The first attempts to create bottles by thermoforming were in the 1930s, but, although a number of projects has been pursued, they all were without commercial success.
The recent years, however, have seen successful developments in thermoforming bottles, closed with a pre-punched round aluminium seal, especially in the sector between 50 – 200 ml bottles used for yogurt, juice and isotonic drinks.

The Illig Technology
For this market segment Illig Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, in Heilbronn / Germany introduced its Bottleform BF 70 process in 2008. The material is drawn from the reel, heated and deep drawn in the forming station, mechanically pre-stretched, and subsequently formed by using sterile pressure air. However, due to the bottle design with its significant undercuts, it is necessary to have movable tool parts to enable de-moulding of the bottles. In addition a forming procedure has to be found, which enables an absolutely uniform wall thickness distribution despite reduced initial area and high depth of draw. With the use of specific tools in combination with a servo plug assist and control of the forming air it is possible to deep draw bottles at a stability in line with market conditions even out of a material only 1.4 mm thick (top load)!
The stability of the bottle is a decisive feature for further procedures like filling, sealing and transport. This applies for both the vertical load and the stability of the side walls.
The bottle rims have always to be absolutely even round for sealing. The quality of the sealing rims is decisive for the exact sealing. The secure lock between round plate and bottle guarantees longer durability.
Products do not show a middle seam that is a typical characteristic of blow moulded bottles.

Illig claims that a comparable bottle made by blow moulding has an average weight up to 8.5 gram. A thermoformed bottle stays far below this weight, as the average weight is 4.5 gram.

The Agami ‘Roll N Blow’ Technology
It is obvious that this system has its limits in terms of dimensions (50 – 200 ml). Furthermore they have a sealed top and not a screw closure as blow moulded bottles have. But more recently we have seen the solution for both problems with the development of Agami in France by blow moulding / thermoforming plastic bottles from the reel. I wrote about this development in my article “Highlights of Interpack 2011 – The Second Day”.

The Bottle Thermoforming machine ‘Roll N Blow’ of French company Agami, is based on an innovative technology of tubular thermoforming from a plastic sheet in reel. This sheeting is cut into strips, and each strip is shaped into a tube around a blow pipe. Each strip is then welded lengthwise and the resulting plastic tube is heated and blown into a mould, in order to create the bottle. This technology authorizes high and round shapes for a volume from 100 to 500 ml.

The Hol-Pack Technology
The world of thermoforming bottles is getting much more interesting since a mainly unknown Rudolf Holzleitner, of Hol-Pack Verpackungen from Piberbach in Austria, patented (EP2091829) his invention.

Hol-Pack patented the thermoformed, welded plastic bottle for filling non-carbonated liquids for larger bottles, up to 1.25 litres. The Hol-Pack process involves thermoforming two sheet halves, joined in such a way that the parting line forms a flange-shaped undercut within the bottle. The flanges are welded together at the end of the bottle forming process. The parting line can be arranged along or across the bottle vertical axis.

The lengthwise version allows for production of multi-chamber bottles. Sleeves and labels can be used to conceal the weld line, which is visually unappealing but adds stiffness to finished bottles.

Bottling companies have the option whether to manufacture the entire bottle from a film reel, or buy pre-made semi-finished halves and only carry out the welding of the delivered items on their own machines.

As it is possible to thermoform such semi-finished products in a stackable version, the stackable semis also allow for a commercially interesting modular system. Easily changeable, various bottle shapes are achieved by the fusion of different parts. This technology allows bottlers to a great variety of options and flexibility in bottle shapes as well as in material.

Technically the welded sheet thermoformed bottles feature, compared with blow-moulded bottles, a higher stiffness, due to the welding of the undercuts.

Up till this moment the thermoformed, welded plastic bottles only are suitable for filling non-carbonated liquids, but I am sure that future development will eliminate this restriction and that we will see quite some new applications for this technology, due to its economic prizing, its flexibility in processing, the almost unlimited choice of material, and the almost unlimited free-hand of the designer.

**

What is Thermoforming?
For my readers who want to know in more detail about the thermoforming technology. Here are the principles.
Thermoforming is a generic term for the manufacturing of plastic components through the vacuum and / or pressure forming processes. A simplistic overview of the single-sheet thermoforming process consists of heating extruded plastic sheet and forming the sheet over a male mould or into a female mould. Depending on what type of mould a customer selects, the thermoforming process allows the customer the ability to receive a part with the same aesthetic properties as an injection-moulded part at a fraction of the tooling expense involved in injection moulding.
There are 4 basic processes in the Thermoforming Technology: Vacuum Forming, Pressure Forming, Mechanical Forming and Pressure Diaphragm Forming.

Vacuum Forming – The most common method with the simplest mould. The sheets adhere to the mould using atmospheric pressure. Various other versions of the process are available, using pre-blowing (balloon), negative forming (plug assisted), reverse blow moulding, etc.

Pressure Forming – A blowing bell is combined with the mould, in order to increase, through the use of compressed air, the adherence of the sheet onto the mould. Indispensable for tenacious materials and clearer definition on the surface of the sheet in contact with the mould.

Mechanical Forming – Pre-cutting negative forming (plug assisted) is combined to the base mould in order to obtain areas precise details on the surface of the sheet opposite that facing the mould.

Pressure Diaphragm Forming – The sheet adheres to the mould through the use of an elastic diaphragm which is compressed by a high pressure fluid. Indispensable for extremely tenacious materials.

Some of these same principles apply to another thermoforming processes: twin sheeting. Twin-sheeting is heating two sheets of plastic and forming simultaneously on two opposing half-moulds, and then welded together under high pressure. Cavities can also be created with materials of varying colour and type.
In some cases, the twin-sheeting process produces parts that resemble a blow-moulded part, but the twin sheeting process allows the customer to receive 1) a higher quality, more aesthetic part, 2) a two colour part, and 3) a part with an assembly device trapped inside as the part is being formed.
source: Kenplas Industry Ltd.

Shatler's Caipirinha in a CartoCan

In June last year, I wrote that “the revolution in the bottling industry is on”. It seems to be working out that way, as recently we have seen some very interesting developments in beverage cans. No, not the well-known metal can, but beverage cans made from paperboard. These developments are pioneering in the aseptic can as well as in the paperboard packaging field.

After the, in Germany developed, Cartocan for 250ml energy drinks entered the market in 2010, a new Euro patent application (EP 2017178) emerged, relating to an identical drinks can made from paperboard. The third development, although not for beverages, but for motor oil, is from Sonoco UK.

