Hidden signatures
Similar averages can hide very different combinations of fruit, malt, wood, spice and smoke.
Alcoholic Beverages × Havish M Consulting
Every flavour has a profile.
Make it visible.
From sensory scores to a shared flavour story. Compare profiles, see what makes a product distinctive, and bring sharper evidence into the next product conversation.
Client Alcoholic BeveragesFunction Sensory & InnovationTheme Flavour Intelligence
Original dashboard views
3views
Radar · price · 1-v-1
Attributes in the reference
19attributes
A shared sensory vocabulary
Profiles in the interactive lab
8prototypes
Synthetic, coded samples
Dimensions in the live explorer
12dimensions
Linked across every visual
Original screenshots supplied for this case study. The interactive extension uses illustrative data and does not represent measured product performance.
The Challenge
An average cannot tell the whole flavour story
A sensory review needs more than a product ranking. Teams need to see the shape of a profile, the attributes behind a difference, and how price sits alongside those observations.
Complex comparisons
Looking across many products and attributes makes small but meaningful differences easy to miss.
Price needs context
A price comparison becomes more useful when the sensory dimension is visible beside it.
One shared language
Consistent descriptors and fixed scales help sensory, innovation and commercial teams discuss the same evidence.
HMC Approach
Make the vocabulary consistent. Then make the data visual.
A practical approach for taking a sensory scorecard from the tasting table into a review-ready dashboard.
The Solution
A dashboard you can see, compare and explore
Start with the supplied Power BI screens. Then explore a new sensory lab inspired by their three core questions: what is the profile, how does price compare, and what separates two samples?
01 · Original dashboard
Supplied reference imagesThe three views behind the case study
The supplied screens are embedded at their original resolution. Select a screen to enlarge it.
02 · Interactive sensory lab
Illustrative datasetOne selection. Every view responds.
Choose two coded prototypes. Explore their fingerprints, compare individual attributes, or scan the complete portfolio.
Target fit98.1/100
Transparent similarity index
Mean intensity2.67/5
Intensity, not a quality rating
Strongest attributeAftertaste
3.6 out of 5
Scenario price₹3,800
Illustrative INR per 750 mL
Fixed scale 0–5 · 12 attributes
Sensory fingerprint
Distance from the target
Selected prototype minus target · click an attribute to highlight
Prototype comparison
Paired intensity scores · the right column shows selected minus comparison
A positive difference means more intensity in the selected prototype. It is not an improvement score.
The portfolio at a glance
Select a row to explore that prototype across the dashboard.
0 · LowHigh · 5
Try a profile
Inspect the underlying demo scores
03 · 3D flavour space
Move through the flavour landscape
Drag to rotate. Scroll to zoom. Hover for names. Select a sphere to connect it with the sensory lab above.
Drag to orbit · scroll to zoom · arrows to rotate · + / − to zoom · Home to reset
04 · Price & sensory position
Illustrative pricesPut price beside a specific sensory question
Switch the attribute and set a scenario budget. Hover or select a point to inspect its profile.
8 of 8 prototypes
Higher intensity is not higher quality. Prices are assigned demo scenarios in INR per 750 mL and are not current retail quotes.
05 · Blend scenario studio
Interactive what-ifWhat happens when two profiles meet?
Explore an illustrative linear mix. Move the ratio and watch the blended profile change against the target.
58% A42% B
This weighted-average model is illustrative. Sensory interactions can be nonlinear; confirm any actual formulation by tasting.
Target fit96.3/100
Weighted scenario price₹3,040
Profile RMSE0.185
Review Dashboard
See when a profile begins to drift
An additional concept for the sensory team: compare a sequence of batches with the same target, then examine the attribute behind the largest movement.
Distance from the reference profile
RMSE across 12 dimensions · select a batch to inspect it
Review if RMSE exceeds the chosen limit or any attribute differs by more than 0.50. Demo rule; not a production specification.
Review queue
1of 8 demo batches
flagged for review
flagged for review
B-106 · Review
Matured wood is the largest movement
Before vs After
A more focused sensory conversation
The intended workflow shift, without assuming a measured time saving or commercial result.
| Dimension | Separate scorecards | Connected profile dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Profile review | Read averages and individual score sheets | See the complete sensory shape on a fixed scale |
| Product comparison | Compare columns and mentally calculate gaps | Inspect paired attributes and signed differences |
| Price discussion | Review price separately from sensory observations | Place a chosen sensory attribute beside price |
| Scenario exploration | Recalculate a comparison for each question | Adjust a selection, ratio or threshold in the same view |
| Batch review | Search for drift across successive scorecards | Flag a transparent rule and inspect the largest deviation |
| Decision handoff | Send a static screenshot without the underlying context | Export scores with the dataset label, scale and comparison |
Tools & Tech Used
The original business view, extended into an interactive lab
Power BI supplied reference dashboardsD3.js linked SVG chartsThree.js / WebGL 3D flavour spaceJavaScript blend and review calculationsEmbedded assets one standalone HTMLCSV export inspectable demo scores
Key Takeaways
What a sensory team can take forward
Compare the shape
The whole profile explains more than a single average. Keep the attribute vocabulary and scale consistent.
Make differences explicit
Pair every overview with an attribute-level comparison so reviewers can explain what changed.
Keep the judgement human
Use interactive scenarios to focus the next tasting and discussion. Validate decisions with the sensory team.
A flavour story that invites a better question.
Explore the prototype. Inspect the attributes. Discuss the next step.