Bottles Tell The Story of Drinking

No longer is drinking simply about pouring something into a glass. Like fine dining, “finer” drinking has become a lifestyle signal. With more Indian consumers absorbing global cues, packaging has vaulted from an afterthought to the first act of brand storytelling where silhouette, weight and tiny details decide whether a bottle can command prestige and price, and the art of drinking lives in those details, explains SUMIT Charles, Founder and CEO of Firstbase Media Pvt. Ltd.

You choose a drink. You buy the bottle. You enjoy the drink by yourself or in the company of family and friends. Is that it? Well, it used to be, but no longer. Today, it is not just about the drink but also about the status that goes with it. What has changed in India is the pace at which consumers are picking up global codes of luxury. They are exposed to international references daily through travel, media and retail, and they decode very quickly what feels premium and what lacks authenticity.

“In my experience, they judge a bottle in three quick moments: the silhouette from a distance, the weight and finish in hand, and the micro-details up close. When these align, the consumer gives the brand permission to command a higher price point. Packaging is never an afterthought; it is where positioning begins and where trust is either won or lost,” opines Sumit, whose awardwinning design agency, Firstbase Media, has worked with leading alcoholic beverage brands.

Objet vs Pourer

At some point in a project the design team has to decide whether the bottle should be an objet d’art or a more functional on-trade pour bottle. This depends entirely on the brief given by the brand. If the ambition is rarity, gifting or collectability, the bottle becomes an object in itself, says Sumit.

When a spirit leans on Indian heritage or mythology, for example, Kohinoor Indian Dark Rum or Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, the design team has to translate intangible cultural cues into concrete visual or structural elements without tipping into cliché. Elaborating on this process, Sumit says, “For us, heritage only works when it is authentic, not ornamental. Rather than leaning on clichés, we translate real stories, places and details into forms the consumer can touch and trust.”

With Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, the agency created the mood of a night in the desert through matt black, muted gold and subtle light play. For Kohinoor Indian Dark Rum, they mapped the actual geometry of the diamond into the bottle’s facets so that it refracts like a jewel. All this is driven by the fact that young urban consumers respond to Indianised brands, but only when India is expressed with authenticity and craft. “They want to feel the story in their hands, in the texture, the form and in the discovery of details. That is what makes heritage contemporary and lasting,” Sumit explains.

 
Luxury in Restraint

While the general opinion is that luxury and super-premium often mean heavier glass, metal closures and elaborate packaging, Sumit disagrees. According to him, luxury is restraint, storytelling and care in every detail. A bottle does not need to be overweight to feel substantial. Its presence can come from proportion and form.

Proportion, the way light breaks on the surface, the confidence of white space and the tactile assurance of a closure; these are what make a pack aspirational. For instance, “Golden Circle is conceived as an invitation to the extraordinary, a whisky that speaks of mastery and privilege rather than excess,” he says. Every detail in its design is deliberate. The hand-brushed golden circle is not decoration; it is a mark of privilege, a visual cue of entry into a world reserved for the discerning. The teal base and gold accents create depth and quiet richness, while the serif typography lends confidence and timeless sophistication. The closure, with its wood finish and embossed cap, provides tactile assurance, reinforcing the craftsmanship behind it. Nothing feels ornamental, everything feels intentional.”

Sumit explains that this design philosophy now intersects with one of today’s biggest challenges; reconciling premium tactile cues with the sustainability expectations of modern consumers. For example, designers can use engineered aluminium caps instead of heavy metals, and create collapsible or mono-material cartons without losing the luxury feel. Paper and inks can also be responsibly sourced without compromising visual impact.

Consumers don’t want a lecture on sustainability, but they can feel when a brand has been thoughtful. “For us, reconciling luxury with responsibility is about making those choices invisible, so that the experience still feels indulgent without leaving excess behind,” Sumit says.

Whiskies Capturing Attention

When it comes to luxury design, the most adventurous categories today are Indian single malts and Indian whiskies. They carry the ambition to put India on the global stage, which allows design to be more daring with form, storytelling and finish.

“Mass-market whiskies and rums are more limited by cost and regulation, but even in the value segment we now see aspirational packs,” Sumit points out. In fact, packaging is now the biggest differentiator in that segment too. Consumers at every level are exposed to the same global cues through social media. When a value product suddenly feels modern, it gets picked first.

Ultimately, as Sumit points out, it is not always about spending more on glass or paper. The overall experience, from silhouette to typography, can make a product feel premium and shift perception.