Yamadori Whisky

Client Greenwood Distillers Ltd
Services Art Direcion, Graphic Design, Brand Identity, Packaging, Editorial Design.
Industry Food & Beverages

The Copper Pheasant.

Mizzunara Oak / Single Malt Whisky.

The Copper Pheasant is a renowned species of bird that belongs only to these particular areas in Japan. It is a symbol that appears in several folktales since the 8th century and it is rooted deeply in traditional Japanese culture. The commission was to design a brand and packaging for this premium Japanese Single Malt whisky, which is an ode to The Copper Pheasant.

The term ‘whisky’ derives originally from the Gaelic ‘uisge beatha’, or ‘usquebaugh’, meaning ‘water of life’. Gaelic is that branch of Celtic spoken in the Highlands of Scotland. This is relevant as The Ardross Distillery is based in the same area. Also, it is well-known fact that the first Japanese whisky was made using Scottish methods and was heavily influenced by Scottish whiskies, but over time, Japanese distillers began to develop their own unique style.

As the quality of water is one of the distinctive features of Japanese whisky, the brand development is inspired by the purity & sophistication of the Japanese culture and its unique use of water as an element for communication, present in traditional calligraphy or in landscape design. We mixed the concept of the Enzō and the copper pheasant to produce a brand that inherits the fluidity of such element.