Loch & Union Distilling 2018 | Racks Up 17 Individual Spirit Awards!
The 2018 calendar year proved to be a busy one for Loch & Union Distillery in Napa Valley, CA. Awards ranging from Custom Spirits Packaging, Best in Class, to Best California Gin Distillery the Loch & Union team has been making its presence in the industry known.
“Gin has many styles and variations and every distiller has their own way of doing things, like Grandma who swears by her apple pie. We’ve taken inspiration from the classics and made them our own.”Loch & Union
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Slightly vanilla tinged with heady notes of grilled mushroom, wet leaves, and a hint of anise and baking spice.
(The Gin Is In) Loch & Union’s Barley Gin wears the barley on its sleeve. The nose is full of classic hallmarks of malted barley. It’s slightly funky, slightly warming, and especially in the case of Barley Gin— it’s really nice. And balanced as well. Aromatics from the botanicals come through and add intrigue and depth. Notes of orange, cocoa, anise, and resiny juniper lie just under the surface.
Barley Gin is aromatically complex, but it’s primarily about the grain.
Palate: Grain and Madagascar vanilla bean husk early, juniper and cocoa beans mid-palate with orange and raspberry on the finish.
Barley Gin takes a second to hit the palate. There’s a slight hint of grain and vanilla early. The creaminess segues into a mid-palate where the botanicals really roar. Juniper is a secondary player here, but present.
Handcrafting premium spirits begins with iconic spirits packaging, and authentic ingredients, distilled and aged in the traditional manner…. otherwise known as “The Coppercraft Way” in Holland, Michigan.
Coppercraft Distillery wants you to think about Western Michigan when you think about liquor. The Coppercraft team continually strives to “produce the finest blended American craft whiskeys.” It’s very ambitious for a distillery — but very achievable — that was founded in 2012, and was purchased by the DeVos family in 2016.
To expand the Coppercraft offerings, the team has partnered with acclaimed Master Blender, Nancy Fraley, who has incorporated traditional cognac methods to help us create our new selection of American Craft Blended Whiskies, which delivers the best, hand-crafted aged bourbons and rye into a bottle.
The common Coppercraft goal is to create a legacy that embraces hard work and celebrates our community of family and friends.
When Kim Kardashian launched the KKW Kimoji fragrance collection, the beauty industry witnessed more than another celebrity fragrance release. It became a case study in how packaging, pop culture, emotional branding, and social media can work together to create immediate consumer demand and viral momentum.
Originally launched under the KKW Fragrance brand, the Kimoji collection featured three highly visual fragrances — Cherry, Peachy, and Vibes — each designed with playful, instantly recognizable packaging inspired by emoji culture and digital communication.
In 2026, the principles behind the launch remain even more relevant as beauty brands compete for visibility across TikTok, Instagram, AI-driven search platforms, and crowded retail shelves.
Packaging Designed for Shareability
One of the biggest lessons from the KKW Kimoji launch was that packaging must now perform digitally before it performs physically.
The fragrance bottles were intentionally bold, sculptural, playful, and instantly recognizable in social content. The packaging itself became part of the marketing strategy.
Packaging is no longer judged solely by functionality or aesthetics. It is now measured by how effectively it creates attention, emotional connection, and digital amplification.
The Rise of Emotional and Cultural Packaging
The Kimoji fragrances succeeded because they tapped directly into existing cultural behavior.
The bottles connected with emoji culture, texting habits, and digital self-expression — making the products feel emotionally familiar before consumers even experienced the fragrance itself.
Modern beauty consumers increasingly purchase products that align with their identity, lifestyle, and online presence.
Today’s successful beauty packaging often incorporates:
Emotional storytelling
Nostalgia
Humor
Sensory interaction
Personal identity
Community and shareability
What Beauty Brands Must Understand in 2026
The beauty industry has changed dramatically since the original KKW Kimoji launch.
Today’s packaging environment is shaped by:
Higher customer acquisition costs
AI-driven product discovery
Faster trend cycles
Sustainability pressure
Supply chain volatility
Greater consumer expectations for premium experiences
As a result, packaging must now:
Protect the product
Deliver strong shelf presence
Photograph well digitally
Enhance unboxing experiences
Support sustainability goals
Reduce freight inefficiencies
Strengthen brand storytelling
The brands gaining market share are typically the ones treating packaging as a strategic investment rather than a late-stage procurement decision.
How BIG SKY PACKAGING Supports Modern Beauty Brands
At BIG SKY PACKAGING, we understand that beauty packaging must perform both creatively and operationally.
