New-to-market branding and packaging for brandy created specifically for making cocktails. The blend team included America’s top bartender, Jeff Bell (PDT New York), and wine director and accomplished sommelier, Thomas Pastuszak (The NoMad, New York, LA, Las Vegas).

The assignment included naming. Jean Bertoux was the French inventor whose creations led to the development of the motorcycle sidecar. The Sidecar is one of the most famous and popular brandy-based cocktails in history.

The design features elaborate yet subtle elements of blind embossing on black label stock with a combination of metallic gold ink and foil stamping. The Bertoux crest contains a wreath of Colombard grape leaves, from which the brandy is made, and oak barrel to represent the aging process. The brandy is made in California, which has been known to produce some of the finest in the world, yet unfortunately also known for lesser quality brandies. Therefore the packaging had to project an elevated positioning.

Brandy has not been on the cocktail radar for mixologists (or consumers) for some time. Bertoux was created to introduce bartenders a new opportunity to explore different cocktails, both new and old, and to elevate their craft and offerings. The launch has been highly successful in the limited markets targeted to date.