Limitless stamping system developed during bourbon label design
During the design development of the 4 year bourbon label for Backus Distillery, the client, Luke Backus (who is also the master distiller, bottler, labeler, etc.) was very clear about his need to apply custom numbering to each bottle during the labeling process. Initial designs took this into consideration, but as we honed in the final direction, the conversation sparked its own work session.
Luke grabbed an envelope on his desk and started to sketch out how the vintage and barrel number might appear. Further sketching and a thorough review of the government rules and regulations for straight bourbon whiskey (never a single read-through…) yielded a version that shifted the vintage and barrel number to their own side, leaving room for the all-important Alcohol By Volume listing, which also needed to stay custom to allow for fluctuation per barrel.
Once the system was developed, we researched methods of stamping that utilized type that was large enough to meet TTB requirements, fit in the space we had available, and could be changed relatively easily. Luke chose a small stamp set that allowed him to easily register and stamp the numbers before applying the front labels to the bottles (also by hand). He also cared so much about his brand that he tried multiple red ink pads to ensure this last color element was sympathetic to the label and overall look and feel of the Backus Distillery brand.