Kirei no Susume, launched by Shiseido on July 21, 2010, is packaged in a Cartocan

Why these developments in paperboard cans for liquids? Beverage cans, traditionally made from metal, aluminium or tinplate, have become more expensive over the last years, whereas paperboard has remained consistently cheaper. But there is one more reason.
Paperboard cans are favoured by the European packaging laws. The paperboard can is classified as ‘Ecological Favourable Packaging’, a German typification in its “packaging laws”, which add 25 eurocents (a refundable packaging tax deposit) to the price of all metal cans sold by beverage resellers.

It is not surprising of course that all three are European developments. In the USA we don’t see a packaging tax, refundable or not, to protect the environment and stimulate recycling, and consequently we don’t see, as we see in Europe, the implementation of ‘packaging laws’ stimulating developments of more environmental friendly packaging formats.

Let’s have a detailed look at these three paperboard beverage cans.

The Composite Can
Paperboard hollow bodies aren’t new. Since ages we use the convulgated winded paperboard cans or tubes as we call them, but never for beverages. We all know the composite can or paperboard can used for dry products and sometimes for pastes, such as creams, balms and oil-based products.

The EcoPak made by Chicago Paper Tube & Can Co Inc

Although often seen as a simple packaging format for simple products (see my post: “EcoPak and Ecocentric – What’s in a Name?” ). there are some examples of brilliant design using the composite can in the upscale market. One of these examples is the Biznaga range of Spanish Gourmet specialties.

The composite can or paperboard can or tube is mostly a round container comprised of a body with two ends made from a variety of materials. The packaging can be produced in many shapes and sizes. The container body is made from paper, and various liner materials to achieve barrier requirements and often completed with a printed label for packaging graphics.

The CartoCan
The new paperboard can, which is made by Michael Hörauf Maschinenfabrik GmbH in Donzdorf / Germany and marketed under the brand name Cartocan, is a highly innovative and brand-appropriate take on the ubiquitous 250ml energy metal drink cans.
CartoCan is the new, high-quality packaging alternative to the tinplate and aluminium can. The slim, cylindrical, trendy format permits a clear positioning of the product at the point of sale.

With the CartoCan, as packaging format, Michael HörAuf offers a complete system for packaging production, sterilization and filling of beverages and food with a shelf life of 12 months. In addition to the aseptic filling of the CartoCan, the company ensures that the mild heat treatment retains the taste, texture, aroma and colour of the product as it undergoes, it claims, optimal processing.

Wood fibre is under ecological conditions a natural renewable and recyclable raw material. The properties of the material along with the environmentally friendly manufacturing and recycling process ensure that the CartoCan supports a brand’s environmental policies.
The CartoCan can be filled with from flavoured milk drinks to tea, from fruit juices to energy drinks.

Full system supplier IPI s.r.l. in Perugia/Italy is one of the system partners for CartoCan and provides the material, which is especially developed for this product. This ensures a full compatibility between equipment and material.

The multi-layer structure is designed in order to produce a protective barrier for the products to be filled. Its structural integrity guarantees preservation of the contents of the product during its entire shelf-life.

Cartocan cans (capacity 200 to 250 ml) feature carton barrier laminates (aluminium or EVOH layers inside and outside are optional), flexographic printing, sleeve material printed in 5 colours, and a wide choice of designs.
Cartocan can be recycled in the same manner as milk cartons.

The Keienburg Paperboard Can
Recently a new Euro patent application (EP 2017178 in German) emerged, relating to an identical drinks can made from paperboard. There is not yet an official brand name available for this can, so I call it, for the time being, after the inventor Günther Keienburg.

Let’s first look at the abstract of EP 2017178 (A2): “The casing comprises a parallelly coiled layer of cellulose-containing material in the form of cardboard and/or pasteboard, and a liquid-proof functional layer. An inner casing surface facing content of the container includes an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer barrier layer with a weight of 10 grams per meter square. A container wall includes a four layer sulphate cardboard with a weight of 250 grams per meter square. The material comprises polyethylene and polyamide coatings”.

It’s a development of Keienburg Agentur für Verpackung GmbH in Rhauderfehn / Germany, which, alongside the cans, offers production units to erect the can body. This gives drinks manufacturers the ability to make the paperboard cans at source, eliminating the high costs for transportation and storage of empty metal cans.
To produce the cardboard can only board reels and can tops and ends are delivered to the fillers. One reel of 4 feet diameter and 0.5 feet width is equivalent to 4.000 cans. The production units offered by Keienburg are said to be capable of producing in excess of 40,000 paperboard cans every single hour.
Currently used filling lines only need simple modifications to process the paperboard cans as standard aluminium pull up can tops are used. This newly introduced production system is said to save up to 30% of the production costs.

The difference between the Cartoncan and the Keienburg can is that the Cartoncan uses an adhesive tape to cover and close the drinking hole in the paperboard top of the can, while Keienburg uses the standard original metal can ends, creating an almost identical beverage can as we know it. This difference in can construction is important as the Keienburg can is designed for carbonised beverages, just like its metal carbon copy.

The Sonoco rigid paperboard can for motor oils
Last month Sonoco, the world’s oldest and largest producer of paperboard cans, also entered, via its UK subsidiary, the market of paperboard cans for liquids. However not for beverages as the former two, but for motor oils.

Sonoco’s solution was a rigid paper container with metal ends that offers the same product appearance and protection for liquids, but at a lower cost and using far more sustainable materials. According to Sonoco, the screw-top, paperboard can is durable enough to last the required product’s four year shelf life.
Furthermore the company claims that the rigid paper container demonstrates significant economic and environmental improvements in its life cycle assessment when compared to the steel can that is generally used in the motor oil market. Not only does it result in a 27% reduction in material weight inputs and reduces the customer’s shipping and handling costs, it also results in a 34% reduction in energy inputs, a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 2% reduction in chemical bad actors.

The Future
Now start thinking. Use your imagination.
Some months ago I wrote about the new Evero Aseptic paperboard bottle from Tetra. Although I think Sonoco is using its convulgated winded paperboard tubes, cutting them in the required sizes, HörAuf and Keienburg are rolling a paperboard sheet in a similar way as Tetra is doing for its Evero.

The Keienburg can uses aluminium ends as are commonly used for 3-piece metal tins. Tetra is using a plastic shoulder/neck which is glued into the paperboard body.
You can see that the Keyenburg paperboard can assembled with a shoulder/neck piece, results in a paperboard can with an aluminium or plastic bottom end and a shoulder/neck, emerging into a full bottle with screw cap facility.

