The first shaman on Earth named Dayan Degereki was so powerful, he could conquer even Death. He fell in love with a daughter of Genghis-Khan himself and spirited her right away from her wedding with a man she did not love. When Genghis-Khan's best riders gained the runagates at the bank of the Khövsgöl, a stunningly beautiful Altai lake, Dayan Degereki turned his beloved and himself into stone statues, balbals. When Genghis Khan was desperate to return his dear daughter, the stones turned back into humans, and Genghis Khan appointed Dayan Degereki his key advisor. The Great Shaman, as he was titled, prepared a drink that became the secret to Genghis Khan's might, tenacity and incredible power. This liquor of tough men, arkhi, is made of milk, ginseng, mountain honey and Altai herbs.
We designed a product for those who want to retain the belief in magic, tribal bonds, and nature even in the post industrial society.
Balbals are ancient steppe stone sculptures erected to commemorate the power and dominance of the chiefs — they are perceivable phallic symbols. In the Turkic languages, bal also means honey.
We used the coincidence to conceive the bottle for a honey liqueur and honey-containing arkhi, a traditional alcoholic drink made of distilled milk, with ginseng, which is long-known as aphrodisiac, and Altai herbs. A premium product in the range, Balbal in the metalized bottle, is a triple distilled horz.
The mold shape wears out over time — glass bottles, just like stone sculptures, will gradually change their appearance.
Two topics pervade the project: traditions and sexuality. Stories and history stir up interest and elicit trust, while sex is a no fail trigger for discussion. The bottle shape may be used for effective marketing communications. The brand slogan is "BALBAL. Ancestors' powers".
