Cross Keys Gin is a handcrafted Latvian gin, distilled with 20 natural botanicals. Although locally known, they had ambitions to expand its reach but lacked a clear design idea. The challenge was to attract an international audience in the crowded gin category. We were asked to highlight the authenticity. With the objective to differentiate the brand with a Nordic feel, we started crafting.

Building on the gin’s botanicals and origin; we found the keys to unlock its true nature. All tactile design elements naturally came together. A white clay bottle, a wooden cork, colours, silver foil, and an organic pattern made like cracks in the ground, ready for all the flavours to break through.

The letters in “Cross Keys Gin” were stacked on top of each other to represent all botanicals coming together. The ceramic bottle is rooted in the Latvian spirit tradition, as the spirit continues to mature there. Instead of a secondary pack, we designed the bottle to beautifully carry a fresh standout expression ¬– also enabling it to be used as a carafe when the gin runs out. The keys and the ‘Unlocking Nature’ statement tie together its story and capture its uniquely crafted character.