Smiling Wolf is a premium, functional spirits range that blurs the line between non-alcoholic and alcoholic to offer an unprecedented mood-enhancing experience. Everything you would expect from a classic alcoholic spirit (flavour, mouthfeel, experience, story, quality and effect) but without the downsides. An uncompromising range that looks, feels, tastes, mixes and performs like a classic range of spirits, where the alcohol has been replaced with ingredients known to promote the increase of alpha brain waves, serotonin, dopamine and endorphins – offering a nootropically-fuelled buzz without the hangxiety! Perfectly suited to today’s ‘zebra-striping’ drinking habits, and so convincing, it deserves a double take.

This playfully, mischievous attitude, of ‘messing with your senses’ was central to creative studio Butterfly Cannon’s approach when creating this new-to-world brand. Reflected in its name, Smiling Wolf (since when does a wolf smile?), its dual-faced snarling/smiling wolf logo, and hidden contrasts within the designs, devils & angels in conflict, tropical fruit cannons & casks, and wolf tails & ears. There’s always #ATwistInTheTail to discover.

Butterfly Cannon built the brand from the ground up, crafting the brand’s purpose, story, and character, before defining the portfolio structure (leaving room for future mischievous releases) and designing everything from the master brand identity to the packaging for its 5 release variants, vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and aperitivo.
Each variant design continues the magic of the double-take by being the same but different, creating the impact of a cohesive range through the proud bespoke bottle form, design hierarchy, and label die cuts, whilst individually mischievously aping the category it ingeniously subverts.

Arron Egan, Creative Director, Butterfly Cannon,“Smiling Wolf is all about messing with your senses, in the best way possible. It looks, feels, tastes, and even performs like a classic spirit, but without the booze. We wanted to create a brand as bold and uncompromising as the drink itself – playful, mischievous, and always with a twist. Every detail, from the snarling/smiling wolf to the hidden surprises in the design, invites a double-take.”

The attention to detail on the substrates, materials, print finishes and general design craftsmanship positions the Smiling Wolf brand as a premium offer, successfully challenging more established spirits brands and certainly any of the alcohol-free alternatives. A contemporary SW monogram serves as a secondary asset, evolving into a dynamic pattern that reinforces cohesion across digital and experiential touchpoints.

Hamilton Lowe, Co-Founder, Smiling Wolf Drinks, “Working with Butterfly Cannon was an absolute game-changer for us. They turned our vision for Smiling Wolf into a bold, uncompromising brand that perfectly captures the essence of our ground-breaking alcohol-free spirits. The designs are so spot-on, they make you do a double take – delivering all the complexity and character of classic spirits, but with a mischievous twist. The mix of big picture thinking, creativity and attention to detail they brought to the table have made Smiling Wolf impossible to ignore.”

Founded by former ad man Hamilton Lowe, drinks industry veteran and serial entrepreneur Alberto Gavazzi (ex-President of Diageo LATAM), and renowned liquid innovator Steve Wilson – the creative force behind Baileys, Tanqueray No. Ten, Cîroc and Purdey’s, Smiling Wolf is now available at www.smilingwolf.com, as well as through select online drinks boutiques including The Drinks Club, Club Soda, and Kordial.co.uk. You’ll also find it in a growing number of high-profile independent stockists, both on and off-trade, such as The River Café.

‘Lead the pack’ with Smiling Wolf.