Compare also the development of the Aisa can, I wrote about in my article “Tetra Evero Aseptic and AisaCan – The Revolution of Multi-Material Bottles”

A fascinating evolution in beverage bottles and cans is awaiting us.

Note: I couldn’t find a website of Keienburg, But for those interested here is the full address:  Keienburg Agentur für Verpackung GmbH, Rajen 21, 26817 Rhauderfehn, Germany.

The last months of 2011 have seen some serious publications about Food Safety and Packaging, as well as Packaging and Sustainability. I selected the 4 most important to show for further study here.

The time of frolicking around is over. The last month of 2011, I wrote several articles about fancy and exclusive packaging designs. I still have some left, but that’s for the end of this month. The New Year started and it is time to go back to serious business.

The last months of 2011 have seen some serious publications about Food Safety and Packaging, as well as Packaging and Sustainability. I selected the 4 most important to show for further study here:
1.    A complimentary white paper which provides an overview of the Food Safety Management Systems and Food Packaging Design and Manufacture Standards: ISO 22000, PAS 223 AND FSSC 22000. The white paper is written by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company.

2.    The European Commission (EC) published a guidance on active and intelligent (A&I) food packaging to help industry, professionals and national authorities understand and implement the underlying legislation passed two years ago.
3.    A Green Paper on Packaging and Sustainability, published by EuroPen. A result from a broad stakeholder consultation on the topic of Packaging and Sustainability. The paper concludes that packaging should be seen as part of the solution in achieving a resource efficient society.
4.    And finally the Consumer Goods Forum released the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS) to enable the consumer goods industry to better assess the relative sustainability of packaging.

Let’s look at the publications in detail. I included links so that you can download the publications (in pdf), if they are of interest to you. But first some excerpts.

First the white paper: Overview of the Food Safety Management Systems and Food Packaging Design and Manufacture Standards: ISO 22000, PAS 223 AND FSSC 22000
This white paper written by Supreeya Sansawat (Global Food Business Manager, SGS) and John Terry (Global Product Manager, Food Supply Chain Assurance SGS) is a discussion about the relevant standards ISO 22000, PAS 223 and FSSC 22000.
The document aims to provide an overview of these standards and discusses how the food packaging industry came together to develop PAS 223 ‘Pre-requisite Programmes and Design Requirements for Food Safety in the Manufacture and Provision of Food Packaging’ and how
PAS 223, coupled with ISO 22000 now forms the Food Safety Systems Certification (FSSC) 22000 standard for food packaging.
Within the context of food packaging it explains issues such as the potential migration of harmful chemicals or other contaminants to the food and the potential dangers associated with increased use of recycled materials and mislabelled products.

This 16-page white paper (click the title or the image at the side to download the document in pdf) handles, apart from Packaging and Food Safety, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Benchmarking for Food Packaging and an Overview of ISO 22000 and PAS 223, a discussion combining Food Packaging Safety Schemes with those related to the Environment, Health and Safety and Quality Control.

Secondly we have seen the EU Guidance to the Commission Regulation (EC) No 450/2009 of 29 May 2009 on active and intelligent materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
The Framework Regulation (EC) 1935/20048 allows the introduction of active and intelligent packaging on the European market. This Regulation states that food contact materials shall not transfer constituents to food in quantities, which could endanger human health, bring about an unacceptable change in the composition and bring about deterioration in organoleptic characteristics thereof (Article 3).

The guidance defines an active packaging as a type of food packaging with an extra function, in addition to that of providing a protective barrier against external influence. Active packaging is intended to influence the packed food. The packaging absorbs food-related chemicals from the food or the environment within the packaging surrounding the food; or it releases substances into the food or the environment surrounding the food such as preservatives, antioxidants, flavourings, etc.

An intelligent packaging provides the user with information on the conditions of the food. In contrary to active components, intelligent components do not have the intention to release their constituents into the food. The intelligent component may be positioned on the outer surface of the package and may be separated from the food by a functional barrier. The functional barrier concept is explained in the guidance.

This EU guidance, which is an evolving document and will be updated to further clarify aspects related to the implementation of this legislation, gives definitions and examples, handles legal aspects in relation to the authorisation of active or intelligent substances or components, contains the EU list of substances that may be used in active or intelligent components and has a questions and answers section related to the risk assessment and authorisation procedure.

To read the full 26-pages document, click the title or the image at the side (downloading in pdf)

The third publication I advise my readers to consult is a Green Paper – Packaging and Sustainability – An open dialogue between stakeholders, published by EuroPen.
Europen, with its slogan “The Voice of Industry for Packaging and the Environment”, is a pan-European cross-sectoral industry and trade body dedicated exclusively to this subject. In November 2011 they published a green paper as result of an open dialogue between stakeholders on packaging’s role in society. Representatives of environmental NGO’s, the European Commission, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, retailers and retailer trade associations and Europen corporate members were among stakeholders involved in shaping and endorsing the contents of the Green Paper.

The Green Paper is predicated on the initial, common sense position that packaging is a necessary element in the functioning of our economy. In this context, the document sets out to re-examine the core questions about the place that packaging plays in the drive towards sustainable production and consumption. The contributors to this paper hope that it will provide a way of addressing and understanding the challenges that are involved in choosing how goods should be packaged.
In particular, this paper provides some answers to the varied questions that must be asked in order to attain the ‘Optimum Packaging Design’, with the lowest possible environmental impact. To support the decision-making process, seven key considerations around the areas of material selection, design, consumer choice, production, use, end-of-life and innovative business models were identified and discussed.

The full 16-page Green Paper can be downloaded in pdf by clicking the title or the image at the side.

The last document I want to attract your attention to is the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS).
By its nature packaging is very visible and in a world of scarce resources it is something that attracts the attention of consumers, the media and environmentalists. They often challenge the industry to address it. And of course the industry has a responsibility to review and optimize the environmental performance of the packaging it uses with respect to all relevant life cycle stages.
Finding the balance between under-packaging and over-packaging is the aim for all businesses.

That’s why the Consumer Goods Forum published the First Global Measurement System for Packaging Sustainability to enable the consumer goods industry to better assess the relative sustainability of packaging. The Consumer Goods Forum is sponsored by two of the organisation’s board members: Philip Clarke, CEO of Tesco and Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever.

