Custom Liquor Bottle Labels

Yes. There’s no minimum order, so a barrel pick of 200 labels or a dozen gift bottles is a normal job for us. We print digitally, which means there are no printing plates to pay for on a short run. Textured papers like estate, felt, and linen are available at any quantity. Most standard labels print within 5 business days of artwork approval, which leaves room before a release date.

Foil adds a metallic layer, embossing raises the paper itself, and raised UV adds a clear gloss you can feel.

• Hot foil stamping puts a thin layer of real metallic foil (gold, silver, copper) on the label. It’s brighter and more mirror-like than metallic ink.
• Embossing presses the paper up from behind, so a logo or border stands out in relief. Embossing with no ink or foil on top is called blind embossing.
• Raised spot UV is a thick, clear coating printed over parts of the design. It catches the light and has a slight ridge under your fingertip.

Foil and embossing together, usually on a textured paper, is the combination distillers ask us about most.

For a bottle headed into ice, we typically recommend a film label over paper. Textured papers like estate, felt, and linen give a spirits label its premium feel, but paper soaks up water and starts to wrinkle and lift once it’s wet. A textured paper with a protective varnish is fine on a back bar or a store shelf. Film doesn’t absorb water, and a matte finish keeps it from looking shiny or plasticky. Tell us where your bottles will spend most of their time, and we’ll match the material to it.

Federal rules from the TTB (the agency that regulates spirits labels) require these on every bottle:

• Brand name, class or type (like “Bourbon Whisky”), and alcohol content, all visible on the same side of the bottle
• Net contents, like 750 mL
• Name and address of the distiller, bottler, or importer
• The Government Warning statement
• Any disclosures that apply to your spirit, such as an age statement for some whiskies, coloring, or sulfites

Spirits sold across state lines also need a COLA (Certificate of Label Approval) from the TTB, and getting it is up to you. We print exactly what’s on your approved proof, so it’s smart to have your COLA in hand before you place a production order.

Yes. Many of the spirits labels we print are sets with a front label, a back label, and often a neck label, all on one order. We also print tamper seals that run over the cap or cork, plus shrink sleeves if you want the whole bottle covered. Printing the pieces together keeps your golds and blacks consistent from front label to neck. Several spirits or bottle sizes can share the order too.

Yes. We cut custom label shapes for curved whiskey bottles, tapered necks, indented panels, flasks, and glass or ceramic decanters, so the label sits flat instead of wrinkling at the edges. For gift sets and sampler packs, we print matching labels sized for each bottle, so a 750 mL and a set of minis look like one family. A brand-new shape needs a new cutting die, which can add time to your first order while our supplier makes it. Send us the bottle or its dimensions, and we’ll recommend a shape and size.

We don’t design labels in house, but we can point you to people who do. Our directory of Blue Label Approved designers lists designers who know how labels print, and our gallery of past label designs is there for ideas. If your design started in Canva or an AI image tool, a designer can rebuild it into a print-ready file. We check every file against our artwork checklist before printing and let you know if anything needs fixing.

Our preferred file formats are Adobe Illustrator or High-Resolution PDF.  You can view our complete artwork file standards checklist here.

Yes. Before we print your liquor labels, we email you a digital proof to approve. Check it for spelling, positioning, size, and every required detail, since what you approve is what we print. A screen can’t show exactly how a color or material will look in hand, so order our free sample pack if that matters for your launch.

Our printers are capable of matching up to 97% of the full color spectrum, allowing us to achieve precise color reproduction for your liquor bottle labels. We use advanced CMYK printing to produce an extensive gamut of millions of colors. For designs requiring an expanded range, we also print using WOVG ink sets which add white, orange, violet and green.

Our top-of-the-line color management program and processes ensure we hit the correct hues, tints and shades. We color calibrate and profile all of our presses so your unique color palettes and gradations print true to your vision.

We offer shipping through several vendors like UPS, Fedex, and USPS. Ground, Next-Day, 2-Day, 3-Day, and custom freight options.