Whisky Evolution: Talisker, Bushmills, Laphroaig, and Highland Park Leading the Way

Talisker 10, photo credits Damian Baran

Table of the content:

Talisker: Flavor and Design in Focus
Bushmills: A Classic Irish Heritage Reimagined
Glenglassaugh and Glendronach: Premium Aspirations
Laphroaig and Bruichladdich: Design Meets Sustainability
Highland Park: Bold Steps Into a New Era

Discovering Talisker: A Journey Through Taste and Design

In 2021, after watching a whisky-themed film dedicated to the Talisker distillery, I felt the urge to try for myself what flavors lie hidden in a bottle and what whisky tasting is truly about.

At that time, Talisker was one of the first single malts I had the opportunity to try. For me, it wasn’t just about the taste; the visual appearance of the bottle also mattered. Talisker periodically updates its graphic design, but the bottle itself remains unchanged.

Talisker 10 bottle evolution

Do these changes always turn out for the better? It’s a matter of perspective. Personally, the transition from the simple white label with blue printing and golden accents to a more modern design with orange highlights brought, in my opinion, slightly less elegance. But did the whisky itself change? It remains a solid classic straight from Islay.

What other companies have made changes recently?

Bushmills

One of the brands from the Irish whisky world is Bushmills.

I love exploring flavors, which naturally means comparing whiskies from both nearby and distant parts of the world. This time, we’re staying relatively close, landing in Ireland, specifically in the town of Bushmills, from which the whisky takes its name. Produced since 1608, it continues to this day. My first bottle was a Bushmills 10-year-old single malt, still bearing the old graphic design, which was updated in 2021.

Bushmills bottle evolution

The change was significant, affecting the bottle, the label, and the box. This transformation involved several bottles, and opinions about the new look quickly made waves in the whisky world.

Glenglassaugh & Glendronach

Since then, there have been many changes in the whisky world, with recent years marking a peak moment for rebranding and attracting new customers. Let’s start with Glenglassaugh, which introduced a new bottle style, and Glendronach, which revamped its entire presentation, from new bottles to updated labels. As they themselves emphasize, they aim to position themselves as a more premium brand.

Glendronach new bottle design

Laphroaig & Bruichladdich

Next, there are distilleries like Laphroaig and Bruichladdich, which not only sought to change their design but also contribute to a better world.

Laphroaig altered its packaging to reduce its carbon footprint and switched plastic corks for wooden ones, while Bruichladdich now sells its core expressions without packaging to avoid excessive use of paper and metals.

Bruichladdich new bottle design

Highland Park

The latest distillery to undergo a redesign, set for 2025, is Highland Park. They recently unveiled new bottles that, well, let’s be honest, have little in common with the Viking-inspired style that previously adorned their bottles.

Highlandpark new bottle design

Personally, I see this as a bold entry into a new phase, with these bottles emphasizing that the brand is entering the premium product space and standing out among others.

What are your thoughts on this? Which changes have made the biggest impression on you?

About the author

Damian Baran

I am in love with the world of whisky since 2021 after the first films about testing and discovering flavors. the story began with a bottle of Talisker 10, earlier of course brands such as glendifich or johnie walker appeared but it was Talisker that opened my eyes to the diversity of flavors and scents. currently with over 800 whiskies tried and head over heels in love with the climates of islay. finds his flavors in bottles such as ardbeg or lagavulin but I also willingly reach for peated whiskies such as glendronach sweet fruity climates of Speyside.