A mischievous collection of spirits that play with perception and modern drinking habits

Smiling Wolf by Butterfly Cannon blurs the line between alcoholic and non-alcoholic

Designer:  Butterfly Cannon
Label materials:  Fasson® Cane Fiber Paper White, Fasson® Cotton White, Fasson® MP Plus Silver FSC®

January has a way of bringing you back into focus. Glasses are set down, routines reset and the rituals we usually take for granted are reviewed more closely. The goal of Dry January, for many, is not to abstain from alcohol but to ask better questions. What do we actually want from a drink? Flavor, tradition, atmosphere, a shift in mood, perhaps? Smiling Wolf steps directly into that moment, offering a spirits experience that feels familiar, premium and convincing while removing alcohol from the equation.

Created as a functional spirits range, Smiling Wolf blurs the line between alcoholic and non-alcoholic in a way that feels natural rather than corrective. The range delivers the experience, and mixing performance you’d expect from classic spirits, replacing alcohol with ingredients associated with increased alpha brain waves like serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. The result is a mood-enhancing experience designed for today’s zebra-striping drinking habits.

For creative studio Butterfly Cannon, the challenge lay in making something new seem believable. “Smiling Wolf is all about playing with your senses,” says Arron Egan, Creative Director at Butterfly Cannon. “It needed to feel premium and familiar at first glance, then slowly reveal that something different is going on.”

That idea shaped every part of the brand. The name itself sets the tone. Wolves don’t usually smile and that slight unease is intentional. The dual-faced logo portrays that tension, balancing a snarl and a smile in a single mark. Throughout the designs, subtle visual twists appear. Devils and angels sit in quiet opposition. Tropical fruit cannons meet traditional casks. Wolf tails and ears are hidden within the artwork. There’s always another detail to spot, a moment of discovery that rewards attention. The studio summed it up with a simple phrase: #ATwistInTheTail.

Butterfly Cannon built Smiling Wolf from the ground up, starting with the brand’s purpose, story and character before designing the full portfolio structure. “That approach allowed space for future releases while giving the first five variants a strong sense of unity," explains Egan. Vodka, rum, gin, tequila and aperitivo are clearly part of the same family, yet each one gently references the spirit category it playfully subverts. That balance is achieved through a combination of consistency and variation. A bespoke bottle form, clear hierarchy and carefully considered label die cuts tie the range together. At the same time, each variant has its own visual cues and personality, creating a range that feels cohesive without becoming repetitive.

Material choice was central to making that experience feel convincing. “Smiling Wolf is about engaging the senses,” Egan says. “The materials had to deliver the premium feel you expect from a high-quality spirit, and they had to handle luxury finishes properly.”