PACKAGING LIKE NO OTHER

Ardbeg Whisky is made on the Scottish island of Islay. Ardbeg The Abyss is a small batch limited edition prestige release of exceptionally rare and historic single malt whisky. It features stock drawn from casks first used in a previous release –Corryvreckan – a malt with cult status among collectors.
We were tasked with designing packaging “like no other” to display this legendary whisky alongside an original comic book by acclaimed graphic novel artist Tradd Moore.
Inspired by the whirlpool at the heart of the story – and the dramatic twists and turns of the whisky’s flavours – we created a unique space-capsule-meets-diving-chamber, complete with port holes, gauges and a masterfully-engineered locking mechanism. Disruptive luxury, designed to turn heads and spark conversations.
Each bottle is presented alongside Moore’s original comic book, retelling the tale of a Viking prince who perished in the whirlpool (a story we told for the original 2008 Corryvreckan launch.)
The mind-blowing package had to be worthy of the attention of whisky fans and high net worth collectors the world over, stoking desire, fuelling fame and driving leads through Ardbeg’s private sales channels.
There are just 400 bottles available at €25K
• The vortex inspires the design story and how the chamber opens.
• The bottle is visible behind a window and portholes in the polished chrome and matt silver Rimex chamber. Behind is a teasing glimpse of graphic novel artwork.
• To open the chamber, push down on the dial and turn anti-clockwise.
• The lid releases with a slow motion, soft closing/opening hinge. This clever latch secures the bottle into its plinth.
• The dial resembles a mash-up of a submarine air lock and complex clock mechanism.
• The cogs can be seen turning through glass windows on the lid.
• Inside, to protect against humidity, the comic is housed in its own glass and chrome case.
• There are Easter egg details throughout, i.e. a paw print rivet references the Distillery’s mascot, a Jack Russell dog.
• The ABV is represented as a pressure dial on one side, flavour profile wheel on the other.