High-Proof Creative designs Hooker bourbon labels

High-Proof Creative has led the label and packaging design for John Lee Hooker Legacy Spirits' Strings of Legacy: Kentucky Bourbon Collection, continuing its partnership with the Hooker family following its work on the original Boogie Chillen' Bourbon '1948' label.

The Portland-based agency translated John Lee Hooker's four iconic Gibson guitar models into a cohesive design system for the limited-edition collection, which features 8-year, cask-strength, single-barrel Kentucky bourbons distilled at Bardstown Bourbon Company.

Each expression honors one of Hooker's guitars: the Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, Gibson SJ-200 and Epiphone Zephyr, with design elements reflecting the instruments' distinctive characteristics.

The ES-335 Edition features layered complexity and sleek design elements reflecting the guitar's tonal versatility, while the Les Paul Goldtop Edition incorporates gold-accented visuals inspired by the guitar's iconic finish and warm, rich character.

The SJ-200 Edition includes elegant flourishes reminiscent of the ornate 'King of the Flat-Tops', and the Epiphone Zephyr Edition features vintage elements nodding to Hooker's earliest recorded tones.

High-Proof Creative's original Boogie Chillen' Bourbon '1948' design earned several awards and established the brand's heritage-driven visual approach that continues to guide the collection.