So you or a group have invested in a cask of Irish Whiskey? Cask ownership is an investment that can prove very successful. There are many exit strategies but the option that will return the highest profit is the option of bottling, branding, packaging and selling individual bottles. This will of course take time, money and expertise. Luckily we have experience in design and printing whiskey labels and boxes / tubes for individual whiskey cask investors. We help cask owners create their own Irish whiskey brand.
Whiskey cask owners
The practice of owning your own whiskey casks is common in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and Japan . New distilleries need investment at an early stage before they have any finished whiskey to sell so they opt to sell full barrels that are not yet mature. It’s an exciting investment and the prospect of completing the investment journey is thrilling. You will have your very own whiskey brand in bottles with bespoke printed labels to share with the world.
Unique labels for completely unique whiskey
You’re not going to get a more unique whiskey than one aged in an individual cask. Whiskey casks are made from different types of wood, and those woods all impart their own unique flavours and aromas to a spirit. So, when you age your whiskey in an individual cask, you’re getting the full experience of what that particular piece of oak has to offer. Your story about why and how you made your cask purchase will also be unique. We use these aspects of your whiskey cask to develop design concepts for your whiskey bottles, label design and outer box if required. A unique whiskey deserves a unique label design and unique brand.
How to sell an individual cask of whiskey
We think the most fun way is to bottle, branding, package and sell individual bottles. Whiskey packaging is all about the label design. The label is what gets your whiskey into the hands of consumers and what helps to establish your brand as a whole. It’s where you can really get creative with colour, typography, and imagery. But it’s also important to keep in mind that your label needs to be legible at all times, which means it can’t be too busy or confusing. Perfect whiskey packaging design is all about having a great label that catches the eye and provides information about the product.
The right label for your whiskey
We know you love your whiskey, but we also know that you will love a well-designed package as much as you love that bottle of whiskey itself. Whiskey label design is an art form. It’s not just about making sure that the label looks good—it’s also about making sure that it works well with the bottle and with the rest of your collection. And when it comes to whiskey packaging design, there’s no room for error!
Whiskey packaging help
We are always happy to help our clients when they are beginning a new design project. For cask owners that decide to bottle and label their own whiskey we can help. With a whiskey label project there are many things to consider.
How many bottles, labels and boxes will you need? Usually a cask of whiskey will contain around 380 bottles of 700ml each, at a 40% ABV. Or you might decide to bottle the whiskey at cask strength which can be a positive selling point. If you bottle at cask strength you will require fewer bottles, labels and boxes.
What is your per bottle budget? This will need to cover purchase of bottles, print and design of labels and print and design of boxes / tubes. Do you have a route to market? The idea situation is you already have a licence to sell alcohol – you own a bar. This means you can sell your bottled and branded whiskey from your bar and you can tell customers directly. If this is not the case you may need additional marketing and will need to seek legal advice in relation to the sale of alcohol.
Whiskey packaging cost
We have worked with a number of different spirit company to create their brands, packaging and website. View our work for Tullamaine Distillery here. And check out the label design, tube design and box design that we completed for Tipperary Distillery. We approach these projects knowing they will work on a commercial scale. With the smaller volume that you will require we approach the project slightly differently. For a bespoke bottle a minimum quantity would be around 10K units. Rather than a bespoke bottle we suggest an off the shelf option. You will need to check with your bottler if there are limitations or restrictions in terms of size and shape.
Next we would consider your labels. Your print cost will depend the finishes – think gold foil, embossing, custom shape, varnishes, spot colours – all add to the luxury look of your label but also add to your cost. The best way around this is for you to let us know your budget and we can explain what will be possible. Then if you want or need a more premium look you may need to increase your whiskey retail cost so that you can match your budget to your expectations. Our design fee can be provided to you within 48 hours after you email us your enquiry. Having all of your figures before you begin will ensure a successful outcome for everyone involved.
Whiskey cask packaging example
We were delighted to be approached by Dick Mack’s (award winning pub based in Dingle, Co Kerry) to create a label for their very own whiskey. Steeped in history, Dick Mack’s has been described as, “stepping back in time… doing things that have been done 100 years ago”. Taking inspiration from this, we wanted to capture the new and fuse it with old, making consumers feel like they were sitting in the iconic Dick Mack’s when enjoying their whiskey. It was crucial that we encapsulated the unique character of this Irish pub within the label for this new Irish whiskey.
The label needed to be old style with Irish influence without being cliché, the result was a strikingly unique look which mirrors the atmosphere that greets you when you step into Dick Mack’s. We worked with the printer to add gold foil to the label design to add a touch of luxury. We used a bespoke diecut give the whiskey label a unique shape. Each individual element was intentionally designed and thought through to achieve this. The whiskey sold out completely which is a tribute to Dick Mack’s reputation and the quality of the overall design.
If you are the lucky owner of a cask of whiskey that is approaching maturation get in touch to discuss your options for labelling and packaging.
