Chinese New Year 2024: Limited-edition beer, wine and whiskies for gifting
In the spirit of giving
As the Year of the Rabbit gives way to the upcoming Year of the Dragon, those celebrating the Lunar New Year can look forward to indulging in yee sang platters, dressing up in festive OOTDs, as well as giving and receiving auspicious gifts. On that last note, we’ve gleaned a list of limited-edition beer, wines, and spirits that are ideal for gifting during your ‘bai nian’ visitations, drinking along with your reunion meals, or even placed as a centrepiece in the home.
PENFOLDS
Wine aficionados will want to toast to the revered dragon zodiac with Penfolds’ limited-edition collection featuring the Grange, alongside its most premium Luxury & Icons range of wines: Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz Magnum 1.5L and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon. Each bottle comes housed in a special Lunar New Year Gift Box inspired by the strength and power of the mythical creature, featuring intricate golden dragon patterns and scales against a bold red background.
Interestingly, the first commercial launch of the Grange coincided with the Year of the Dragon, making this the ultimate wine gift with sentimental value. Preserving its unbroken lineage from the very first experimental release, the 2019 Grange is full-bodied, powerful, and perfectly balanced. Meanwhile, the Bin 707 is the winemaker’s landmark cabernet with a full body and strong aging potential. The 2021 vintage showcases the essence of the Bin 707 on the nose, revealing notes of blackcurrant, cassis and mulberry with firm, glossy tannins.
Last but not least, there’s the Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, which is often referred to as ‘Baby Grange’ since components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. Consisting of a blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, it bursts with aromas of fruit and oak while highlighting the generous mid-palate Penfolds is known for.
The collection retails at The Chamber in Starhill Gallery, Sunway Pyramid, and Pavilion Bukit Jalil, as well as its online store from February 2024 onwards.
GLENFIDDICH
Glenfiddich is back with another collaboration for Chinese New Year, this time with internationally acclaimed artist Raku Inoue. Dubbed A Gift For Blossoming Future, the collection takes inspiration from the great outdoors—incorporating Raku’s mastery of drawing, handcrafting, and photography with the use of flowers, leaves, and other flora species.
The iconic Glenfiddich Stag remains at the front and centre of the design, uniting with the magnificent Wood Dragon—the 2024 Chinese zodiac animal—formed from the leaves of the forest. As Wood Dragons are seen as natural-born leaders and the Earth element represents growth and flowering of new life, the resulting artwork thus symbolises future in full bloom ahead.
Raku’s artistic masterpiece adorns the limited-edition series led by the Glenfiddich Reserva Rum Cask 21 Year Old, as well as the core range of 12, 15 and 18 Year Old variants, which come in gift packs containing a bottle and whisky-nosing glasses. The A Gift For Blossoming Future limited edition gift packs will be available to purchase at Glenfiddich Chinese New Year pop-ups and authorised retailers.
Price:
- Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Gift Pack: RM354.90
- Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Gift Pack: RM488
- Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Gift Pack: RM765.70
- Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gift Pack: RM1,331.20
JOHNNIE WALKER
This year, Johnnie Walker has unveiled two Lunar New Year limited edition designs for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label and John Walker & Sons XR 21 bottles. Designed by one of the most influential visual artists in the world, Asian-American artist James Jean, the exclusive packaging features an innovative and distinctive dragon that reflects the brand’s progressive Keep Walking spirit.
For the Blue Label design, James sought inspiration from the layers of flavour brought to life by Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker and her team, thanks to their masterful blend of some of the rarest whiskies from the distillery’s reserves and other long-closed ‘ghost’ distilleries. His dynamic interpretation of the noble Wood Dragon—regarded as the mightiest of all the Zodiac animals—is symbolic of life, creativity, and prosperity in traditional Asian culture.
Likewise, the John Walker & Sons XR 21 limited-edition bottle pays homage to the evergreen Wood Dragon that springs from bountiful flora and fauna and bursts to life with auspicious ambition. This mirrors the intricate layers of the rare whisky that offers smooth and indulgent flavours—perfect to pair with the season’s festive meals.
Price:
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label: RM1,180
- John Walker & Sons XR21: RM683
HENNESSY
Hennessy is celebrating the majestic Year of the Dragon with an exquisite limited-edition collection referencing a digital art piece created by visionary Chinese artist Yang Yongliang, titled ‘Dragon’s Odyssey’. Yang’s masterpiece combines traditional drawings with striking digital art to breathe life, movement, energy, and fire into a collective of metallic dragons dancing in and out of waves.
His unique artwork pays incredible attention to detail, featuring a three-dimensional element that brings out the texture of the dragon’s skin and teeth. Each art-adorned bottle boasts an auspicious colour that’s synonymous with the season, namely red for joy and luck and gold for prosperity. Inspired by Maison Hennessy’s campaign tagline ‘Together we are unstoppable’, the limited-edition collection embraces its ethos for 2024—a year to unleash positive energy and celebrate what brings us together.
The Dragon’s Odyssey collection includes the Hennessy V.S.O.P, X.O, and Paradis—arriving in an exquisite collectible decanter housed in a beautiful oak gift box. These bottles are available locally at major supermarkets in Malaysia, as well as online at The Good Stuff. In addition, Maison Hennessy will have special activations to usher in the new year with the exclusive collection at W Kuala Lumpur for four weeks beginning 18th January.
