In a first for the Scotch whisky industry, a pioneering trial is investigating whether advanced robotics can help identify small but costly ethanol leaks in maturation warehouses.
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is validating its own robotic sensing kit, developed at its Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) in Irvine, using a
Boston Dynamics Spot robot at Bacardi-owned John Dewar & Sons’ site near Glasgow. The initiative is supported by the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI).
The system employs a sensor mounted on a 3-D printed arm designed by NMIS engineers to detect ethanol vapour levels as the robot navigates a defined path through the warehouse. Bacardi collaborated on the experiment design and led baseline testing ahead of the trial. While the focus is on whisky casks, the technology could be applied across multiple sectors, including chemicals and energy, to improve efficiency in routine inspection tasks.
Ethanol evaporation, known as the “angel’s share”, is a natural part of whisky maturation, which takes at least three years before the spirit legally becomes Scotch whisky. Monitoring this process is essential to minimise losses and maintain safety. Traditional inspection methods rely heavily on manual handling and visual checks, which are time-consuming and inconsistent. Robotics offers a repeatable, data-driven alternative, though NMIS stresses this is an early-stage proof of concept rather than a live operational system.
Future developments could see similar sensor technology integrated directly into robotic platforms rather than mounted externally, improving reliability and functionality. Bacardi, which operates five distilleries across Scotland, has long combined heritage with innovation to reduce environmental impact and enhance efficiency. Recent investments include three ‘state of the art’ ageing warehouses at its 200-acre Poniel blending and maturation centre, where these trials are taking place.
‘Royal Bark-la‘Angus Holmes, whisky category director at Bacardi, said: “Craftmanship and heritage remains at the heart of our production of DEWAR’s Blended Scotch whisky and our portfolio of single malts, but there is also great potential for innovation and technology to support the industry to become more efficient and data-driven. We are proud to be playing our part to pioneer this new technology in the whisky industry and look forward to progressing from these trials to developing a live system that can be used at our sites in the future. The team loved having the robot dog around so much we gave him his own Bacardi name – ‘Royal Bark-la’ in homage to our ROYAL BRACKLA Single Malt.”
Andrew Hamilton, head of the Digital Process Manufacturing Centre, added: “Our aim here is to validate our own sensing kit and see whether robots can take on this type of inspection work. The early results are promising, and it shows how manufacturing technologies being developed in Scotland are relevant across many sectors including the whisky industry. It’s been fantastic to work with Bacardi on this – a great example of a company embracing and contributing to innovative new approaches for the industry.”
The DPMC, officially opened earlier this year, supports process manufacturing industries with next-generation technologies and is funded in part through the £251 million Ayrshire Growth Deal. Delivered by NMIS, operated by the University of Strathclyde and part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, the centre is a partnership between NMIS, North Ayrshire Council, and CPI.