Mackmyra produced the first ever Swedish malt whisky in 1999. Since then the distillers have gained a worldwide reputation, won several awards, opened affiliates in the UK, constructed an eco-friendly distillery and have started making gin.
The company now distils around 300,000 bottles of its core collection a year. But they also produce small batch editions of around 3,000 bottles. And this year, for its new small batch releases, Mackmyra wanted a brand new type of package.
“We are known for experimenting with new and different flavours and our small batches help us try these out,” says Pontus Henriksson, Logistics Manager, Mackmyra. “For our new small batch series, we wanted a new look, with a unique feel. We met Nordic Carton who said that the type of packaging we wanted didn’t exist, but that Holmen could create it for us.”
“We mostly use Holmen material because it is the best on the market, especially for perfect printing,” says Per-Oscar Nilsson, Sales Manager, Nordic Carton. “But Mackmyra was aiming for something that was not really on the market, that was almost the opposite of a smooth surface ideal for printing on. They wanted something vintage and stylish, but a bit rough, that felt handmade, where you could feel the structure and the woody fibre of the material. And they didn’t want pure white, they wanted something a bit yellowy.”
Nilsson began discussing solutions with Holmen’s Account Manager Michael Fridvall. “Holmen has always been very helpful to us,” says Nilsson. “If we have a problem, or if we have a good idea, no matter how small it is, they are interested.”
“Per Oscar had seen samples of our new Inverform product and felt it had the natural feel Mackmyra was looking for,” says Fridvall. “But Inverform is designed for formables and it’s not thick enough for whisky bottles. I discussed the customer request with Ola Buhrman, one of our senior product specialists, and we decided that we could make a bespoke duo product, where we glue laminate two or three basic layers of board together.”
The Invercote Duo product that Holmen has made for Mackmyra consists of an inside layer of Invercote G 260 grammage, glue laminated (10 grams) to a layer of Invercote T 220 grammage. The result is a 490 grammage duo product. Invercote T is uncoated on one side and that side was used on the outside to help create the natural and yellowy feel that Mackmyra wanted.
“We produce standard products like any other producer of paperboard,” says Buhrman. “But some customers ask for something different and that is where our ability to listen to customer demands comes in. Our speciality is in listening to customers. And by thinking outside the box we can produce something to match the demands. We also of course need skilled operators, which we have at Holmen, to realise this.”
“We have a lot of experience,” adds Fridvall. “And when we put our knowledge and our skills together, and especially when we collaborate with a company like Nordic Carton, who are also curious about new ideas, then we can come up with new solutions that give customers exactly what they are asking for.”
The new Invercote Duo product has now been used for Mackmyra’s two new small batch concept releases this year and for one big batch release. And the whisky company plans to keep using it.
“It looks amazing,” says Henriksson at Mackmyra. “It is elegant and it looks like a Nordic design in that it is simple and beautiful. And it has the feel we were looking for. It feels like a solid package. Our small batch releases sold out in record time and I am sure the packaging and the look of the box had an influence on this.”
”We are very happy with the new packaging for Mackmyra,” says Nilsson at Nordic Carton. “The material is really nice and it’s a new thing on the market, there is nothing like it. Many of our other customers are eager to try this material now. So I think in the future this will help us to sell more boxes and help Holmen sell more material.”
About Mackmyra – the Swedish pioneer
- The company was formed when eight friends on a skiing holiday started asking each other why nobody had produced Swedish malt whisky before. One year later, the first Mackmyra whisky was distilled.
- Mackmyra is located near Gävle, around 175 km north of Stockholm. The company has approximately 40 staff.
- The raw materials used in Mackmyra whisky give it a special Swedish character and flavour. They include Swedish barley, Swedish yeast and water from a spring located near the distillery. Local peat and juniper twigs are used to smoke the barley.
This story is from Inspire Magazine 72 >>
Created 17 April, 2024.