A Fine Spirit to Sip or Guzzle

World-renowned bartender Shingo Gokan was embarking on his new venture into distilling shochu (a traditional Japanese grain-spirit) by partnering with specialist distillers across the islands of Japan.

The challenge was to create branding and label design that alludes visually to Japanese visual culture and also feels sylistically connected to Gokan’s bar in Tokyo which has a distinct Victorian-England aesthetic.

The resulting gas-lamp approach to label design was prompted by a mutual admiration for early western lithography and traditional Japanese woodblock print-making and where these two styles meet. Details such as traditional kimono patterning and suminigashi ink textures weave around ultra-detailed gaslamp ribbons and bespoke vintage-inspired letterforms.

The set won bronze at San Francisco World Spirits competition for packaging design.

Client- The SG Group / Shingo Gokan
Agency- United Creatives
Role/s- Creative, Artwork
Labels- Branding, Packaging, Art Direction