Star Trek Whiskey Explores Strange New Packaging World

Kate Bertrand Connolly 1 | May 17, 2023

The future of whiskey packaging design — the exceptionally deep future — has materialized, in the form of a Romulan Ale Rye whiskey bottle.

The distinctive, extraterrestrial beverage packaging duplicates the details of the prop bottle for Romulan Ale, a spirit first seen in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The real-life rye, a premium-quality spirit, is colored deep blue to mimic the fictional ale.

Spirits That Rock, an alcohol-beverage supplier and developer of fan-targeted alcohol brands, launched Romulan Ale Rye and Romulan Ale Vodka in late 2022. Both products are filled into the same custom-designed glass bottle.

The products target the universe of Star Trek fans, who, like other sci-fi enthusiasts, can't get enough show- and movie-themed collectibles.

Both versions of limited-edition Romulan Ale (rye and vodka) are available online at Star Trek Spirits, for shipping to more than 33 states. ABC Fine Wine & Spirits began selling Romulan Ale Rye at select stores in Florida in February 2023, with a limit of two bottles per consumer.

The online shop offers Romulan Ale Rye for $85 per bottle and Romulan Ale Vodka for $75. Multipacks are also available for Trekkies interested in sampling both. The limited editions will be available while supplies last.

"The Romulan Ale bottle is by far the most technically challenging bottle we’ve ever created," said Howard Jackowitz, co-founder and president of Spirits That Rock, in the December 2022 announcement of the spirts’ launch.

"The bottles we’ve all seen used in Star Trek throughout the years were never designed to hold drinkable products. For our Romulan Ale, we needed custom-designed, high-end glass. Beyond the exciting bottle, we put extraordinary focus on the quality of the spirits," Jackowitz said.

The bottles are topped with a glass stopper and feature individually numbered labels. Metallic-gold decorating on the front of the bottle mirrors the graphics on the Star Trek prop bottle.

To create the packaging, Spirits That Rock worked with Star Trek archivists and prop masters, as well as packaging designers and glass artisans. Master distillers created the ultra-premium rye inside the bottle using vacuum distillation to enhance the rye's flavor and aromatics.

Spirits That Rock spent several years developing both the rye and the novel bottle design.

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