Ecstasy was more than what CEO Patrick Aroff of Encore Brands, Santa Monica, CA, expected. For one thing, the packaging for what Aroff calls "the first premium enhanced spirit" changed course dramatically ahead of its launch in late 2006.
What had started as a red product in a shrink-sleeved clear glass bottle switched into a clear product in a decorated red-frosted glass bottle after the product changed from reddish to a clear formulation. Aroff had wanted consumers to see red when viewing bottled Ecstasy.
Ecstasy is available in select states such as IL, FL, CA, and NY in 1-L, 750-mL, and 375-mL sizes, with the introduction of a 50-mL glass mini bottle imminent. The product's suggested pricing is $33.80, $31.99, and $16.99 for the 375; pricing for the 50 was not set at press time.
"Ecstasy is the first new spirit that's in a class by itself," says Aroff, "as is the unique package. We want the package to 'touch' consumers in a meaningful way."
Flavored with pomegranate and citrus, the 70-proof product contains ginseng, taurine, guarana, and caffeine. Ecstasy is aimed at legal-age drinkers to about 45 years, Aroff says.
Aroff relied on Liquor Bottle Packaging Intl. (212/922-2813) as his "packaging facilitator" responsible for bottle logistics, sourcing, and printing. The bottles are produced in Italy from an unused stock mold that is essentially custom, according to Aroff, who had wanted to source the bottles domestically.
However, he was disappointed in the quality of American-made glass samples that did not have the quality of finish, seams, and weight that he sought. "Domestic glass is terrible," Aroff says. "Because of the price point of our product, we wanted to make sure the perceived value of the product presentation was relevant to the price. We wanted to create a high-quality package without reinventing the wheel and spending a tremendous amount of money." Aroff had also wanted to print on the bottle shoulder. "The entire package was a series of compromises, but ultimately we were satisfied with the results," he adds.
The imported clear flint glass cylindrical bottle is decorated by Serigraphie Richford Inc. (www.serigraphierichford.com). It applies two layers of red spray to get a deeper than usual red tint, and then screen-prints the bottles in three colors done in four passes. Bottles are sealed with a synthetic cork and metal cap also from Italy. Bottling is done by Distilled Resources (www.waytogoidaho.com) using existing equipment.
The company hopes that users will keep the bottle as a reusable decanter.
"Response to the product has been excellent," Aroff reports.