The aim of the Protocol is to help companies reduce the environmental impact of their packaging by providing a common language to address a range of business questions about packaging sustainability either within a company or between business partners. That common language consists of a framework and a measurement system. The framework entitled A Global Language for Packaging Sustainability was first published in June 2010. The metrics presented in the Protocol published today deliver the measurement system.

In this case, if you are interested and as a matter of fact, you must be, there are 3 pdf’s to download.
The Framework : A global language for Packaging and Sustainability
Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS)
Questions & Answers: Frequently asked questions about the GPPS 2.0

Click the titles or the images to download the pdf.

Reading these reports mentioned here is a real good start of 2012.

Yesterday at exactly 00.00hrs my server WordPress supplied me with some crunchy numbers. Here they are. This blog was viewed 210,585 times in 2011. That’s an increase of more than 50% in relation with 2010.
The busiest day of the year was May 16th with 1,302 views. The most popular post that day was “Highlights of Interpack 2011 – The Third Day”. By the way the whole series of articles about the Interpack was a success.

In 2011, there were 61 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 257 posts. There were 589 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 170mb. That’s about 2 pictures per day.

Where did they come from?

Most visitors came from The United States. The United Kingdom and India were not far behind.
Of all 210,000 visitors of Best In Packaging roughly 40% came from North America, of which 80,9% USA, 13,3% Canada, 3,7% Mexico, 0,2% Puerto Rico and 0,2% Costa Rica.
Roughly 25% of all visitors came from Europe, of which 22,5% UK, 9,6% Germany, 8,0% France, 6,5% Netherlands and 6,5% Spain.
Of the approximately 15% of visitors from Asia, 28,6% came from India, 11,1% Malaysia, 9,6% Thailand, 5,7% Singapore and 5,5% Philippines.
Australia supplied the blog with 83,2% of the 10% of all visitors from Oceania, while 16,6% came from New Zealand.
South America represented 5% of all visitors with Brazil 45,6%, 19,5% Argentina, 12,7% Colombia, 8,7% Chile and 5,1% Peru. Note: Don’t forget that I started in April 2011 a sister-blog (Excelência em Embalagem) for the Latin America region.
Finally Africa came up with another 5% of total visitors, with 44,1% from South Africa, 16,9% Egypt, 11,1% Tunisia, 5,0% Kenya, 4,4% Mauritius.

So far the visitors’ statistics. How did they find this blog?

With 660 followers (482 blog-followers and 178 Twitter-followers), 60,858 (30%) clicked directly to the Home-page  and 7,068 (3,4%) visited the Packaging Dictionary straightaway.
Search Engines, like Google, took care of 30% of all visitors, with search topics as vodka brands, best packaging, best in packaging, packaging innovations, and plastic codes.
A mere 5,7% (11,895) came through linkedin.com, while the rest (30%) came via websites and blogs which referred to one or more of my articles, such as packaginguqam.blogspot.com, packagingdigest.com, packagingcalculator.com, brazilinhotpants.wordpress.com, guiaenvase.com, boards.core77.com and many more.

Now what article of 2011 was most popular?
Playing With Paperboard – Origami In Folding Cartons
My vision: Packaging Trends in 2011 and beyond
Packaging Design with Corrugated Cardboard
January – Five New Packaging Innovations
February – Five New Packaging Innovations
Dual-Chamber Bottles

These statistics are of course a bit misleading as an article written in Jan or Febr 2011 has more chance to be clicked in that year than an article written in Nov or Dec. To illustrate the point “Highlights of Interpack 2011 – The Third Day” got the most visitors of the year in just one day, the day that the article was published May 16, 2011. As I said before all articles about the Interpack were very popular during that period of the exhibition. Consequently the month of May was the busiest month in terms of visitors. But during the following months the attention for the Interpack was declining in relation to other topics.

So interesting in this case is the popularity of a specific item over the years.
Apparently  the content of my articles have staying power, as also in 2012 more than one article from 2010 or even 2009, were under the most popular and frequently read:
The most popular of the previous years were:
Shaping Glass for Vodka – August 2009
Milk in a Pouch – Innovative and Sustainable – April 2009
Improving the Shelf Life of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables – Febr 2010
10 Fresh Packaging Ideas – June 2010
Innovative Dispensing Bottle Caps for Sensitive Vitamins – May 2009

Obviously there is a continuing and persistent interest for the topics I wrote about some time ago. I decided therefore to create an index-page, which should facilitate my readers to find older, but still popular articles more easily.

Let’s see what 2012 will bring us. There is many an interesting item to write about and several “coming-up” developments will turn around the packaging world. 2012 will be an interesting year.
Thank you for visiting this blog in 2011 and I hope to see you in 2012 again.

In São Paulo today a driver tried to descend a flight of steps with his car and of course got stuck between the walls.

Photo: Eliezer dos Santos / VC in G1

After exiting his car through the window, he declared that he didn’t recognise the road as a cul-de-sac and thought that the stairs were just the continuation of the road.

The story doesn’t tell whether it was a male or female driver, but in any case a brainless one.

Happy New Year

In the past we were used to wish everybody “Peace on Earth”, and although still very relevant in these days, this wish seems to be out of fashion. However I wish everybody peaceful days and hope we once will face a world without conflict. It is too childish the way we are creating world conflicts. We are living in the 21st century, for Christ sake, we must be able to live harmoniously with each other. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Atheists or whatever religious or non-religious movement a person wishes to be a member of, let’s finally accept one and other the way he or she is, irrespective of his/her religion, colour , gender, sexual preference or whatever some people seem to see as a barrier for love and peace.

One more thing. Apparently there is a movement objecting to the use of the word Christmas, trying to de-Christianise this time of the year . I don’t understand that. Whatever religion you are part of, nobody can deny that Christmas belongs to our rich human heritage and culture. It is exactly the same with the Jewish holidays as Passover, Hanukkah, Yom-Kippur, Muslims’ Laylat al-Qadr and Ramadàn,  Krsnajayànti and Dassera for the Hindus and Buddhist’s  Vesakha Pùjà and I can go on and on. Nobody is trying to change that words, why deny Christians the right to celebrate their cultural heritage. Don’t come up with the argument that it is all a fairy-tale, that’s why. With good reason we can say the same for any and all religions.

