The challenge was to translate intangible emotions into a cohesive and multisensory story that feels both intimate and universal.
my goals
Build a Cohesive Cultural Brand Language
Develop a unified visual and material identity that merges the expressive aesthetics of traditional Chinese ink painting with my lived experience in Pittsburgh.
2
Integrate symbolic visual and structural elements across bottles, labels, and illustrations to establish a fluid storytelling experience that connects each blend into one unfolding journey.
Design a Continuous Narrative System
3
1
Translate personal memories and emotions into sensory form by linking specific ingredients to the places, atmospheres, and seasons they represent.
Craft Meaningful Flavor Associations
sip, memory
Sip, Memory is a collection of eight spirit blends that translate my personal experiences in Pittsburgh into multisensory storytelling. Each blend reflects a distinct seasonal atmosphere and memory, paired with labels inspired by traditional Chinese landscape ink paintings. Growing up, I studied ink painting under my father, a Chinese calligrapher, and I draw on that heritage to express abstract emotions through brushwork.
The bottles are sealed with layers of black wax, resembling burnt candles to symbolize the passage of time and reinforcing the ink-wash motif. By combining crafted flavors with cultural aesthetics, the project invites people to engage in both taste and conversation, transforming personal memories into a shared and interpretive experience.
Eight spirit blends inspired by Pittsburgh’s shifting seasons and Chinese ink traditions.
my process
Narratives
Illustrations &
Label Design
Shared
Experience
Explored how ink, texture, and composition could express emotional undertones and connect flavor with form.
Developed illustrations and visual motifs that paralleled each blend’s palette and sensory profile. Experimented with ink techniques, color density, and negative space to ensure alignment between the visual identity and the emotional tone of each spirit.
Invited others to experience the blends through tasting and visual storytelling. Collected interpretations of how flavor, scent, and imagery interact, using these responses to validate the brand’s communication and its potential to evoke shared memories.
Palette
Composing
Flavor
Infusing
Tasting
Bottling &
Sealing
Memory
Gathering
Collected personal experiences, locations, and seasonal observations to establish conceptual anchors for each blend, referencing old photo albums to inform the illustrations and naming system.
Mapped flavors, colors, and emotions into ingredient palettes by selecting herbs, fruits, and spices that visually and sensorially represent each memory.
Prototyped flavor combinations through iterative tasting, refining proportions and infusion times to achieve distinct profiles for each blend.
Evaluated the blends through guided tastings, focusing on balance, narrative clarity, and how sensory cues align with the intended emotional tone.
Finalized the product identity through packaging, sealing each bottle with black wax and applying ink-inspired labels to unify the collection’s visual and material language.
ink paintings
label designs
after the rain
blended spirit
blossoming barrel
blended spirit
summer symphony
flavored rum
serene
flavored vodka
intertwined waters
blended spirit
forge and flow
blended whiskey
winter whispers
blended whiskey
fossilized
blended whiskey
After the Rain captures spring’s essence, blending crisp tequila with St. Germaine elderflower liqueur and fresh herbs. This spirit honors the rejuvenating power of spring showers. Each sip offers a burst of life and promises a fresh start, inviting you to experience renewal as winter recedes.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
35%vol
Blossoming Barrel, inspired by the Phipps Botanical Garden, blends Hendrick’s Gin and Cointreau liqueur with rose buds and fresh berries. This spirit captures the garden’s colorful, aromatic splendor, offering a tasting experience akin to strolling its blooming paths.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
42%vol
Summer Symphony flavored rum embodies a leisurely day in Schenley Park, blending tropical warmth with lush plum, pear, and pineapple flavors, accented by orange peel. Each sip evokes relaxed, sun-dappled afternoons filled with the soft rustle of leaves and distant laughter.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
40%vol
Serene flavored vodka captures the tranquil view of the skyline from Flagstaff Hill. Crafted with vodka, lavender syrup, eucalyptus leaves, and chamomile, the spirit evokes the sensation of gentle breezes and soft grass, offering a floral taste and calming aroma.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
40%vol
Intertwined Waters is a blend inspired by the mellow ambiance of autumn and the trio of rivers. Combining Elijah Craig Bourbon and Old Overholt Rye with American Honey Liqueur, the robust mix offers a spicy yet sweet profile, reflecting the rivers’ bold, meandering journey.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
43%vol
Forge and Flow honors the city’s enduring legacy, blending Glenmorangie’s fragrant sherry cask whiskey with Laphroaig’s smoky and peaty 10-year-old. This blended whiskey symbolizes the city’s resilience and transformation by delivering a calming heat on a nostalgic autumn evening.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
43%vol
Winter Whispers evokes a cozy winter gathering, blending Aberlour Cask Strength Scotch with Lucky Sign Spiced Whiskey. Infused with star anise and cinnamon, it evokes festive winter spirit and joyful camaraderie, warming the coldest nights with shared stories and laughter.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
54%vol
Fossilized honors the precious moments that, like fossils, become more valuable over time. This blend melds Aberlour Cask Strength Scotch with Crown Royal Vanilla, infused with vanilla beans. The blend echoes the stillness of winter when the city quiets down, inviting a moment of recollection.
The Unscroll Collection Series artfully blends different spirits, liqueurs, fresh herbs, and spices, presenting a palette of layered and evocative flavors. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Chinese landscape paintings and the distinct seasonal atmospheres of Pittsburgh, this series features eight unique blends, each crafted as an invitation to a specific moment in time.
about the blend
about the collection
blended & bottled in pittsburgh, pa.
375ml
48%vol
the collection
Spring
Strolling through Oakland
after a spring shower
Renewal, clarity, beginnings
Tequila, St. Germain, fresh herbs
Taking a deep breath in Phipps Botanical Garden
Growth, vibrance, sensory bloom
Gin, Cointreau, rose buds, berries
Autumn
Standing at Point State Park where rivers meet
Connection, flow, balance
American bourbon, Canadian rye, American Honey Liqueur
Looking over the city from Mt. Washington
resilience, transformation, warmth
Glenmorangie 12-year-old,
Laphroaig 10-year-old
Summer
Day dreaming on the lawn
at Schenley Park
Leisure, laughter, warmth
Rum, black plum, pear, pineapple, orange peel
Watching the skyline fade from Flagstaff Hill
Calm, stillness
Vodka, lavender syrup, dried chamomile, eucalyptus leaves
Winter
Sharing warmth and laughter on a winter night
Nostalgia, companionship
Aberlour Scotch A’bunadh, spiced whiskey, dried star anise, cinnamon
Walking through quiet streets in late winter
Reflection, memory
Aberlour Scotch A’bunadh, Crown Royal Vanilla, vanilla beans
final takeaways
Beyond making flavors, Sip, Memory was an exploration in narrative design: how sensory cues, materials, and form can shape emotional understanding. It redefined my approach to storytelling as a designer: not just what we create, but how it feels, smells, and lingers.
Cultural Reflection through Experimentation
This project became an expressive exploration of my cultural heritage and my lived experience in Pittsburgh; a dialogue between where I come from and where I am now.
Translating Between Abstraction and Senses
I learned how to transform abstract emotions and memories into tangible, multisensory experiences, visual, olfactory, and taste-driven, that could tell a cohesive story and invite personal interpretation.
Bridging Heritage and Modern Craft
The project reflects my interest in merging cultural practice with contemporary branding, exploring how Chinese cultural expression can find new relevance in the modern craft spirits industry and communicate through universal brand values.
Let’s Get in Touch.
Email: lucacao@seas.upenn.edu
Mobile: +1 (412)-583-5970