Siri and Alexa have undoubtedly made daily life easier for countless people everywhere. But when was the last time a voice-activated personal assistant gave you what you really want: a good stiff drink? Well, the high-tech gurus over at Jim Beam are about to make history with the release of the world’s first smart decanter.
A cross between an Amazon Echo and an extremely compliant bartender, the Jim Beam Smart Decanter is bound to appeal to those who simply must have the latest technological gadget as well as those who simply love to make fun of them. Like a traditional “analog” decanter, this product features a compartment for storing your favorite liquor (presumably Jim Beam) and a diminutive spigot for easy pouring.
The Jim Beam Smart Decanter, however, brings the decanter into the digital age with JIM (like Siri and Alexa) — a new kind of personal assistant that is voiced by Seventh Generation Master Distiller, Fred Noe. This is a marketing stunt to be sure, but JIM actually works (if by working you mean that it will pour a shot for you if you ask it to.) You can ply it with a few other basic questions, (“What’s the forecast, JIM?”), but don’t expect any truly useful replies (“I have no idea, but I do know that it’s the perfect weather for enjoying bourbon!”). Just be sure to get all your answers from JIM within six months of its December 15 release, since Jim Beam is only supporting “smart” functions for its decanter for a limited time.