Bardstown Bourbon Company will reveal a comprehensive packaging transformation across its core portfolio this year. The bold new design reflects the brand’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of bourbon while maintaining the exceptional quality standards of its award-winning American Whiskey portfolio.
Strategic Brand Evolution Enhances Retail Visibility with Palette That “Pops” on Shelf
The packaging update marks a strategic visual evolution for Bardstown Bourbon that speaks not only to the forward-thinking ethos that defines the brand, but more clearly to the premium spirit within. The refined modernist aesthetic keeps the brand’s signature bottle shape, while introducing sophisticated design elements that strengthen the brand’s positioning. Key design updates include:
- Enhanced Visibility on Shelf: Secondary labels and bold typography, plus distinctive iconography
- Improved Product Clarity: Prominent designations and intuitive bar calls for each expression
- Refined Color System: Strengthens visual separation and SKU differentiation
- Premium Materials: Soft-touch label substrate adds density and distinction, elevating the bottle’s feel and presence
- Authenticity through Iconography: Debossed topographical map nods to place of origin offering a tactile bridge to Bardstown’s push to challenge boundaries while honoring time-tested tradition
Sealed with a heavier weighted cork, the elements merge thoughtful, minimalist design with genuine personality that ensures each expression “pops” – both on retail shelves and on the back bar.
Strategic Redesign Furthers Brand’s Innovation Strategy
“Our new packaging amplifies what made us who we are: bold, innovative, transparent and high-quality. Every element, from our beautiful bottle to the premium materials, tells the story of our unwavering commitment to excellence while signaling our evolution as a brand that is ready to boldly step into the future,” said Pete Marino, President of Lofted Spirits. “At Bardstown, we are constantly pushing ourselves to redefine what premium means in today’s market while staying true to the values that earned our customers’ trust. This packaging is another part of our promise that innovation and tradition can coexist beautifully, creating something that honors our legacy while writing the next chapter of our story.”
The push to redesign emerged as the brand scaled with nationwide distribution. While well-known within the whiskey industry, the packaging was recessive on the shelf and failed to provide clear differentiation between expressions. The project began with deep market research and national agency support before it was ultimately brought in house and overseen by Design Director Ron Jasin. Bardstown Bourbon Company worked with international printing house Eurostampa, which specializes in premium spirits packaging.
New Single Barrel Offering Included in Phased Rollout
The refreshed design will begin rolling out in early Spring on Bardstown’s core products, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Bottled-in-Bond, High Wheat Bourbon and Kentucky Straight Rye. Later in the year, refreshed design will expand to the brand’s Single Barrel Program, Discovery Series, and award-winning brand collaborations.
Along with redesigned packaging, a new single barrel option will be added to the brand’s by-the-barrel program. In addition to Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskeys, barrel buyers will now be able to select a Wheated Bourbon, from the same 20% Wheat recipe which comprises Bardstown’s Bottled-in-Bond.
This latest evolution signals not just a design update, but a reaffirmation of Bardstown Bourbon Company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of bourbon through innovation, transparency, and world-class American Whiskey.
“The labels have changed. The standards haven’t,” said Dan Callaway, Master Blender. “Inside these beautiful bottles is the same award-winning whiskey – the consistent quality that defines our pursuit of what’s possible.”