Gold Limited Edition and Custom Design · 2020
Zacapa Reserva Limitada 2019 Branding and Design
by Michelle Mak - forceMAJEURE Design
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Limited Edition and Custom Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Diageo
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 53,883
- Verification code C8F2A738C9 · Verify this award
About Zacapa Reserva Limitada 2019 Branding and Design
Zacapa Reserva Limitada 2019 is a limited edition packaging design for an aged rum. The brown label with gold foil lettering complements the amber and golden hues of the liquid. The signature petate band, a woven straw band made in special colors for this edition by local Guatemalan craftswomen, wraps around the bottle. The canister design blends washes of colors and textures inspired by the Guatemalan landscape. On the canister, the petate band and the signature band with tasting notes are presented in gold hues.
Laurent Hainaut's Zacapa Reserva Limitada 2019 Branding and Design represents an exceptional achievement in the realm of limited edition spirits presentation, where the convergence of material heritage and contemporary refinement creates a visual experience befitting the precious liquid within. The design system appears to draw upon long traditions of ceremonial craft and artisanal excellence, most notably through the incorporation of the woven petate band that encircles the bottle's base, a textile element suggesting connections to ancestral weaving practices and the patient labor of skilled hands passed through generations. The packaging architecture demonstrates remarkable sensitivity to the relationship between revelation and concealment, with the outer cylindrical tube serving as a threshold of anticipation, its pearl gray surface adorned with flowing gilded motifs that evoke natural elements while the gradual darkening toward the base suggests depth and aged complexity. The typographic treatment balances formal elegance with approachable warmth, the cursive script conveying handcrafted authenticity while the structured letterforms of supporting text establish institutional credibility and premium positioning. Color relationships throughout the system achieve sophisticated harmony, with the warm amber and gold tones creating visual continuity between the liquid product and its decorative elements while the neutral gray-to-black progression of the outer packaging provides restrained contrast that enhances rather than competes with the central warmth. The compositional presentation photographed against atmospheric darkness with subtle smoke effects elevates the objects beyond mere commercial product into the realm of contemplative still life, inviting extended visual meditation upon the interplay of light through glass, the textural richness of woven fiber, and the promise of sensory pleasure contained within. How might we consider the ways in which such design choices transform the act of opening and sharing into ritual ceremony?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- forceMAJEURE was asked to bring the Reserva Limitada liquid to life through the packaging. The brown label with rich gold foil lettering complements the amber and golden hues of the liquid. The signature petate band, handwoven in special colors for this edition by local Guatemalan craftswomen, proudly wraps around the bottle. For the canister, we blended washes of colors and textures inspired by the lush Guatemalan landscape. The signature band with tasting notes and petate band are treated in gold hues.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Bottle: 750 ml
- Tags
- #limitededition, #packaging, #packagedesign, #brownspirits, #rum, #zacapa #guatemala
- Production Technology
- This design is inspired by the smoky overtones of the limited edition liquid. Visually, the black and white vignette contrasts with gold wavy lines that crisply cuts through the smoke motif. Also featured is Zacapa’s iconic petate or woven straw band, created by local Guatemalan craftswomen.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest challenge for this project was the realization and translation of the design intent into a beautifully printed canister that brought to life all the colors, finishes, textural embossing effects, and materials we had envisioned. While the brief called for a bespoke Limited-Edition design that elevated this product above some of the Zacapa range’s core liquids, some surprise restrictions and technical difficulties along the way forced us to be extra diligent, to constantly collaborate with the client’s supply team and the printers, and to be very creative with printing techniques to achieve a pack that truly represents the beauty of the liquid story.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Master Blender Lorena Vasquez and her art of blending, forceMAJEURE created a design capturing dimensional layers of expressive movement and colors, enhanced by luminous golden details – a visual interpretation of Lorena’s art form. Zacapa Reserva Limitada is a culmination of expertise, experimentation and artistry released only once every few years. The 2019 creation is a mixture of aged rum reserves finished in exclusive wine barrels, resulting in a unique composition of flavors.
- Image Credits
- Image#1 Product Renderings: Mariana Escobar, forceMAJEURE Design
Image#2 Product Renderings: Mariana Escobar, forceMAJEURE Design
Image#3 Product Renderings: Mariana Escobar, forceMAJEURE Design
Image#4 Product Renderings: Mariana Escobar, forceMAJEURE Design