CCL Label launches cask traceability platform

CCL Label has announced SmartCask (by Checkpoint), a digital identification and data platform designed to bring long-term traceability and verified ownership records to Scotch whisky cask management, as fraud concerns escalate across the sector.

The launch follows a BBC Disclosure investigation that exposed widespread fraud in whisky cask investment schemes, including false ownership claims and fictitious casks. SmartCask integrates long-life data chips directly onto individual casks, creating a unique digital identity engineered to last up to 30 years under standard storage conditions, and up to 50 years when stored between -20°C and +40°C.

Each chip acts as a permanent digital passport, recording cask origin and filling details, liquid contents, ownership records and movement history across warehouses and supply chain partners. The platform targets an industry where more than 22 million casks are currently held in storage across Scotland, many still relying on manual records or fragmented digital systems.

'Recent revelations from BBC's Disclosure: Hunting the Whisky Bandits have sent shockwaves through the spirits industry,' said Alex Mulvenny, managing director Wines and Spirits Europe at CCL Label. 'As the world's largest label company and a trusted partner to premium drinks brands worldwide, CCL Label is committed to advancing technologies that protect product integrity and provenance.'

CCL Label says it will engage with the Scotch Whisky Association alongside leading distillers and warehouse operators to explore how SmartCask can help establish stronger standards for transparency and security across the category.