I was asked recently who I’d rate as disruptors or innovators in the Irish spirits space (from a brand and packaging perspective) and it got me thinking...
There’s a real difference between disruption and innovation. They’re often used interchangeably but they’re not the same thing. And they’re not always driven by the same kind of people.
I see this tension a lot in our work. Founders come in wanting to stand out, to move away from the sea of sameness. But when they’re presented with genuinely disruptive creative—the kind that feels different, bold, maybe even a bit risky—many instinctively pull back. Not because they don’t trust the work, but because it’s uncomfortable.
And that’s what disruption really is: uncomfortable. It challenges what you know. It’s unfamiliar. It breaks something. And it often comes with a reaction. Some people will love it. Others will absolutely hate it. That’s the nature of divisive work, it splits the room.
But that’s also why so many brands default to the safe middle. Not because it’s the best idea, but because disruption feels less personal. And in the spirits category, (years 0-10) everything is personal. Most of these brands were born out of passion. They’re built by founders turning their love for whiskey, gin etc. into a commercial venture, pouring (excuse the pun) their own tastes, stories, values into their product. So when they stand behind the stand at a whiskey festival, holding a bottle and selling it to someone face to face, it needs to feel like them. And I can respect that.
Because you can’t fake disruption. You have to live it. Breathe it. Own it fully.
But here’s the thing: you don’t have to be a disruptor to create something unique. You don’t have to be loud to be different, but you do have to be true. And what may matter more (especially in this space) is differentiation by way of truth. And that can come from creativity, authenticity, clarity of thinking. From experience design. From language. From small, intentional details that elevate the whole brand.
I suppose the question is: are you here to break the model, or make it better? Both are valid. Both require courage. Just don’t confuse playing it safe with playing it smart.
So, coming back to the original question, personal taste aside, here are a few Irish brands on my radar doing things a little differently. (For transparency: some I’ve worked with, others I haven’t.)
Disruptors breaking/rejecting the system
Ireland Craft Beverages - Two Stacks Whiskey - Packaging premium whiskey in a can (“Dram in a Can”) Bold, accessible, and entirely untraditional.
Foxes Bow Whiskey - Disrupting visually and tonally. Playful, irreverent branding in a space traditionally heritage forward and serious. They’re rewriting how whiskey talks to a younger, design-savvy crowd.
OUTCAST BRANDS IRELAND Blood Monkey Gin - A black painted bottle with what feels like a minimalist approach to maximalism (very hard to say) makes this gin stand out from the crowd. Totally ignoring the botanical first positioning we are used to seeing this a “straight talking” lifestyle forward brand that avoids the traditional (and the cucumbers).
New Era Spirits Element - Clean, modernist, and scientific. Feels more tech than whiskey, clinical in a category that leans mythical. Leaning into an ‘Open Innovation Model’ that helps them connect to their audience.
Coole Swan Aesthetics more like a vodka than a cream liqueur. The frosted ‘clear’ glass stands out from the sea of dark bottles usually associated with cream liqueurs. The brand has bit of a sense of humour and a lifestyle direction that delivers a more unexpected offering in this space.
Innovative brands improving the system
The Shed Distillery Of PJ Rigney Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin Mixing exotic botanicals with local lore, and packaged in one of the most recognisable bottles on the shelf - without breaking the mould. It's almost as if they cherry picked favourite parts from other brands to create something familiar yet very unique.
Even though they are not currently operational I would add Waterford Distillery - Applying terroir (a wine-world concept) to whiskey, tracking grain back to individual farms (borrowed by a few brands by now). Data-driven, detail-obsessed, and unapologetically nerdy. Bespoke blue bottle, glass stopper and holographic elements play with the conventional.
Whilst very different brands, both J. J. Corry Irish Whiskey and Daithí O'Connell W.D. O’Connell are bringing back and celebrating Irish whiskey bonding. J.J. Corry playing into a revivalist, contemporary approach to a traditional identity and W.D. utilising bold typography and unexpected colour choices.
Killowen Distillery is a bit of a bridge brand. They disrupt the tone and scale of traditional Irish whiskey, but at their core, they’re innovators. Deeply rooted in old methods that feel rebellious in this market as it is often polished and predictable. Their approach to packaging is somewhat eclectic playing in the familiar with some unexpected moments (Pangur Poitín).
There’s no single right way to build a spirits brand, but in such a saturated and story-heavy category, the ones that stick tend to know exactly who they are, and show up accordingly. Whether you’re breaking the rules or bending them beautifully, the magic usually lives in the tension between what feels true and what feels brave.