It’s one of the most popular tipples in the world, and now one whisky distillery has enlisted the help of AI to create its blends.
Mackmyra has joined forces with Microsoft and Fourkind to develop the world’s first AI-generated whisky.
The Swedish distillery's first AI-generated whisky will go on sale this autumn, although the price remains unclear.
According to Mackmyra, the blend is ‘fruity and oaky, slightly salty and with a dryish end.’
When whiskies are first distilled they appear clear, and have an elegant or smoky flavour. However, placing the whiskies in casks can help to impart distinct flavours, as well as colours and aroma.
Most distilleries have a Master Distiller, whose job it is to tweak this maturation process to create new and exciting flavours.
Now, Mackmyra is handing this crucial role over to an AI system.
Angela D’Orazio, Master Blender at Mackmyra said: “We see AI as a part of our digital developent, and it is really exciting to let AI be a complement to the craft of producing a high-quality whisky.
“For me as Master Blender, it is a great achievement to be able to say that I’m also now a mentor for the first ever created AI whisky in the world.”
To train the AI, the researchers fed the system Mackmyra’s existing recipes, as well as sales data and customer preferences.
Based on this information, the AI can generate over 70 million recipes that it predicts will be popular.
Not only is the AI faster than human distillers, it can also come up with innovative combinations that humans likely wouldn’t consider.
However, it’s not all bad news for people working at Mackmyra’s distillery in Sweden.
Ms D’Orazio added: “While the whisky recipe is created by AI, we still benefit from a person's expertise and knowledge.
“We believe that the whisky is AI-generated, but human-curated. Ultimately, the decision is made by a person.”
