Scotch or American? AI robot can distinguish between different WHISKIES - and could soon replace trained sommeliers, study claims

They arguably have one of the best occupations in the world. But whisky sommeliers may soon have some competition for their jobs – from AI. Scientists have devised machine learning algorithms that can determine whether a whisky is of American or Scotch origin and identify its strongest aromas. And they even outperform human experts, the results show. A whisky's aroma is determined by a complex mixture of odorous compounds, which makes it highly challenging to assess. Panels of human experts are often used to identify the strongest notes of a whisky but these require a significant investment in time, money and training – and agreement between experts is often rare.