DIAGEO DISTILLS SUCCESS WITH AI

Diageo have been leading the way in the AI space in the whisky world, leveraging it at their Port Ellen distillery. Using an AI model they have named ‘SmokeDNAi’, the model helps them understand the ageing process of whisky in a cask like never before, as well as evaluating the flavour and texture of different whiskies.

Diageo reportedly spend almost £35 million in the process on SmokeDNAi, with the output being a pair of rare whiskies that are retailing for £45,000, with just 274 sets being made available. As one example of using AI, the Diageo team were able to see that the pair of whiskies both contained a vanilla characteristic, one at 3% and the other at 6%.

Diageo are also using AI in other areas, having created Smartbidder, a social media technology they co-developed that ensure every penny is being spent in the most effective way possible on the main social media channels.

Ewan Morgan, ambassador at Diageo explained ‘We have a much better understanding of why they taste the way they taste, or why they smell the way they smell, or the mouth-feel. We can get a much better understanding of what the final product is going to be like.”