Cask Trade are purveyors of fine malt whiskies and unique spirits. They supply casks for both private investment and commercial auction, and a big part of that process is sending samples of matured spirits.

These liquids are often incredibly valuable, and for some imbued with both fable and chemistry. Cask Trade were looking for postal packaging which would elevate the contents and create engagement with their brand.

They operate out of a Regent Street office in London, where samples are prepared by hand. Space is at a premium. Storing mass produced, custom boxes was not an option, so the challenge was to create a design which could work at low volumes, with modularity to accommodate a variety of common orders and bottle sizes.

The Tasting Guide

Unlike investments in stocks or precious metals, spirits are something you can taste, and every cask is different. The owner is the first person in the world to experience it. The tasting guide was created to encourage the recipient to tune their senses, define the cask’s character and engage with their investment, sharing their experience in the process. It was printed on premium paper with a single metallic ink.

The guide is a palm sized insert, the only component which was required to be produced in bulk. Branding elsewhere is added by hand – wax seals, rubber stamps, embossers, or hand-cut to order. All elements were costed to meet budget requirements.

The Packaging

The packaging was designed to be plastic free, with simple corrugated shrouds used to protect the bottles within the hive paper. A simple paper band, embossed by hand provides branding for special samples. The elements are modular to accommodate different sizes. This project demonstrates what is possible at low volumes.