Snow Grouse bottle opens a window on Skye

Written by Claire Weekes

Tuesday, 12 August 2008

The Edrington Group (TEG) has launched its new Scotch whisky, the Snow Grouse, in a dramatically coated glass bottle, with a window which reveals the famous Cuillin mountains on the Isle of Skye.

Snow Grouse is a new extension to The Famous Grouse brand and is described as "the first Scotch designed to be served seriously chilled - a completely new taste sensation."

The visual structure of The Famous Grouse mother brand has been retained. This includes the tall, angular clear glass bottle shape. The container is produced and decorated by O-I at its Alloa plant in the heart of Scotland's whisky belt. Firstly, water slide transfers and masks are applied. The bottles are then disk coated using organic paint to achieve an overall etch-effect finish. The end result shows the Snow Grouse, or Ptarmigan, is revealed in its natural habitat of the Cuillins.

The graphic elements were designed by Pocket Rocket and O-I was responsible for artworking the complex water slide illustrations, which are printed in seven colours by MRS Transfers. A printed ROPP long skirted closure from Guala completes the pack.

Angela Spink, the packaging technologist at The Edrington Group, who managed the delivery of this successful innovation, said: "As always with such a complex and technically challenging packaging brief, the project was managed cross-functionally. We had great support from production, engineering and our suppliers, and as a result our friends in marketing are very happy. All in all a great collaborative effort."

The Edrington Group used a coated bottle rather than acid etching for environmental reasons. Not only is the organic coating easier to handle than acid etching, but all processes could be undertaken at O-I's plant in Alloa, significantly reducing traffic movements.

Colin Mason, O-I's New Product Development Innovation Manager for Spirits, said: "O-I operates the only UK glass plant with its own comprehensive decorating facility. Bottles travel just a few hundred yards from our high speed forming lines to be screen printed, coated, labelled, badged or ribboned. We also have unrivalled access to O-I's six other decoration facilities across Europe, should the customer require us to use different techniques."

Initially available in one litre bottles through global duty free outlets, Snow Grouse is made from 100% blended grain Scotch whisky and matured in oak casks. It is gently ‘chill filtered' to create a light, delicate and vanilla sweet whisky. TEG's global travel-retail manager Keith Bonnington said: "At room temperature, it is a beautifully balanced, easy-to-drink Scotch whisky. When it is served straight from the freezer, consumers will find the whisky has an even more delicate flavour, is thicker in consistency and sweeter than their usual dram."