Edrington stays in the black with O-I

Television shows like Boardwalk Empire and Mad Men have reinvigorated Scotch whisky’s popularity. In a nod to the past, Edrington has released its Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition in a black glass bottle produced by O-I. The premium edition blended Scotch is the first of its kind released in the US market by the brand.

“We spotted an opportunity for expansion through the US on-trade, where whisky chasers were becoming popular again thanks to TV programs like Mad Men,” said Jason Craig, brand director for Cutty Sark.

“We therefore set about designing a premium edition Scotch whisky to fit this niche. We wanted it to be even smoother than Cutty Sark Blend and have a higher than normal alcohol content - 100 proof rather than the 80 proof of our major competitors. We found the answer in Prohibition - an old-school, authentic Scotch; smooth on the tongue but with a big finish through the inclusion of different whiskies like The Macallan and Highland Park. Once the blend was created, the challenge was to find packaging which marked it out as something special.”

Boardwalk Empire shows characters pouring shots from black glass bottles with white labels, as was done in the prohibition era. Edrington sought to replicate this for its new edition.

Traditionally, black glass is a very expensive option. However, having produced Black Grouse Alpha Edition using black glass, O-I had installed technology to create black glass bottles cost-effectively at its Alloa plant, close to Edrington’s filling lines in Glasgow.

The packaging cost was still looking expensive for what is a $30 bottle of whisky, so O-I and Edrington rationalised the options by using the same bottle shape, cork and capsule already being used for Cutty Sark Storm.

“It’s amazing what black glass does to brand image,” said Craig. “If you put the black version alongside a green Storm bottle, people say it looks bigger, seems more premium, feels a bit special. The cork seal also reflects the tradition of time.”

To augment the large size impression and emphasise the product’s authenticity, O-I has embossed ‘The Real McCoy’ - a reference to Captain William McCoy, who smuggled the brand into the country - above the front label and ‘Since 1923’ beneath it.

Edrington says that when the 750 mL bottle was tested in the US, the consumer response was exactly what it had hoped for: consumers perceived it as a premium brand.

Edrington’s initial orders for the US have been matched by demand from other markets and the brand is launching in six countries in both 700 and 750 mL sizes. The company anticipates it will be shipping up to 15,000 cases/year within three years.