THE WHISKY BARREL PIONEER NEW AUTHENTICATION PROCESS FOR SCOTCH WHISKY INDUSTRY
Fife-based Scotch whisky retailer and bottling company release world’s first single-cask Scotch whisky with full Digital Provenance Certificate (NFT)
Alastair Brown of The Whisky Barrel with world’s first digitally-certified Scotch whisky
In recognition of the growth of virtual whisky collections, Alastair Brown, who runs Fife-based The Whisky Barrel with brother Chris, has pioneered a revolutionary whisky authentication process that harnesses blockchain technology.
Made publicly available today, The Whisky Barrel’s Digital Provenance Certificates (NFTs) securely transmit essential product information on a public ledger, helping collectors and connoisseurs alleviate the risk of investing in counterfeit whisky.”
Using blockchain technology offers our customers a continuously updated, secure record of ownership for each individual bottle, adding a layer of provenance that’s unrivalled in the Scotch whisky industry.” Alastair Brown
Developed in conjunction with Aberdeen-based tech start-up CD Corp., this is the world’s first Scotch whisky collection to use digital certification to verify provenance. Each Digital Provenance Certificate is minted on the Solana (SOL) blockchain platform, chosen for its verified carbon-neutral, low-energy consumption.
L-R Murdo McCandlish (CDC), Joseph McGraw (CDC), Ryan Aitken (CDC), Chris Brown (TWB), Alastair Brown (TWB)
“Alastair and Chris trusted us to execute our vision of immutable digital provenance certificates correlating with each bottle in a collection. They are at the forefront of this new process of authentication for rare Scotch whisky, and I believe their openness to a more inclusive integration of blockchain technology will reap rewards for their business long term” Ryan Aitken, Managing Director of CD Corp. Ltd.
Today sees the release of the first bottling — a 30-year-old distilled at the Glen Moray distillery in Elgin. Each of the 152 individually-numbered bottles feature a unique QR code that links to its corresponding Digital Provenance Certificate. This token provides digital proof of ownership, as well as the provenance of each bottle.
The Whisky Barrel’s 30-year-old Glen Elgin with Digital Certificate of Authenticity
Owners of the first bottles are granted VIP membership to The Whisky Barrel Scotch Club hosted by Solsea. The first 30 NFTs feature a unique graphic representation of the bottle, enhancing their collectability.”
Blockchain technology is not just for the big companies, it’s for small companies like ours. It is the future. Applying a certified digital history to a physical bottle of premium Scotch whisky is the ultimate provenance for our barley-to-bottle approach.” Alastair Brown
The Glen Moray is the first release from The Whisky Barrel’s 15th Anniversary Portfolio Series, that will culminate in the bottling of a 50-year-old cask whisky at the end of the year.
First-release Glen Moray 30-year-old
The first release of The Whisky Barrel’s 15th Anniversary Portfolio Digital Provenance Certificate series is a Glen Moray 30-year-old, bottled from their own casks stored at their warehouse. This modest yield of 152 unique bottles was minted on 12th January 2022. The Whisky Barrel’s decision to digitally certify their provenance adds an enhanced layer of security for buyers.Speyside single malt distilled at Glen Moray Distillery.1991 vintage.54.9% ALC/VOL
Single cask, 1st fill Palo Cortado Hogshead
Bottled the old-fashioned way at cask strength with natural colour and unchill-filtered.Tasting notes:Nose: fruit salad, burnt orange peel, toffee, green apples and fudge.Taste: peach and pink grapefruit compote, butterfudge, vanilla and spices.Finish: long, oily mouthfeel, figs, mint and ripe grapes.
Bottle #001 Digital Certificate of Authenticity (NFT) on Solsea:
https://solsea.io/nft/3LvXBcigfvRaBaes5PGci8bcUWrBovZuL7uAXgaxgNwc
About The Whisky Barrel — TheWhiskyBarrel.com
The Whisky Barrel is an online Scotch whisky retailer and bottling company with customers in over 50 countries worldwide. Located in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland, the business celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
Founded by Alastair Brown in 2007, today the company owns an enviable portfolio of Scotch whisky, maturing in casks under bond, including whiskies from Scotland’s best-known distilleries.Alastair’s brother Chris joined the company in 2015 to direct the company’s e-commerce platform and to help diversify the business. Today, The Whisky Barrel stocks thousands of premium whiskies and rums that can be delivered globally within days.
The Whisky Barrel received the Queen’s Award for outstanding international trade growth in 2019.Sustainability is at the core of The Whisky Barrel’s ethos, and this year they are planting 350 trees at Falkland Estate in Fife as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.
Alastair Brown – Managing Director & Founder
Alastair is a qualified I.T. professional who has worked in e-commerce and international trade for 20 years in senior management positions, founding The Whisky Barrel in 2007. By building relationships with the world’s most prestigious Scotch whisky brands, Alastair has built the business into an internationally-recognised specialist online whisky merchant, exporting millions of pounds worth of Scotch whisky annually. Alastair lives with his wife and young daughter in north east Fife.
About CD Corp.
Aberdeen-based tech start-up CD Corp was founded in 2021 by Robert Gordon University graduates Ryan Aitken, Murdo McCandlish and Joseph McGraw, with American digital finance consultant and investor, Ryan Caudill. Aitken was introduced to digital currencies and their possibilities by Caudill whilst studying for a semester at Oklahoma State University in 2018.
About Digital Provenance Certificates
With the release of a Glen Moray 30-year-old single malt, The Whisky Barrel is introducing the world’s first single-cask Scotch whisky with a full Digital Provenance Certificate, unique to each individually-numbered bottle.
The bottle’s information — the distillery, cask type and bottle number — is accessed via the QR code on the label, that can be verified on virtual platforms including online auctions. This acts as a digital proof of ownership, transferred to the buyer upon purchase, meaning its provenance can be verified using a Smartphone in seconds. It’s possible for owners to trade their Digital Provenance Certificate with the corresponding bottle. Or to trade the bottle and transfer the digital ownership to a new owner.
For Scotch whisky collectors and connoisseurs, provenance is important. The Whisky Barrel’s process of authentication is the first of its kind for the Scotch Whisky industry, preventing counterfeit Scotch entering the marketplace. To mark their 15th Anniversary year, The Whisky Barrel has selected some of their best Scotch whisky casks for a series titled ‘Portfolio’. Each bottle has its own Digital Provenance Certificate which is transferred when the bottles are delivered.
Collectors and connoisseurs wishing to purchase whisky with a Digital Provenance Certificate must join The Whisky Barrel® Scotch Club on SolSea.io or visit the https://www.thewhiskybarrel.com. Buyers should note that no two casks of Scotch whisky have identical taste profiles, and no two bottles are identical at The Whisky Barrel® Scotch Club on SolSea.io. It’s possible to build a digital Scotch whisky collection on SolSea.io Marketplace (or securely within a personal digital wallet), to collect or trade.
The Whisky Barrel partnered with CD Corp. (CryptoDramz) to analyse the Scotch whisky provenance process and apply a blockchain-based DPC to every bottle of their single cask Scotch. They use Solana blockchain — best known for its native token SOL — due to its low-energy, carbon neutral credentials. Each bottle features a unique QR code on the label, this links to its very own Digital Provenance Certificate, also known as an NFT (Non-Fungible Token). These cannot be changed thus certifying the provenance and ownership of each bottle.