Singled out as the �hottest brand of rum� over the last several years, Todhunter International�s Cruzan Rum has just completed a total upgrade and refining of its packaging.

 To help complete the final phase of an overall packaging evolution, which began five years ago with the introduction of a new proprietary bottle, Todhunter once again retained the services of Saxco International Inc. of Horsham , Pa. , worldwide packaging specialists for the wine and spirits industry.  The project embraced both the Cruzan Estate and Tropical Flavor Rums.

�This process enabled us to upgrade our overall appearance by refining our bottles, their labeling, color schemes and closures,� explains Tom Valdes , president of Cruzan Ltd., a division of Todhunter International of West Palm Beach, Fla.

Saxco International provided private mold bottles with straighter and slightly tapered necks in 700-mL, 750-mL and 1-L sizes from Owens-Illinois of Canada , a Saxco vendor.  �The change to the bottles, which also bear a cartouche of a sailing ship and Cruzan name on its shoulders, was made to accommodate the new silver Stelcaps for the multi-flavored Tropical Flavor Rums,� states Jerry Maya, regional sales manager for Saxco International.  The Tropical Flavor Rum bottles also were acid-etched by Serigraphie of Montreal through Saxco to provide their frosted appearance.

The Stelcaps from Pechiney of France, another Saxco vendor, are shaved and embossed with the Cruzan name and display a different color stripe coinciding with the individual rum flavors -- mango, vanilla, pineapple, banana, citrus, orange, coconut and raspberry.  �The color stripe was added to help bartenders to quickly and easily identify with each of the individual flavors,� explains Valdes.  �It was added to simplify the process for them.�

The Estate Rum bottles were supplied in clear glass and also utilized colored Stelcaps coinciding with its different versions -- light (green), dark (burgundy), clipper (red-orange), diamond (black), rum cream (green), and 151 (red).  They also were supplied by Pechiney.

Todhunter utilized its in-house capabilities to complete the pressure-sensitive labeling it desired for the overall refined and streamlined appearance of the Cruzan Rums.

Founded in 1760, the Cruzan Rum Distillery in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, is recognized as much for its handcrafted, ultra-premium rums as for its pioneering efforts in introducing critically acclaimed, natural-tasting, flavorful, world-class rums.  Winner of more than 35 awards of excellence, Cruzan Rums continue to define the ultra-premium segment of rums from the most honored rum distillery in the world.