Bacardi starts testing robot dog to detect ethanol leaks

Bacardi has begun testing advanced robotic technology to identify ethanol vapour leaks in Scotch whisky maturation warehouses, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Scotch whisky industry. The pilot project is underway at the John Dewar & Sons ageing facility near Glasgow, where the company is exploring how automation and sensing technologies can support more efficient and data-driven warehouse management.

The trial involves a robotic sensing system designed to move autonomously through warehouses and detect low-level ethanol vapours that can indicate small but costly leaks from ageing casks. The robot, which resembles a dog in form, is equipped with a specialised sensor mounted on a 3D-printed arm developed by engineers at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) and has been developed at NMIS’s Digital Process Manufacturing Centre in Irvine. Bacardi contributed to the design of the trial and conducted baseline testing ahead of deployment to ensure accurate data collection.

While the current focus is on whisky maturation warehouses, the early-stage project is also assessing how autonomous inspection systems could be applied across other industries, including chemicals and energy. The same sensing approach has the potential to improve efficiency and safety in a wide range of routine inspection tasks within manufacturing environments.

The trial reflects Bacardi’s broader strategy of combining traditional whisky-making craftsmanship with modern technology, as the company evaluates the feasibility of developing a live robotic inspection system for use across its production sites in the future.