It looks like aging whiskey in space is more than just a fancy publicity stunt. A study recently conducted by Scottish whiskey manufacturer Ardberg together with NanoRacks, a US-based research company, reveals that samples aged in space feature considerable differences in flavor and aroma.

The paper says that the study began in 2012, when samples of distillate from Ardberg and oak wood shavings were sent to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz booster rocket.

The astronauts aboard the station then conducted the experiment, carefully mixing the wood with the liquid and allowing it to age. At the same time on Earth, an identical batch of distillate was aged with the same wood.

On September 2014, the space whiskey was sent back down to Earth and analyzed alongside its earthbound twin.

The results show a drastic difference between the two. According to the study, the control sample on earth had an aroma that was:

Very woody, hints of cedar wood, sweet smoke and aged balsamic vinegar. Hints of raisins, treacle toffee, vanilla and burnt oranges. Very reminiscent of an aged Ardbeg style.

While the space aged version was:

Intense and rounded, with notes of antiseptic smoke, rubber, smoked fish and a curious, perfumed note , like cassis or violet. Powerful woody notes, hints of graphite and some vanilla. This then leads into very earthy/soil notes, a savoury, beefy aroma, and then hints of rum & raisin flavoured ice cream.

More details of the project can be found in this video featurette produced by Ardberg.

Sending food and drink to space seems like a big trend these days. Japanese whiskey company Suntory made waves earlier this year when they launched a few casks of their own into space. Another incident in May saw Italian coffee company Lavazza send the world's first space ready espresso machine to the ISS.