Hunter Luxury has won an Innovation Award at Paris Packaging Week 2026 in the PLD – Value Added Packaging category, thanks to its standout collaboration for Hendrick’s Gin: the Whimsical Watering Can.
Does it ring a bell? Packaging Post had previously highlighted how Hendrick’s uses collectible packs to turn gifting into storytelling (“Hendrick’s Gin turns packaging into storytelling with its collectible gift sets“). This award win reinforces the same strategic direction — but with an even bolder move: making the pack itself the product’s most memorable ritual.
Developed with William Grant & Sons, and based on a concept by Boundless Brand Design, the project is a sharp example of where premium packaging is heading: beyond decoration, into function, longevity, and brand theatre.
At the heart of the idea is a simple (and risky) proposition: packaging that is not packaging anymore, but a fully reusable object. The limited-edition set houses a 70cl bottle of Hendrick’s Original inside a vintage-style watering can, designed to be genuinely functional and used long after purchase — from growing cucumbers (naturally) to serving cocktails, or simply becoming a collectible design piece.
Delivering that promise at scale required serious engineering. Hunter Luxury reports using galvanised steel and stainless-steel elements to meet food safety expectations, combined with a black powder-coated finish that nods to Hendrick’s iconic dark bottle. A circular aperture on the lid reveals the bottle neck, while details like the embossed finishing and a gold rose fitted to the spout push the object deeper into the brand’s quirky, Victorian-inspired universe.
A well-deserved recognition that paves the way for other innovations that elevate the perspective of packaging from a container to a unique shopping experience.
(Photo Credits: Hunter Luxury)
