Gift-giving is a big part of the Lunar New Year – where hampers, sweet treats as well as fine liquors and wines are exchanged to usher in good luck, fortune, and prosperity. Here are some ultra impressive gifting options for loved ones: limited edition spirits and wines that are perfect for Collectors this Lunar New Year 2024.
Maison Hennessy
Celebrate the Lunar New Year in style with Maison Hennessy’s striking limited-edition collection, crafted in collaboration with visionary Chinese artist Yang Yongliang. Known for blending traditional Chinese art and digital technology, Yang’s “Dragon’s Odyssey” – a captivating masterpiece created exclusively for Maison Hennessy – features metallic dragons prancing amongst waves of liquid gold.
Diving into the collection, the classic Hennessy V.S.O.P, a signature blend beloved for its versatility, comes in a deluxe box with subtle but lively dragon motifs juxtaposed against a classy metallic red to symbolise good luck and joy. The Hennessy X.O is another timeless icon that has been given a luxurious and prosperous twist, with a scene from Dragon’s Odyssey gracing its cover and the bottle seal. Finally, there is Hennessy Paradis, known for its silky character and precious eaux-de-vie aged only in very old barrels. Housed in a handcrafted porcelain decanter adorned with luminous gold dragon artwork that are meticulously painted by hand, this rare collection is limited to just 485 bottles globally, of which only 12 are available in Singapore–making it an exquisite gift for loved ones or a stunning centrepiece for your home.
Penfolds
Penfolds has released a limited-edition collection featuring Grange as well as its most premium Luxury & Icons range of wines: Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz Magnum 1.5L, RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz, and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon in a special Lunar New Year Gift Box. This exclusive collection is embellished with intricate golden dragon patterns and scales against a bold red backdrop. These wines are an excellent gifts – to be treasured for years to come.
The first commercial release of Grange coincided with the Year of the Dragon, bringing a unique sentiment to this release. The 2019 Grange is full-bodied, powerful, and perfectly balanced. Meanwhile, the Bin 707 is a full-bodied wine with proven cellaring potential. The 2021 vintage showcases the essence of Bin 707 on the nose, revealing notes of blackcurrant, cassis and mulberry. The palate is balanced and complete with fresh mulberries, blackcurrant and fig with firm, glossy tannins.
In line with this year’s Lunar New Year celebrations, Penfolds is collaborating with 8 By Bottles & Bottles at Great World City for a pop-up from now to 29 Feb. With the store’s drink-in concept, you can sample pours of Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz and RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz. The limited-edition Grange, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz Magnum 1.5L, RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon will be retailing at 8 by Bottles & Bottles too.
The Glen Grant
Whisky lovers will want to get their hands on the limited-edition Azure Dragon series from Scottish distillery The Glen Grant. Ideal for both gifting and to add to one’s personal collection, the auspicious series includes its 10-, 12-, 15-, and 18-year bottles, presented in meticulously crafted boxes inspired by the distillery’s Garden of Splendours. Elements such as a cascading waterfall flowing into a trail of flowers, which lead to the brand’s iconic Glass House and Distillery, as well as hanging lanterns and an Azure Dragon, represent growth and enthusiasm.
Bond with loved ones over The Glen Grant’s Single Malt Scotch Whisky, known for its distinctive flavour that is a result of tall, slender pot stills combined with unique water-cooling purifiers. Each brings a unique profile; whether it’s the fruity aroma and long, complex finish of the 10-year-old, or the oaky overtones and hints of spice of the 18-year-old. Also returning this year is the auspice stopper in the shape of a geometric dragon head, a hallmark feature since The Glen Grant’s debut Lunar New Year release in 2021.
Balvenie
Balvenie’s two new additions to its Stories Range come just in time for Lunar New Year gifting, bringing to life stories of the places where the whisky is made, while celebrating the creativity, passion, and curiosity of its makers.
Matured in 100% European Oak sherry casks, 19 Year Old ‘A Revelation of Cask and Character’ pays homage to the collaborative process between the distillery and its coopers – the craftsmen who maintain The Balevnie’s casks. Helmed by Head Cooper Ian McDonald, a veteran of the craft of over five decades, the influence of the sherry casks creates a rich expression, with The Balvenie’s familiar honey smoothness revealing layers of spice and intense ripe fruits, before giving way to a chewy fig and creamy nutty finish.
Also new to the collection is 27 Year Old “A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores”, inspired by the friendship and innovation between master blender David C.Stewart MBE and long-time friend and colleague John Barrett. John’s knack for finding interesting spirits from around the world and bringing his discoveries to David and his team created exciting opportunities for experimentation, especially when the former brought in special Caroni rum samples to The Balvenie’s sample room. The result is a truly remarkable whisky–rich, dark, and indulgent with notes of muscovado sugar and manuka honey.
Glenfiddich
Gift the “Gift of Blossoming Futures” with Glenfiddich’s limited edition Lunar New Year collection, an exquisite set that draws inspiration from the great outdoors. A collaboration with internationally acclaimed artist Raku Inoue, the series is led by the Glenfiddich Reserva Rum Cask 21 Year Old pack, an aged whisky finished in Caribbean rum-soaked casks where spicy warmth, indulgent vanilla, and toffee sweet notes develop over time.
As a master of drawing, handcrafting, and photography, Inoue’s love for working with organic materials such as flowers and leaves can be seen in the set’s graceful design, which reinterprets Fu Lu, the iconic Glenfiddich Stag, with elements inspired by this year’s elemental zodiac, the Wood Dragon. The range also includes the 12-, 15-, and 18-Year-Old variants, which come as gift packs containing a bottle and Glenfiddich-branded whisky glasses.