The Tasting Vault: Brand Packaging Design
Branding, Design, Packaging
The Tasting Vault: Brand Packaging Design
Whiskey Tasting Subscription Services
The Tasting Vault is a whiskey and spirits subscription service that provides consumers with curated tasting experiences, allowing them to explore a wide range of premium whiskeys from around the world. The company solves the “try before you buy” challenge by offering tasting packs that let customers sample new and famous whiskeys before committing to full bottles.
Their subscription service is designed to engage both beginners and seasoned connoisseurs through expert tasting notes, digital content, and invitations to exclusive events, both virtual and in-person. By working with distilleries in Ireland and internationally, The Tasting Vault offers access to a curated selection of world-class spirits, fostering a loyal community of whiskey enthusiasts, who have the option to connect and engage with each-other through this whiskey tasting club.
Their mission is to cultivate a deep appreciation for fine whiskeys and spirits through unique, curated tasting experiences. Their vision is to become the leading platform for whiskey exploration, creating meaningful connections among a global community of enthusiasts. Quality craftsmanship, community building, and an authentic whiskey experience are key values of The Tasting Vault.
The challenge for The Tasting Vault was to create a packaging design reflecting the premium, sophisticated, and community-driven nature of their whiskey subscription service. The design needed to solve two key issues: communicating the exclusivity and luxury of the product, while offering practicality for repeated monthly deliveries of different whiskey varieties. The packaging needed to be functional yet visually compelling, enhancing the unboxing experience for consumers to share on social media. Furthermore, the design needed to accommodate 3 x 50ml whiskey bottles with flexibility for monthly variations, while remaining compact and easy to ship.
The core idea behind the design draws inspiration from the brand’s ethos of connecting people with fine spirits. The minimalist approach incorporates a modern vault symbol, subtly referencing the monthly “drop” of whiskey, and reinforcing the idea of treasured, curated experiences delivered directly to the consumer’s door. A blend of luxury, authenticity, and community was key.
A key feature of the design is the brand’s “V” symbol, which represents the word “Vault” and subtly incorporates a whiskey droplet within the “V,” symbolising the monthly delivery of curated whiskey selections – their monthly drop. The tagline, “Taste. Connect. Enjoy.” captures the essence of the brand, communicating its message in a sophisticated yet friendly tone. The vault-inspired design is enhanced with gold foil debossing, giving the packaging an air of exclusivity. The ample spacing around the bottles adds to the luxury feel, while tabs ensure the bottles are easily accessible. Inside the lid, the playful message “Good Things Come in Small Packages” adds a light-hearted element, complementing the overall elegance. Social media details are included to encourage consumer engagement and help grow the brand’s online community.
Each bottle is labelled with the brandmark and whiskey details on a transparent background, allowing the whiskey’s amber hue to shine through. These labels are designed for easy updating, adapting to the monthly subscription model. The bold Causten Rounded font combines softened edges with a sophisticated tone, conveying a friendly yet premium feel to the brand.
The packaging also includes a bespoke insert card with detailed information about that month’s whiskey selections, adding a personal touch. A 20-page tasting notes booklet further enriches the consumer experience, allowing customers to log their impressions and learn more about whiskey tasting. Clever phrases are used in the booklet such as “unlock a world of whiskey” to tie into the vault theme, reinforcing the brand’s identity.
This thoughtful and recyclable packaging design reflects the brand’s values of premium quality, authenticity, and community, offering a refined yet accessible experience that is both visually striking and highly functional.
The packaging design for The Tasting Vault strikes a perfect balance between luxury and functionality, offering a sleek unboxing experience, while showcasing the brand’s dedication to authenticity and craftsmanship. The packaging is made from 1000gsm greyboard and wrapped in black beater-dyed paper, giving it a solid, premium feel. Its rigid, hinged-lid design includes die cuts to securely hold three 50ml whiskey bottles, ensuring both safe transportation and a refined presentation.
