disappointing packaging changes....

[Lan4Dawg]

I was in the local liquor store & discovered to my horror that:

a. Dry Sack sherry no longer comes in a sack. Instead there is a standard glass bottle w/ a neck tag proclaiming, "new packaging for an old friend" or some such drivel. Is there not some thing lost when the name of the stuff and the packaging do not agree? It is like the Three Musketeers Bar whose name now makes no sense what-so-ever (it used to be three separate candy bars--light, milk, & dark chocolate-- in one package hence the name).

b. Bols Gin is no longer packaged in the crock. Once again they now use a regular glass bottle. At least it retains the same shape as the old crock but it removes some of the interest in & fun of having that unusual bottle of Bols gin around. It was a great conversation piece at the bar b/c it was so unusual. I immediately went to make certain the Usquebach was still in the old fashioned crock but the store was out so I could not tell.

I suppose that is what happens when the world is run by corporations and greed & profits are more important than tradition. Do we want to wager on how long it will be before Crown Royal drops the purple cloth bag and Galliano moves to a short, squat, run-of-the-mill bottle?

in loving memory of Mr. Squirt (1998-2004)--the best cat ever.

[LindyCat]

Actually, Three Musketeers original product was three pieces in strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla, like neopolitan ice cream.

As for packaging changes...meh. It's a shame to see stuff go the way of the Dodo, but it also gives us lovely antique pieces.

[elswinger]

I know it's not a beverage (but neither is a Three Musketeers) but I miss B&M beans in glass jars. I also miss the Diamond Coke can.

[The Hersch]

When was it? Twenty years, twenty-five years ago? When Gilbey's Gin dropped the wonderful frosted-glass bottles. It was a shame. I wish they'd bring them back. What did they save, 2 cents a bottle? What did they lose? One of the most distinctive containers in liquordom.

[spiritchild]

While I do not have the knowledge to report on packaging changes that occurred anywhere over 25 years ago (as I was but a mere glint of passion in the eyes of my future parents), I can say that withing the last 2 years, OP Aquavit changed their labeling so drastically that I had quite a hard time realizing (or believing for that matter) that the newly labeled bottle was in fact the same I was looking for. Even salespeople in liquor stores didn't know. My liquor reps all new the bottle I was talking about (frosted glass with a yellow and black logo) but no one could seem to find it. I guess the company wanted to change images. Now the label is very intricately designed...almost Victorian looking. Needless to say I have a certain fondness for the stuff!

[slkinsey]

Julia, can you still get OP? In NYC? Where?

[spiritchild]

I have usually ordered it through liquor distributors (Paramount) but I remember that once, while bartending, I ran out and couldn't get another delivery till after the weekend. With about 10 minutes to service, I ran to Union Square Liquors with a sickening feeling of unsurity (one of our cocktails was OP based and was quite a big seller). To my surprise (and to the surprise of the gentleman helping me, they had it...it took me awhile to find it though because of the label change. When I bought it, i thought it was a different kind that I would have to use as a substitute. Upon further inspection, however, I saw that it was,in fact, OP Anderson and all the Aquavit drinkers in the land were saved and everyone lived happily ever after! The end. :-)

[slkinsey]

Here's a bottle of it here. What do you know... I've walked right by it and not recognized it as being the same thing. They apparently have it at Astor Wines for around $18/bottle.

Funny... I was just getting ready to start a thread on Aquavit cocktails. Hope you can share a few secrets.