The Kraken Rum: How can you NOT drink from a bottle that says "As seen through the eyes of imagination"... such a lovely description, also any bottle that has Bizarre & Fierce Sea Creatures on it is just hard to deny. You've seen the unboxing of the incredible packaging, design, and other goodies (like Kraken teeth in vials, ink in bottles, etc)... and now for close ups on the actual Kraken Rum bottle design from Kevin Shaw of Stranger and Stranger... The amazing thing i love to watch is putting it in unsuspecting hands, the bottle has presence! It's hard not to pick it up, slip two fingers through the holes, and then suddenly while rotating and reading the label ~ the bottle jokingly raises up to your lips as if you are going to chug it... and many make sounds channeling their inner rum drinking Johnny Depp a la Pirates of the Caribbean. It's happened more than once. I love how an object such as a mere bottle of rum through design and packaging can evoke such a delightful user experience! So take a peek at the packaging design and graphic details on the next page ~ The Kraken Rum is definitely a perfect gift if you need a sippable conversation starter to bring to a party (and loosen people up in more ways than one ~ it's 94 proof!)...

TO PAGE 2 of "The Kraken Rum: The Bottle"! ----->

Tags: drinks - liqurious - nature - packaging - rum

Ok, Kraken. The rum. It's amazing, beautiful branding and design all around, also delicious, but first things first, we aren't going to even talk about the bottle yet... first i have to show you the most mind-blowingly cool package i received and actually shot over lunch on my whirlwind 36 hours in NY (now curled up in Oxford in a tiny B&B writing to you!)... So, just before hopping in a cab to hit the airport, popped over to Boqueria in flatiron for a lunch "meeting" ~ and am presented with a stunningly printed cardboard box sealed with the coolest kraken of a sea creature seal in a silver plastic and black satin ribbon. As i slowly pull it all apart... there's a note addressed in calligraphy to "My Esteemed Colleague", silhouettes of the objects of proof held within this magical box of goodies printed within the box, custom printed wrapping paper (that i want for gift wrapping! everything?), a brilliant little book, a limited edition (of 50!) poster, a black feather and a pot of Kraken Ink, a disc of films, a Kraken tooth in a corked glass vial, and a disc of films... OH, and a bottle of The Kraken black spiced rum, of course.

Leave it to Dead As We Know It and Proximo Spirits to take things so above and beyond that i'm embarrassingly sipping rum over lunch, picking at delectable tapas, shooting pictures, and having a complete giddy sensory overload at how cool every aspect of The Kraken branding is... while trying to hold a proper conversation with two of the most fascinating guys you'll meet. This meal has pretty much set the bar rather high for future "meetings" and "photoshoots"... So, before i get even more distracted, go take a peek at the unboxing of the Kraken and some of the delicious Boqueria food!

TO PAGE 2 of "Kraken Rum Unboxing at Boqueria"! ----->

Tags: liqurious - packaging - review - rum - unboxing

With the retirement of Fidel Castro - here is a nicely timed campaign for Matusalem Rum that has launched, and there are some adorable print/tv ads worth taking a look at. While i have yet to taste this rum, these ads are working on me, because i'm definitely curious! The layered cutout, print/illustration look has totally made my day. Featured in the ads are a Fidel Castro cutout explaining why he expelled their best rum, since "The Caribbean has never seen a pirate like fidel. He stole an island and threw away the treasure away." Check out the three video ads below as well as another print ad!

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Tags: advertising - drinks - Matusalem - rum - video