Client, Year

Sagamore Development, 2017

Services

Wayfinding
Architectural Signage
Murals & Supergraphics
Illustration

Awards / Press

Photography

Sagamore Spirit Distillery

Shaping a signature on-site experience

Sagamore Spirit prides itself on crafting the world’s best rye whiskey, and it sought an in-person experience to match. It chose Baltimore’s Port Covington as its base, and Ashton was selected to design all signage and wayfinding. We embraced Sagamore’s alchemic approach to spirits in our own creative process, creating visual and tactile touchpoints that unite the waterfront campus and reflect the level of artistry the brand is known for.

For identification and directional signage, we used corten weathering steel, which naturally ages to an amber color over time—much like Sagamore’s barrel-aged whiskey. It also complements the natural architectural building materials used across the campus. 

The main entrance sign, made of a continuous 20-foot piece of one-inch thick steel, weighs over two tons.

The sign panels’ exterior angles were derived from the Calvert Coat of Arms on the Maryland flag. The interior cutouts feature Sagamore’s signature triple diamonds.

The campus comprises three buildings: the welcome center, the distillery, and the Rye Street Tavern. We designed each to have a distinct feel, but used the same visual elements and materials to create a cohesive experience.

Wayfinding is key across the site. We used every opportunity available—from street signs to walking paths—to communicate clearly while reinforcing the brand experience.

A two-story, hand-painted mural greets visitors entering the distillery.

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