Designed by Stocks Taylor Benson, United Kingdom .

Even Better with Age

Stocks Taylor Benson are toasting 25 years of the finest, spirited design by sharing a special edition gift with their clients.

With 1988 being a very good year for design and whisky, Stocks Taylor Benson thought it would be a rather neat idea to create a presentation box set – containing a dram of Glenfarclas 25 year old single malt whisky and a drop of complementing Cairngorms Well still water. Each of the boxes is numbered, by hand, as a 1-250 special edition.

Labelled as ‘Dram Good Design’ and ‘Well Clever Ideas since 1988’ – using crafted typography, printed using black ink, orange foils and heavy indents onto natural white paper – the bottles are displayed in an unexpected bright orange fabric, true to the company’s branding. The packaging itself is hand finished, with a rigid lid wrapped in a distinctive orange-foiled, brown, uncoated paper and a box wrapped in a premium, silver-foiled, rich black, textured paper. Once the box is opened the recipient is invited to share in a wee toast, “Here’s tae 25 years of spirited graphic design”, foiled onto a heavyweight board flap that hides the contents and builds the sense of anticipation.

Placed in the box is a literature piece, titled ‘Aged for 25 Years’, that tells the story of good ol’ Stocks Taylor Benson, the supreme Glenfarclas whisky and how adding a drop of water to the dram reveals distinctive aromas. Finished off with ‘The Age-old Story’, it ultimately celebrates the studio’s history and achievements over the last quarter of a century.

The typography has been crafted with subtle details to both engage and inspire the audience. Woodcut illustrations, with a beautifully simple style, further add to the heritage and sense of tradition that’s appropriate for a vintage whisky. A considered use of the typeface Avenir, designed by Adrian Frutiger in the same year, 1988, is a lovely detail and adds a very subtle connection to when the studio was established. A selection of Antalis supplied Arjowiggins Keaykolour papers and boards – 100% Recycled Hazel, Original Jet Black, reKreate Nightfall and Original Snow White – have been used to create a naturally textured and crafted feel.