Consumers are showing a growing interest in the products being crafted by the master distillers of American whiskeys, bourbons, and ryes, especially those defined as up-market, small batch, super premium brands.  With that interest has come noteworthy recognition and growth in sales both in the United States and global marketplaces for these new creations, and prospects for the brands are running sky high.  This notoriety has been driven by a number of factors, among them being an industry trend of balancing legacy and tradition with innovation.        

            Kentucky distillers, who used to rely mainly on history and tradition, are now experimenting with cask charring and toasting levels, and with casks made of maple, ash, and hickory.  They are also distilling spirits made with 100 percent malted rye and wheat, with white (sweet) corn and with single malted barley.

            Accompanying this trend among established distillers is a significant growth in the number of new small batch whiskey distilleries throughout the United States.  These microdistillers have shown a willingness to part with traditional methods and experiment with new ways to make whiskeys.  They also are creating a variety of new products, from malted ryes and wheat whiskeys, to heavy peated Islay-style single malts, and targeting them to a whole new generation of drinkers.    

            Helping generate excitement in the growing supply of these limited batch super premium brands is an increasingly more informed and educated group of American bourbon and whiskey drink enthusiasts. Information about the latest American premium releases is gathered and shared on a variety of internet sites, and blogs, and followers have instant access to industry news.  Observers describe this as a revolutionary phase for the growth of American whiskeys.

            �Coinciding with this period of heightened interest and new-found popularity for American bourbons comes a demand from the American distilleries for more quality, innovation and excellence in packaging to distinguish these new limited release products from their competition at the point of sale, and to call attention to the fact that they are special brands,� explains Rob Belke, the VP Sales & Marketing of Saxco International, Inc., of Horsham, PA, renowned world-wide packaging specialists for the wine and spirits industry. �The product innovation and category development has led to demand for unique bottle shapes, custom decorating and labeling and new designs for closures and capsules.�     

          �We, in turn, are searching the globe for reliable cost-efficient glass bottle manufacturers who can deliver the unique custom designs that best communicate the image of these top-shelf premium spirits, in the smaller limited release quantities that are required,� he relates, �glass manufacturers who can provide not only unique custom design bottles with high cosmetic style quality glass, but who can also meet our economic and time parameters.�

            �In addition,� Belke states, �the challenge is magnified by having to marry the capabilities and logistics of decorating partner technologies and facility locations with the glass manufacturing selection to cost effectively execute the finished package image that our customer desires.  Working closely with in-house and external design teams, we are a liaison to a vast global decorating resource network which delivers all the capabilities our clients need, from unique glass color, and acid etching, to silk screening and pressure sensitive labeling, in all forms and color configurations. We are continually challenging our decorating partners to achieve new levels of excellence in graphic presentation, working with them to identify new technologies or combinations of existing technologies to achieve the presentation that distilled spirits customers desire for these new limited release high end brands.  At the same time we are continually looking for decorators who are developing new techniques to take package presentation to the next visual level.�

            �Also, Saxco has the world-wide resources to create and supply the unique top-shelf cork closures with beautiful wood tops in the custom shapes and colors, and in limited quantities that the small batch up-market whiskeys need,� he comments. �Additionally, our exclusive supply relationship with one of the most highly respected manufacturers of high quality cork stoppers in the industry allows us to also supply those products with unique glass and ceramic style tops in a myriad of custom shapes and designs.�

            Recently, Saxco assisted in creating several custom designed packaging solutions for super premium bourbons and whiskeys for Brown Forman and Heaven Hill, among others. �All of these projects required blending of our experience, talent and resources with a very personalized hands-on touch from concept to finished package,� says Belke.

