In an effort to jazz up the image for its popular and highly regarded W.L. Weller          12-Year-Old Bourbon, Buffalo Trace Distillery of Franklin County, Ky., has developed new packaging in 750-mL, 1-L and 1.75-L sizes.

�We wanted to bring the packaging of the W.L. Weller brand to a level which was commensurate with the overall quality and value of this premium, softer and smoother-to-drink bourbon,� states Kris Comstock , bourbon brand manager for Buffalo Trace Distillery.  To help deliver the desired overall appearance for catchy eye appeal and shelf prominence, Buffalo Trace enlisted the services and global resources of Saxco International Inc., worldwide packaging specialists for the wine and spirits industry.

Saxco International sourced and supplied a private mold, flint long-neck bottle with a round bottom, reminiscent of an old-time still, in the three sizes from O-I Europe, one of its long-time vendors in its global network.  It also arranged to apply the attractive black, gold and cream-colored, pressure-sensitive labels to the bottles through Pre-Deco of Bardstown, Ky. , another Saxco resource.

The bottle and labels were designed by Spar Advertising of New Orleans, Buffalo Trace�s design firm.  The labels were printed by J.R. Cole in North Carolina .  The bottles were finished off with a black plastic twist-off cap supplied by Buffalo Trace.

�The challenge was to come up with a new bottle which would accentuate and enhance this premium, high-value, 12-year-old bourbon,� notes Bruce Varon, regional sales representative for Saxco International.  �We took the attractive design and converted in into a bold reality.�

Comstock says that W.L. Weller was the first bourbon to be made with corn and wheat, rather than corn and rye.  �This makes it softer and easier to drink,� he explains.  �Weller 12-Year-Old is a relatively small brand, with distribution mostly within the southwestern United States .�  The 750-mL will retail for $23.