Media

Date:  16 August 2008

Whyte & Mackay 40 Year Old Case Study

The Background
Whyte & Mackay was founded on the docks of Glasgow in 1844 - by James Whyte and Charles Mackay, the brand having gone from strength to strength over the years.  Today, the company is very proud of its Glasgow roots and has subsequently re designed its packaging to capture the original brand essence while incorporating the traditional and stylish aspects that Glasgow is renowned for.

The Brief
Originally conceived by Whyte & Mackay in-house creative department - the 700ml bottle was inspired by the very first Whyte & Mackay bottle designs from the late 1800s.  Therefore, the challenging brief for Allied Glass was to replicate a rudimentary hand-blown bottle using 21st century bottle making equipment.

The Design
With regard to design, this required the application of a number of intricate techniques.  Firstly, to replicate the actual shape of a hand-blown bottle, a number of off-set mould seams were included.  Also, in order to remain completely authentic, the design incorporated an off-set bent neck.  This was instrumental because originally the cork necks were often bent as the finish, where the cork fits, was stuck to the bottle as a separate operation.

To ensure a true and authentic representation of the original bottles, the designer went to the length of specifying that the moulds should be hand cut, replicating the production tooling used in 1800s. 

The Manufacture
From a production point of view, this was a highly techncial NPD project, which required the application of a number of complex manufacturing techniques. 

Firstly, in order to achieve the blister and marking effect of the original bottles, the glass had to operate at a higher temperature than usual.  Also, control of the size and shape of the gob of glass was essential.  This required the production team to adjust the orifice size and adjust the plunger height and plunger stroke differential, therefore achieving a long 'dog bone' shaped gob of glass.  This shape gives a folding effect on delivery to the IS machine, which then generates the blisters and markings required.

The Package
Therefore, this exciting piece of packaging was achieved by combining individuality with technical expertise to produce a design that creates a perfect balance between authenticity and visual impact, which expounds the heritage of the Whyte & Mackay brand, while re-establishing the company's current credentials as a producer of premium quality whiskies.