Rooted in the heart of Sonoma County, Sonoma Distilling Co. required a rebrand which would speak for itself in the market as California’s Premium Craft Whiskey brand.

Instead of wrapping the design around the distillery’s name itself, the rebrand differentiates from other distilleries and places an emphasis on the product inside the bottle — “Sonoma Bourbon” and “Sonoma Rye”. The bold typography is easily recognizable and memorable from a 15ft distance in a dimly lit bar. Naturally encouraging people to ask for the “Sonoma Bourbon” or “Sonoma Rye”, being their flagship products. The new tagline, Premium California Whiskeys, is clearly defined across the top of the package, followed by their location and the distiller’s logo-mark and signature. A testament to the humble confidence and pride that the whiskey maker exudes in his product over himself.

With the removal of the Golden Gate bridge imagery (which was the focus of their original package), in lieu of a typographic design, the challenge was in conveying the essence of the Bay Area in less literal ways. The new design takes inspiration from the the local agricultural community pulling cues from wineries and vintage apple crate packaging from the area. It also pulls in industrial undertones from neighboring San Francisco, inspired by All-American brands like Levi’s jeans.

Textures and colors like copper, metal, wood, grains, and water are presented with bold, vintage-inspired fonts, fusing modern and innovative with traditional—the result, an elevated package that authentically reflects the brand’s journey and ethos: established and high-quality, yet artisanal and sustainably-minded.