Follow The Tasting Vault online:
Instagram: @the_tasting_vault
Twitter / X: @thetastingvault
Website: www.thetastingvault.com
Photography by Brendan Ryan Photography:
Instagram: @brendanryanphoto
Website: www.brendanryan.ie
Packaging printed by JJ O’Toole:
Instagram: @jjotoole_ie
Website: www.jjotoole.ie
Labels by BrandPack
Instagram: @brandpackireland
Website: www.brandpack.ie
Grásome! Gluten-free Brownies: Brand Packaging Design
Branding, Design, Packaging
Grásome! Award-Winning Brownies: Brand Packaging Design
Grásome! is an artisan award-winning brand born out of the passion for creating luxurious gluten-free treats that are not only delicious but also fun and playful. Ruth, the founder, draws inspiration from her rich French-Irish heritage, her personal baking journey, and her love of good food. The brand’s mission is to provide indulgent, hand-crafted treats made from the finest natural ingredients, all while bringing a smile to the consumer’s face. With a tagline that reads “Gorgeously Gluten Free,” Grásome! speaks to those seeking both high-quality and allergy-conscious products without compromising on taste or style.
The name Grásome! perfectly encapsulates the essence of the brand, combining the Irish word “Grá” (meaning “love”) with a playful twist on the word “awesome.” The result is a name that feels both familiar and exciting, resonating with Ruth’s fun, vibrant personality. It’s a brand that isn’t afraid to be glamorous yet unpretentious, offering gluten-free indulgences with a wink of fun and light-heartedness. The nod to her influential aunt Gráinne, a passionate coeliac, baker and advocate for gluten-free products, adds a personal touch to the name, reinforcing the love and care behind every product.
Grásome! stands out not only for its delectable products but also for its strong, memorable visual identity. We approached the branding with the goal of blending luxury, fun, and warmth – all key aspects of the product’s personality. The product flavour names incorporate a rustic, earthy font that mimics the textures found in brownies, cakes, and baking, emphasising the hand-made nature of the products. The letter ‘O’ is cleverly replaced with a heart, signifying both love and the personal care that goes into every batch. The fada (accent) on the ‘a’ is stylized as a leaf, symbolising the brand’s use of natural ingredients. The exclamation mark at the end of the name encapsulates the brand’s energetic, fun vibe, tying back to the playfulness of the word “awesome.” The tagline “Gorgeously Gluten Free” sits beneath the brand name in a handwritten font, reinforcing the personal, hand-crafted element of the brand while also making the gluten-free aspect clear and prominent.
The colour palette is designed to be bright and vibrant, reflecting the client’s ethos of living life to the fullest and embracing boldness. It ensures the product stands out on the shelf, commanding attention rather than blending into the background. Each flavour is represented by a distinct, vivid hue—green for the original flavour and orange for the orange variety—highlighting the brand’s playful and energetic character. The use of gold foil adds a touch of luxury, reinforcing the high quality of the products while maintaining a warm, approachable aesthetic.
The packaging design features a cardboard sleeve with a heart-shaped cutout on the front, mirroring the heart in the logo. This allows the consumer to catch a glimpse of the brownies inside, creating an instant emotional connection. Gold foil lines radiate out from the heart cutout in a celebratory style, further enhancing the premium feel. The back of the packaging includes a personal note from Ruth, inviting consumers to share in the love and care she pours into her products:
“For a truly indulgent experience, try our award-winning luxurious gluten-free brownies, lovingly handmade using simple natural ingredients, no preservatives ever added… simply pure grá.
Love, Ruth x”
Sustainability is a key pillar of the Grásome! brand, reflected in the fully recyclable packaging. This aligns with Ruth’s values and her personal experiences living in eco-conscious environments like New Zealand and Antarctica. The reusable delivery boxes also emphasize the brand’s commitment to reducing waste.
The primary typeface, Big City Grotesque Pro, provides a clean, modern look, ensuring legibility and consistency across all brand materials. To balance this with a more playful touch, HelloMixed, a quirky, display font, is used for headings and flavour titles, mimicking the playful and earthy nature of the brand. Arsilon, a handwritten font, is reserved for smaller descriptors like “Gorgeously Gluten Free,” adding a personal, friendly feel to the packaging and marketing collateral.
Grásome! successfully redefines the perception of gluten-free products, celebrating them as indulgent, luxurious, and full of character. A proud finalist in the 2024 Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards, the brand stands as a testament to Ruth’s deep-rooted love of food, family heritage, and personal journey in mastering gluten-free baking. Through thoughtful design and a playful yet elegant brand identity, Grásome! communicates its promise to deliver treats that are not only delicious but also made with love, care, and passion. The packaging itself becomes part of the experience, making Grásome! treats perfect for sharing, gifting, or savoring all to oneself.
In a competitive gluten-free market, Grásome! proudly stands out as a brand that marries luxury and fun, offering consumers a product that doesn’t compromise on quality, style, or taste.
Follow Grásome! online:
Instagram: @grasome_treats
Twitter / X: @Grasome_treats
Website: Grásome Website
Packaging printed by Esmark Finch:
Instagram: @jjotoole_ie
Website: www.jjotoole.ie
The Woofing Oven Dog Bakery: Brand Packaging Design
Branding, Packaging
The Woofing Oven Dog Bakery: Brand Packaging Design
The Woofing Oven is a Dublin-based home-run bakery for dogs, crafting a fun and creative range of gourmet treats to pamper your furry friends with the love and care they deserve.
The Woofing Oven firmly craft their dog treats with love, care, and thoughtfulness. All of their products are homemade and created in small batches, reaffirming their commitment to producing celebratory dog treats made from 100% natural ingredients, locally sourced, and proudly the first specialised treats produced and marketed in Ireland.
Their mission is to become Ireland’s foremost dog bakery, expanding their product range while remaining dedicated to their goal of being a part of your dog’s milestone moments.
The Woofing Oven’s packaging design challenge was to create a visually striking, retail-ready package that reflects the brand’s fun, celebratory nature while emphasizing its commitment to quality, natural ingredients, and Irish craftsmanship. The existing brand (formerly known as Bon A Pet Treats) needed a fresh identity that would stand out in a crowded dog food aisle, making the transition from local markets to mainstream retail.
The packaging had to balance playfulness and sophistication, capturing the brand’s core values: gourmet quality, homemade care, and the celebration of the bond between dogs and their owners. Our goal was to create a design that was instantly recognizable, incorporating bright and vibrant colours with a playful dog icon and a fun logo featuring flicks reminiscent of dog tails. The use of fonts like FTF Brotein for headings and Hittedal Script for a handwritten touch helped to convey the brand’s personal, handcrafted approach.
The packaging design for The Woofing Oven reflects the brand’s mission to provide gourmet, all-natural dog treats in a way that’s both fun and functional, while ensuring retail success. One of the standout features of the packaging is the window at the front of the packs, which showcases the product itself – “Woofles,” a unique waffle treat for dogs. This window is framed by a graphic of a dog bowl, with an illustration of two paws holding the bowl on either side. The product’s appearance is a key selling point, and this window allows the Woofles to be seen directly, reinforcing the quality and novelty of the treat.
To further enhance flavour recognition, each flavour pack features a distinct colour, making it easy for consumers to differentiate between products on the shelf. The flavour description sits within the dog bowl graphic on the front, adding clarity to the playful design. An icon with a paw print containing a heart is prominently displayed alongside the text “Made with love, using natural ingredients,” reinforcing the brand’s commitment to homemade, high-quality products crafted with care.
The back of the pack offers additional features aimed at connecting with consumers. It includes a personal brand story, helping to establish the business as a small, local bakery with a strong passion for dogs. Feeding instructions are displayed with icons showing portion sizes for different dog breeds, helping consumers make informed decisions based on their dog’s size. Another unique element is the barcode, shaped like a dog, adding creativity that aligns with the fun, dog-centric theme.
The packaging highlights the product’s sustainability, featuring an icon communicating that the pack is widely recyclable, as it’s made from polyethylene (PE). Small visual touches throughout the design, such as icons of a plant with the phrase “Freshly baked, no preservatives” and an illustration of an owner with their dog, further that these treats are healthy, natural, and designed specifically for dogs.
The Woofing Oven’s packaging design strikes the perfect balance between playful visual elements and key functional features, making it memorable, engaging, and informative for dog lovers seeking premium treats.
Follow The Woofing Oven on Social Media:
Instagram: @thewoofingoven
Facebook: The Woofing Oven
Packaging printed by Epac Flexibles:
Instagram: @epacflexiblepackaging
Website: epacflexibles.com
The Galway Kitchen: Hot Pot Ready Meals Packaging Design
Branding, Packaging
The Galway Kitchen: Hot Pot Ready Meals Packaging Design
The Galway Kitchen’s food range includes global flavours, inspired by much-loved tastes from around the world, made in their kitchen at the heart of Galway.
The Galway Kitchen brand already existed for their popular houmous dips range when they contacted Clare Lynch Creative. They asked if we could create the packaging design for these hot pot ready meals, to work well alongside their existing houmous range, and also the snack pack range and tasty dips range designed by Clare Lynch Creative, which incorporate bright mediterranean patterns alongside clean, minimal typography and imagery, whilst bringing a fresher vibrant look to the packs to ensure a strong and bold standout impact on shelves.
Another brief request was to show the quality and wholesomeness of the meals by including mouth-watering photography taken by @jenniferocooks. Jennifer also took beautiful in-situ shots of the finished products with their packaging on completion, with the ingredients displayed around the tubs. The Galway Kitchen were delighted with the final design outcome of the range altogether and how well it fits with the rest of their brand range. See their testimonial here…
They are available in @tescoirl stores.
The tasty trio of innovative recipes are inspired by global flavours and made locally in Galway. There is Green Lentil Dahl, Smoked Bacon Mac & Cheese and Japanese-inspired Chicken Katsu Curry. Designed with convenience, great taste and nutrition in mind, these ready meals are a quick and healthy lunch option. The high protein recipes have been developed by their expert team of in-house chefs and are available at Tesco Ireland.
The Galway Kitchen range is available at selected Tesco Ireland stores:
Find them in the fridge at your local Tesco Ireland
www.tesco.ie
www.instagram.com/tescoirl/
Follow The Galway Kitchen at:
@thegalwaykitchen
Photography by Jennifer Oppermann:
@jenniferocooks
www.jenniferoppermann.com
Packaging printed by Priory Press Packaging.
The Galway Kitchen are produced by quality Irish fine food producer Galmere Foods.
Katie’s Kombucha New Slim Cans Packaging Design
Branding, Packaging
New project
Katie’s Kombucha – New Cans Packaging Design
We are loving how well the brand packaging design of the Katie’s Kombucha range translated from the original glass bottles to these lovely slim cans. They are now available in both the bottles and cans in three tasty flavours.
A little about kombucha for those of you unfamiliar with it…
Kombucha is a great alternative to sugary drinks. It contains elements that offer nutritional and digestive support, strengthen the immune system, and assist in removing impurities from the blood and organs. Poor dietary choices and chronic stress are the root causes of many modern diseases. Both diet and stress can trigger physiological imbalances and degradation, particularly in the immune system. Kombucha contains prebiotics which are beneficial for gut health (great immune booster).
✔️ Maintains a health pH
✔️ It’s antioxidants help fight disease
✔️ Contains beneficial probiotics
✔️ Encourages good microbes to grow in the gut
✔️ It’s acetic acid helps fight bad bacteria
✔️ Helps your skin glow
Katie’s Kombucha supports local and buys delicious raspberries from a raspberry farmer in Wicklow.
Katie’s Kombucha is available at Fresh stores @freshthegoodfoodmarket and SuperValu @supervalu_irl stores, along with many more locations.
Follow Katie’s Kombucha at:
@katiekombucha
The Galway Kitchen Picnic Dips: Packaging Design
Design, Packaging
The Galway Kitchen Aioli Dips: Packaging Design
The Galway Kitchen have recently launches these new tasty threesome of dips. The condiments range are delicious as a dip or try them drizzled on some freshly grilled meat or fish for an elevation of flavour like no other.
The Galway Kitchen Ranks No. 2 among Ireland’s Top Prepared Dips and Sauces Brands in 2023*. As with all of their creations, these recipes have been expertly crafted by their team of in-house chefs and are made fresh in Galway with quality ingredients.
The three variations of dips are:
-
Garlic & Herb Aioli
-
Basil Pesto Aioli
-
Chimichurri
This trio of delicious dips are a convenient and tasty way to elevate any meal or snack – your new fridge essential!
The Galway Kitchen brand already existed for their popular houmous dips range when they contacted Clare Lynch Creative. They asked if we could create the packaging design for these aioli dips packs to work well alongside their existing houmous range, and also the snack pack range designed by Clare Lynch Creative, which incorporate bright mediterranean patterns alongside clean, minimal typography and imagery, whilst bringing a fresher vibrant look to the packs to ensure a strong and bold standout impact on shelves. They loved the final design outcome of the range altogether. See their testimonial here…
The Galway Kitchen’s food range includes global flavours, inspired by much-loved tastes from around the world, made in their kitchen at the heart of Galway.
The beautiful photography of @thegalwaykitchen range is by Irish photographer @jenniferocooks
They are available in @tescoirl stores.
These dips are must-have condiments of the Summer ☀️
The Galway Kitchen range is available at selected Tesco Ireland stores:
Find them in the fridge at your local Tesco Ireland
www.tesco.ie
www.instagram.com/tescoirl/
Follow The Galway Kitchen at:
@thegalwaykitchen
Photography by Jennifer Oppermann:
@jenniferocooks
www.jenniferoppermann.com
Packaging printed by Priory Press Packaging.
The Galway Kitchen are produced by quality Irish fine food producer Galmere Foods.
The Galway Kitchen Snack Packs: Packaging Design
Packaging
New project
The Galway Kitchen Snack Packs: Packaging Design
The new Classic Houmous Snack Pack by @thegalwaykitchen has recently launched! Each pack includes a tub of The Galway Kitchen’s signature Classic Houmous, created with a creamy blend of chickpeas and tahini with a hint of lemon, Organic and Reduced Fat along with a serving of mini, Italian breadsticks, specially developed for scooping and giving that perfect, light crunch. These flavour-packed treats are great for a healthy lunch snack!
The Galway Kitchen brand already existed for their popular houmous dips range when they contacted Clare Lynch Creative. They asked if we could create the packaging design for these snack packs to work well alongside their existing range, incorporating bright mediterranean patterns alongside clean, minimal typography and imagery, whilst bringing a fresher vibrant look to the packs to ensure a strong and bold standout impact on shelves. They were very happy with the result. See their testimonial here…
The Galway Kitchen’s food range includes global flavours, inspired by much-loved tastes from around the world, made in their kitchen at the heart of Galway.
The Galway Kitchen range is available at selected Tesco Ireland stores:
www.tesco.ie
www.instagram.com/tescoirl/
Follow The Galway Kitchen at:
@thegalwaykitchen
Photography by Jennifer Oppermann:
@jenniferocooks
www.jenniferoppermann.com
Blarney Bees Honey: Brand Packaging Design
Branding, Packaging
Blarney Bees Honey: Brand Packaging Design
Fusing the raw essence of Irish honey with tantalizing flavours. Blarney Bees Honey are a small, family-run business with two generations of beekeepers. They create traditional and modern Irish honey infusions, using 100% Pure Raw Irish Honey, crafted by their Irish honeybees in Blarney, Cork, in the South of Ireland.
The small-batch production method guarantees a distinctive flavour for each lot while preserving the aroma, texture, and taste of raw Irish blossom honey. The distinctive flavour is a result of golden nectar thoughtfully collected from a variety of trees and flowers that the honeybees forage on. Their honey is raw, unpasteurized, and coarse cold-filtered to maintain the integrity of the enzymes and nutrients.
The result is a perfect balance of sweet and fiery with their Raw Irish Honey infused with habanero chilies and cayenne pepper. Crafted from the nectar of Ireland’s wildflowers, this honey boasts a captivating contrast of raw sweetness and the bold, healthful heat of cayenne pepper, offering a unique and versatile addition to your culinary creations.
The Beech Wood Smoked Raw Irish Honey is a masterpiece of craftsmanship that blends the essence of Ireland’s wildflowers with a subtle smokiness using a cold smoke process. The deep amber honey, rich in antioxidants and natural antibacterial properties, offers a delightful balance of floral sweetness and earthy undertones. It enhances a wide range of dishes and beverages while also delivering a taste of the Irish countryside. Sourced sustainably, this honey is a harmonious union of nature’s best, encapsulated in every jar. Experience a uniquely Irish culinary journey with the Beech Wood Smoked Raw Irish Honey.
Sustainability
Their philosophy is to produce Irish Honeybee Products in the most sustainable way possible, by sourcing organic ingredients for their products that are free from chemicals/perfumes and partner with vendors who are making like-minded sustainability choices, reducing waste, and reusing materials as much as possible. All ingredients are locally sourced, and packaging is made from recycled materials. They also support local non-profit organizations with educational talks on biodiversity and observation hive visits to sites.
Queen Bee Character Brand Identity Concept
Within the honey bee colony, the Queen Bee is an important figure. Therefore, the concept developed features the queen bee as a character with a crown to represent how this honey is the ‘queen of the crop / the queen bee of honey’ as the quality is of the highest standards. Her wings are made up of two hearts, giving her a friendly appearance and representing how the honey is made with love. This creates a strong, distinguished brand symbol, easily associated with honey and their brand. As Blarney Bees are based in Blarney in County Cork, they wanted to communicate its heritage and how it’s an Irish brand – therefore we chose a Celtic style font, but with a modern and fresh take, to avoid looking like a stereotypical / twee old-fashioned Irish brand. We hand-tailored this font, to personalise it for Blarney Bees.
Packaging Design Considerations
For the packaging design, the client wanted to show as much as the product within. Therefore, we featured the logo and flavour descriptions prominently for easy legibility, and then reversed the design as white printed on to the honey background for the sides of the jar to show the honey within. We created an illustrative background featuring a natural environment, a bee hive apiary and a bee trailing a trail which wraps all the way around the jar. This bee trail weaves a small heart within it, indicating how the honey is made with love. This also brings a fun and playful feel to the packaging. Each flavour is differentiated by a different colour, to ensure each flavour is easily recognisable. The font chosen for the flavour description is bold for easy legibility and has a rustic grained texture within it to denote how the honey range is raw and natural.
Blarney Bees have been shortlisted as Finalists for the Irish Quality Food and Drinks Awards 2024 @irishqfa with both of their Raw Irish Honey products and their Beechwood Smoked Raw Irish Honey has won a gold star at the prestigious Great Taste Awards @guildoffinefood.
Blarney Bees Honey is currently available in the below SuperValu stores in Cork and to order online at:
www.blarneybees.com
@quishs_ballincollig
@supervalu_tower_
@ryanssupervalutogher
@ryanssupervalugrange
@Scallys Supervalu Blackrock
Follow Blarney Bees Honey on Social Media:
Instagram: @BlarneyBees
Facebook: @Blarney-Honey-Bee-Products
Photography by: @joleencronin
www.joleencronin.com