A Scotland distillery is reportedly leveraging an artificial intelligence model dubbed 'SmokeDNAi' to better understand the aging process of whisky in a barrel. This will help the company gauge a whisky's 'profile' over time.
The alcoholic beverage firm Diageo invested almost $44 million in investigating the aging of whisky using SmokeDNAi technology.
Teams utilized SmokeDNAi to examine and evaluate the flavor characteristics and texture of two distinct whiskies, one remnant and the other original, that were distilled in separate casks.
Port Ellen Gemini is the name of the pair of rare whiskies, and each bottle is $50,000.
(Photo: JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images) A visitor watches an AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign on an animated screen at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona.
The analysis aims to provide more insight into the process of barrel-aging whisky. SmokeDNAi was announced following the reopening of Port Ellen in Scotland.
After 40 years, the "ghost" distillery greeted visitors back with state-of-the-art improvements in both building and alcohol production.
Whisky samples are subjected to a chemical analysis procedure, such as gas chromatography or liquid chromatography, after which an algorithm separates the results into sets of unique components.
Using SmokeDNAi technology, this algorithmically generated piece of art gradually conjures up images of whisky smoke.
Whisky aficionados can see taste combinations, scents, and clear profiles here that are invisible to the unaided eye. Combinations of coconut, smokey, earthy, medicinal, floral, and sweet flavors may be present in visual profiles.
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Whisky and AI
Diageo reportedly uses other AI strategies, such as Smartbidder, a paid social media buying technology it co-developed to ensure every dollar spent on media is as effective as possible.
Additionally, Diageo is experimenting with packaging ideas for its Don Julio tequila and Smirnoff vodka brands using a generative AI tool.
Diageo's SmokeDNAi is the only distillery that uses AI to improve its operations. The world's first whisky made using artificial intelligence was Intelligens, reportedly introduced in 2021 by the award-winning Swedish distillery Mackmyra.
To do this, Mackmyra collaborated with the Finnish tech business Fourkind to build an artificial intelligence (AI) system that supplements and streamlines the work of the distillery's master blender, who is in charge of developing the flavor and portfolio of whiskies.
Master Blender-Assisted AI
Fourkind developed its AI system using Microsoft Azure and Machine Learning Studio.
They input whisky-related datasets into the system, which produced a framework for creating deliciously inventive new recipes after examining 70 million potential combinations.
Following the initial set of recipes, Macmyra's master blender, Angela D'Orazio, offered input to help the AI system better understand whisky pairings that appeal to different palates and are commercially successful.
The distillery improved the quality of the recipes and reduced the possibilities available in each round. After the procedure, D'Orazio ultimately decided to use recipe #36 for their creative new product.
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(Photo: Tech Times)
