Luxury Packaging As Social Marker for Gifting & Display

Packaging is the first impression in luxury spirits; it frames expectations about quality, provenance and occasion. Thoughtful design turns a bottle into an object people want to display, gift and photograph, and that perceived value often translates directly into willingness to pay. This is something that has been proved by the way Monarch Legacy Edition has been packaged and branded, repositioning brandy as a craft, premium and luxury spirit in India, points out SANAYA Amit Dahanukar, Marketing Manager, Tilaknagar Industries Ltd.

The brandy category needed to be redefined, and one way to do that was to show it can be a craft, premium and even luxury spirit, challenging traditional perceptions that it is merely a mass commodity. Investing in premium packaging is a key part of this. It signals seriousness to trade partners, bartenders and consumers, and opens doors to on-trade placements, gifting occasions and collectors. Market dynamics in India show growing willingness to pay for provenance, craft and status across categories, and spirits are no exception. Younger affluent consumers are seeking distinctive premium choices that reflect personal taste and social identity.

With the right product and storytelling, Indian brandy can capture a share of that premium spend. And that is what Monarch Legacy Edition has been engaged in with symbols of aspiration and luxury. The brand meets this audience on two fronts. First, the liquid itself is unique, as it is the world’s first 100 percent pure grape brandy combining both French and Indian grape spirits. “Our master blender has done a fantastic job of balancing the characters of both terroirs, which has allowed us to create a new and premium experience for brandy drinkers in India,” says Sanaya.

Second, the brand lives as an aspirational lifestyle marker through design, storytelling and experiences. The packaging, launch activations, bartender training and curated cocktail pairings position Monarch Legacy Edition as a modern luxury choice for evenings out, gifting and celebratory moments. “The brand language celebrates a 90-year legacy while remaining contemporary, so the product feels both authentic and relevant to upwardly mobile consumers who want something that signals good taste and cultural cachet,” Sanaya says.

Crafted with Conscience

When designing the bottle for Monarch Legacy Edition, the guiding vision was to create one that reads like a cognac in stature, while telling a distinctly Indian luxury story. This is why its design and overall brand draws inspiration from regal tones; the cognac-shaped silhouette, the intricate cut-glass effect and the gold metallic label reflect a sense of weight and ceremony. The gold metal label also carries finely embossed Indian and product-inspired elements such as elephants and grapes, which reinforce the product’s authenticity while adding to its sense of being premium.

The outer mono carton carries digital illustrations of two fictional kings on either side of the pack, designed so that when cartons are stacked the kings appear to be sharing a drink together. This evokes a sense of royalty, conviviality and tradition while creating a collectible visual identity that sparks curiosity. It ties back to the brand world of ‘a royal welcome’, encouraging consumers to see the product not just as a bottle but as an experience with depth, symbolism and artistry.

The company approached its packaging with the belief that true luxury must also reflect responsibility. The bottle is crafted from glass with a high percentage of recycled content and has been carefully optimised in weight to retain its premium presence. The label is made of metal, the closures use natural wood and cork, and the mono carton is produced from responsibly sourced paperboard that complies with recyclability benchmarks.

Crafting New Premium

Over the past few years, production standards and capacities in India have improved significantly, and that has set a new benchmark for what ‘premium’ means in the industry. Consumers now expect consistent quality and craftsmanship from Indian-made spirits.

Tilaknagar Industries is now planning for additional variants that will be built around specified product differences, alongside even more premium collectors’ editions. “There will be more experimentation with new styles, limited editions, curated experiences and innovative packaging such as bespoke finishing techniques on glass, digitallyenabled authentication and storytelling via augmented reality, and modular packaging that converts into display objects,” Sanaya shares.