Entrepreneurial spirits: Innovating alcohol production with a splash of organic chemistry

Organic chemistry and the maturation of alcoholic spirits are a perfect pairing for a Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) researcher and an alumni. 

Chemistry professor Marc Adler and David Raveenthrarajan, a TMU master of science alum, met during Raveenthrarajan’s time at university. They launched their company VI SIX in 2023 based on research they began at professor Adler’s TMU lab. VI SIX applies organic chemistry to the production of alcoholic spirits, with their innovative “inverse barreling” method. 

Their first bottle of commercially available spirits, crafted in partnership with Elora Distilling Company, launched in spring 2024. The startup is now collaborating with a number of distillers to create unique spirits. 

Innovative techniques 

When VI SIX begins working with a new partner, they take a scientific approach, isolating different variables and completing small-scale trials to find the perfect process for that particular product.

Many spirits, such as whisky, usually gain their taste profile from the casks they’re poured into to mature. Professor Adler and his colleague take a different approach, leveraging their chemistry know-how. “A crucial part of what we do is that we put the wood into the liquid instead of putting the liquid into a [wood] barrel. We handcraft wood pieces customized in shape and size and composition for the application we want,” he said. Applying techniques such as charring can affect the flavour. Their experimentation to find the right process and taste for each of their distillery partners’ products also includes altering factors such as oxygenation and temperature to impact taste – all done with no additives. 

One of the main advantages of this process is decreasing the amount of maturation time required. Instead of years, the VI SIX process can produce mature spirits in just a few months. But professor Adler said their goal has grown beyond speed to include innovation in areas such as distinct flavours. “A big part of what we do is just generally innovate in the maturation of spirits,” he said. “It’s not just faster, it’s about doing things other people can’t do.” 

In addition to the limited edition spiced rum released in the spring, VI SIX has a whisky release with Elora Distillery planned for September 2024 and other upcoming collaborative products.  

It’s not just faster, it’s about doing things other people can’t do.

Learn more about VI SIX and their partnerships (external link, opens in new window) . 

This research is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Mitacs, Lab2Market and TMU’s Faculty of Science.