Grant’s Elementary

Agency: Webb deVlam
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Packaging Content: Whisky

GRANT’S UNVEILS NEW ELEMENTARY RANGE WITH STRIKING NEW SCIENTIFIC LOOK
Innovative design showcases the scientific prowess behind Grant’s whisky

Award-winning whisky brand Grant’s today announces the launch of Grant’s Elementary, a range of three Scotch whiskies, revealing the scientific precision behind traditional whisky-making. Striking new premium packaging has also been created to reflect the impact of the three key elements used in the Grant’s distillation process for the range. The Grant’s Elementary range, featuring Carbon 6 Year Old, Oxygen 8 Year Old and Copper 29 Year Old, will be available in early 2016 exclusively in premium travel retail stores.

Created by award-winning design agency, Webb deVlam, the stylish new packaging encasing the Grant’s Elementary range visually explores the impact of carbon, oxygen and copper to draw the consumer’s attention, before the whiskies themselves reveal the influence of the elements on the palate. Fusing evocative molecular patterning with the brand’s signature copper and granite tones throughout, the new packaging aims to capitalise on the slower consumer journey through travel retail to educate during the purchase.

The packaging for Carbon 6 Year Old was inspired by the charring process the casks undergo before the whisky is matured, with blackened packaging and crackled overlays bringing to life the spirit’s smoky flavour profile. Flickering between a gloss and muted finish, the contrasting surface is apparent through both touch and light reflection.

Faced with the challenge of encapsulating the less tangible element of oxygen, Webb deVlam designed crystal white packaging with a combination of pearl varnish and copper lettering for Oxygen 8 Year Old, which beautifully catches the light as it is handled by the consumer. The pale, pearlised design also cleverly evokes the lighter, sweeter nature of the Oxygen 8 Year Old’s taste on the palate, which is induced by the removal of oxygen from the grain spirit during Grant’s expert vacuum distilling process.

Finally, to reflect the rarity of the Copper 29 Year Old and the precious sacrificial copper which smooths out sulphuric elements in the spirit during distillation, the whisky is housed in a deluxe bottle and presentation box. The bottle celebrates the rare age statement with a prominent copper badge, while screen print graphics highlight the individual bottle and batch number. Encased in a presentation box featuring a debossed sacrificial copper symbol, copper hinges and holographic copper detail to highlight the bottle and batch number, Copper 29 Year Old creates stand out on shelf and champions this critical element of the Grant’s whisky-making process.

John-Paul Hunter, Creative Director at Webb deVlam, says: “The challenge of designing the new packaging for the Grant’s Elementary range was a fantastic opportunity to accelerate the brand design. The project required the perfect mix of creativity and strategy to create the designs, which speak to a broad spectrum of consumers across the globe. Communicating unrivalled quality and substance while educating the consumer was key to ensuring the concept would stand out in a busy and visually chaotic travel retail environment.”

Julie Pender, Global Marketing manager for Grant’s, says: “Consumers in travel retail are looking for something new and exclusive from an authentic brand with provenance. By lifting the lid on the science behind our highly-regarded whisky, our new Grant’s Elementary range is well placed to answer that demand. We challenged our design partners Webb deVlam with creating a new look and feel that captured the science at the heart of this range, and the way they have visually showcased the three hero elements is a credit to them and the new range.”

Carbon 6 Year Old
Grant’s Elementary Carbon 6 Year Old is a blend of whiskies matured for six years or more. Matured inside charred oak casks, the whisky is smoother as the carbon layer in the oak acts as a natural filter.

Oxygen 8 Year Old
Grant’s Elementary Oxygen 8 Year Old is a blend of single grain whiskies matured for eight years or more, with single grain distilled under vacuum at its heart. The whisky’s crisp, sweet taste reflects the removal of oxygen from our grain spirit during Grant’s expert vacuum distilling process.

Copper 29 Year Old
Grant’s Elementary Copper 29 Year Old is a blend of prestigious whiskies matured for 29 years or more, with a flavour profile that is the perfect balance of both sweet and smoky. The premium expression celebrates the essential role copper plays during whisky-making.