Standard labels were becoming damaged as ethanol vapours and other chemical compounds seeped through the oak barrel staves. This caused printed data to fade and labels to come loose, so the barrels couldn’t be identified during the ageing process — a big commercial risk for valuable, aged whisky.

We assessed the specific chemical-exposure and supplied a custom label made with a highly chemical-resistant polyimide substrate, along with the strongest resin thermal transfer-print ribbons. This combination is tough enough to withstand the ethanol vapour attack, keeping the information legible for many years as the whisky matures.

Key outcomes or metrics

• Zero label degradation during years of aging
• 100% identification across all barrels
• £1bn+ Protection of high-value whisky worth over £1 billion