🥃 AI Trained to Identify Fake Alcohol

Plus: Shipwrecked Whiskey Riches, Japanese Tunnel-Aged Whisky, and More

Dec 06, 2023

Today’s edition is presented by Norlan.

Norlan Glass is an award-winning, patented whisky glass that was refined with master distiller Jim McEwan.

It is made from hand-blown double-walled borosilicate glass and features a concave outer rim that fits the lower lip of the mouth elegantly.

The glass's unique design reduces ethanol burn through specially developed inner protrusions, making it the perfect way to enjoy your favorite whisky.

Shop Norlan

Hey folks, today we explore innovative AI fighting alcohol fraud, shipwrecked whiskey riches, a Japanese tunnel-aged whisky, and much more. We hope you enjoy it!

⛏️ Our Picks

1. Westmoreland Shipwreck: Salvaging Its Whiskey Treasures

The Westmoreland, a shipwreck in the Great Lakes, holds potential treasures like rare whiskey and $20 million in gold. Discovered in 2010, efforts to salvage artifacts, including using shipwreck wood for whiskey aging, are underway but delayed due to permit requirements. This long-term project aims to preserve history and share it publicly.

2. Why Maker's Mark Spells It 'Whisky' Not 'Whiskey'

Maker's Mark, an American bourbon, uniquely labels its bottles as "whisky" instead of "whiskey." This choice honors the Scottish-Irish heritage of its founder, Bill Samuels Sr., despite American convention. The brand, now owned by Beam Suntory, maintains this tradition, differing from the usual American spelling.

3. Top 4 Expert-Recommended Holiday Bourbons

John O’Farrell, a spirits expert, recommends four bourbons for the holidays: Elijah Craig, known for its sweet smoothness; Michter's, with a spicy kick; Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch, offering a soft yet flavorful profile; and Eagle Rare, a bolder choice aged for at least 10 years.

👀 Curated Collections

1. Aged in a Mountain Tunnel: Togouchi Single Malt

Togouchi Single Malt, a unique Japanese whisky, is produced by Chugoku Jozo, a company founded near Hiroshima known for fruit liqueurs, sake, and shochu.

In a distinctive process, they import malt whisky from Scotland and grain whisky from Canada, then age and blend these in sherry and brandy casks in a 361-meter tunnel.

This tunnel, initially intended for a railway line, offers ideal conditions with a constant temperature of 14°C and 80% humidity.

Togouchi whisky, at 43% ABV, includes peated and non-peated versions, with water from the Sandankyo Natural Park.

Recently, Togouchi introduced its first 100% Japanese single malts, distilled locally and representing a new direction for the brand.

A bottle could run you anywhere between $100 to $300.

2. From Forgotten Barrels: Old Blowhard 26 Year Old

Old Blowhard 26 Year Old, a rarity in the whiskey world, is a product of the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company, owned by Diageo.

Contrary to its name, Orphan Barrel doesn't distill its own bourbon; rather, it sources from "forgotten" barrels discovered in the storied Stitzel-Weller warehouses in Louisville, Kentucky, originally founded by Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle.

Aged for 26 years and bottled at just over 90 proof, Old Blowhard is a premium sipping whiskey, with a rich palette of dark fruit notes, sandalwood, ripe banana, and a dry hit of spices.

A bottle could run you anywhere between $800 to $1,000.

3. Celestial Edition: Littlemill 40 Year Old

Littlemill 40 Year Old, known as the "Celestial Edition," is a remarkable single malt from Scotland's now-silent Littlemill Distillery, which ceased operations in 1994.

This distillery, before its closure and subsequent destruction by fire in 2004, was touted as one of Scotland's oldest, with a history dating back to 1772.

The Littlemill 40 Year Old was released by the Loch Lomond Group in honor of Duncan Thomas, the former owner responsible for introducing the innovative "Lomond still."

This rare whisky, aged in American oak and ex-bourbon barrels, then finished in Oloroso casks, is limited to just 250 bottles globally.

Each bottle is presented in a snow-white box, with a star map lining representing the sky above the distillery on the night of bottling.

Additionally, it includes a 5-cl sidecar sample, allowing collectors to taste this rare whisky.

A bottle could run you anywhere between $6,000 to $8,000.

🗞️ Deep Dive

AI Trained to Identify Fake Alcohol

Scientists have developed an AI that can detect counterfeit alcohol, in this particular case it’s wine.

Using gas chromatography, the AI identifies a wine's unique chemical signature, which is influenced by factors like grapes, soil, and climate.

What does this mean?

The AI's ability to pinpoint a wine's origin is remarkable, achieving a 99% success rate in identifying the producer, though it's less effective in determining the vintage, with only 50% accuracy.

This innovation is particularly relevant in the wake of notorious wine fraud cases, like that of Rudy Kurniawan, recently featured in Netflix's "Sour Grapes."

Why should I care?

This development is a game-changer.

It not only combats the prevalent issue of wine fraud, where counterfeit bottles are sold for exorbitant prices, but it also ensures the authenticity and quality of what you're drinking.

As Professor Alexandre Pouget humorously notes, this technology is crucial in differentiating between genuine, high-quality wines and those concocted in someone's garage.

This advancement in AI and chemical analysis heralds a new era in the beverage industry, promising greater integrity and reliability in the products we enjoy.

✨ Whiskey + AI Image of the Week

We’re using Midjourney to develop this image. It doesn’t disappoint. The captions show the prompt we used.

flat art, night city that has lost of neon signs, tall buildings, high perspective, with a bottle of whiskey in the foreground

Today’s edition is presented by Norlan