One night in Melbourne, Australia, an expat American told his locally born friend how he used to make moonshine back home in the hills of South Carolina. He had a recipe that produced an exceptionally high quality sprit.

They decided to set up a distillery in Melbourne and Melbourne Moonshine was born.

Melbourne Moonshine’s packaging reflects the premium nature of the product. The unique bottle looks like an old jug, complete with cork stopper. The band is the colour of alembic copper stills. The brand name is set in the shape of the celestial moon, shining from a night-black label.

The diagonal slash symbolises the story of two friends from opposite sides of the globe, who came together in the name of moonshine.

The Melbourne Moonshine packaging comprises a unique bottle design that incorporates a stopper rather than the usual cap. This was difficult to achieve but delivers a unique user experience befitting the premium nature of the brand.

The design elements and materials - wood, glass and paper - all reflect premium quality, meeting customer expectations regarding price point and product taste, while also conveying the hand-made craftsmanship of the product.

The design process was relatively straightforward. We were fortunate to work with a client that was prepared to be adventurous, knowing that would be necessary to appeal to a specific and relatively small audience with an unknown product (moonshine is not widely understood in Australia) and in a cluttered market.

Melbourne Moonshine is a small batch spirit, hand made by the two owners of the business. They sell as much as they can produce from their two small copper stills.

Melbourne Moonshine was launched as a discovery brand, promoted through respected bars via knowledgable mixologists who became brand advocates. Customers respect their opinion and seek out the brand for home consumption.

The cocktail series, promoted on the Melbourne Moonshine website, helps customers understand the product and what they can do with it. It also helped us promote the brand within trade circles, particularly upmarket cocktail bars.

There is no doubt that the distinctive packaging has helped the brand establish a niche foothold within licensed trade outlets, which take pride in offering and displaying unique spirits.

Customers can also discover the brand through the website, created by Sense. However as Melbourne Moonshine currently runs at full capacity, selling all it can produce, it is not easy to find. This only enhances its appeal and helps maintain its premium position.