Rare spirit released in enlightening packaging

When releasing its limited-edition Double Eagle Very Rare 20-year-old bourbon, brand owner Buffalo Trace Distillery decided upon high-end, standout packaging.

The aged bourbon whiskey comes in a luxurious crystal decanter and silver presentation box. The decanter features two sculpted crystal glass eagles—one inside the bottle, another perched atop the stopper. It also bears a black screened logo.

The high-gloss, black lacquered MDL presentation box consists of two sliding aluminum doors, engraved and inlaid with a design intended to evoke eagle feathers. The box’s interior is lined with tactile gray fabric, with black felt padding the bottom. When the consumer slides open the doors on custom-made rails, the action activates LED spotlights above and below the bottles to showcase the hand-blown decanter and the liquid inside.

Buffalo Trace Distillery released its 20-year-old Double Eagle Very Rare bourbon in a custom crystal decanter, encased in an aluminum box with sliding doors and LED spotlights. Photo: Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The brand contacted IPL Packaging to create the specialty packaging.

“We understood that the packaging for Double Eagle Very Rare would be the consumer’s first tangible experience with this super-premium brand,” says LB Odendaal, packaging design and innovations manager at IPL. It therefore needed to convey a message as unique as the product within it. “We ultimately looked to produce something that would glorify the brand, convey an image of sophistication and value, and also tell a ‘luxury story.’”

The distillery is offering only 299 of the special bottles, each accompanied by an individually numbered letter of authenticity. According to Kris Comstock, senior marketing director for Eagle Rare, the packaging was the end result of long, deliberate collaboration.

“We worked on the packaging for more than two years, and finally settled on what we think is a beautiful decanter inside an eye catching, yet tastefully decorated box,” says Comstock. “It’s something that anyone would be proud to display on their bar.”

The suggested retail pricing for the Double Eagle Very Rare bourbon and its specialized packaging is $1,999.

Freelance writer and former Packaging Digest senior editor Jenni Spinner is a trade journalist with more than two decades of experience in the field. While she has covered numerous industries (including construction, engineering, building security, food production and public works), packaging remains her favorite.

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