COHO Creative was asked to design a new 2019 Blanton’s Bourbon exclusive offering for La Maison du Whisky.

Building on the success of the previous year’s exclusive Blanton’s Bourbon for La Maison du Whisky, COHO was again asked to create a new, premium expression that would be sought after by collectors. This was part of an annual collaboration between the Brand and Retailer. While Blanton’s is already a sought-after bourbon, the success of the 2018 Edition, which sold out in 3 days and was being traded on the secondary market for nearly four-fold the original price, made the 2019 Edition an extra challenging endeavor.

As with the previous edition, visual storytelling was the key to garnering enthusiasm and creating exclusivity, which the collector market demands. The 2019 Edition focuses on sharing the story of the Blanton’s Bourbon history in a sophisticated, yet authentically Kentucky manner. In Kentucky, horse racing and bourbon are synonymous. The eight-part “race sequence”, depicting a horse and jockey from starting gate to race finish, is used as a cork top equity element for Blanton’s bottles and became the inspiration for the design. Subtle watermarks, styled from vintage Kentucky Derby tickets, serve as the backdrop for the design, while the “race sequence” is playfully arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The final “S” horse and rider hot-stamped in red foil signifies victory. The decorative “H” pattern on top and bottom of each label pays homage to the legendary Warehouse H, the only rackhouse where Blanton’s Bourbon is aged, and subtly conveys the importance of place and tradition to this unique spirit.

The result was a new and elegant version of the story of Blanton’s Bourbon. The reimaged design, in gold and red foil on rugged stock, pays respect to the hard work of making bourbon, the glow of the amber liquid in the glass, and the victorious horse and jockey that tops each bottle.