Whiskey often gets boxed into extremes: it’s either seen as this overly masculine, gatekept drink or something fancy that feels inaccessible unless you’re a total snob. There’s not a lot of in-between. On the Rocks is a brief book that is meant to be a short introduction to the wide range of whiskey history out there. Most design around whiskey either leans hyper-masculine or overly traditional, missing a chance to make it feel personal, curious, and even a little playful.
Whiskey design can feel pretty rigid—either super old-school or like it’s trying too hard to be fancy. But whiskey has layers. It’s warm, storied, and full of personality. I wanted to explore that in a way that feels more human and way less intimidating.
On the Rocks is a print piece that breaks whiskey down to simplify the categories of the spirit. Part tasting guide, part design experiment. I wanted it to feel approachable and away from the stoic style that is associasted with the alcholol. It discusses whiskey history, how the variety of whiskey is determined, the process, and cocktail recipes.
Me. My significant other can talk about whiskey for over two hours. I've timed it. I enjoy tequila.
I wanted to design whiskey to be more vibrant and fun. Through my research, a lot of whiskey presented information is similar in style-old fashioned, stoic, and rich colors. And while this represents the timeline and overall energy given off of whiskey, I wanted to create something I wouldnt forget at a whiskey library, something to stand out so someone would ask me what it was I was reading. I made this for the tequila drinkers and just turning 21 year olders. I wanted bright colors that popped. I also used an oil painting style on the whiskey bottles in order to get a cross hatch loose texture that felt sketched, something i had seen a few differnt whiskey brands do.
Printed Book
The design process included edited photos, custom written text as well as design layout.
