ROLE:

Brand & Identity Development

Copywriting

Package Design

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Great Plains Craft Spirits is a whisky company that has positioned themselves within a relatively new category in Canadian whisky know as finishers and bottlers.

The practice of sourcing high quality whiskies and then finishing in specialty cognac, brandy or armagnac barrels to impart additional flavours and character to the whisky is a relatively common practice in Europe. However for a Canadian whisky to endeavour to present finishing to the conservative Canadian market is a risk.

Consequently we identified the need to create a unique brand and package that could introduce the idea of finishing to audiences but in a manner that felt as though it was a well established and highly regarded practice.

Canadian whisky in currently under appreciated within Canada since most Canadians don’t have access to well aged product. The well aged whiskies don’t typically end up in audiences hands because of the high cost as well as the demand for such aged product as blending stock for the large Canadian brands.

The offering from Great Plains brings 18, 19 and possibly 20+ year whisky to the shelves and with the additional finishing, a taste profile that is unique, complex and mature.

Production

The label is intentionally uncomplicated in production but utilizes techniques that are symbolic of high quality print from past eras. A deep deboss of all content is hit with a roughened metallic foil to give the feel of old bonds. The cap is finished with laser etched identity and then wrapped with a strip seal reminiscent of regulated alcohol products in the 1800’s.