Distillery and tech firm blend efforts to help top up exports and cut fraud

● Hi-tech venture authenticating bottles comes amid rising counterfeit products

An Argyll distillery that claims to be the greenest in Scotland has joined forces with a tech firm in a move aimed at boosting exports and safeguarding the industry against counterfeits and fraud.

Ardnamurchan Distillery’s owner and operator Adelphi and Edinburgh tech firm Arc-net have collaborated in a move to “revolutionise” the sector. It involves information on every single bottle of Ardnamurchanspiritbeingstored on a digital platform, accessed by scanning a unique QR code, and using blockchain software developed by Arc-net, which also operates out of Belfast and San Francisco.

The latter has built the Arcnet platform, a cloud-based data analytics and supplychain security platform for the food and drinks industry.

Whisky fans will be able to access every detail, from the field the barley was farmed to who bottled it and when, while whisky importers and collectors can be certain about what they are purchasing, in what Adelphi deems a “major development” in food security, traceability and transparency.

Alex Bruce, managing director of Adelphi, said Arc-net’s blockchain innovation would be piloted on its new Ardnamurchan 2017AD limited spirit release, a follow-up to last year’s 2016AD spirit.

Bruce added: “By simply scanning a bottle on their phone, customers will be able to find out unrivalled detail about their spirit. The full Adelphi and Ardnamurchan story will be there.

“Story-telling and authenticity are major components of the Scotch whisky industry. By pioneering this technology, Adelphi is both advancing and uniting these vital ingredients.”

The firm added that as the initiative is rolled out, each buyer of Ardnamurchan spirit and future whisky releases will receive a digital certificate of authenticity, helping eliminate the risk of fraud and counterfeits “that are becoming an increasing problem in the £5.5 billion whisky market”.

The move will also enable Adelphi to eliminate legacy record-keeping systems, providing information that can boost operational efficiency, and offering product and supply chain insights.

Kieran Kelly, chief executive of Arc-net, said: “Blockchain enables a new era of transparency and product authentication. Alex and his team are pushing the envelope of spirit and whisky production in terms of quality and traceability, and also demonstrating a realistic and pioneering approach to renewable energy and sustainability, and Arcnet are delighted to be a part of their brand story.”