Price:
- Hennessy VSOP CNY 2024 Deluxe Art: RM438
- Hennessy X.O CNY 2024: RM1,048
THE MACALLAN
The Macallan has unveiled A Night on Earth—The Journey, a unique single malt Scotch whisky made to recognise the special times we spend with those who mean the most to us and the unique moments created when we come together. It is the second release in The Macallan A Night on Earth series, and comes encased in an original, multi-layered pack designed in collaboration with acclaimed Chinese mixed-media artist Nini Sum. Each layer artistically portrays different stages of the journey to reunite with loved ones during the Lunar New Year.
Crafted from a combination of The Macallan’s exceptional sherry-seasoned European and American oak casks together with American ex-bourbon barrels, this limited-edition whisky evokes some of Nini Sum’s New Year memories. From the effervescent burst of fireworks to the sweet smell of steamed rice pudding, the whisky’s aromas call to mind the toasted oak emanating from the carts of the rice popcorn vendors on the vibrant streets of Shanghai. Further, its nutty notes echo the sunflower seeds Nini’s family shared as they muse over their wishes for the new year.
To further capture the essence of reunion season, The Macallan will be holding a consumer experience event at The Starhill KL Entrance Lobby. Guests will have the opportunity to immerse in a curated tasting experience with the newly launched A Night On Earth—The Journey expression from 25 January to 4th February 2024, from 10am to 9pm. Interested participants can reserve their complimentary 45-minute experiential session online here.
Price: RM605
MARTELL
As per its tradition, Maison Martell presents the latest addition to the L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition collection—the Assemblage du Dragon, created in collaboration with Baccarat. The decanter, featuring a neck engraved in 19-carat gold, is crowned by a uniquely sculpted dragon’s head that is signed Martell x Baccarat. It houses a selection of very old eaux-de-vie from different Years of the Dragon, resulting in a complex harmony of over 1,400 eaux-de-vie from the finest terroirs in the Cognac region. This rare and prestigious edition is available in limited quantities with fewer than 750 pieces worldwide, each individually numbered.
Aside from the Maison’s piece de resistance, there are also three Chinese New Year limited edition bottles reimagined by renowned artist Vincent Darré. Known for his flamboyant creations that draw on different styles and eras, Darré’s poetic design for the Martell Cordon Bleu Global Edition reinterprets Martell’s Swift emblem into a contemporary allegory of peace. The artwork portrays a blue ribbon connecting two swifts next to a globe, symbolising how the cognac connects people across the world’s five continents. Meanwhile, the solar character of Martell Cordon Bleu is embodied by the image of the sun shining over the earth.
On the other hand, the Martell Noblige bottle sees the meeting of two cultures—represented by a magnificent, dazzling dragon that brings power and good fortune; and an elegant, stylised swift that encapsulates Maison Martell’s spirit of freedom. The bottle is housed in a gift box that also pays tribute to the historic connection between the Maison and China, featuring ships laden with precious cognac being guided on their voyage from France by flying swifts, while two majestic dragons welcome them on their arrival in China.
Lastly, the Martell VSOP Limited Edition 2024 has colourful and contemporary pop art influences that tell the story of the Maison’s three centuries of savoir-faire. Adorned in dark blue, electric blue, festive red and gold, the design features a rich and varied collage of images depicting leaves, grain and casks—elements of the cognac-making process. It comes in a limited-edition gift set with two glasses made for savouring this harmonious and balanced cognac.
Price:
- Martell Cordon Bleu x Vincent Darré Limited Edition 2024: RM970
- Martell Noblige x Vincent Darré Limited Edition 2024: RM450
- Martell VSOP Limited Edition 2024: RM387
AUCHENTOSHAN
If you’re looking for an evergreen gift that extends beyond the Chinese New Year season, the Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky Festive Gift Set is the perfect option. It comes with a unique “A Shape” SpeedPourer for an easy pour and can be reused long after you’ve polished off the whisky. Speaking of which, the unique spirit has been matured in three different cask types, starting with American Bourbon and moving to Spanish Oloroso Sherry, before finally being aged in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. The resulting whisky is rich and complex with aromas of blackcurrant, brown sugar, orange, plum and raisin, as well as fruity, toffee and sherry oak flavours on the palate.
Price: RM335
1664
Can’t decide if you enjoy beer or champagne more? Well, the limited-edition 1664 Prestige Beer with Champagne Yeast combines the best of both worlds—the ease of beer and the delicateness of sparkling wine—to elevate life’s moments with an easy-going bubbly. Its unique flavours carefully balance its playful and elegant characteristics in perfect harmony—the former from crisp and refreshing beer and subtle notes of citrus, white peach and spice; the latter from a brew made with champagne yeast in France that presents a medium dry palate with delicate bubbles.
Price: RM115
CARLSBERG
Carlsberg returns with its Chinese New Year campaign, ‘Brewing Prosperity Together’, bringing with it an artist-edition festive packaging. Created by award-winning artist Ofen Hu, the design reflects the vibrant energy of the Year of the Dragon, featuring the mythical creature moving with grace and fluidity through serene clouds. The majestic dragon is portrayed to be swaying its tail playfully as it chases its dragon pearl, a symbol of cosmic harmony, while its scales transform into flowers that represent an abundance of luck.
Additionally, the bright colours in the artwork capture the vitality of the season, especially the themes of wealth and happiness. There is also an added surprise, where a special ink transforms the dragon pearl on chilled cans from yellow to orange at the perfect drinking temperature of 6°C. The number 6, which is considered lucky in Feng Shui, also symbolises happiness and blessings.
The exclusive Carlsberg Chinese New Year cans and bottles are available at all major supermarkets, hypermarkets, and e-commerce sites in Malaysia.
Read more Chinese New Year 2024 stories here.
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