Scottish tax records from 1494 include an entry for “eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor to make aqua vitae” – the first documented reference to Scotch whisky.
Fast forward 524 years, and Scotch whisky is now one of the early adopters of the very latest in supply chain technology – blockchain.
“The Brisbane” is a combination of Scotch and Australian whiskies created by Fusion Whisky in collaboration with Adelphi.
Edinburgh-based Fusion Whisky said it was also following Adelphi’s pioneering work with the use of blockchain technology to demonstrate The Brisbane’s provenance and complex production history. “Thomas Brisbane was a great champion of science, so it’s entirely appropriate we pioneer this new technology with a whisky made in his honour; the first whisky in the world to do so.”
The use of blockchain in one of the world’s oldest industries coincides with a study by DHL and Accenture which predicts an big future for the technology in logistics.
“The experiments with blockchain in finance are well known, but we believe logistics is an area where the new technology will have a truly profound impact,” says Matthias Heutger, senior vice president DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.
Kieran Kelly of partners arc-net, which provided the Blockchain platform and support for “The Brisbane”, says: “Our aim is to establish the global standard in product and supply-chain transparency, authentication and security, providing the consumer with 100 per cent traceability, provenance and product authenticity. The arc-net platform offers both brand and product protection and provides brands with a voice on the global stage. All the team at arc-net are very proud to be the first company to use Blockchain technology with a whisky, especially one that is itself pioneering and honours a great champion of science.”
All of which goes to prove that you’re never too old to try something new.