The streets of Belém, Brazil, the city where I live, showed Christmas decorations made from recycled material, like PET bottles. The illumination was inaugurated on the 16th of December - Photos Reuters

For large groups of people this period of the year has religious aspects, for others it is just a fine closure of a year of hard work and hardship, with hopefully a prosperous next year. Please. Respect each other. Let the people enjoy in peace the celebrations of their religion and enjoy your own existence when you don’t fit into this particular religious celebration.

It is childish behaviour to do otherwise.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Royal Salute pays homage to the exceptional
Scotch whisky Royal Salute has crafted a blend – Tribute to Honour – to pay homage to the oldest crown jewels of the British Isles: The Honours of Scotland. The narrative of the Honours comprises glorious legends and intrigue and remains a powerful and inscrutable ode to Scottish history.
Royal Salute Tribute to Honour marks a historical pinnacle in whisky making.

The most exquisite, precious and scarce whiskies are used to create Tribute To Honour, from which just 21 bottles have been created by master blender Colin Scott. Fittingly, the whisky is presented in a spectacular bejewelled bottle.

Once a design was settled upon, each bottle was painstakingly dressed by the world’s oldest jeweller to royalty Garrard with more than 22 carats of flawless black and white diamonds (413 diamonds in total) and shimmering gold.
The diamonds were handset individually in gold and silver – with a design that depicts the three symbols of Scottish power – the Sceptre, the Sword and the Crown. Golden lions sit either side of the diamond encrusted sword.

The manufacturing process of the hand cast and opulent black porcelain vessels was a complicated one as aeronautical engineers were consulted so that it would be possible to adorn each one with jewels. French porcelain maker Revol needed to produce 400 bottles to find 21 perfect examples.

Craftsman at Garrard have spent days perfecting each flagon by hand. Each flagon of Royal Salute Tribute to Honour is available since September 2011. The bottles are individually numbered and priced at USD 200,000. One of the 21 bottles will be kept in the Royal Salute Vault.

The Dalmore presents its ‘most heavenly’ limited edition
Located in the Scottish highland town of Alness, The Dalmore distillery is renowned for housing some of the oldest and rarest single malt whiskies. End of last year it launched the Dalmore Trinitas 64, the world’s most expensive whisky, with only three bottles available, of which two have already been sold to private collectors.
The Trinitas 64 is a unique combination of spirits from the 1868, 1878, 1926 and 1939 vintages topped up with a vintage from the 1940s. The packaging of the Dalmore Trinitas 64 reflects the brand’s aristocratic heritage and positions the whisky alongside the world’s most luxurious goods.

Three handcrafted crystal decanters were commissioned to house the rare whisky. These were made using hand-blown crystal of class-leading quality. The decanters are dressed with The Dalmore’s iconic royal stag’s head, an engraved neck foil and the master distiller’s signature, which were all hand made in sterling silver by award-winning jewellers.

The superbly crafted stopper comprises a rich dark timber, silver finishing and at its core a natural cork body – the top-of-the-line ‘Prestige’ cork from Corticeira Amorim’s Top Series range.

The bottle is presented in a cabinet that took over 100 man-hours to make. Shaped by highly skilled craftsmen, the cabinet is made from English oak encased in a Macassar ebony veneer. It has a hidden drawer to hold the authenticity paperwork and the key to a unique lock created by London’s oldest locksmith Brahma. A scroll tube has been turned out of a solid piece of Macassar ebony and finished by hand with a silver collar in the centre.

Not in your league? You can always buy Dalmore’s 1951 vintage. Dalmore Eos 59 year old single malt is named after the Titan goddess of the dawn who every morning, legend has it, opened the gates of heaven (read the distillery’s warehouse doors).

Selected from the same two sherry casks, Eos is sister to Selene, Dalmore’s highly prized 1951 vintage. Only 20 decanters made from hand-blown Portuguese crystal, hand-cut, silver decorated, and presented in a highly finished steel box inlaid with dark timber. Retail price only USD 25,000.

Glenmorangie Pride 1981
In July 2011 Glenmorangie revealed its Pride 1981, described as the distillery’s most sublime single malt whisky.

Characterised by the longest extra-maturation period of any Glenmorangie, the 28-year-old single malt is available in a limited edition of only 1,000 pieces, presented in a Baccarat crystal decanter and wooden case. Bottled at 56.7%ABV and for a price of £2,500.

The decanter is the work of French designer Laurence Brabant and it is encased in a wooden box, conceived by Dutch furniture designer Wouter Scheublin that glides open to reveal the decanter.

But Glenmorangie has something special for the ‘ordinary’ public too.
Glenmorangie Original, the 10 year old single malt whisky, has been handed a golden look for Christmas.

The packaging, created by design agency ButterflyCannon, changes colour as shoppers walk past and morphs from a bright orange lustre to a golden glow. According to ButterflyCannon, the colour “appears to flip with the variation of light”.

New gift box for Balblair 65
International Beverage Holdings has repackaged its most prestigious single malt whisky, Balblair 1965, in a gift box produced by Dahlinger in Germany.
The challenge was to find a contemporary expression of luxury, rather than traditional materials such as brass and stained wood. The subtly branded black satin wood box with cream leather interior houses a discreet drawer on the base, in which the signed certificate and brand information are placed.
Balblair 1965 retails for only £1,400

Drambuie unveils The Royal Legacy of 1745
New from Drambuie is a super premium malt whisky liqueur, The Royal Legacy of 1745.
The embossed decanter and luxury presentation case ensure shelf standout while the liqueur celebrates the centenary of the first commercial bottling of Drambuie in Edinburgh in 1909 and is an interpretation of the original royal spirit enjoyed by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745.

Each box is individually authenticated with the bottling date, bottle number and signature of the Drambuie master blender. Bottled in 70cl and 75cl, with 46vol%, they retail for USD 230.

Drinks by the Dram Sample Set
And when all this was a bit too expensive, you always can contact the Master of Malt, an online whisky and fine spirits retailer. Recently they launched a set of samples “Drink by the Dram”, where their customers can purchase 3cl samples of whisky at the fraction of the price of a whole bottle.

“Drink by the Dram” is also a great gift idea. Sets put together include Old and Rare whiskies, peaty whiskies and many more. These sets come in their very own (and stylish) Drinks by the Dram packaging.

It is an excellent way to sample new releases from your favourite distilleries and bottlers without the expense of committing to a whole bottle of each before you even tried it.

By the way, the company was the first to stock Glenlivet 70 year old, a single malt bottled this year by Scottish whisky merchant Gordon and MacPhail and launched in March with a price tag of £13,000 for a 70cl decanter or £3,200 for a 20cl miniature. Distilled on the 4 February 1940 during the height of the Battle of Britain, the spirit was filled into a single sherry cask, where it has rested for 70 years.

