Bunnahabhain Bottle Carrier
We have worked with Distell, the parent company of premium malt whisky brand Bunnahabhain, for many years. In fact, since the beginning of the 21st century. Beaumont PPS have supplied Bunnahabhain with a wide range of items which they sell both online and in their distillery gift shop.
The distillery is tucked away in Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. The proud community of the isle celebrate their heritage with an annual festival of music and malt, Fèis Ìle, which attracts thousands of visitors from far and wide. In 2019, it was as part of this celebration that Bunnahabhain asked us to provide a packaging solution for their Limited Release which celebrates the festival.
The Bunnahabhain Fèis Ìle 2019 French Oak Mòine has a spiced flavour mixed with the distinctive peated taste that Islay is famous for. Only 1872 bottles were produced and an expression this special deserved to be presented in exceptional packaging. At the beginning of 2019, the brand approached us to develop a leather bottle carrier.
We have fantastic connections with overseas suppliers and took this project to an outstanding leather factory we have a long association with in India. We first met at an exhibition in Hong Kong. They have created many superb items for us including aprons, wallets, backpacks and belts to name but a few. They have become our most trusted and revered supplier of leather goods. It made complete sense to partner with them to develop this new concept for the Bunnahabhain brand.
We worked to develop the carrier over a couple of months and the order was confirmed by the brand on the 10th of April. The turnaround was very tight – the bags had to be in Islay for the last week in May or we would miss the festival. Although challenging, our close relationship with our supplier in India and the hard work of our dedicated team meant we hit the deadline; a great success!
Following the original run of the carriers, we have received two further orders, each one making slight tweaks to the design. The first batch featured a PVC ‘window’ to display the bottle label and a handle at the top with which to carry it. Both of these elements have now been removed, making the carrier look more premium. The branding has also been changed.
The 2020 edition of Fèis Ìle is being sold online with the carrier being made from faux leather rather than the original genuine leather; this has a similar look and feel whilst being more cost effective.
