Hayashi Whisky
Web Design + Development
Hayashi enters the world of Japanese whisky with a mission: evolve the time-honored awamori rice spirit process, blending the tranquil aura of Okinawan island life with the meticulous artistry that defines Japan's premium beverages.
The Challenge
Hayashi needed more than just a pretty label—they wanted a digital launch that exuded upscale cool while educating consumers about their luxury status. The brand’s three core pillars—Japanese Artistry, Aged to Perfection, and Okinawan Lifestyle—had to shine through every aspect of the site. We had to capture the spirit’s radiant character, grounded in island serenity, while making sure Hayashi would be instantly recognizable on the shelf (and online).
The Solution
We leaned into immersive visual storytelling to introduce Hayashi as the star of its own narrative. From gold-foil accents and intricate forest motifs to subtle nods at Ryukyu Islands culture, we built a clean, elegant website that weaves mystery, modernity, and tradition into each scroll. By showcasing the bottle as a central figure, we reinforced the brand identity at every turn—ensuring Hayashi's prestige and uniqueness resonated with whisky aficionados and novices alike.
The Process
Exploring the brand
BackForty's story is part grit, part innovation—two qualities we wanted front and center. We kicked off by digging deep into their dual business model, identifying how best to convey the excitement of artist management while highlighting the strategic nature of music supervision. We hammered out core objectives, user paths, and brand essence long before any code was written.
- Brand Discovery
- Luxury Market Positioning
- Strategic Workshops
Crafting the experience
Emphasizing minimalism, gold foil accents, and forest illustrations, we built a story-first UI that immerses users in Hayashi’s refined world. Large-format imagery shows off the bottle’s design, while subtle transitions evoke a sense of timeless ritual—mirroring the care that goes into aging each drop. Every slide or section underlines the calm yet premium vibe the brand stands for.
- Minimalist Web Design
- Immersive UI
- Visual Storytelling
- Interactive Elements
Building the site
Behind the elegance lies a robust framework ensuring the site loads fast and adapts seamlessly on mobile. We infused interactive elements—like hover states and micro-animations—to keep users engaged, all while respecting the brand’s quiet sophistication. Scalability was key: as Hayashi releases new products or limited-edition batches, updates can be made effortlessly.
- Responsive Web Development
- Performance Optimization
- Interactive Elements
- Scroll Animations
The final touch
When the site went live, whisky enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike found a platform that evokes the soul of Okinawa’s island life: serene, yet brimming with potential. The golden accents, story-centric design, and frictionless UX helped elevate Hayashi beyond “just another whisky”—positioning it as a luxurious spirit in a league of its own.
- Quality Assurance & Testing
- Analytics Implementation
- Performance Monitoring
- Team Training & Handoff
By blending subtle mystique, premium visuals, and a user-centric approach, House of Giants created a digital experience that embodies Hayashi’s ethos: part traditional Japanese heritage, part innovative frontier. The final result? A captivating online presence that stands as proudly on the web as Hayashi does on the top shelf of any discerning whisky connoisseur’s collection
By blending subtle mystique, premium visuals, and a user-centric approach, House of Giants created a digital experience that embodies Hayashi's ethos: part traditional Japanese heritage, part innovative frontier. The final result? A captivating online presence that stands as proudly on the web as Hayashi does on the top shelf of any discerning whisky connoisseur's collection.
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