First Cask Edition
PACKAGING | special edition
PACKAGING | special edition
To mark the maturation of their premier single malt Irish Whiskey, The Connacht Distillery produced an exclusive batch for just 800 Whiskey connoisseurs and enthusiasts. We distilled the provenance, history and innovation of Connacht to create a sense of balance between the chaos and unpredictability of nature, and the meticulous detail and innovation of Connacht’s expert craft distillers.
To evoke a spirit shaped by the local terroir, climate, and proximity to the salt spray of the Atlantic ocean, the design incorporates texture from rocks and nautical charts, mapping the historical route between West Ireland and East Coast America. The stark contrast of light and dark mirrors the perfected balance tasting notes, with the warmth of the amber-gold liquid and traditional copper stills replicated in foils.
Each bottle is presented in a case, embellished to capture the moody, mysterious Atlantic, with waves crashing at the cliffs of Connacht, and opening out to reveal the bottle, nestled in black fabric, like still water, revealing the exclusive certificate of ownership.
Piquing the curiosity of prospective owners, and building a world around Connacht’s First Cask, we created a series of imagery that introduced the brand story. Unlike the core brand, The First Cask lives in a more stylised world, where we’ve exaggerated the treatment of landscape and waves to take on a more VR feel, drawing attention to a more contemporary take on Irish Whiskey, elevating away from the traditional premium Whiskey cues. We embraced the challenges set by 2020/21 – by creating a brand world & imagery that communicates online, allowing Connacht to reach and engage with Whiskey enthusiasts internationally.
All 800 bottles sold out prior to their official release from the distillery in July 2021.