O-I helps IWSC celebrate 50 years with special bottle for special whisky

November 11, 2019

The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) is to partner with O-I, the world’s leading glassmaker, to create a commemorative bottle to celebrate the competition’s 50th anniversary.

Glass is emotive and transformative so we are delighted to have the opportunity to creatively capture the unique character of this special whisky into a bespoke, premium design. Thanks to our new service O-I : EXPRESSIONS, the bottle will capture all the emotions that befit the competition’s 50th anniversary.

Melianthe Leeman Global Innovation Platform Director for O-I

Established in 1969, the IWSC was the first competition of its kind, set up to seek out, reward and promote the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. Currently receiving entries from over 90 countries, the IWSC is set apart by the formidable reputation of its judging process.

Drawing on its connections in the industry, the IWSC will mark this milestone with a 50th anniversary Scotch whisky blend. Consisting of 50 components, the whisky will be made up of 15 year-old over blended malt and grain from a range of top distilleries. Just one cask will be made and filled in specially commissioned glass bottles, designed and created by O-I.

2019 is a momentous year for the IWSC and I'd like to thank the five Master Distillers that created this unique blend, as well as O-I for creating such a distinctive bottle. I look forward to celebrating the past fifty years at our banquet in November where we will toast to the next fifty.

Allen Gibbons CEO of the IWSC

The company’s design features a 70cl and a 50cl variant of high-quality glass bottles. They will be made unique and exceptional with the innovative O-I : EXPRESSIONS. This digital printing solution enables brands to respond to the growing consumer demand for personalised packaging and demonstrate premium value.

The design will be revealed at the IWSC Annual Awards Banquet, which will be held on 28 November 2019.