Most spirits today come in glass bottles, and choosing a different material—like, say, ceramics—often makes a compelling statement. It’s distinct and feels historical; in ancient times, stone vessels were the norm for liquids, and design studio Olssøn Barbieri chose ceramics to tell a brand story that stretches back to the Roman Empire in this year’s Dieline Awards Best of Show winner.
When designing packaging for German distillery Varus 775, makers of gin, whiskey, and aquavit, Olssøn Barbieri tapped into the rich history and landscape of the brand’s home in Lübbecke, near the Teutoburg Forest, a settlement first documented in the royal Frankish annals in 775 CE. The brand name “Varus” is inspired by the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE, where the Roman general Publius Quinctilius Varus was defeated by the Germanic chieftain Arminius, who himself previously served in the Roman army. Sent back to Germany to serve as one of Varus’ officers, Arminius secretly plotted against the Romans, putting his military education and tactical knowledge to use. Arminius’ successful ambush of Varus’ forces held back further Roman expansion into Germania.
