Hands up if you like Gin!
Over the past few years, there has been a huge rise in popularity for Gin and Gin flavoured food, so we wanted to take a closer look. With so many brands out there, how can a Gin brand stand out from the crowd?
Gin needs to taste good, but first to get noticed, it needs to look good too. The way a product looks is so important and packaging that catches your eye will always be a winner – especially if the brand or its reputation is initially unknown to you.
With this in mind, here are the brands that caught our eye, which one is your favourite?
Bonnie and Clyde Gin
No, not the gangsters, it’s a Gin! Well, it’s two bottles… One Bonnie, and one Clyde! These collector’s item bottles come in exclusive designs whenever they are released and each bottle has its own unique and distinct hand crafted flavour; Clyde is spicy, with hints of pepper and turmeric and Bonnie has a delicate sweetness from the subtle use of honey, as well as the use of juniper and cranberry in the distillation process.
But, it is in the design where the magic starts. The designs are different with every collection. Simone Hodgskiss (AKA Pearly Yon), a South African based artist, was commissioned to design both the collections that have been released so far and she has done an amazing job. All the designs have drawn inspiration from the 1930s, and play homage to Bonnie and Clyde themselves with drawings of guns included in the illustrations and the second batch also takes inspiration from tattoo line work.
Take a look… aren’t they beautiful?
Photo Pinterest ©
Photo World Packaging Design ©
Gin Rawal
At first glance – men leaping into, or swimming in water – your initial thought is, why? What have these men, with their old fashioned swimwear and moustaches, got to do with Gin? Dorian, the Barcelona based design company actually designed the bottles for Fishing Salada, a small cocktail bar located in the marine enthralled district of El Raval.
We love the way each bottle has a striking swimmer’s pose, and how, as the content level decreases, the divers/swimmers transition from being underwater to being above the Gin!
Photo AdWeek ©
It’s also interesting to know that Barcelona is actually well-known in Spain as being a pioneering place when it comes to creating new, Gin-based cocktails.
VL92 Gin
With numerous awards for their packaging design under their belts, VL92 Gin is a definite, yet surprisingly ‘simple in look’ favourite when it comes to the best Gin bottle designs out there!
Named after a historic Dutch sailing vessel whose freight contained exotic spices, it has soft, botanical elements in its flavour, alongside a bolder citrusy endnote as well as a surprising ingredient: coriander leaf.
The design itself is very simple. Almost clinical. The clean, clear label with just the necessary details in clear, medicinal script and a bold red stamp with the date, denotes a pharmaceutical feel and look, and the crisp white tissue on top and the straw tie finishes the look perfectly.
Photo Rare Fruits Council ©
This is Gin, pure and simple.
Dodd’s Gin
Another favourite Gin bottle design is Dodd’s Gin, which is named after Ralph Dodd, a British civil engineer who, back in 1807, alongside his attempts to build bridges and tunnels including one that ran under the Thames in London, had a vision – to build a distillery in London that focused entirely on creating British spirits. Sadly, his dream didn’t come true, but The London Distillery Company took on this dream and Dodd’s Gin is the first Gin to be produced solely in London.
A vibrant gin, it is made exclusively with organic botanicals, including juniper, fresh lime peel, cardamom, angelica, bay laurel, red raspberry leaf and honey from The London Honey Company.
The design itself was also inspired by Ralph Dodd and cleverly combines beautifully designed images of trigonometry, geometry and engineering diagrams for a visually striking bottle that has the necessary premium feel.
Photo The Whisky Exchange ©
We also love the fact that this was made here, in the UK and by buying this Gin, we feel we’re doing our bit to support this home-grown distillery that has gone that extra mile to build a distillery the right way, with strong core values and one that wants to produce premium drinks that people will enjoy. The fact that it got the boost it needed from crowd-funding and that it has strong eco-credentials (the botanicals and spirits are 100% organic and approved by the Soil Association) also makes our support for this delicious Gin with its fantastic design even bigger!
Conker Gin
Another home-grown Gin is Conker Gin, distilled and bottled by Conker, at Dorset’s first gin distillery, nestled in the back streets of Bournemouth.
The actual Gin bottle design is much more ‘traditional’ than the others we’ve seen, which is also reflected in the refreshing, yet deftly smooth flavour of juniper, elderberries, samphire and handpicked, New Forest gorse flowers.
Photo Craft Gins ©
The stout, round bottles, classic colours and simply stated typography tell you all you need to know – this is a classic Gin that you can pour over ice, or, simply enjoy it on its own.
So, which was your favourite Gin bottle design?
Whatever the product, the right packaging can make all the difference, and that’s something we’re passionate about at Eat Marketing. If you have a product that you want to being to life with the right design, talk to us today and explore just what you could do with the right look for your product and brand…
