HP gets an extreme makeover

Last year Highland Park was selected "Best Spirit in the World" (though, of course, THAT accolade was granted by the same man who named Johnnie Walker the Distiller of the Year - so take such awards with a grain of salt).

But despite such silliness, Highland Park really is a fantastic whisky, and is easily in my top 5. The only problem with Highland Park, to my mind, was the packaging. I've always found it to be a little off-putting - all dark and moody like a teen goth girl, with obscure photos of meaningless scenery (which happened to be from Orkney, but could have been anywhere) - it likely wasn't the first choice of a consumer not familiar with the brand.

It really needed a new look, and finally it has received one. But this is no mere redesign of the label - this is an "extreme makeover" - only what is inside has remained the same.

The logo has changed, the labels have changed. the bottle shape has changed and the presentation container has changed. According to Highland Park all of these changes are a return to authentic Orcadian colors and designs.

The label, while still black, is smaller, allowing the product itself to be highlighted. Each vintage now has a signature color : 12 - orange, 15 - green, 16 - blue, 18 - red. The 25 and 30 year old bottlings take a different approach, with the 25 using a white label with a black labeled age statement. The 30 goes a step further and is packaged in an embossed bottle and a small white label for the age statement.

Even the bottle has changed - it is now an oval shape which will present a bigger face on liquor store and bar shelves. The bottle is embossed with the new "H" device and the mouth has been enlarged. The bottles are substantial and have a pleasing heft. I do consulting for bars that are looking to upgrade their liquor offerings - one of the considerations is "How does the bottle look on the shelf?". You might be surprised how important something like that is. Highland Park now has a package that looks incredible on a shelf.

In other positive moves Highland Park has decided to eliminate spirit caramel from the 12 year old bottling (none of the other expressions use caramel). They also plan to release a new (permanent) expression, a 40 year old, which should be out by February or March of 2008.

Jason Craig, Highland Park Global Controller, tells me that the packaging has been approved and starts shipping to the US in Mid-November. It should be on the shelves by Mid-December with the 12 year-old appearing first and then followed by the older vintages.

Jason tells me "My reason for getting up in the morning is to make Highland Park the most respected single malt in the world. Not the biggest, but the most respected for what we do."

Any finishes in the future for Highland Park?

"Everything we do should have respect for the brand. We shouldn't do any gimmicky things. We should not do any short term things to turn a quick profit. Is it adding to the brand?" Adds Jason, "I don't like to criticize competitors, I have drank finishes, I applaud the range of finishes. Bill Lumsden (Glenmorangie) received a richly deserved accolade tonight, but my view is that Highland Park's liquid is good enough and has enough complexity not to require 'something else'."

"Every Highland Park is different - no one picks up our 15 and goes 'Is that the 18?' - you can tell the difference. And that's the skill of the whisky maker. Otherwise we could make them all the same character and just bang up the ages - and then the consumer goes 'I'm just buying age'".

"I want people to pick up this bottle and go 'Wow!'" says Jason.

Don't worry Jason, they will.

Comments

[Herman Blondeel]

Hello,
very recent this stuff, the bottle is already 3 weeks on the shelves in Belgium !
And i don't like it at all, what's wrong with Orkney scenery ? I have been to Orkney and it's one of the more intense sceneries available. The Old man of Hoy and other Ring of Brodgars can't really be from somewhere else you know, they're unique sites of natural beauty.
Herman

[Malt Man Mike]

As Herman mentioned, I quite liked the old packaging. What Kevin describes as dark and moody, I saw as confident and serious, but I'm not as quick to write off the new line. Just last night for the first time, I saw the 'tin' for the 12, but didn't open it to check out the bottle. It's still got the confidence, but it doesn't look like it's from a place far, far away. Ironically, the 15 just became available in Ontario for the first time in many, many years and it's in the old packaging...
Mike.

[Kevin Erskine]

I was showing my (new packaging) bottle of the 18 to a female, non-Scotch drinker who commented that "It looks like a mouth-wash bottle". :)

Different strokes for different folks.

As long as we can all agree that what's in the bottle is what counts.

[Graham]

Hi there,
Thank the lord that they have finally got rid of the caramel. And I think the packaging is senstaional.
Cheers, Graham

[Steven]

If you want the Orkney scenery then its all on the website. Of course its all dark and moody.

I never liked the old packaging, and I actually said so to the artist without knowing it - he's the same guy who took the photos.

I think the new bottle looks stunning on the shelves and is up there with the Glenrothes bottle in terms of standout look and gift potential.

cheers,
steven