Previously on Weekly Blogs, we discussed AI and its ability to transform the culinary space. This week, we will examine how AI can help develop new flavor profiles in whiskey and other spirits. All whiskey is made similarly at its base – it is simply a mixture of grain water and yeast. This is then fermented in the mix and distilled. Whiskey derives its flavor from the grain and the wood it has aged in for a certain number of years. What if I told you that in a few years, that glass of whiskey you sip at the end of a long week might have been created with the help of AI? Mackmyra, an award-winning Swedish distillery, launched Intelligens, the world’s first whiskey produced using an artificial intelligence program. Mackmyra partnered with a Finnish technology company called Fourkind to develop an AI system that augments and automates some of the tasks of the distillery’s master blender, which is responsible for whiskey flavor and product development.
With the help of Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and AI cognitive series created by Fourkind, Mackmyra created machine learning models fed with the distillery’s existing recipes, including those blends that have won various awards in the space. In addition to recipes, Mackmyra has also included sales data and customer preferences. With this information available in the dataset, the model created over 70 million recipes that it predicts will be popular, according to its given report. The result of the machine learning model came to fruition as Intelligens, a single-malt Swedish whiskey. Of the 70 million recipes the model created, master blender Angela D’Orazio settled on Recipe #36 to be pushed to production and turned into what would be Intelligens. Below is a video by Microsoft briefly explaining the team-up with Mackmyra.
The story behind the world’s first AI-created whisky(opens in a new tab)
While AI created the whiskey recipe, the company still benefitted from a person’s expertise and knowledge. After the first few recipes were created, D’Orazio used her whiskey knowledge to determine which ingredients typically paired well together while adjusting the recipes that would not be favorable had they been made to drink. After a few sessions of this back-and-forth dialog between humans and machines, the model began to refine itself, and the recipe combinations became more refined and exciting. The machine learning model and Intelligence seem to hit the mark as it was met with some high praise from reviews all over the internet. One reviewer has gone as far as saying, “The algorithm worked!” as he was pleasantly surprised with the product.
Although Mackmyra in Sweden spearheaded AI applications in the Whiskey industry, we have some contenders here in the US that are ready to see how far they can push the needle in the industry. For example, Beam Suntory, a Ketucky-based distillery, created its algorithm called Beam Complete. This system predicts how flavors will mix and what adjustments will be made before a batch of products leaves for bottling.
The utilization of AI in whiskey works for several reasons. The main reason is deductive reasoning. Enjoying whiskey comes with a degree of an acquired taste. Master blenders try to derive flavors outside the grain to change how the whiskey presents itself to the drinker. An active whiskey drinker analyzes the experience of the product. Is there anything in the product that brings an enjoyable flavor to the drinker? Maybe the barrel? Is it the grain? Is it a combination of both? Machine learning models can help with feature detection to find what will predict an outcome. These models can understand what makes an award-winning blend and use that information to create combinations yet to be considered.
What do you think about distilleries using AI to create new blends in whiskey? I believe a market for this spirit caters to a specific kind of consumer. The kind of consumer is willing to think outside the box, similar to the master blenders and machine learning model developers. However, most distilleries with deep history have been creating the same blends for a while and do not take kindly to changes or suggestions. Because of this, consumers share the same sentiment when it comes to enjoying the product. I would enjoy trying a blend like this. It becomes an interactive tasting experience, reading the label and tasting the notes the distillery attempts to convey.
Sources
https://molzana.com/blog/artificial-intelligence-meets-the-whiskey-industry/
Hey Fernando, this was a great post. Sometimes I wonder what artificial intelligence would do without access to data. If Mackmyra is using AI to create new recipes, I know that there are countless others doing the exact same. Out of the 70 million recipes that it created, there are a few in there that customers are bound to love and in turn, put Mackmyra’s profits through the roof. Thanks for sharing this post because now I am committed to keeping up with the distillery and seeing how the new AI implementations affect their business, ore specifically their revenue and profit.
This is the application of AI that will truly destroy society. haha. This article reminded me of a statistics paper I read in my Ph.D. that applied a technique called cluster analysis to categorize different types of scotch. I also got a chance to interview the innovation team at Beam Suntory for my last book. There really is a lot of science behind the spirits industry, and this is poised to take advantage of that.
I will say, whisky is definitely my drink of choice when I’m out, however I don’t normally research my whisky before I buy it. I kind of just stick with the same things I like and try something new if I get a recommendation. I will definitely be on the look out for this the next time I go shopping though. Always down to try something new.
Hey Fernando, I thought your post this week was really interesting. I enjoy the occasional crown apple or peach and Jamason, so I would love to see what other combinations the AI could possibly create. Although I will say I enjoy a sweeter and fruiter whisky, others could look to a more smoker and rich flavor combination. Its cool to see the ways they are implementing AI in different markets.
Wonderful post! I am a tequila guy, but I occasionally enjoy drinking whisky. I think it is fascinating to see how MackMyra is using AI to implement new recipes and wonder how much competition they will have as others try to do the same. I am excited to see how the spirit industry benefits from AI and will be looking to try something like this.
Cool post Fernando! Its interesting to see how AI can be useful in making new, unique whisky flavors. Like Elaine said, Crown Apple is a favorite of mine, so I’m excited to seeing the future of this process! I also really like the way you described it as an interactive drinking experience.
Wow, this was a really cool post! I remember reading about AI being able to make recipes and always wondered if they would taste good. I would be interested in trying this.
Great post Fernando! It was so cool to see AI finally being talked about in a way that it could be utilized to help our society in our everyday life. This is something that could eventually speed up a lot of processes for the company and improve bottom line growth in the future, while providing customers with a great experience. Very cool!
Hey Fernando, great post! I think this is such a great example of how people and machines can work together to create something amazing. Instead of just entering data and believing its results, D’Orazio worked hand and hand with the machine to find the best result.