LIKE a drop of water with your whisky? A cask of single malt is set to be the most well-travelled tipple ever, after setting sail on a 103-night world cruise – to help it age well.

Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines has teamed up with brewer and distiller Adnams to host a nine-year-old cask on board cruise ship Borealis as she travels to ports of call across the globe.

It’s reckoned that the voyage will help the liquor reach optimal flavour with the constant motion of the sea churning the whisky, increasing its interaction with the wood of the barrel.

That constant contact brings out the colour and flavour of the spirit thanks to intense caramelisation of the wood sugars, while salt air penetrates the barrel and adds saline notes.

“This is a centuries-old maritime tradition,” says Thomas Rennesland, Hotel Operations Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. “In the days before glass bottles, spirits were transported in barrels from where they were made to where they were sold.

“The time and constant motion was known to mellow and mature these spirits, giving them a unique flavour. On our world cruise this cask will spend 54 days at sea and a further 49 days visiting ports.

“Weathered by its journey, the barrel will then be offloaded in Southampton in April and returned to the distillery. Eventually, the whisky will be available to guests on board our fleet.”

Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines Hotel Manager Iain Gibson, and Adnams Head of Export Bradley Adnams met up onboard to toast Borealis’ spirited new VIP before the ship set sail on Sunday.

Ports of call will include destinations in Mexico, the US, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia, the islands of French Polynesia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and more.

“This collaboration sees a 10-year-old celebratory whisky take an exciting detour from its usual journey,” says John McCarthy, Head Distiller at Adnams.

“We’ve done our best to get things shipshape for the voyage by using the finest East Anglian malted barley and maturing it in new French oak barriques, before it embarks on the maritime ageing process aboard Borealis.

Inside the Adnams distillery

“It offers an extraordinary opportunity to enhance the whisky’s character, infusing it with the gentle sway of the waves and the rich narratives of global ports. We’re really intrigued to see what this adventure at sea imparts.”

But what is it going to taste like? We’re promised a “rich and complex tapestry” of flavours.

“On the palate, the initial note is a sumptuous sweetness reminiscent of Medjool dates, seamlessly blending with the deep, ripe essence of plums. As the whisky unfolds, a delicate, yet distinct, layer of honey emerges, providing a smooth and luscious mouthfeel.

“There’s an exotic twist of dried mango, that adds a tropical, slightly tangy edge, while the finish is warm and inviting, characterised by an assortment of baking spices. This lingers on the tongue and balances its fruitier notes, making this whisky a captivating and multifaceted experience.”

Borealis set sail from Southampton on January 7, and is currently on her way to Bermuda on the first leg of the world cruise. For itineraries visit www.fredolsencruises.com