Strategic branding consultancy, The Collaborators has developed the brand strategy, identity and packaging for Yorkshire’s first single malt whisky – Filey Bay from the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery – which launched on 5th October.
The objective was to create a contemporary world whisky, with a bespoke bottle structure that would be unique, distinctive, grounded and have a subtle nod to traditional whisky category conventions.
The consultancy wanted to draw out the whisky’s unique provenance and process: A whisky made from field to bottle on the North Yorkshire coast, with home-grown barley and spring water from the distillery’s farm on the Wolds; distilled and matured near Filey Bay using England’s only pot and column still combination. Respectful of tradition, but done the Yorkshire way.
Creative Director Mary Lewis, a proud Yorkshire-woman herself, says: “The essence of Yorkshire and Yorkshireness was at the heart of our work. We couldn’t help but be inspired by a place where moorlands meet big skies, rolling chalk hills meet rugged coastline, grit meets warmth and pragmatism meets vision. Where people are a product of the land they work and love.”
In the same way the whisky is made with a Yorkshire ‘twist’, so too is the brand identity and packaging. The design is timeless, playing on the textures found on the wet sands of Filey Bay, the ever-changing sea and the freshly ploughed fields of the distillery’s farm.
The colour palette was inspired by big Yorkshire skies, the muted tones of the Wolds and the North Sea coast; and the splice of copper where Filey Brigg stretches out into the sea. The gannet – the fearless, precise symbol of the distillery – sits at the heart of the bottle structure spanning land and sea, just as it does from the cliffs of Bempton at the Southern end of Filey Bay. Here, Europe’s largest gannet colony can be found – a place they return to year after year.
The carton design sees the abstract landscape deftly extended across all sides, whilst incorporating an illustration, (created in-house), of the Spirit of Yorkshire’s unique whisky-making process. Once opened, a map of Filey Bay is revealed on the inside of the lid.
Alex Ririe, Director at The Collaborators commented: “From the concept to the design detailing, every element of the Filey Bay brand world has been carefully considered to reflect a true sense of place and the people that make it.”
She continued, “We are immensely proud to have created such an evocative design for this exciting addition to the English and world whisky categories.”
Filey Bay First Release is limited to 6,000 70cl bottles that retail for £55. It is available from the Spirit of Yorkshire distillery shop, online here, in all Booths stores and from selected premium retailers throughout the UK.
Spirit of Yorkshire Co-Founder, David Thompson said: “Filey Bay is unique. Not only is it Yorkshire’s first single malt whisky, but we are one of only a handful of whisky makers in the UK that have a full field to bottle process. As well as this, our production allows us to create two different spirit styles, using a pot and column still configuration to create a flavour profile that is unlike any other malt whisky. Even our bottle is bespoke, bringing together our land and coast, and our mascot, the gannet. Every bottle of Filey Bay represents the passion and dedication of everyone involved. You only get to release the county’s first whisky once and we’re thrilled to now share it with customers old and new.”
Source: The Collaborators
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