That was the whisky packaging of this year. Let’s see what next year the whisky distillers have to offer. A bit variation and creativity is welcome, as over the last years, most exclusive whiskies have been presented in similar looking bottles. The introduction of new packaging technologies is welcome. To merge very old whisky with new packaging technologies should be a challenge, but certainly giving a beautiful result.

Vod-K with a truffle
Fryd Food & Drink of France created a brand identity and packaging for its new brand, Vod-K, a premium caramel and truffle-flavoured vodka. Vod-K is produced and bottled in Cognac in the Charente, the birthplace of expertise and tradition of spirits and liqueurs.
In order to evoke tradition and purity, QSLD in Paris designed a bottle reminiscent of a distillery sample bottle. The crystal bottle of Vod-K is cylinder-shaped, heavy, and weighted to underline its premium character. This character is highlighted by the matte finishing of its brown anodized metal cap. The bottom of the bottle is truffle-shaped in frosted glass. The concept of Vod-K has been to create a constant universe. Vod-K is a modern interpretation of the ‘demijohn.’ Unique by its shape and its graphic design, Vod-k is also a decorative object. Thought to be exhibited, no detail has been left to chance.

The Vod-K logo is silk-screened on the front side of the bottle, and there is a transparent self-adhesive label on the back. This Vod-K is available in 2 sizes: 70cl & 75 cl.

The Absolut Crystal Pinstripe Bottle
Personally I am not a great admirer of the Absolut Vodka bottles. For me they are of typical Swedish design, cold and sterile. Ohh, I know vodka is supposed to be enjoyed cold or even frozen, but for me the Absolut bottles miss any intimacy with the brand. It is a cold relationship.

The Absolut Crystal Pinstripe Bottle – the next generation of the Absolut Vodka Crystal bottle – has been designed by celebrated Swedish designers Magnus Skogsberg and Mimmi Smart of Skogsberg&Smart. They reinterpreted the iconic shape, using superior quality crystal from the esteemed Reijmyre glassworks and hand-blown, hand-cut and hand-engraved by master craftsmen at Reijmyre glassworks in the Östergötland region in southern Sweden.
The design was inspired by the heritage of Saville Row’s bespoke pinstripe tailoring, the “epitome of luxury, elegance and sharp sophistication”.
The total number of bottles made is 800, each numbered and signed by the master cutter after inspection and approval. So don’t miss the chance to have one of these, just for USD 1,500.

The Absolut Crystal Pinstripe Bottle is presented in an exclusive handmade treasure chest, clad in opulent pinstripe fabric, complete with two matching crystal tumblers.

A pitch black version of the bottle, The Absolut Crystal Pinstripe Black Bottle, has also been crafted in an ultra-limited edition of just ten bottles. The black, lead-free coating is applied via an elaborate glass-blowing technique and the pinstripes are engraved using mirrors for vision in the solid black surface.
The Absolut Crystal Pinstripe Black Bottle is priced at USD 10,000

Iceberg vodka becoming a ‘lifestyle brand’
First launched in 1995 by Newfoundland Liquor Corporation, Iceberg vodka is becoming a ‘lifestyle brand’ in Canada, were it is produced using the very pure water from small icebergs that come detached from glaciers. In July of 1994 the first icebergs called growlers (small icebergs broken off from large icebergs) were collected using barges and tugboats.  The icebergs drift from south of the Arctic where the North Atlantic swell leads them along the north east coast of Newfoundland into the hands of the harvesters.

The square Iceberg Vodka bottles are designed and shaped like a piece of a North Atlantic Iceberg, they are distinctive with the cold, rugged power of icebergs representing masculinity. The bottles feature a blue, ice-textured front label and a flat side is for easy storage in the freezer.
The custom designed bottle has been referred to as a work of art.

Iceberg Vodka is produced and bottled in glass bottles from 700ml up to 1140ml in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

A work of Art
For many vodka lovers, the real, genuine and original vodka comes from Russia. Whether that is true or not, is of no importance. Russian vodka vibrates the senses. According to Russians, vodka, whose name was a Russian diminutive that might be translated as “little water” or “water of life,” originated in the twelfth century.
There are a number of quality gradations in the vodka market, and Stolichnaya, produced in five distilleries in Russia for export, asserts its superior quality by stressing its Russian status.

In order to underline the authentic Russian heritage of Stoli, the talents of contemporary Russian artists were enlisted to incorporate the Stolichnaya bottle.
New York artist Yuri Gorbachev has designed a label to be featured on a limited number of Stolichnaya premium vodka bottles. Gorbachev, whose work is inspired by Byzantine art, explains: “My label incorporates the four elements – earth, air, water and fire – that join together to make Stoli one of the world’s most distinctive vodkas. Earth and water feed the grain, which gains strength from the clean air, while fire represents the passionate spirit of Stoli”.

Gorbachev’s globally renowned works are represented in more than 20 museums worldwide, including the permanent collections at the Louvre, the Kremlin Museum and the White House. The iconic artist, known within the art world as the Angel from Russia, has a long history with Stolichnaya, having illustrated print advertisements for the brand during the 1990s. Like the premium vodka brand, he has stayed true to his rich Russian heritage.

“When fine art is used in advertising”, Gorbachev explained to Art Business News, “the quality, strength and feeling of the art transfers to the product, enhances it. And when an artist is unique, he gives uniqueness to the product as well. Art connects emotionally with people. It is less artificial and has a stronger impact”.
Consumers react well to the exclusive design and see it as a unique purchase or collectible gift during the seasonal period. When you buy a bottle of Stolichnaya, you not only get one of world’s best vodkas, but also a real work of art.

The campaign helped Stolichnaya increase its U.S. sales from 1.1 million cases in 1996 to 1.3 million cases in 1999. Stolichnaya is the second-largest vodka brand in America and the largest vodka brand worldwide.

Just yesterday Stolichnaya announced the launch of its limited edition Pristine Water Series. The Himalayan Edition is unveiled as the first in the collection featuring Global water sources, offering only 300 bottles.

Stolichnaya has taken great care to handcraft the elit pristine water series, a unique vodka of unprecedented perfection and exclusivity for the most discerning palate. The quest to find the world’s most pristine water sources has led the company to the Langtang National Park in the heart of the Himalayas.

