Crucial Drinks refreshes rums and whiskies

Crucial Drinks has refreshed its packaging across its whisky and rum portfolio as part of an attempt to strengthen its gift offering.

Based in Ayrshire, Scotland, Crucial specialises in spirits with unique brand stories. The award-winning portfolio includes The Lost Distillery Company, Six Saints Caribbean Rum and West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants.

Over 100 Scotch whisky distilleries have permanently closed in the last century. Despite being renowned for their quality malts, the distilleries largely shut down due to the effects of war and politics. The Lost Distillery Company brings the stories of these famed sites and their people to life, to offer handcrafted blended malt Scotch whiskies.

The Lost Distillery Company’s collection features three ranges of blended malt Scotch whiskies from mature to very old – Classic, Archivist and Vintage. These include modern day interpretations of spirits from lost distilleries such as Auchnagie, Towiemore, Stratheden, Gerston, Lossit and Jericho. All three ranges of whiskies have been given a new look focused on high-end gifting occasions. The Classic and Archivist selections will now be sold in super premium gift tins while the Vintage selection will sit in luxury wooden display cases.

Crucial’s rum brand, Six Saints Rum, will also be upgraded with the addition of a gift tin. Named after the Caribbean isle’s six saintly parishes, Six Saints is a divine natural spirit directly from the devout islanders of Grenada, who have been quietly hand crafting rum for over 200 years. Available in 7,000 distribution points worldwide, Six Saints is thriving in the rum market offering a unique product with true provenance and an enticing brand story.

Another brand in the portfolio, West Indies Rum & Cane Merchants is a luxury rum brand offering rare releases. Crafted from select rums from lesser known distilleries and rum producing nations across the world, each rum is aged to perfection before being released, in order to ensure the style of the country or distillery is showcased at its best. To preserve the character of these special rums, they are completely natural, with no chill filtering or caramel colouring. The packaging, which is also going to be presented in a premium new gift tin, is styled on a rum bottle from the 1700’s, its rounded shape ensuring it never spills.

Scott Watson, co-founder of Crucial Drinks, said: “Research in our strategic markets showed the importance of high-end gifting.

“We have worked very closely with our design team to ensure premium packaging solutions have been created to match the individual brands and deliver a luxury finish that meets the needs of the year round gifting opportunities available.”

17 July 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor