Sydney-based design studio Squad Ink has earned three medals at two separate international spirit competitions.
Collaborating with Archie Rose on Horisumi's Autumn gin, the team took home the gold medal for Packaging Design at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Bronze Medal for New Individual Brand at the International Spirits Challenge.
Squad Ink worked with the Sydney-based distillery and tattoo artist Kian Forreal to create packaging that reflected the individual craftspeople who created the rare product.
Above: Tattoo artist Kian Forreal with Archie Rose owner Will Edwards.
The first in the series, Autumn tells the story of the Kiku flower and the autumn gift of the fallen maple leaf.
Meanwhile, the strong Koi fish makes its way upstream to evolve into the form of a mystical dragon, which is captured n Horisumi’s Irezumi tattoo style.
The design studio's third medal, also coming from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and its second in Packaging Design, was awarded for its Virgin Cane Spirit Rum.
Virgin Cane Spirit was the first limited release product from the collaboration with Archie Rose Distilling Co, and was inspired by French Colonial rums of old.
The packaging celebrates this spirit-making tradition with a label design that offers customers a closer look at the journey from harvest through to distillation.
