To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Scottish Opera partnered with local distiller Biggar Gin on an artisanal small-batch gin. Suonare, which in Italian means ‘to play’, as in a musical instrument, is a London Dry gin created using botanicals that have a strong connection with the operatic world.

Tangent developed a brand identity that referenced both mixology and musicology as a nod to the unique partnership. The high and low notes of the gin’s 14 signature botanicals were arranged on a musical scale, which was then die-cut into the bottle label. The label, which was letter-pressed by local printmakers Glasgow Press, came with a special twist.

When removed from the bottle and fed through a music box, it plays Puccini’s ‘Un bel dì vedremo’, the signature aria from Madama Butterfly, which was first performed by Scottish Opera in its inaugural season 60 years ago. The unconventional concept helped to attract publicity and build a profile for Biggar Gin. It also drove product sales, with the first batch selling out over the Christmas period.

Credits:
Suonare Gin
Category: Packaging
Entrant: Tangent Graphic
Client: Scottish Opera
Design Studio: Tangent Graphic
Designer: Katrina High
Designer: Graeme McQuarrie
Director: David Whyte
Printmaker: Glasgow Press
Photography: Susan Castillo
Renders: Where Giants Roam