Sacred Spirits, the boutique distillery born out of a residential home in Highgate, North London, is launching a new product, Sacred Old Tom Gin to add to their range of critically acclaimed gins. The striking design by Hart & Jones, featuring the image of a mesmerising black cat on the label and a bell collar around the neck of the bottle, romances the darker side of Victorian gins, setting itself apart from the delicate designs that are becoming the norm.
Simon Jones, Managing Director at Hart & Jones, explained the origins of the product;
“Old Tom is an old and slightly sweeter style gin, distilled with liquorice among other botanicals, but its associations with the negatives of the Victorian gin boom led to it falling from favour. We saw an opportunity to build from these truths to deliver a truly unique approach in an ever more crowded market.”
Chris Hart, Creative Director at Hart & Jones, expanded on how the historical roots of the product inspired the design approach; “There is a decadent and mysterious feel to the new design that links to the common use of the cat in an older visual language of gin. And it marries perfectly with the passion of Sacred Spirits for building on the great styles and recipes of previous years. The visual shudder achieved by the four-eyed cat is so arresting on shelf, and the bell collar goes beyond a touch of wit to provide a unique aural signal and sense of ceremony to the pour.”
Sacred’s co-founder, Hilary Whitney, commented; “This is the fourth of our spirits that Hart & Jones has designed and each piece of work seems to reach new heights of creativity and impact. The reception from the trade has been overwhelming.”
Designed By: Hart & Jones
Creative Partner: Chris Hart
Co-founder: Simon Jones
Designer: Dane Winterson
Client: Sacred Spirits Company
Manufacturer: Signet Branding Company
Location: Bath, UK
