Distilleries
My first distillery experience was in 2012. Actually, it wasn’t a distillery but a derelict Victorian farm. After a total refurbishment, the farm opened as the Lakes Distillery in 2014.
We created spirit branding, packaging, signage, tasting room, the tour, including films, graphics, bespoke seating and lighting. I even designed the gates.
The Lakes won the world's best whisky distillery visitor experience three years running!
Following this remarkable success, others followed. Below are some examples of work produced.
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It is advisable to have additional revenue streams when opening a whisky distillery. Remember, Whisky isn’t whisky until three years have elapsed, even then most whisky drinkers don’t value a single malt till it has at least six to eight years under its belt.
Food, tours, shop and merchandise were all planned. Gin and Vodka can be made virtually overnight, so that was a no-brainer.
But we needed a whisky, and that would have to be a blend made with other folks' spirits.
As there were distilleries in every home nation, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England producing whisky, the idea was conceived to have a blend of all, creating a British whisky blend. As it turned out, this had never been done before, hence, the One British Whisky.
The One is still going strong but has had a makeover since my stripped-back, non-Scottishy, non-Irishy look. Perhaps for the better!
Boyle, County Roscommon in the Republic of Ireland, is a grand place. Home to a 12th-century abbey and 21st-century TV and movie star Chris O’Dowd. It is also home to the derelict Boyle Mill, owned by the Stewart family.
This project began with naming the distillery and all the spirit brands. I wasn’t too sure that Boyle Distillery or Boyle Whiskey sounded quite right, so I named the distillery after the family and the whisky after an old name for the part of town in which the abbey sits. To reach the abbey, you need to cross a five-arched bridge. As the river Boyle approaches the Mill, it is directed via the cutwater into the Millrace before reaching the Mill. 1161 is the year of the abbey’s foundation, Aquavitae, the Latin for whiskey. Names sorted, job done!
Bottle design by Phil Tait
This well-intentioned distillery project never got off the ground. This can happen for a number of reasons; however, I did the creative work and was very happy with it. Hence why I’m showing it to you now.
Falkirk has a rich history, therefore, fertile ground for ideas. There had been two pivotal battles of Falkirk in 1298 and 1746.
Long before this, the Romans built the Antonine Wall, which ran through the grounds of the proposed distillery site.
The Falkirk Tryst was the primary Scottish livestock market, supplanting Crief. Cattle drovers would meet here; cattle would be bought and sold, and a right old knees up would be had! The perfect name for a blend, a coming together of spirits.
The High Level Bridge, designed by Robert Stevenson, over the Tyne gorge, was critical in the growth and prosperity of the City of Newcastle. Up until it was opened in 1849, the railways terminated at Gateshead on the other side of the river.
The proposed site for the distillery was the old Stephenson railway works, nearby.
This was an interesting project. Mayfair Gin was already in the marketplace. It was a very masculine, ‘Gentleman’s Club’ kind of brand design. I didn’t think that was where the market was for Gin, so I redesigned the masculine Gin to be more suitable, but then I also offered a completely different feminine version.