After going to incredible lengths to source the purest water, grow the highest-quality grain and distil it into the world’s most precious vodka, it could only be housed in a one-of-a-kind handcrafted bottle.

The elit pristine water series bottle is made from the finest, hand-blown, superior-quality Bohemian glass, which is sealed with an exquisite gold-plated decorative ice pick. Each bottle is housed in an individually numbered hand-made, walnut carved chest. The unique character of the Himalayan Edition comes from the provenance of its water and grain, together with its distinctive distillation process and packaging of unparalleled quality.

The elit pristine water series from Stolichnaya is 40% ABV (80 proof), retails at USD 3,000.00 per limited-edition bottle. Stolichnaya will be revealing a new water source and the next edition in 2012.

There are some more beautiful bottle designs to be reviewed. We will see DQ Vodka from Sweden, Finlandia from Finland, the bottle from Russian Ksenia Suvorova, Christian Audigier’s decoration of the Vodka 58 bottle, the Vesica double vodka bottle from Poland and as last the Black Queen, a Belgian premium vodka.

It is a fact that spirits companies introduce the most fantastic glass bottle designs to attract consumers. Designers for whisky, vodka and high-end mineral water bottles have all the freedom they wish to create some exceptional design. We are running towards the end-of-the-year, so, I decided to give a limited overview of glass bottles. In three article sections, whisky, vodka and water, I will show the recent designs for glass bottles and their relevant secondary packaging.

According to a Mintel report about Alcohol Consumption at Home (June 2010), over a third of people (35%) in the US look for “packaging that makes consumption convenient and easy” when considering which alcoholic beverage product to purchase for consumption at home, ahead of “the packaging/bottle appears prestigious or sophisticated” (cited by 20% of people) or “the packaging/bottle appears sexy or hip” (cited by 17% of people).
However, nearly one third of all spirit drinkers like to try a new spirit brand because of its attractive or special packaging. These survey results can clearly be seen in the designs of vodka bottles. Whisky, and particularly Scottish whisky, in exorbitant designs belong to the section of very exclusive. But there are exceptions. We start we them first.

The Snow, the Black and the Naked Grouse
Even in the affordable section of whiskies you can find some beautiful designed bottles. Scottish distillery The Famous Grouse shook the whisky category with a product that should be served chilled, in a highly traditional category, usually talking about richness and warmth.
Scotland’s favourite whisky is now flanked by two very different styles of whisky appealing to a wide range of consumers and consumption occasions. Christmas 2011 will see The Black Grouse taking a leading role in the marketing activity for The Famous Grouse family, which now includes The Snow Grouse and The Naked Grouse.

Don’t think they are just funny names of the Famous Grouse marketing team. It is serious business. The Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) and the Snow Grouse (a Highland name for the ptarmigan, sometimes described as “the toughest bird in Britain”) are the centrepiece of the packaging, set against an authentic Scottish landscape. It was Rodger Mcphail, one of Britain’s most talented wildlife artists, who once again created the illustration of the birds, as he did previously for The Famous Grouse.

The birds have become the ‘hero’ of both the label and gift carton to provide better stand-out on shelf.

But the most interesting part is the bottle of the Naked Grouse. This edition is a different story, as it claims to be the world’s first whisky to choose taste over unnecessary packaging.
The “uncluttered design”, even without a label, “represents The Famous Grouse name with great integrity”, claims the company.
The iconic Famous Grouse image was debossed onto the face of the bottle and allowed instant recognition of the brand on-shelf. According to the glass bottle manufacturer, Allied Glass Containers, particular care was taken with the creation of the detail in the deboss, as it is so intrinsically linked to the brand.

Conscious of the need to have the visual effect of a real bird, 3D modelling technology was brought together with hand cut craftsmanship. It meant that the moulding was as intricate and accurate as possible. This included chipping the feathered detail by hand. Once inverted, the bottle reveals a grouse footprint on the base of the bottle and the words ‘please recycle’ in place of the traditional stipple.

But the Edrington Group, the parent company of The Famous Grouse distillery, went a step further. The company set out to prove that it was possible to produce a glass bottle under 400g (340g compared to the closest competitor bottle at 380g) that still supported premium features like engraving and embossing, and could cope with production line speeds of up to 600 bottles per minute.
The prototype weighs only 340g, 14% lighter than its conventional bottles, which it claims is a technical first in the bottling industry. The distiller predicts that the new glass bottles will save it over 2,160 tonnes of glass a year, and could save over 58,000 tonnes if its innovation were rolled-out across Scotland’s whisky industry.

Edrington partnered with bottle maker Owens-Illinois (O-I), Smurfit Kappa (for wraparound cases), Chesapeake Hilton (labels) and Zero Waste Scotland to achieve the weight reduction, which it said was not previously thought possible in the production of premium spirits bottles.

Edrington’s prototype was unveiled at the Scottish Waste and Resources Conference in Glasgow where business help organisation Zero Waste Scotland announced a £500,000 government investment fund for innovations that encourage businesses to target ‘zero waste’.

From your daily whisky shot, we now slowly move to the more expensive one.

Whisky in a luxury leather case
In France, Aberlour released a special edition Highland Single Malt 12 Years Old Scotch Whisky with a premium feel due to the packaging.
The whisky is contained in an embossed cylindrical glass bottle with information provided on litho printed and foil embossed paper labels. A headed bung acts as closure and is covered with a tamper evident lead foil. The bottle comes with a carry case/bag comprising a leather squared container complete with a zipped top and carrying handles. Screen printing and embossing decorates the leather.

The portable and decorative aspect of the secondary packaging makes it an ideal gift.

Dressed in Vivienne Westwood
At London Fashion Week, Chivas Regal launched a limited edition 18 Year Old blended Scotch whisky in a packaging designed by Vivienne Westwood.

One of the world’s most acclaimed fashion designers,  Vivienne Westwood used her expertise in tailoring and cutting to present the bottle as if it were a figure dressed in a luxurious three-piece coat in her unique style.

With the design of the Union Flag dating back to 1801 and Chivas Brothers roots also being traced back to this same year, the bottle is cloaked in Vivienne Westwood’s Union Jack print, as first seen in a Gold Label collection in Paris.

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old by Vivienne Westwood is released as a limited edition with only 2,500 bottles available internationally and priced from USD 495.00 duty free. The release coincided with Vivienne Westwood’s Autumn/Winter 2011 Red Label show in London.

