To help with this all-important aspect of bringing Coquila to market, they enlisted the services of Saxco International Inc., Horsham, PA, long-time world-wide packaging specialists for the wine and spirits industry.

Saxco would ultimately supply the 750ml bottles, wood-domed cork stoppers, shrink sleeves, the six-unit reshipper boxes, and supply and apply the pressure-sensitive acetate labels.

"The new chocolate coffee tequila is targeted at upscale women, ages 21 to 31 years, to be consumed as a before- or after-dinner drink," states Paul Coulombe, chief executive officer of White Rock Distilleries. "This is a hot and ever-increasing market and we wanted to be an integral part of it."

"Our role was to create a unique package for Coquila which would be attractive, functional and appealing to a refined female audience," states Keith L. Sachs, chairman of Saxco International.

To meet White Rock's requirements, Saxco supplied a 750ml, high-luster, black glass bottle with an agave plant cartouche on the shoulder. The use of black glass was a first for White Rock and was sourced by Saxco through Pavisa in Mexico City. To suit the bottle, whose design featured a flared neck and large flange, Saxco provided a wood-domed cork stopper. The wood dome was spray painted shiny black to closely resemble the bottle. The cork stopper was supplied by long-time Saxco supplier J.C. Ribeiro in Portugal.

The pressure-sensitive acetate labels for the bottles were sourced through J.R. Cole Industries, Charlotte, NC, and were applied by Pre-Deco of Bardstown, KY.

To provide tamper evidence, Saxco recommended and supplied a clear shrink sleeve, to be placed over the top and neck of the bottle.

White Rock Distilleries will introduce Coquila in 35 major markets in the United States.