Borchetta Bourbon Grand Prix Series is a special edition, limited allocation product with a unique bottle and display packaging design commemorating Nashville’s 1911 inaugural Indy-style car race. The Borchetta brothers' passion for motorsports and fine spirits was pinnacled in 2021 with the return of open-wheel Indy-style racing to Nashville. After more than a century-long hiatus, IndyCars® were coming to race through the streets of downtown Nashville in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. We had a story to tell. And I had a great idea! ...LFG!
Queue sound track: Biggie Smalls: Juicy. I conceptualized, designed, and oversaw the print production of this award winning product & brand with collectors in mind. Any kind of collector really... from bourbon connoisseurs, race fans, followers of Big Machine, to those who appreciate memorabilia. The product features a photo from one of the earliest known open-wheel races held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Speedway in 1911, just shortly after the inaugural Indianapolis 500®. The bottle invokes the idea of a race trophy, topped with a brass INDYCAR® replica cork ornament. Each year's edition features different drivers with their year's car. Each product comes with a collector's display case that tells a story of innovation, motorsports, victory, family, and legacy.
This was the opportunity for me to utilize every skill I had learned and developed to this point (digital & offset production experience, 3D modeling, and physical prototyping). I had to think fast with a 3-month deadline and use creative problem solving with limited resources available all while working in a time of COVID.
I still can't believe we pulled this off. It was all a dream.
Client
Big Machine Distillery
Big Machine Distillery
My Role
2021 John BarleyCorn: (x2) Double Gold
2021 American Craft Spirit Association: Gold
Brand Development, Design, Art Direction
Design & Packaging Awards2021 John BarleyCorn: (x2) Double Gold
2021 American Craft Spirit Association: Gold
2021: An Homage to the History of Open Wheel Motorsport “Start your engines”
The 1911 Marmon Wasp, which sits on top of this bottle, was driven by Ray Harroun. Ray was the winner of the first 500-mile race in Indy. The Marmon Wasp is an iconic representation of innovational engineering & design in the early roots of motorsports. He was the only driver not to have an on-board mechanic and the first known automobile to utilize a rear view mirror.
Continuing in that spirit... Some pretty quick & innovative multi-dimensional engineering and printing techniques were implemented to make this product work in the limited time frame that was available. I hand drew label templates on the glass bottle to get the skew and perspective right. Then worked in 3D to design the box and produce visuals for the packaging engineer. With time for only one shot at a physical prototype, this ensured the display box dimensions would fit the bottle and inside the master case to maximize shipping.
Everyone involved in this process was excited to see it through to completion. So grateful and proud of all the teams who worked together on this and went above and beyond to make it all possible. As a collector myself, I wanted this on my shelf.
Soundtrack in my mind while working on this year was Cake: The Distance
CAR ORNAMENT & BOTTLE LABEL DEVELOPMENT
BOX DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
MASTER CASE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
PRODUCT • COLLATERAL • MERCH
PUBLICIZED MEDIA
Nashville Business Journal
Big Machine Distillery debuts limited edition bourbon ahead of Music City Grand Prix
Big Machine Distillery debuts limited edition bourbon ahead of Music City Grand Prix
PODCASTS
2022: An Homage to the Unser Family Racing Dynasty
The 1972 AAR Eagle, which sits on top of this bottle, was driven by Bobby Unser. This is the first automobile to break the 200 mph barrier on a closed circuit. With an unprecedented nine Indy 500® wins between Al Unser Sr., his brother Bobby, and Al Unser Jr, the Unser family truly established itself as a twentieth century racing dynasty. Sadly, both the Borchetta brothers' childhood heroes, Al Sr. and Bobby, passed away in 2021.
After everything we had learned and accomplished with the success of the 2021 release, we had the opportunity to do it again. But this time make it personal to the Borchetta family racing history and pay homage to the men who captured their imaginations and inspired them to win.
It was an honor to meet and shake the hand of Al Unser Jr. at the 2022 Borchetta Bourbon Grand Prix launch event. I was humbled when he thanked us for honoring his family's legacy with this product.
My original concept for this product line was to make each year's edition uniquely designed to match the era & paint scheme of the featured car. I made many attempts to prove this concept, but the final decision was to maintain the same design elements moving forward. I invite you to explore the concepts of other designs and potentially featured race cars below.
Soundtrack in my mind while working on this year was Steve Miller Band: Fly Like an Eagle
CAR ORNAMENT & BOTTLE LABEL DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCT & PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT
COLLATERAL • MERCH
PODCASTS
2023: An Homage to Mario Gabrielle Andretti
The 1985 Newman Haas Lola T-900, which sits on top of this bottle, is said to be one of Mario Andretti’s all-time favorites. After a dominant 1984 season that saw him win 6 times and clinch a 4th IndyCar® championship, Mario continued winning for team owners Carl Haas and Paul Newman. With the car proudly displaying the #1, Mario got off to a very fast start in 1985, winning 3 of the first 4 races of the season. The Borchetta's and Andretti's friendship goes way back, fueled by their shared love for motorsports.
It was an honor to meet this living legend at the launch event for our 2023 Borchetta Bourbon Grand Prix Edition.
Soundtrack in my mind while working on this year was The Kinks: Lola
2024: An Homage to A.J. Foyt
The 1987 Lola T-8700-4, which sits on top of this bottle, was driven by racing legend A.J. Foyt. When it comes to legacy-drivers in motorsports, he has regularly been placed at the top of the list. A.J. Foyt’s confidence in his abilities in any form of motorsports was widely known. In addition to his wins in every type of series he raced in, he was also one of racing’s true renaissance men. He was the first four-time winner of the Indy 500®. He is the only driver in history to win the Indy 500®, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the the 500 mile race at Daytona. He is also the only driver to win the Indy 500® and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same year. We were proud to honor this living legend.
Soundtrack in my mind while working on this year was Peter Gabriel: Big Time + Kool & The Gang: Victory