What I learned about loving the algorithm and not worrying about it.

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Diageo is entering the world of tech that knows what you want before you even know what you want. With the acquisition of flavor matching company Vivanda, the spirits giant is stepping into the world of tech that can match you to exactly what you want.

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However, it does illustrate what whiskey consumers will face in the future, even though it may not seem as nefarious as a Black Mirror episode about memory recall and real-life blocking. Vivanda's technology is currently being used by Diageo across a number of markets, including Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh, as well as stores, e-commerce channels, and Malts.com, since 2019.

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This technology is also used to create a website called "What's Your Whiskey," which works as follows: Vivanda’s FlavorPrint system identifies your specific flavor preferences by asking a series of questions, so it can suggest the whiskeys you should try based on your specific flavor preferences. When you have your results, you can choose whether to purchase Talisker, Lagavulin, or Oban.

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In addition to using Vivanda's technology in other categories within its sizable portfolio, Diageo plans to use it to provide a better understanding of what it is you like to drink through "the continuous development of our advanced analytics and digital marketing capabilities," according to a press release. The whiskey has not yet become sentient and experienced its first experience of love, but it is still very early in its life cycle.