Maidstone Distillery - Brand and Product Packaging
BrandHow to stand out for all the right reasons
Kent Spirit of the Year 2021 - George Bishop
Victoria, Account Manager
So, where do we begin with Maidstone Distillery?
Tom, Senior Designer
Well, we knew it would be a good one from the first meeting.
Victoria
That is true. The story behind why Darren and Sam wanted to reinstate the legacy of distilling in the County town was so rich in history and detail, it was very exciting…
Tom
They wanted a new brand, but actually it was all there to play with – it was a case of bringing all the pieces together and expressing them in a compelling and attractive way. It’s great when the story is so strong and authentic that the brand comes together really organically.
Victoria
From my point of view, it makes the process so straightforward because all the decisions almost seemed obvious! It was clear we were all on the same page.
Tom
And then we were introduced to George!
Victoria
Oh George… he became quite a fixture in our lives, didn’t he?
Tom
He was very impressive. George Bishop. Original Master Distiller and Founder of Maidstone Distillery in 1785. Pioneer. Adventurer. Leader. Passionate about gin and his community. It’s everything the brand needed to stand for.
Victoria
It took some time to get him perfect. I remember you spending ages researching the clothes, hats, even the canes from the period!
Tom
The client was rightly very committed to accuracy and attention to detail. And we knew that once George felt right and authentic, that he would become central to the rest of the brand. We really wanted customers to view him as an old friend.
Victoria
It was definitely worth investing the time. And talking of attention to detail…packaging?!
We always receive feedback that our bottles look beautiful. We wouldn't have such a strong brand and three strong products if it wasn't for Zest's commitment, flair, and vision.
Tom
So much detail. It’s the great and challenging nature of packaging projects. Illustration, typography, colour, finish, pattern, bottle shape – I think we touched on them all through this process.
Victoria
Every detail becomes even more important when the aim is to create a spirit that forges a lasting legacy and competes with the big industry players. I think we all felt the pressure on the design to hold its own.
Tom
We had so many bottles of gin in the office! I remember the early tasting of Maidstone Distillery’s flagship London Dry Gin and realising what the design needed to achieve.
Victoria
I know what you mean. Creating a fresh yet timeless design within a crowded marketplace is a tall order. We needed a modern classic.
Tom
Sam and Darren challenged us to really flex our creativity and explore all the options. Every detail of the packaging was finalised in precise detail, but we also made sure all the elements worked together to capture what the brand stands for.
Victoria
The end result is WOW.
Served by the Elite pub chain
Stocked in Bluewater and Macknades
Tom
Bold yet classy. I’m proud of what we all worked together to achieve – of all four outputs – the brand first, and then the three spirit products. We tackled all of them separately, each with their own identity and character but keeping a broad view of the whole offering. It’s been a complex but rewarding project.
Victoria
And Kent of Spirit of the Year at the Taste of Kent Awards for George Bishop London Dry Gin is no small thing…
Tom
We can raise a glass to that!
