Independent brand design agency Vault49 has shared the details of its partnership with Pronghorn in support of the launch of their new bourbon whiskey Edmond's Honor, an ultra-premium bourbon that celebrates the untold story of Edmond Albius, the overlooked Malagasy prodigy botanist who revolutionized vanilla cultivation through hand pollination in the 1800s. Aged in Madagascar vanilla extract-soaked casks, Edmond’s Honor is crafted by liquid curator Tracie Franklin and uplifts the next generation of pioneers in art, culinary arts and mixology by rooting its business in purpose.

Pronghorn, a standalone business focused on creating a template for diversifying industries, starting with the spirits industry, engaged Vault49 to collaborate on the brand story and build the brand world. Developing design and tone of voice principles, Vault49 crafted the brand identity and packaging design including the bottle structure, label, and outer carton.

“The story behind Edmond’s Honor is really quite extraordinary,” said Donna Garvey, Senior Client Director at Vault49. “When the Pronghorn team shared their plan to honor legacy, elevate craftsmanship, and raise a toast to the next generation of everyday heroes, we knew that this was going to be a very special–and important–project.”

Vault49’s design for the Edmond’s Honor bottle leads with a striking visual representation of the delicate hand-pollination technique, based on the idea of Edmond proudly presenting the bottle himself. Crafted typography incorporates elegant curvature to further emphasize the beauty of his unique hand gesture.

“People often say that the eyes are a window to the soul, but it’s the hands that define you,” said John Glasgow, Co-Founder of Vault49 and creative lead on the project. “This served as the jumping off point for our design idea and hand-crafted execution, paying tribute to the delicate approach, nimble fingers, and hard work of Edmond Albius.”

Visual inspiration came from the beauty of nature and Edmond’s roots on the small island of Bourbon (known today as Reunion) off the coast of Madagascar. Researching botanical illustrations plus print and craft techniques of the era, Vault49 applied a contemporary lens to create the bespoke illustrated elements found woven throughout the design.

The color palette and materials continue this theme, blending natural tones with modern contrasts. There is a tactile rawness to the textured papers chosen for the label, which balance perfectly with the elegance of the glass-embossed vanilla flower. The use of premium foils elevates the brand and bottle further.

Drawing the logo by hand to place on the bottle neck and use throughout the wider brand world, the storytelling continues. The addition of 1841 here also marks an important date in history: the year that Edmond Albius developed his pollination technique.

Striking the perfect balance between heritage and contemporary understated luxury, the final result delivers a timeless aesthetic that begs to be explored, bringing the important story of Edmond Albius into focus.

“When we were seeking an agency to help us bring the powerful story behind Edmond’s Honor to life through the bottle design, it was important that we engaged a partner that could deeply grasp the importance of Edmond Albius’s generational impact and honor his legacy beautifully and respectfully.” said Ron Cole, President of Pronghorn. “Vault49 nailed it. From the team’s strategic grounding to the high level of craftsmanship that has gone into the final bottle design, we couldn’t have asked for better cultural collaborators to honor Edmond Albius and help us share his story with the world through visual storytelling.”

Edmond's Honor is available in 750ml size bottles at select retailers in Georgia, New Jersey and Florida, and will be expanding to additional states throughout the year. It is also available for nationwide shipping at www.edmondshonor.com.