The Water of Life

Uisge Beatha – Gaelic for water of life – preceded the common modern term “whisky,” and on National Scotch Day (July 27), we celebrate the spirit’s enduring popularity. According to the Scotch Whisky Association, the drink’s first appearance was in the Exchequer Rolls lists of 1494. It was documented that Friar John Cor received ‘Eight bolls of malt wherewith to make aqua vitae’ – enough to produce 1,500 bottles of modern-day Scotch!

By 1644, the first taxes were imposed on scotch whisky production, leading to a rise in illicit distilling across the country of Scotland and a culture of smuggling and tax avoidance. In 1823, the introduction of the Excise Act transformed the industry and made the legal production of whisky far easier via a £10 license fee and a set payment per gallon of proof spirit. Later in the 19th century, Scotch whisky left its native land for the first time, effectively creating a global export market that continues to thrive to this day. In 1994, on the 500th anniversary of whisky production of Scotland, exports of the spirit hit an incredible £2bn for the very first time. 

Today, premiumization in the spirits sector continues to drive the popularity of drinks such as scotch whisky, and metal packaging is very much a part of this. Housing a bottle of carefully crafted scotch inside a sophisticated metal tin gives the outward impression that the spirit is worth protecting and helps boost visibility on the shelf or e-commerce platforms. Metal also delivers an unbeatable sustainability platform due to its 100% and infinite recyclability.

A vast array of decorative options is available to international brands and craft distillers alike, while the versatility of metal ensures a great many shapes and sizes can be created to suit individual customer needs. Chivas Regal, for example, chose a round to square tin for its ‘Amplified’ initiative, in conjunction with photo-quality graphics and enhanced embossing to ensure a unique, tactile feel when in a customer’s hands. 

This range of options, coupled with Crown’s specialist in-house design facilities, ensures customers have every opportunity to realize even the most complex of projects in a timely and efficient manner, delivering a luxury, premium product to those looking to enjoy a dram on this – or future - National Scotch Days.