The Limited-Edition Year of the Horse Bottles to Toast the Festivities

Huat is Chinese New Year without some drinks?

Johnnie Walker x Robert Wun

Johnnie Walker has unveiled its 2026 Year of the Horse Limited Edition designs for Blue Label and John Walker & Sons XR 21, created in collaboration with Hong Kong-born, London-based haute couturier Robert Wun. The packaging features Wun’s signature surrealist aesthetic, depicting a dynamic horse in full stride alongside a figure dressed in dramatic couture with flowing fabrics. The Blue Label edition features rare whiskies selected from only one in 10,000 casks with a flavour profile of mellow smoke, rose petals, citrus, vanilla, and dark chocolate. Meanwhile, the XR 21 is crafted through a rare, three-stage blending technique with indulgent layers of honey, tropical fruit, and soft smoke. 

L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition

year of the horse whisky

It’s the bottle every collector looks forward to annually: Martell has unveiled the L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Cheval, an exclusive tribute to the Year of the Horse in 2026. Only 500 bottles are available worldwide, each individually numbered. Cellar Master Christophe Valtaud crafted this exceptional blend by carefully selecting very old eaux-de-vie from past Years of the Horse, primarily from Grande Champagne—where he was born and raised—to enrich the cognac’s essential character while evoking the noble, free spirit of the horse. 

The resulting cognac offers a full and supple nose with aromas of honey, candied fruit, and floral overtones, while the palate has the vivacity of red fruit and blackcurrant. Created in collaboration with Baccarat, the elegant mouth-blown crystal decanter resembles a drop of cognac, crowned by a deep red crystal horse head stopper, resting on a golden pedestal embellished with a horseshoe pattern. The bottle is nestled in a beautifully crafted wooden case decorated with intricate horseshoe motifs.

Martell x He Datian

For the Year of the Horse, Martell is also unveiling a range of limited edition bottles featuring bespoke calligraphy by renowned Chinese artist He Datian, who is celebrated for his horse drawings and apparently shares a near-spiritual bond with these creatures. The collaboration honours Martell’s connection to the horse—in Chinese, the word for “horse” matches the first character of Martell—as well as the House’s heritage dating back to 1715 when 21-year-old founder Jean Martell travelled on horseback across Cognac, selecting the region’s finest eaux-de-vie. 

He Datian’s masterful brush painting and calligraphy reveal horses emerging from Chinese characters, with each design uniquely adapted to reflect the personality of individual cognacs: a galloping steed for Martell VSOP, a dramatically rearing horse for Martell Noblige, a horse changing direction at speed for Martell Cordon Bleu, and similar custom illustrations for Martell XO. The limited edition bottles and boxes, featuring rich colours ranging from festive red and electric blue with gold flashes for Noblige and Cordon Bleu to precious gold and silver tones for XO, embody the shared energy between Martell and the horse. Incidentally, they are also auspicious holiday gifts that echo the craftsmanship behind the cognacs.

Hennessy Chinese New Year 2026

Hennessy celebrates Chinese New Year 2026 with a new limited-edition collection featuring specially designed bottles for the Hennessy V.S.O.P, Hennessy X.O, and Hennessy Paradis bottles. Each is wrapped in designs inspired by the Year of the Horse—a symbol of energy and freedom. The striking design combines metallic copper tones with deep mineral shades and a rich, flowing red palette reflecting prosperity and good fortune, with a sculptural galloping horse. 

From: GRAZIA Malaysia

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