O-I Imperial bottle helps Copper Fiddle Distillery generate buzz
By Canadian Packaging staff
Design & Innovation Bottling Bourbon Whiskey Copper Fiddle Distillery Covet Classics bottle Fiddle Gin Owens-Illinois Tom GinStart-up leverages an O-I Covet Classic to quickly establish high-end shelf presence.
Perrysburg, OH—A unique bottle from O-I‘s Covet Classics collection is helping Copper Fiddle Distillery of Lake Zurich, Ill. generate buzz for their whiskey and gins. The distiller is blazing trails as the first in North America to feature the eye-catching Imperial bottle design, a perfect fit for their Bourbon Whiskey, Tom Gin and Fiddle Gin.
“The uniqueness, simplicity and four-sided appeal of the Imperial bottle make it perfect for showcasing the beauty and quality of our spirits line, which is available at our tasting room in Lake Zurich,” says Copper Fiddle Distillery co-owner Fred Robinson. “Working with O-I helped us find the right presence for our brand without sacrificing our ability to get to market according to plan.”
The package is accentuated by custom labeling and a unique black cork, which add a modern attitude to the classic decanter style bottle. The striking finished product has garnered attention from more than just the guests who visit the facility for tours.
“Our bottle caught the eye of producers in Hollywood, who saw it in media coverage and called to talk to us about product placement opportunities,” says Copper Fiddle co-owner Jose Hernandez. “Receiving this much attention is an incredible advantage for us.”
Hernandez and Robinson, long-time friends and neighbors, founded Copper Fiddle after changes in Illinois state law embraced the craft spirits movement, making it possible for them to turn an interest in distilling into a business venture.
Copper Fiddle’s name and company logo connect two important elements: the 140-gallon copper still that’s the first thing guests see when they visit the distillery, and a violin handed down through the family of Jose’s wife, Nancy Rieger Hernandez. Now 107 years old and sounding better with every passing year, the fiddle has taken on a new life representing Copper Fiddle Distillery. The connection between Copper Fiddle’s craft spirits and the expertly made violin is more than symbolic—age is a valued companion for both the spirits and the fiddle.
As they ramped up to a commercial launch, Copper Fiddle needed packaging that reflected their vision and would not sacrifice speed-to-market or require the higher risks of big volumes. O-I’s Covet Classics collection delivered, with timeless cosmetic flint bottle designs available in a variety of sizes for orders as small as one pallet at a time.
“Consumer interest in craft spirits is higher than ever, and start-up distilleries are looking for scalable packaging solutions to help them break into this highly competitive market,” states O-I North America’s category manager for spirits Danielle Catley. “Our Covet Classics offerings allow customers to start out small and grow over time while still presenting a premium image featuring the high-quality glass packaging that consumers expect in this segment.”
Covet Classics is part of O-I’s Covet line, a collection of luxury glass packaging products and services. Covet Classics bottles are available in a variety of sizes and can be modified with embossing, coatings, labels and closures (bar top, screw top and decanter-style) for a distinguished look. Covet also offers design services to create a custom looks for customer brands.
Owens-Illinois, Inc. is the world’s largest glass container manufacturer and preferred partner for many of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. With revenues of $7.0 billion in 2013, the company is headquartered in Perrysburg, OH, and employs approximately 22,500 people at 79 plants in 21 countries. For more information, visit www.o-i.com or www.glassislife.com.
For more information on O-I’s Covet Classics line, visit www.o-i.com/covet-classics1.
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