Ice Auger — Breaking Through the Ice

Ice Auger is a premium organic vodka inspired by winter fishing and the crystal clarity of northern ice.

Thanks to its unique stopper shaped like an ice auger and its frost-covered, ice-like box, the design evokes the process of drilling a fresh fishing hole through the ice. A distinctive detail is the fish, which is revealed only after the box is opened and the bottle is removed.

The understated typographic treatment keeps the focus on the concept and the expressive form of the packaging.

Curator’s Insight

Clear vodka in clear glass leaves almost nothing to design with, so the container has to carry the story. Here the liquid does the work of water: the engraved fish is printed on the glass but reads as if it is swimming inside the spirit, which turns the bottle into the fishing hole. The red auger is the only saturated color in an otherwise pale blue and white system, and because it sits in plain view inside the neck, it is the first thing the eye lands on. The frosted lower half of the box adds a gradient from opaque to clear, hinting at ice thickness. The small wordmark and engraving-style illustration stay quiet enough to let these physical cues lead. When the product itself has no color, give one object the only strong color and let it hold the concept.