In 2018 I was commissioned by the Tenth Man to develop a brand identity, packaging and collateral for Matt D'Arcy & Co. Ltd., who had the vision of reviving their once "World Famous" Irish Whiskey brand. This was to coincide with the development of the original distillery on Monaghan Street in Newry into a visitor destination and working distillery.

Working alongside the Tenth Man I set about exploring the latent history of the brand to unlock the story of its founder Matt D'Arcy, who first established the distillery in 1817. Matt D'Arcy the man was an entrepreneur, philanthropist and was well known in his community and we looked to imbue the brand with his spirit – pioneering, daring and iconic. 

During the process of understanding more about Matt D'Arcy's story, the distillery, and its importance to the merchant city of Newry; I discovered the original archival logotype, which we assumed, just by its nature, was designed by the hand of the engraver of the original printed plate.

Today, Ireland's whiskey market is going through a period of increasing growth which creates its own set of challenges when looking to resonate with consumers and to create stories of real authenticity. However, we were gifted with Matt's legacy and a rich visual history that we could harness and build upon alongside our core truths – that this brand comes from a place rooted in tangible history.