Nouvelles du studio: Glenrothes 51 wins at Paris Packaging Week 2026!
From Aberdeen to Paris for three brilliant days, Paris Packaging Week proved worth every mile.
Our Creative Director, Mark, travelled down for the PDL Innovation Awards 2026, proudly alongside our clients The Glenrothes and our collaborators on the 51 project, Zone Creations.
Set within the elegance of Pavillon Vendôme, the evening brought fresh ideas to the surface, sparked inspiring conversations, and celebrated the very best in packaging craft.
We were truly honoured to take home the award with our team in the Hyper Luxury category, in the company of such strong competition.
Winning the PLD Hyper Luxury Award for The Glenrothes 51 is something I am genuinely proud of, not just as a creative outcome but as a statement of intent.
This project was never about decoration or excess. It was about asking a hard question. How do you honour something that cannot be repeated, cannot be rushed, and should not be easily accessed. The answer demanded restraint, engineering rigour, and the courage to remove familiar luxury cues rather than add more.
Every part of the experience was considered. From the destructive act required to reveal the whisky, to the permanence of the materials, to the idea that value can be created through commitment rather than convenience. It pushed us creatively and technically, and it required absolute trust between Brand, Studio and Manufacturing.
To have that thinking recognised at a Hyper Luxury level, and specifically for the PLD Innovation awards, matters deeply. It validates the belief that true luxury is not about polish alone, but about conviction, craft, and the willingness to take risks that feel uncomfortable.
This award belongs as much to the people who believed in the idea as it does to the final object. It is a reminder that when you respect the liquid, respect the story, and refuse to compromise, the work can stand on the world stage.
Mark Gordon, Creative Director, Studio Form
In the days that followed, we stepped into the Paris Packaging Week exhibition, a global festival for premium packaging that draws beauty, luxury and premium drinks under one Parisian roof. It’s the kind of place where you can feel the future taking shape, through next generation materials, exquisite finishes, smarter sustainable solutions and the suppliers setting the pace.
From L’Oréal and LVMH to Chanel, Gucci, Unilever, Estée Lauder, Pernod Ricard, Diageo and Rémy Cointreau, the names were as impressive as the ideas, with thousands more voices in the mix.
We can’t wait to share more of our journey on The Glenrothes 51, a true creative collaboration.
We were delighted to have the product launch covered by the likes of Forbes, Bloomberg, Sotheby’s, Master of Malt , InsideHook and Men’s Journal.
Why This $46,500 Scotch Whisky Comes With Its Own Hammer. Hidden, theatrical and beautifully designed, the Glenrothes 51 Year Old might be the most honest whisky release of the modern era, embracing ritual, rarity and the beauty of destruction.
Forbes
This is no ordinary unboxing. The packaging for the 51-Year-Old is unlike anything seen before. The bottle remains completely hidden until the outer shell is physically broken.
A true expression of circular design, craftsmanship, and emotional storytelling.
With over 12 years of experience in conceptual design engineering, Studio Form bring unique blend of creativity and technical expertise to packaging and product design. If you’ve got a project in mind, we’d love to chat – hello@form-digital.com