Whisky giant embraces technology with release of blockchain single malt
William Grant & Sons uses tech to to ensure authenticity and allow traceability for latest release
As part of their commitment to embracing technology and innovation, the Scottish firm behind a popular Lowland single malt has teamed up with a specialist company to launch the world’s first-ever blockchain whisky.
William Grant & Sons worked in partnership with blockchain experts arc-net to create the new release following the whisky company’s inaugural ‘Hackadram’ event last year in which start-ups and innovation specialists were invited to use their expertise to shape the future of the brand’s spirits.
William Grant & Sons designed their newest single malt distillery Ailsa Bay to transform whisky production through experimentation, technology, precision distilling and data driven methods. The resulting single malt whisky is unique in that it undergoes a micro-maturation process in small Hudson whiskey casks.
The Ailsa Bay team say that the use of blockchain captures the full distilling and manufacturing process, allowing customers to “track their whisky from source to store”; ensuring authenticity and traceability.
A list of registers, or “blocks”, which contain information about the previous block and transaction data between the two blocks, Blockchain acts as an “open” ledger (this ledger is managed publicly rather than controlled by one party, meaning stored information can’t be changed or tampered) to track authenticity.
For the single malt, blockchain data is collected from William Grant & Sons’ existing data sources, including cask types, filling dates and bottling dates are all tracked.
Consumers can then trace the origins of their whisky via an innovative web experience, which is individually tailored to each bottle. By scanning a QR code, users are presented with a visual history of their whisky, produced using digitally created art generated by blockchain data unique to the drink’s journey.
Dominic Parfitt is head of E-commerce at William Grant & Sons, said: “We’re constantly looking to evolve our offering and learn new things in order to push the boundaries within the drinks industry. We’re doing something now that we hope will set the bar for the future experience of spirits, and we look forward to seeing how other brands follow suit.”