Case Study: Heaven Hill – Grain to Glass Whiskey

Case Study: Heaven Hill - Grain to Glass Whiskey

6:27

Client Overview

Heaven Hill Brands, a leading family-owned spirits company in the United States, teamed up with BluEdge to create digital renderings of their new Grain to Glass Whiskey collection. The collection features three distinct varieties: Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey, and Straight Rye Whiskey. Without any physical bottles or labels available, BluEdge was tasked with producing hyper-realistic CGI renderings of the bottles, labels, corks, and liquid, allowing Heaven Hill to begin marketing long before the products were physically manufactured.

 

Interactive 3D Model  - Try it out!

 

Project Scope and Goals  

BluEdge's main challenge was to produce digital representations of the three whiskey bottles that were indistinguishable from photographs. Using Illustrator files provided by Heaven Hill, which included details such as colors, paper types, ink types, and foils, BluEdge created digital versions of the bottles with a focus on accuracy and realism. The goal was not only to deliver flawless visuals but also to build digital files that could be easily updated in the future as Heaven Hill planned to refresh their labels periodically. This adaptability ensured that Heaven Hill could maintain a consistent product line while making updates as needed.

 

 

Tools and Techniques  

To bring the bottles to life, BluEdge used advanced software such as Adobe Suite, Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, and Marmoset Toolbag. From the Illustrator files, BluEdge’s team meticulously recreated each element of the label, paying close attention to the materials, like metallic foils and embossed logos. Due to the lack of physical reference, BluEdge relied heavily on the client’s specifications to ensure accurate bottle shapes, colors, and textures.

 

BluEdge's artists added subtle design details to enhance realism, such as incorporating imperfections like fingerprints on the bottles. This attention to detail gave the bottles a lifelike appearance in marketing imagery. Additionally, to avoid a “repeat” look in group shots, BluEdge introduced slight variations, such as different cork patterns and slight changes in liquid color, to reflect the uniqueness of each whiskey variety.

 

• 
• 
• 

Unique Challenges  

One of the key challenges BluEdge faced was creating something that didn’t yet exist in the real world. As Cross Media Specialist Curt Steyer remarked, "We were building something that hadn’t yet been in the physical world." Another challenge was ensuring the bottles looked natural when displayed together. To achieve this, the team made small adjustments in blemish positions and cork textures, as Bryan Martinez, Senior CGI Artist, explained, "We didn’t want each bottle to appear copy-pasted."

 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

 

Team Effort and Client Collaboration  

The close collaboration between BluEdge and Heaven Hill was essential to the project’s success. BluEdge worked with Heaven Hill’s design team in multiple live editing sessions, allowing for real-time adjustments based on feedback and minimizing revision cycles. One unique aspect of this project was the involvement of Heaven Hill’s primary contact, a photographer by trade, who provided expert insights on lighting and angles for the renderings.

 

Results  

The final deliverable was a series of hyper-realistic CGI renderings for the Grain to Glass Whiskey collection that captured every detail, from the texture of the cork to the light reflecting off the glass. These assets were used for marketing and sales purposes long before the physical products were available, giving Heaven Hill an early promotional advantage.

 

In addition to their stunning visuals, the CGI files were designed with future-proofing in mind. The flexibility of the digital assets allows Heaven Hill to easily update labels or introduce new products without the need for complete rebuilds, ensuring the brand can continue to evolve without sacrificing consistency.

 

With these high-quality digital renderings, Heaven Hill can confidently showcase their Grain to Glass collection, knowing the visuals convey the premium nature of the whiskey.