All references

Swedish Tonic Glögg

Customer

Blueglass, SWE/TNC – Swedish Tonic

Origin

Sweden

Expertise

Glass packaging and decoration

From Tonic Syrup

Founded in 2016 by a group of young entrepreneurs, Swedish Tonic began with the ambition of creating an authentic tonic syrup made without artificial flavourings, refined white sugar or unnecessary additives.

What started as a small-scale operation grew into an internationally recognised drinks brand, offering a range of tonic-based mixers. Its original tonic syrup continues to be handcrafted in small batches using carefully selected natural ingredients.

The company’s approach to product development and packaging has earned international recognition. Swedish Tonic received a Swedish Design Award in 2019, followed by Gold at the Pentawards in 2020 for its tonic syrup packaging.

Building on its experience with tonic, the company introduced its own interpretation of a Swedish Christmas tradition: Glögg.

Combining the familiar flavours of mulled wine with the bitterness of organic tonic, Swedish Tonic’s Gin & Tonic Glögg brought together two drinks with long histories in a new festive recipe.

For the 2020 Christmas season, the brand partnered with BLUEGLASS to refresh the packaging and give the product a more contemporary appearance.

A Contemporary Take

Glögg has long been associated with Christmas celebrations in Sweden. Traditionally served warm and flavoured with spices, it is a familiar part of the festive season.

Swedish Tonic approached this tradition from a different angle, combining the warmth and spice of Glögg with the botanical character and bitterness associated with gin and tonic.

The range included alcoholic and no- or low-alcohol options, allowing the brand to reach different retail channels and consumer preferences.

The packaging needed to bring these influences together. It had to feel appropriate for a traditional Christmas drink while remaining consistent with Swedish Tonic’s modern, understated visual identity.

BLUEGLASS selected the bottle, whose clean lines and balanced proportions offered a suitable starting point for the design.

Available in a 500 ml format, with a 200 ml version introduced in 2021, the bottle features a T-cork finish. A GPI 28-400 screw-neck finish was also available upon request.

The straightforward shape provided space for decoration that could express the festive character of the drink without overwhelming the bottle itself.

Production and Decoration

For BLUEGLASS, an important consideration was finding a glass packaging partner capable of producing and decorating the bottles at the same manufacturing site.

Vaider Group (formerly HRASTNIK1860) was selected because both glass production and printing could be carried out at its plant in Europe.

This approach brought the manufacturing and decoration stages together, simplifying coordination and allowing the finished bottles to be prepared within the project’s required timeframe.

The BB ODEN bottle provided the foundation for the Swedish Tonic Glögg packaging, while the printed decoration connected the glass to the brand’s festive design.

Its simple silhouette allowed the artwork to remain the focus, bringing together references to traditional spices, craftsmanship and contemporary Swedish design.

The collaboration resulted in a bottle that reflected Swedish Tonic’s approach to Glögg: a familiar Christmas tradition presented with a modern twist, supported by European glass manufacturing and decoration expertise.