Abstract: A package includes a plurality of upright bottles arranged in at least one row, and a carton for enclosing the bottles. The carton includes a top wall disposed over tops of the bottles and at least one cushioning flap hingedly connected to the top wall along a fold line. A portion of the cushioning flap is defined at least in part by a tear line such that the cushioning flap is separable from the top wall along the tear line and is inwardly foldable along the fold line so as to provide in the top wall an aperture for receiving fingers of a user's hand and a cushioned edge that can be gripped for engaging the carton. The cushioning flap is concavely contoured along the tear line such that the cushioning flap can be folded inwardly with a portion of the cushioning flap passing over at least one of the bottles without being obstructed by said at least one bottle and with extended distal ends of the cushioning flap passing on either side of said at least one bottle.