Malibu Island Recipes Limited Edition is a new expression from Pernod Ricard which will be launched across 19 countries, including the UK, Australia, Korea and the Netherlands in April. The new bottle, designed by the Brand Union features a colorful display of images and showcases four cocktail recipes.Each recipe is rendered as part of an illustration on the bottle and features Malibu and a single mixer.

Noilly Prat, the French maker of one of the world’s best-selling brands of Vermouth, is changing its recipe by introducing its current European blend to the U.S. market and discontinuing the old American blend that’s been sold for years. The bottle design has also had a sleek new update with the new blend scheduled to go on sale during January 2009.

Graphic designer Ricky Salsberry is behind this range of newly designed environmentally-friendly aluminum bottles for Great Lakes Brewery. Rebranding of Great Lakes Brewery includes new mark and packaging with an updated set of panoramic black & white photography or illustrations for the case and bottle. www.greatlakesbrewing.com/

Hailing from the former Soviet republic of Moldova is this wheat based, honey flavored vodka, packaged in the shape of a fire extinguisher complete with locking pin, trigger and nozzle. We were expecting the vodka to be flavored or infused with chili or spices to make sense of the name and bottle - but alas no - so we assume it references starting your night off with a bang. That or they are huge Prodigy fans in Moldova.

Amaze and ridiculous at the same time.

It is imported to the US by Kodiak Imports and is available in LA clubs and bars where they promoted it with Firestarter promo girls dressed like this.

I think this might be the start of a new series of posts on preposterous packaging. Be warned.

Belvedere asked students at the Danish Design School to design a new Danzka Vodka bottle for the duty free market. The winner was this beautiful snowflake design. Nice work.  Anyone know the name of the winning student designer? We would like to give them props.

Plup Oy Ab Ltd is an independent Finnish company who create “Plup Water“, a spring water from the Anttila well in Lestijärvi, Finland. The company donates 10 euro cents from each Plup Bottle sold directly to the Baltic Sea Action Group to help with the cleaning of the Baltic Sea.

Each PLUP bottle holds a pint of water and is made from HDPE, a highly recyclable plastic.  PLUP encourages consumers not to return the bottle, but rather to re-fill and re-use it. Plup’s range of drinks will be expanding later this year to include different products, colors and transparencies. [Read more →]

Available in the US towards the end of the year are these cool new aluminum bottles for Miller Lite. Following in the footsteps of Bud Lite these new 16oz (a pint) bottles are recyclable and said to keep the beer cooler for longer. They are being sold in packs of 9. We approve.

Why aren’t the UK doing this? The fact they are pint sized would totally help the being given flimsy plastic glasses problem when you drink outside.

Why has this taken them so long? It’s not rocket science is it? Everyone knows that coke tastes better out of the glass bottles and everyone knows that its a pain in the ass to buy a glass bottle and then hope the store has an opener. And then not be able to reseal it.

Well anyway they have finally done it - Coca-Cola in a glass bottle with a screwtop - and it looks good.  Not quite the iconic bottle design we love but hey it’s better than nothing. Oh and it’s only available in the US sold in a 12 fl. oz. (355ml) glass bottle in a 6 pack (72 fl. oz. total).

We say: It’s almost like the moon landing.

Grey Goose and jewellery designer Theo Fennell have created a limited edition accessory - a solid silver cocktail spoon - available exclusively at Selfridges. There are 120 limited edition straws retailing at £135 each with proceeds donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

They say:

“The Grey Goose Straw is a truly bespoke piece designed by Theo Fennell with his distinctive and inspirational craftsmanship.  The design is sleek and modern with the signature Grey Goose feather in solid silver making this the perfect accoutrement for the stylish cocktail connoisseur.”

We say: Was this David Furnishes idea? Nice.

Absolut Summer is the first ever UK specific Absolut Vodka gift pack. The fun white plastic bottle features a colourful butterfly design. Brits can pick up one of the limited edition bottles at their local branch of Sainsbury’s.

To celebrate the handover of the Olympic torch from Beijing to London, British photographer Rankin has collaborated with Coa-Cola for a limited edition bottle available exclusively at Selfridges for £1.99.

Rankin says:

“As a Londoner, I love what the city represents - the vibrancy, the strength and the energy - so to reflect that with an image, which also represents the Olympics, was a fantastically exciting challenge for me as a photographer. It was made even more compelling for me to do it in collaboration with Coca-Cola, and using the iconic contours and shape of the glass bottle.”

We say: Photography on a bottle makes a nice change from the usual illustrations.

Due to be released next month to celebrate the hunting season are these camo cans from Miller High Life. Not something you would likely see in Europe.

Check out the multi-pack packaging from last year after the jump.

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We love these new Marble POP drinks, inspired by the classic Japanese “ramune” bottles which are recognized for their unusual bottles. Each Marble POP bottle features a marble seal closure which is held in place by the carbonation of the beverage and is pushed open with a special stopper. The innovative pinch in the neck of the bottle allows the drink to flow out while the marble stays in place. Available in Strawberry, Blueberry, Original Flavor and Green Apple across the USA, we think these bottles are beyond cool.

Verity Finest Liquid Tea is made from only tea and water, and comes in three different varieties: Finest Ceylon, Fruity Hagebutte, made from wild-grown rosehip; and Pure Rooibos. The tubes contain 18 tea concentrate capsules which you add to hot water or cold sparkling water. They say: “Tomorrows tea today”

We say: cool development for the tea category

The Beijing Olympics 2008 has finally begun. To celebrate here are the Coca-Cola Olympic LTD edition bottles. Nice work.

There is ultra premium then there is the Remy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl. Priced at £20,000 a magnum bottle, the 100 year old cognac is bottled in a hand blown black crystal decanter. Available at Selfridges.

Wow.

Absolut have launched yet another LTD edition. This time it’s in honour of Tinseltown and it’s the first time that Absolut have embraced super-fruits as an ingredient, using Acerola, Acai, Pomegranate and blueberry (when they do something they do it properly!). Not sure who has created the bottle design. Check out the print ad after the jump…

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The first in a series of Absinthes which are shaping and evolving the category.

First up is from one of our favorite spirit producers Integrity Spirits, who are set to launch their new Absinthe called Trillium. True to form they have created a beautiful looking product with care and attention to detail. Love the waxed bottle top. They say…

“Trillium recalls the decadent mystery of this potation in a way that only a tasting can reveal. Green anise, wormwood and hyssop are melded with other botanicals to create a flavor like no other spirit. Trillium instills a sense of adventure and friendship, bringing people together for a smooth, yet enlivening experience.”

We cant wait for a tipple.

Tags: absinthe, Packaging, Spirits

News today that InBev are to begin selling Stella Artois in pint sized cans (568ml) in the UK this month. Surprised this has taken so long really and we expect others to be following suit pretty sharpish.