Santaren: A Blend of Tradition and Innovation

Estudio Maba's Award-Winning Design for a Gourmet Rum Bottle

The uniqueness of Santaren lies in its narrative design and the fusion of different cultural elements. It represents the coming together of the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the River Demerara. The design aims to reflect the elegance, personality, and refinement of the liquid it contains, which is distilled with great care and full of history.

The realization of this design involves a combination of digital printing, gold foil stamping, embossing, and puff ink on a pure cotton paper label. The bottle, measuring 110 X 110 X 230 mm, is housed in a 120 X 120 240 mm canister, thoughtfully decorated and protected by silky golden paper.

The design team, led by Miguel Ángel del Baño and Beatriz Suárez, faced challenges in balancing the narrative elements on the label and incorporating the story in the name itself. The illustration, a blend of ancient printing techniques and digital illustration, was another significant challenge. The choice of paper and finish was crucial to express the proud character of the product.

The design process, which spanned from November 2016 to March 2017, involved extensive research. The graphic approach for the label was classical, employing engraving techniques on heavily textured cotton paper. Ornamental typeface, luxurious detail, and biblical symbols were incorporated to narrate the martyrdom of Saint Irene of Thessalonica, a young virgin put to death for hiding the Holy Scriptures.

Santaren has been recognized for its design excellence, winning the Golden A' Packaging Design Award in 2018. This award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.