Founded in 2014, Archie Rose is already Australia’s most highly awarded distillery, producing some of the country’s best whisky, gin, and vodka. The beloved brand has become synonymous with premium spirits, but they also wanted to create a new line of drinks that could take them into two competitive spaces—the bar well and the home bar for price-conscious drinkers.

We needed to establish this new range as the basis for everyday drink greatness, the fundamental beginning to making your favorite cocktail at home, hence the name Fundamental Spirits. It positioned the brand perfectly and now serves as a gateway to the distiller’s impeccable offerings.

We also wanted to differentiate the bottle and give mixologists something easy to grab from the bar rail. We delivered a lightweight vessel with a longer body and screw cap. And, just so you can see it from the well, we even embossed the brand name at the top of the bottle.

What’s more, we wanted to redefine the tradition endemic spirits brands. We sought to create a line that felt contemporary, something younger drinkers would naturally gravitate towards. Colorful labels and gold foil set the brand apart on the shelf, in addition to copy calling out the “obsessively crafted” nature of the drinks. That also helped with naming the spirits, as they demanded simplicity and clarity. We chose a three-word system to define them—Straight Dry Gin, True Cut Vodka, and Double Malt Whiskey. Provenance was critical, too, and label architecture celebrates the variant name first, showing consumers this is the definitive Australian version of each spirit, courtesy of Archie Rose. That’s because 90% of the Australian market drinks imported gin, and the numbers are only higher when it comes to vodka and whisky. Locally sourced ingredients found their way into the spirits, with Australian rye and barley, native botanicals, and lemon myrtle.

Fundamental shapes anchor the brand design. The logo icon is a bold, abstract "a" with a geometric rose inside. Meanwhile, the label design relies on iconic symbols to explain the process and provenance across the range.

Add it all up, and you’ve got the perfect introductory spirit from Australia’s best craft distiller that’s just as eye-catching as its core offerings.