Heaven Hill Brand Gallery
Digital Interactives
Client
Heaven Hill Distillery
Year
2021
My Role
Lead Interactive Designer
As part of its expanded visitor center, Heaven Hill Distillery set out to create an immersive Brand Gallery that would bring its two flagship bourbons—Elijah Craig and Larceny—to life through rich, multi-sensory storytelling. I led the interactive experience strategy across both brand environments, designing two distinct yet complementary installations: The Art of Charring for Elijah Craig and The Magical Warehouse Ledger for Larceny Bourbon. Together, they form a cohesive narrative system that blends spatial design, tactile interaction, and responsive media to deepen visitor engagement and reinforce brand identity.
The Art of Charring
At the heart of the Elijah Craig gallery, The Art of Charring offers a theatrical, sensory-driven exploration of one of bourbon’s most defining processes. Inspired by the fire and transformation involved in barrel charring, the installation invites visitors into an immersive, elemental experience that evokes both the science and artistry behind Elijah Craig’s signature flavor.
I led the design from concept to execution—developing the physical structure, interactive components, and layered sensory effects. A central touchscreen, designed in the shape of a barrel cross-section, allows users to select different char levels. As they engage, projected flames and smoke animate across the structure, revealing how charring influences taste, aroma, and texture. A tactile panel featuring real charred wood samples anchors the experience in physical materiality, while color and scent elements enrich the sensory depth of the space.
The Magical Warehouse Ledger
In the adjacent Larceny Bourbon gallery, The Magical Warehouse Ledger draws visitors into the world of John E. Fitzgerald, a legendary (and fictionalized) treasury agent known for stealing bourbon straight from the warehouse barrels. Set within a richly detailed 19th-century office environment, the installation uses storytelling and responsive media to reveal the secrets behind Fitzgerald’s larceny and the mythology of the Larceny brand.
At the center of the space, visitors encounter a glowing “magical ledger” on Fitzgerald’s desk. Touch-activated 3D objects embedded in the ledger trigger a series of narrative reveals—visual effects, ambient audio, and interpretive content—that piece together the story of Fitzgerald’s thefts. Surrounding magical elements throughout the office, including flickering bottles and reactive artifacts, enhance the sense of discovery and layered narrative immersion.