For the KKW Fragrance projects, BIG SKY PACKAGING supported the engineering and production of fragrance glass, custom closures, and decorative enhancements designed to elevate shelf presence.
Today, BIG SKY PACKAGING works with beauty, fragrance, skincare, and personal care brands to help bridge:
In today’s market, packaging is often the first physical interaction a customer has with a brand. That moment matters.
The Future of Beauty Packaging
The KKW Kimoji launch proved that packaging can become part of the cultural conversation.
In 2026, beauty brands that succeed will continue building packaging systems that combine:
Emotional connection
Visual differentiation
Operational intelligence
Digital performance
As AI, social commerce, and visual search continue reshaping consumer behavior, packaging will play an even larger role in influencing conversion, retention, and long-term brand equity.
For beauty brands developing custom fragrance packaging, secondary packaging, or scalable packaging solutions for today’s evolving market, BIG SKY PACKAGING continues to help brands engineer packaging experiences that connect both digitally and physically.
Frequently Asked Questions
The KKW Kimoji collection was inspired by playful, emotion-driven branding concepts featuring scents like Vibes, Peachy, and Cherry, designed to reflect different moods and personalities.
Big Sky Packaging engineered and produced the fragrance glass, custom closures, and specialized decorative finishes for the KKW Kimoji fragrance line.
Custom closures enhance functionality, strengthen brand recognition, and create a more premium consumer experience through unique tactile and visual elements.
Decorative finishes improve visual appeal, create sensory engagement, and help fragrance brands stand out in competitive retail environments.
The project demonstrates how custom-engineered fragrance packaging can reinforce celebrity branding, enhance shelf presence, and create a memorable consumer experience.
As beauty retail continues evolving in 2026, packaging remains one of the strongest tools emerging brands have to communicate quality, differentiation, and shelf presence.
At the BeautyX Retail Summit in Dallas, the Race For Shelf Space pitch competition highlighted several fast-growing beauty brands shaping the future of the industry. Among the standout participants was Groh, the hair and scalp care brand founded by Rebecca Mariolis, which earned the opportunity to officially present to the buying team at Neiman Marcus.
Groh’s packaging reflects several trends currently influencing premium beauty packaging, including elevated materials, clean aesthetics, and strong tactile presentation.
The brand’s custom extruded aluminum bottles and aluminum caps feature brushed surface finishes and anodized custom colors that create a modern, premium appearance while helping reinforce shelf differentiation in an increasingly competitive retail environment.
Today, beauty packaging must do more than simply protect the product. It plays a major role in supporting:
retail shelf presence
consumer perception
unboxing experience
sustainability initiatives
brand storytelling
social and digital visibility
As retailers and consumers continue prioritizing premium presentation and memorable customer experiences, packaging remains a critical part of how emerging beauty brands position themselves for long-term growth.
Congratulations to our friends at Groh for their continued success and recognition within the beauty industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brands compete visually and structurally to stand out in limited retail space.
It drives first impressions and impacts purchase decisions within seconds.
Bold structure, color contrast, and unique form factors.
Because differentiation at shelf level directly affects sales.
Packaging is no longer secondary—it’s central to retail success.
Kim Kardashian first added custom fragrance to her repertoire in 2009, when she released a namesake perfume that smelled of gardenia, tuberose, and jasmine. KKW Fragrance has since released a crystal-inspired trio of scents (Crystal Gardenia, Crystal Gardenia Citrus, and Crystal Gardenia Oud) and in February, launched three Valentine’s-Day themed Kimoji Hearts perfumes (Bae, Ride Or Die, and BFF) under the KKW Fragrance brand name. However, her latest release, KKW Body is by far the most buzzed about. From the anatomically correct copy of Kim’s torso to the summer-inspired scent, has been the subject of controversy since the KKW Beauty mogul first started showing it off.
Bright, energetic bergamot embracing a burst of juicy peach nectar. In the heart, the rich lusciousness of jasmine sambac meets the fresh beauty of the rose. Ylang Ylang from Moheli lends texture and depth the o the body that eventually dries to a rich hand luxurious base of skin woods and musk that keeps the narcotic effect alive for hours.
BIG SKY PACKAGING: Engineering and production of fragrance glass, customized sandstone spray for surface color and texture, custom collar clip and pump.
Congratulations to our friends at KKW Fragrance for the continued success!
American Distilling Institute (ADI) Welcomes Craft Distillers Nationwide!
Portland, Oregon…What better place is there to gather leaders in the industry and collectively recap the outstanding progress in craft spirits? The BIG SKY team would like to welcome partners and friends in the industry that continue to trust our team in the engineering and development of packaging. Our team’s dedication to providing brands with new packaging solutions—through innovative engineering and/or unique application decoration processes—continues to be our focal point. Your success in the marketplace is our principal goal.
