Bruichladdich has never been a distillery that plays things safe, but its latest release takes that reputation into striking new territory. This week, the Islay producer revealed the identity for X4+18 Edition 01, the world’s first quadruple distilled 18-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, created in partnership with Thirst.
The project marks the beginning of a four-part series and, unsurprisingly for the team behind the original aqua bottle, it’s designed to challenge almost every visual convention in the category.
The whisky itself is unconventional enough, with quadruple distillation being almost unheard of in Scotch. The distillery first tested it back in 2006 as a risk-taking experiment, and so translating that into a piece of packaging required a similar mindset.
“Design has always been central to how Bruichladdich expresses itself,” says Gareth Brown, global marketing director at Bruichladdich. “When the distillery team first experimented with quadruple distillation in 2006, it was a risk that went against convention. X4+18 continues that tradition, and the packaging had to be just as bold.
“Walk into any whisky shop, and you’ll see it instantly – it’s disruptive, it’s different, it’s
Bruichladdich.”
Thirst’s approach leans into that non-conformist energy through a system that behaves like the process itself. Matt Burns, co-founder and executive creative director at Thirst, explains: “The unlock came early when we agreed the design had to behave like the process: four distinct passes through the stills, layered into one clear read.”
That thinking led to a set of abstract graphic forms, each representing a distillation stage, and a geometric structure that holds the story together without feeling overworked.
The label wraps around Bruichladdich’s proprietary Luxury Re/Defined bottle, which contains approximately 60% recycled glass, demonstrating how experimental flair doesn’t have to compromise on sustainability. On shelf, the bold use of colour establishes immediate distance from the traditional Scotch palette. Where the category often veers into earthy golds and sepias, X4+18 uses vivid flashes of aqua and unexpected tonal combinations to create what Burns calls a deliberate break from “a sea of beige”.
While Thirst obviously wanted to design something provocative, they also wanted to do so in a way that still felt anchored in the brand’s DNA. Matt says: “Bruichladdich is a gift to design for, because they give you licence to walk new paths and never repeat what already exists.
“Risk is behind X4+18’s creation, and it’s not just the way it’s created that’s different – it tastes different, looks different, and is different.”
Keeping that distinctiveness while preserving the brand’s underlying structure was key. As Burns puts it, the team needed to “dial that disruptive energy up without losing the structural, uncompromising character at the heart of the brand.”
Working as a series also shaped the creative direction. Rather than a one-off expression, Edition 01 establishes a visual world that future releases can expand.
“Thinking as a series changes everything,” Matt adds. It creates space for new drops and colourways, and a sense of collectability, which in turn opens the door to merchandise, collaborations, and a broader cultural footprint beyond the whisky aisle.
Despite the complexity of the process, clarity remained a driving force. Matt says: “The beauty of X4+18 is that it’s easy to understand – four times distilled, 18 years old.
“We aimed to make the packaging deliver that same hit of clarity and excitement. If you blur your eyes in a whisky shop, Bruichladdich still stands out.”
Edition 01 will launch in November 2025 with a limited run of 2,400 bottles available through the distillery’s visitor centre and website. Three further editions are planned, with the next release slated for 2027.
Looking ahead, Gareth hopes the series becomes a marker of what risk can achieve. “In whisky design, there’s a huge temptation to play safe, but Matt and the team have shown that risk can lead to beauty – both in the bottle and on it.”