Glenfiddich’s uniquely-coloured bottle
Stolzle Flaconnage created the new bottle for Glenfiddich in a uniquely-coloured glass for its 30 Year Old Single Malt
The bottle’s colour, according to Stolzle, has been created to “reflect the notes of sherry, fig and seductive dark chocolate” in the whisky.
The heavyweight glass bottle’s design links it to Glenfiddich’s range of aged whisky’s and carries the same embossed ’1887′ shoulder cartouche, which was created as part of the moulding process.

Each bottle bears a gold silk screen label in precious metal, which is applied by Stolzle, while the bottle is beautifully presented in a quality wood case, with a booklet on the distillery history and tasting notes.
The bottles are numbered from a numbered cask. The price seems to be some USD 298.00

Although released at the end of last year, I will include one more bottle from Glenfiddich.  In this case single malt distillery Glenfiddich partnered with renowned luxury glassmaker Steuben to create an exclusive hand crafted whisky decanter in a limited edition. Priced at USD 690 and available exclusively at the Steuben flagship store in New York, the bespoke decanter is a collaboration between Steuben’s master craftsmen and Glenfiddich master distiller Brian Kinsman, representing more than a century’s worth of artisanship, tradition and expertise.

The Steuben hallmarks of flawless design and attention to detail are combined with filigreed decorative elements inspired by some of the rarest and most precious Glenfiddich expressions.
The elegant piece also features subtle design cues that reflect the storied history of the Glenfiddich distillery, est. 1876, including the famous stag head design and the signature of its founder William Grant.

More to come. The very exclusive whisky’s in very special packages in the next article.

Whisky and vodka are out. Cachaça is in.
Velho Barreiro, the cachaça (Brazilian rum) brand of Indústria de Aguardente Tatuzinho, enters the group of the world’s most expensive drinks. The Velho Barreiro Diamond is bottled in a packaging produced by French glass manufacturer Saverglass, with a frame made of silver and gold and studded by 211 diamonds and a 0.7 carat diamond in the centre of the bottle. In all, “there are 7, 3 carats of pure crystalline” the brand declares.
There are only 60 bottles available for sale and each one costs USD 125,000.
The Velho Barreiro Diamond will also be sold in the simple 1 litre version, without gold, silver and diamonds, which will cost you USD 65.00.

The company states that Velho Barreiro Diamond is made from a “unique and special blend” between the original Velho Barreiro and a “carefully selected rum distillery, original from the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro”, which would ensure “a smooth and harmonized taste with a fruity aroma and slightly sweetened”.

Trip View Bowl
The Trip View Bowl compresses the view of a specific Taiwanese landscape in a 12cm-in-diameter blue and white porcelain bowl. The three-dimensional panorama map is amazingly painted inside the bowl. Rotating the bowl will virtually take you into the sky looking down at this landscape.

Trip View Bowl displays a kind of delicacy unreachable by printed patterns or hand-drawing. It is a piece of delicate work of art, even observing it with a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass is supplied together with the bowl so that the details can be seen.
This artwork represents 100% Taiwan-made identity, from its creativity to the firing process, and from the bowl itself to its packaging.

The packaging is an environmental one. The company used medium density fibreboard as packaging material. The open design allows consumers to see and touch the bowl, and while it still features the most important thing: the protection of the bowl, which is perfectly engineered. According to the company, the packaging can even stand a fall from five meters as it is designed to self-crumble to save the bowl from breaking.

Japanese watermelon auctions for USD 4,000.
I know it isn’t exactly the right season, but when you really want to surprise your guests for the Christmas dinner, then there is only one solution. Bring a Densuke watermelon to the table. You will be the hero of the evening.

Such a beautiful fruit and such a simple packaging. The Densuke watermelon is a Japanese rare item, and due to the recession, it comes at a “bargain price”, something around USD 4,000 apiece. Once in better times it has set the record as the world’s most expensive watermelon at a staggering 650,000 yen (USD 8,100)

This Japanese watermelon, grown exclusively in the nation’s northernmost Hokkaido Island, has a bowling-ball smooth, stripe-free dark shell and pink flesh. But the big question is: what exactly does this mega-pricey piece of fruit taste like? According to a Japanese agricultural expert quoted in the LA Times, it has a crisp texture and taste incomparably different: “It’s a watermelon, but it’s not the same. It has a different level of sweetness”. Japanese regard it a prestige to take the very first fruit of the season.

But for me the most amazing part is the simple, but effective packaging of the Densuke watermelon. No packaging at all? Well, look at it. It has all the necessary functions: label, ventilation, carrying handle, visual product presentation, protection. Simple and beautiful craftsmanship.

Champagne for the children
Now the children will be able to toast the New Year festivities thanks to Cereser’s sparkling Spunch. Spunch is the new champagne-like beverage for children launched by Cereser, in a partnership with Disney. It is a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage produced from natural fruit juice. Glass bottles of 660 ml are decorated with shrink sleeves, produced by CCL Label, with Disney characters.

The packaging is the same format as sparkling champagne, complete with the stopper and all. The packages are all beautiful with four different models that take the Disney characters.

Founded in 1926, Viti-Vinícola Cereser Ltda is among the largest beverage manufacturers in Latin America, with segments in a very diversified portfolio of wines, ciders, and a variety of spirits.

Port wine in historic packaging
Taylor’s Port, one of the most traditional of Portugal, started selling one of the rarest and oldest Port wines, in limited edition. The Taylor’s Scion Port was produced in mid-nineteenth century and stayed in the process of aging in oak barrels for 155 years.

The wine is the one and only from the pre-phylloxera period (late 19th century, the plague of phylloxera decimated the grape crops in the region of the Douro River, which includes Porto, leading many wine producers to bankruptcy).

In 2008, David Guimarães, Taylor’s enologist, found in the basement of a local family the wine that is sold now. The wine was kept as a private reserve, with the exception of one barrel, the owners say they sold it in the 1940s to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
According to the company, the fifteen decades of aging in wood gave a ‘ magic complexity’ to the taste, so the company decided to release it as a collector’s item.

Taylor’s Scion is sold in a special packaging with artistic details, which refers to the period in which the wine was produced. The packaging is inspired by a box of instruments from the nineteenth century, in which sits a crystal decanter and is accompanied by a book that tells the story of the wine, with original drawings of illustrator Sarah Coleman and a cover recording in gold the word Scion (descendant or heir of a noble family).
Each bottle sells for 2,500 euros.

Tomorrow the exceptional packaging designs of whisky, as far as they were launched in 2011.