’.
And now it will become the first Scotch whisky to make it to the South Pole and back. Although the team enjoyed one of the small flasks, they decided to take the other one all the way to their destination.
They then plan to return it to Scotland where the Ardgowan Distillery will make it part of a limited-edition bottling of Ardgowan Expedition aged malt.
Distillery CEO Martin McAdam says a proportion of sales will go to support Barney Swan’s ongoing environmental work.
So connoisseurs will soon be able to sample the only whisky ever to have been to the most southerly point of the globe.
The distillery now plans to commence construction to the north of Inverkip – with ambitious plans for a world-leading malt whisky distillery by 2020.