             One such project was the turnkey package development for Heaven Hill�s new Parker�s Heritage Collection cask-strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  This new product launch required the sourcing of a small, limited release quantity of uniquely shaped, stylish, heavy bottom bottles that would allow enough front panel space for a combination direct screen-print and pressure sensitive label graphic presentation.  �Saxco located such a bottle at one of their European manufacturing partners,� advises Belke, �a bottle that had just been developed and had yet to be produced and released to the spirits market.�  This bottle was then shipped to one of Saxco�s decorating partners, Serigraphie Richford in Montreal , Quebec where the rich gold and black Parker�s Heritage logo was silk-screened on the front panel.  This logo later married with a pressure sensitive label as applied during filling at Heaven Hill to create the full front panel brand graphic presentation.  To balance the premium look of the finished decorated bottle, and to tie the black base color through to the top of the bottle, Saxco developed a custom design black embossed wood top stopper for sealing the package, coordinating this development with their manufacturing partner in Lourosa, Portugal, J C Ribeiro.  As a final step, Saxco sourced a matt black PVC capsule to overfit the cork and to display key package design elements in a graphic comprised of a gold band and black Parker�s Heritage logo.  �Although the development of each component of this turnkey package was a project in itself,� adds Belke, �the most challenging task was to accomplish a consistency in color and shade subtleties on 3 different product mediums to allow the graphic presentation to flow seamlessly through the package from top to bottom.�

            �For the Parker�s Heritage Collection series, which is our ultra-premium line of American Whiskeys, Saxco delivered a full package presentation that has supported the critical and consumer acclaim for the brand,� states Larry Kass, director of corporate communications for Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.  �It is important that our most upscale, exclusive American Whiskey offering have the bottle, labeling and closure that reflect the quality of the whiskey, and helps support the high price point.  Saxco has delivered for us with the Parker�s Heritage Collection series.�

            Another project that comes to mind when thinking of complex multiple component packages that required the complete range of Saxco�s packaging expertise is the Brown-Forman Woodford Reserve Master�s Collection.  This series of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys is a very small release done once a year that offers a Bourbon with a distinct new taste imparted as a result of a copper pot distilling process and finishing of the product in casks made of wood other than the conventional oak.  To highlight the uniqueness of these products, Brown-Forman had Saxco create a cosmetic quality private mold bottle that replicates the shape of a copper pot still.  The bottle was designed with a long bulb neck, and 1� thick base that also includes a push-up and embossed star burst in the base.  �Saxco took advantage of the unique capabilities of a glass manufacturing partner in Europe to produce the bottle on a special glass forming machine that is uniquely modified to make multiple similar weight, small quantity, different shaped bottles by running partial mold sets concurrently on the machine,� advises Belke.  The bottle was then sent to Quebec, Canada to be dressed with a  4-color screen printed decoration that includes a blending of the same rich metallic copper color of the actual Brown-Forman pot still with a precious metal flake copper, white brand announcement, and black backdrop.  The finished bottle is then sealed with a custom, wood top cork as manufactured by Saxco partner J C Ribeiro, again carrying through the copper pot still color with the use of a metallic copper insert on the cork�s wood top.  �Both of these projects required an understanding of the customer�s expectations for the package and how both the shape and graphic elements had to blend to create the finished image desired, as well as an ability to convey that expectation to the different component suppliers who were involved in the project,� says Belke.  �The end result is a shelf presentation of the brand that we can look at proudly as a testimonial of the technical knowledge and sourcing expertise that we can offer to bring brand ideas to life.�

            �As the only bourbon distillery in America to use copper pot stills, it was important to us that the bottle replicate their form, but to do so in a way that was attractive and in character for our brand,� explains Wayne Rose, Brown-Forman Woodford Reserve brand manager. �The bottles created for the Master�s Collection fit the bill perfectly and we use them for every annual release.�

             �As the enthusiasm and taste for the American whiskey category grows, we are excited about the opportunities and challenges that are being presented to Saxco,� adds Belke, �and view them as an affirmation of our customers� belief that we are uniquely qualified to provide the innovation and excellence in packaging development that is critical to their brand�s success in the marketplace.� 

           Saxco International has more than 25 years of industry experience, providing a broad range of packaging products and services to the liquor, wine, craft brewing, and specialty food industries.  In addition to supplying packaging enhancement products, the company�s services include expert consultation, from development to design.  Saxco is headquartered in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with offices in Mountainside, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; Oakland, California; Vancouver, Washington; Tampa, Florida; Hook Hampshire, England; Qingdao and Guangzhou, China.  Additional details at 215-443-8100, fax 215-443-8370 or the web at www.saxcointl.com.