Please see BIG SKY’s Sonoma collection for examples of how our packaging professionals can help develop unique and memorable packaging solutions for your brand, within your budget.
Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment (Booth# 608) with one of our experienced sales professionals.
Safe travels to all!
Frequently Asked Questions
Custom packaging solutions tailored for craft distilleries.
It helps communicate the brand story and allows the brand to stand out in crowded retail environments.
Rigid boxes, custom structures, and premium finishing options.
Through improved brand perception and stronger shelf presence.
Craft brands are shifting toward more premium packaging strategies.
American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) Pittsburgh Comes To A Close.
The BIG SKY team would like to thank partners and friends in the industry that continue to trust our team in the engineering and development of packaging. Our team’s dedication to providing brands with new packaging solutions—through innovative engineering and/or unique application decoration processes—continues to be our focal point. Your success in the marketplace is our principal goal.
Please see BIG SKY’s Sonoma collection for examples of how our packaging professionals can help develop unique and memorable packaging solutions for your brand, within your budget.
Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced sales professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Connecting craft distillers with suppliers and showcasing industry innovations.
Increased demand for premium, customized packaging solutions.
It enhances brand identity and influences buying decisions
Custom packaging structures tailored to brand positioning.
Differentiation through packaging is becoming essential in craft spirits.
For more than a year BIG SKY PACKAGING worked intensely with the KKW Fragrance team in the development of truly iconic packaging that encapsulates the brand’s core identity, as well as stimulates personal memories and inspiration. BIG SKY PACKAGING created 100% custom fragrance glass and closures, each designed with unique facets engineered to function flawlessly together and deliver the message of clarity and healing.
Crystals have truly never had a better publicist. The KKW fragrance arrives floating on a bed of them in a cloud-colored box, and it feels a little like old-school Kim; some bells and whistles mixed with a serene, almost clinical feeling. Kardashian sees the signature Crystal Gardenia scent as a little more sensual than the other two and good for nights out, but really, she says, it’s about healing. “This to me is about having positive vibes, positive energy,” she said in an episode of the show filmed during the project’s development. “Nothing about sexy. I’ve done that for every other fragrance. I think this is about—straight to the point, like, healing, clarity.”
KKW Crystal Gardenia, Crystal Gardenia Citrus, Crystal Gardenia Oud, from $35, kkwfragrance.com, and Violet Grey (in-store).
Marijuana Business Conference & Expo (Nov 15-17th)!
The BIG SKY PACKAGING team will be exhibiting in Las Vegas, NV (Booth# 624) for all those considering stepping up their game in the cannabis packaging world.
America’s oldest and largest national cannabis trade show brings together the industry’s best talents, that can truly grow your brand power. Move your brand identity away from the mundane packaging options currently being offered, and create unique packaging solutions that will ultimately help separate your brand from the competition.
Please see BIG SKY’s SOHO & SONOMA collections for examples of how our packaging professionals can help develop unique and memorable packaging solutions for your brand, within your budget.
Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced sales professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Innovation and growth within the cannabis industry.
Compliance, safety, and brand differentiation.
Custom-designed, compliant cannabis packaging.
It ensures legal distribution and consumer safety.
Packaging must balance compliance with brand identity.
BIG SKY PACKAGING is a proud sponsor of the Navy Seal Foundation.
Built on an unparalleled legacy and established in 2000, the Navy SEAL Foundation is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt, national, non-profit benevolent organization headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA. The Foundation is a resolute cornerstone for the Naval Special Warfare community and their families in times of adversity and triumph. Each of the specialized programs maps directly back to the U.S. Special Operations Command directive and the Naval Special Warfare’s Preservation of the Force and Family Program, a program designed to address the “fraying” of the force caused by the stress of more than 15 years of sustained combat. All foundation programs are designed to improve health and welfare, build and enhance resiliency, empower and educate their families, and provide critical support during times of illness, injury, and loss.
Never before has so much been asked of so few, from so many, for so long.
Visit the Navy Seal Foundation for more information on events, assistance, and donations.
All In, All The Time.
It is a nonprofit organization that supports Naval Special Warfare members and their families through programs focused on health, resilience, education, and recover.
Big Sky Packaging supports the foundation as a sponsor, aligning with its mission to give back and support military families.
It offers assistance during illness, injury, loss, and transition, along with long-term family and wellness programs.
Active-duty SEALs, veterans, and their families benefit from its programs and resources.
The post highlights Big Sky Packaging’s commitment to social responsibility beyond its core business.
