Next of Kin Distillery

The spirits market, particularly gin, is saturated with brands that often priortise rustic aesthetics or modern minimalism. While developing an alcohol product, I was determined to avoid the creative constraints I have often seen in traditional alcohol labeling and instead create packaging with a unique physical form and a story that felt genuinely ownable. The challenge was to develop a brand that stood out not just through visual appeal, but through a deep, authentic narrative that could be felt in every aspect of the design.

The vision was to create a gin brand that was a testament to heritage and place, moving beyond a product to become an object of storytelling. This was not merely a commercial exercise, but a deeply personal decision to translate my own design principles of sustainability and authenticity into a tangible form. The concept solidified during a visit to a Wattle Range flower farm, a place steeped in my own personal background. I saw an opportunity to showcase a local, family-run business that I have admired my entire life. The brand became a vessel to honour their legacy, my connection to them, and a shared belief that good design, much like a well-run farm, should be cyclical and dedicated to finding value where other see none.

The target audience for Next of Kin is the discerning spirit drinker who seeks an element of narrative depth with their purchase, valuing craftsmanship, local origins, and brands with a clear ethical standpoint. The insight that this audience connects with products that have a “true story” directly shaped the brand’s core narrative, a family-owned farm’s commitment to the land, and the innovative use of its so-called “waste” botanicals to create a product that speaks a powerful message of sustainability and respect.

The central creative device, the stamp silhouette, emerged from a deep dive into mid-century Australian print design. Inspired by the utilitarian beauty of traditional postage stamps (which often featured native flora), I developed a unique stamp label. This format, virtually unseen before in alcohol packaging, provided a perfect canvas to paint the native botanicals. The name “Next of Kin” was the foundational element, chosen for its inherent connection to both lineage and inheritance. This was not just a clever play on rhyming words with gin, but a direct reflection of the flower farm’s real-world succession planning, grounding the brand narrative in a tangible, unfolding story. The visual identity, with its nod to 60s Australian modernism, feels both nostalgic and fresh, bridging the past with the future. This project was a significant lesson in how personal connection and strategic research can converge to create a brand that doesn’t just occupy shelf space, but can single-handedly tell its own story.