Jaywalk

New York Distilling Company was founded by two NYC legends: cocktail king Allen Katz and Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Tom Potter.

Challenge

Known locally for Ragtime Rye, NYDC planned to replace their cult favorite with a new super-premium “Heirloom” version distilled from a rye varietal native to New York but extinct for centuries. Such a compelling story necessitated a new brand identity—including a new name and visual approach—to premiumize their product and prepare for national and global expansion.

Solution

Kingsland created a brash, unabashedly NYC brand, imbued with the distinct energy of the city we love. Pulling inspiration from vintage typography, ghost signs, subway wayfinding, and the “Midnight Cowboy” I’m Walking Here! ethos of our hometown, we created JAYWALK—a rye brand that breaks the small, stupid rules to never stop moving. Prior to Prohibition, New York was the world capital of rye whiskey, and NYDC’s devotion to only making rye is at the heart of our new brand identity—including a typographic approach that reminds fans and new drinkers alike exactly where we were grown and raised. Using a customized version of the Central Avenue typeface, we built a system that feels ownable, branded, and dynamic, with little-to-no illustration.