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Bardinet Brandy has hailed in a new era for its spirits, crafting tradition and embracing advances in research
By Phoebe Calver
Founded in 1857 by its namesake, Paul Bardinet, every drop of brandy created for Bardinet works as an act of collective passion. With a likeminded approach to spirit creation and international ambition, Bardinet joined La Martiniquaise group in 1993. The latter was founded in 1934 by entrepreneur Jean Cayard and is now a leading player in the global wine and spirits industry.
Since its inception, Bardinet has ensured a trio of qualities are paramount in its processes, offering quality, variety and value to all. In the modern day, the brand continues to respect the long-standing traditions of its craft, while simultaneously embracing the advances of research and technology.
Bardinet’s brandy is created by a team that are dedicated to ensuring consistency of quality, as well as its recognisable rounded and balanced taste that can be enjoyed by everyone, in whatever form they wish to enjoy it in. Distilled from grapes, Bardinet is aged in oak barrels and expertly blended at the house’s Domaine de Fleurenne estate, near Bordeaux. Not only is Bardinet one of the world’s top 10 internationally sold brandies, and the third biggest-selling French-made brandy, but it is also among the top three best-selling brandies in duty free.
In an effort to embrace its rich history, while also looking to the future, the brand recently revealed a new look and advertising campaign to showcase the craft and passion behind its brandy. The distinctive new bottle shape, complete with an enhanced label design, and an advertising campaign featuring the tagline ‘Crafted with French passion’ brings to life the expertise, tradition and people behind this globally recognised brand.
Reflecting Bardinet’s quality, heritage and expert craft, the brand’s packaging updates are designed to give a more premium and contemporary feel. The redesigned bottle shape is shared by both the VSOP and XO expressions, accompanied by bolder branding consistent across the two brandies that demonstrates their shared identities. This change perfectly highlighted the celebration of Bardinet’s French heritage, with design elements including the house’s founding date, Paul Bardinet’s signature, and its traditional eagle emblem.
Marion Divaret, international brand manager for Bardinet, explains, “Bardinet brandy is for all to enjoy, whether they are experimenting with brandy in cocktails, or prefer to drink our spirit neat. By updating our packaging and launching our striking new advertising campaign, we invite everyone to explore the rounded, balanced taste of Bardinet brandy, which we have been crafting with passion for more than a century.”
This new era for Bardinet places an emphasis on the brandy’s quality, with an explanation of its authentic brandy-making process, mention of its French roots, and the abbreviations VSOP and XO defined in full to promote greater consumer understanding.
The brandy’s campaign shines a light on Bardinet’s craftsmen and women and its French traditions. The campaign itself comprises two classic black-and-white images of barrels being carefully selected by Bardinet’s master blender. Overlaid by the tagline ‘Crafted with French passion’ in a handwritten style, these photographs are contrasted with the familiar bold red of Bardinet’s masthead, and striking colour images of its new-look bottles and serves, such as Bardinet VSOP Tonic.
Alongside the reimagined stable of brandies, Bardinet has also expanded its portfolio with the addition of the newest arrival to its range – Bardinet Coffee. The new creation is a marriage of smooth Bardinet brandy and heady coffee, creating an enticing new flavour sensation.
Through the creation of this new flavoured brandy, Bardinet has taken the opportunity to embrace the rise of coffee culture and bring craft distilling into the mix. The resulting spirit is embracing the innovative nature of the brand and bringing in a cross-generational appeal for lovers of brandy old and new.
Léna Rusek, international brand manager, said, “Coffee and brandy have long been a match made in heaven, and a favourite partnership when creating coffee drinks. This new offering adds another dimension to that flavour combination. It’s a contemporary product that also stays true to Bardinet’s French heritage and passion. We think consumers will love it.”
Bardinet’s master blender chose the flavours of fruity Arabica and bitter Robusta coffee for the project to produce an aromatic blend. When combined with the candied dried fruit notes of aged Bardinet brandy, the result is deep, smooth and mellow but with a pleasing sweetness. It’s perfect enjoyed simply over ice, in long drinks, or as a partner for mixing in a variety of cocktails.
A new drink deserved some brand new packaging, and Bardinet Coffee doesn’t disappoint with a stylish new craft-style label printed on delicate textured paper to amplify Bardinet Coffee’s quality offering.
This article was first published in Travelux issue 2 in September 2022.
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