Start the ball rolling to welcome the Year of the Ox with these limited edition Chinese New Year spirits. With the Lunar New Year upon us, several alcohol brands have already produced festive bottles to help toast the celebration.

From limited blends to special artistic collaborations, these limited edition Chinese New Year spirits are perfect for the occasion. Whether it is to raise a glass to the Ox or to make the lunar season a more joyous affair, these limited edition Chinese New Year spirits are just what you need to help elevate the festivities.

Royal Salute 21 Year Old Signature Blend 2021 CNY

Royal Salute 2021 CNY
(Image: Royal Salute)

Created to mark the coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II, the Signature Blend has largely remained unchanged since 1953. It’s steeped in tradition and proud of its royal lineage. But for the Lunar New Year, Royal Salute has produced a special CNY edition that is timely for the festivities. Award-winning British illustrator Brett Ryder brings his vivid imagination to life in its packaging. The CNY edition features artwork that highlights traditional symbols like decorative knots and dragons, which signify prosperity and good fortune.

Hennessy X.O 2021 New Year Limited Edition

Chinese New Year Spirits Hennessy
(Image: Hennessy)

French Cognac brand Hennessy joins the Lunar New Year bandwagon with this limited-edition bottle by Chinese contemporary artist Liu Wei. Featuring a stunning red and gold bottle design, the colourful palette is inspired by spring, according to the artist. The colours are also auspicious in Chinese culture and complement the packaging impeccably. The box features Liu Wie’s signature shapes and shades of fuchsia, blue, green, and yellow. Inspired by how Hennessy chooses specific eaux-de-vie for a blend, the artist’s artwork for the packaging reflects that creative spirit.

John Walker & Sons King George V Chinese New Year Edition

John Walker & Sons King George V
(Image: Diageo)

This limited-edition Chinese New Year design for John Walker & Sons King George V is a first for Johnnie Walker. The bottle features an immaculate design with bespoke artwork that celebrates the Year of the Ox. The decanter features a bold angled cut across that echoes the signature label of Johnnie Walker square bottles. Red has also been added to the neck of the decanter to match the celebratory new pack. The bottle is complemented with a booklet of five exquisite red packets, a timely addition for the festivities.

Scallywag Year of the Ox

Scallywag Chinese New Year Spirits
(Image: Scallywag)

Scottish independent blender and bottler Douglas Laing has produced another blended malt just in time for Chinese New Year. Fully matured in sherry casks, the Speyside whisky features a dark fruity flavour and colour. The Scallywag Year of the Ox Limited Edition arrives in a signature bottle that has been tweaked for the festivities. The logo of the bottle has been redesigned with an ox-inspired motif to tie into the celebrations. Fair warning though, only 1,688 bottles of this whisky have been produced exclusively for selected Asian markets.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Ox

Blue Label CNY 2021
(Image: Johnnie Walker)

Get a prosperous start to the new year with this limited bottling of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Perfect to welcome the Year of the Ox, the bottles feature illustrations by celebrated Chinese artist Shirley Gong.  Utilising the bottle as her canvas, Gong uses celebratory lanterns, cherry blossoms and the ox to great effect. The artwork not only elevates the Blue Label blended Scotch but also provides elements associated with CNY such as prosperity, growth, good fortune, and great achievements.

Suntory Whisky Royal Ox Ceramic 2021

Chinese New Year spirits suntory
(Image: Suntory)

Every year, Suntory releases a limited-edition ceramic bottle to commemorate Chinese New Year. As an ongoing theme, the whisky brand makes it a point to utilise the incoming zodiac animal for this purpose. For 2021, the magnificent ox acts as a vessel for the Japanese brand. Housed inside the ornamental bottle is a blend of malt and grain whiskies sourced from the brand’s most famous distilleries. The Suntory Whisky Royal Ox Ceramic 2021 makes for an impressive CNY gift and fitting addition to any whisky cabinet.

written by.

Richard Augustin

Digital Editor
Richard went from the confines of the kitchen working as a professional chef into the realm of media twenty years ago. In his two-decade career in writing, he has plied his trade in a number of regional print and digital media organisations in the lifestyle, in-flight, entertainment and finance space. When not busy chasing deadlines and writing stories for AugustMan, you can find him experimenting with recipes in his kitchen.
6 Limited Edition Chinese New Year Spirits To Toast The Year Of The Ox
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