Welcome to Delta Farce 2: Kick Some Glass! The follow up article to Delta Farce Part 1 (CLICK HERE if you missed that article)
Previously on Team Delta Farce we introduced one of our many missions on the Nine Rivers Distillery project – the creation of our own distinctive whisky glasses. We introduced the team and had a competition for you all to guess who created our unique concept (and who thought it was a terrible idea!).
Coming up, we’ll reveal how we designed the glasses, some challenges we faced, then showcase some cool images of prototypes alongside the finished product. Finally, we’ll reveal the winner of the contest.
Why Reinvent the Glass?
Some of our broader team asked the same thing. The world has no shortage of fine glassware, so why go through all the trouble (and indeed, trouble was plentiful) of designing and manufacturing a new whisky glass?
There’s a few reasons why we did this. First and foremost, we want to show the whisky loving world that we really are different. It’s easy to say “yeah, we’re different because we say so” but actions speak louder than words. Doing things differently and taking on challenges that even the big brands don’t bother to do is the type of project that we want to be.
Secondly, because we see whisky as more than just chugging some oak cask matured, grain-derived booze. We see it as an experience. Something to be slowly enjoyed through aromas, flavors, in the company of good friends, and in a relaxed environment. A good whisky glass really does add to that experience, much in the same way people naturally reach for their favorite coffee mug, tea cup, comfy slippers, or a well-worn arm chair.
The Quick Recap
In Part One, we said we wanted cool whisky glasses, and we put Team Delta Farce on the mission because we didn’t want to be whisky industry sheep. We last left off at The Nerd suggesting borosilicate glass so we could use 3D sub-surface laser engraving. So what happened next?
A Pain In The Glass
The logic of four was an easy decision. Single glasses and pairs might sell better, but we weren’t looking for mass market merchandise. Four glasses not only make a nice set, but also reflects the four buildings that we are constructing for our distillery. With one building engraved into the base of each glass, well, you kinda have a visual representation of the distillery, right?
Wrong. When you have a nerd on the team, what you have is a “pain in the glass.” Nerds are mostly anal about precision and perfection, which was pointed out by The Nerd. Repeatedly.
“What’s going to happen when these glasses are not being used to drink whisky? They are going to sit on a shelf. The problem is going to be that most people won’t be bothered to lay these glasses out exactly as they should be. The spacing will be wrong and they won’t consider the need for the alignment to be 1.6 degrees off due north to cater for the feng shui requirements of our site.”
Two yawns, one “STFU,” one “stop being a nerd” and finally Chief Petty Officer Otter asked how this could be fixed.
The Birth of a Rock Star
Six minutes of silence later, during which The Nerd scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it over to Private Parts with some gibberish that only Private Parts and The Nerd could understand (they have developed some strange, caffeine overdose-induced language between themselves). Private Parts whipped out his…laptop, and proceeded to create a design that could be understood by other humans.
The concept was to create a scaled representation of our land parcel from locally sourced granite. The granite slab would match the shape of the land parcel and have inlaid holes with a correct feng shui- friendly alignment for each of the four glasses to sit.
The End Result
While we’re not really into all that fluffy marketing waffle others use to “sell” a concept to an audience (and in all fairness, we think the finished product speaks for itself) we feel it is worth explaining what we think we have achieved.
We have created a set of whisky glasses that pretty much anyone would be proud to own. They balance the trade-off between high-end quality and an everyday glass. They weigh in at more than half a kilo per glass (yes – per glass) but are surprisingly comfortable to hold and use. They also make an interesting display piece when not in use, giving owners an opportunity to experience what we hope our distillery will eventually look like.
We won’t pretend this was an easy process. In fact, to most of us on the team, it has been an endless headache for months. 19 prototypes on the granite slab with 3 different cutting techniques. There were 7 different approaches to inlays on the holes which included 2 members of Team Delta Farce spending a day with scissors, craft knives, 3 different types of resin and literally a haberdashery worth of different cloths. Even the 3D sub-surface laser engraving went through numerous designs and renders.
We came away with the knowledge and experience of exactly why the big brand whisky companies prefer to just print logos on generic glass. As it turns out, designing your own unique whisky glasses is quite a challenge and none of those other companies have Team Delta Farce*.
*(please note, any attempts by other whisky brands to poach our Team Delta Farce will probably result in handbags at dawn…)
Winner Winner – No Chicken Dinner (we don’t want to upset the vegans this week)
There were actually only 6 people who submitted correct answers. 2 of them cheated with multiple attempts from different email addresses, (we’re sure some of you can guess who they are……our favourite Italian guy and his wife) leaving just 4.
Chris P, Christian B, Daniel H, and Joel A. We threw all 4 names into a hat and we asked Winnie to draw one out. The winner is <drum roll> Joel A.
Joel is based in Suzhou, Jiangsu where he has spent the last decade working for a rather large software company as a New Product Introduction Manager. He’s not your typical nerd – apparently he’s super into extreme sports. He has a black belt in origami, he’s a former world heavy weight duck wrestling champion, and he once stared down Phill’s auntie without even blinking. All impressive feats.
The Answers?
No doubt at least six people out there want to know what the answers to the questions were. The Negative Nelly was in fact Hayden. The Nerd was Jay.
Wanna Buy Some?
Yes we know, the only reason you’ve endured reading our latest waffle is to get your hands on some right? Well, it’s finally THAT time. There’s a link right here for you to buy some. CLICK RIGHT HERE IF YOU WANT TO BUY
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