Last week I received a very intriguing email asking me if I wanted in on the secret that is McQueen Gin and their new #WorldsCoolestLabel.
I often get sent gin to try out and when it arrives I am always excited get hold of the bottle not only to see what the people behind it have designed but also to learn more about them too. There is always a story behind the people creating new products, and this is especially true where wine and gin are concerned. And whilst I could never tell a gin from a blind taste test I could tell you something about each and every one of my 100+ gin collection.
So when that email landed I was intrigued. They wouldn’t tell me anything about it and asked that once it arrived and I was in on the secret I didn’t say anything either until today. Today is launch day so now I can spill the beans.
Driven by passion and a pioneering attitude, McQueen Gin has ripped up the rule book and paved its own way in the British spirits industry by innovating at pace. The latest launch of the augmented reality labels and app is a commitment to that McQueen ethos of doing things differently.
Augmented reality you say? Oh yes. You see this gin comes with an app (available in app stores) that allows you to do something quite clever. Once downloaded you then fire up the app and simply hold your camera over the gin bottle’s label for it to immediately come to life. It is bonkers! And for somebody who has never really played with augmented reality, very very clever. Every variety of the gin offers a different augmented reality experience.
Dale McQueen, MD of McQueen Gin, said:
At its core, one of the fascinating sociable aspects of society can be found when we share a drink with our friends, either in the pub or in our homes.
With that option being limited in the current climate, we have enhanced this experience by creating an engaging AR experience on our six core range bottles that people will enjoy sharing across social media. We wanted to make not just an enjoyable tasting gin but an experience which would bond people together and give them something other than great taste to talk about.
We have achieved this through the new McQueen Gin app, which allows the user to view the augmented reality experience by simply opening the app and pointing their camera at the front label.
Not only are we the first Scottish Gin company to integrate augmented reality, we believe that we are the first gin company in the whole of the UK to fully integrate augmented reality into our label design with our own dedicated app, showcasing how McQueen continues to lead the industry in innovation.”
Founded in 2015, Dale and Vicky McQueen created McQueen Gin intending to create an adventurous gin-drinking experience unlike any other and bringing unique and exciting flavours to the market which meet the demands of the ever-evolving audience of gin-lovers. I would say they have smashed it out of the park with this
My bottle is the blackcurrant and raspberry flavour and it really packs a punch. It stands out on the gin shelf, and will be a real talking point when people can come over for a G&T. I experimented with mixers and found it was fabulous with a splash of ginger ale, and also worked well with Appletiser.
Seems like McQueen aren’t the only ones tearing up the rule book with this gin!