Lunar New Year 2026
Year of the Horse
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, begins on 17 February 2026, welcoming the Year of the Horse. In the Chinese zodiac, the Horse symbolises energy, independence and forward momentum - qualities that align naturally with progress, confidence and change. As one of the most dynamic signs in the cycle, it has become a popular theme for seasonal gifting and collector editions. We wanted to share a summary of some releases which have stood out to us.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label × Robert Wun
Johnnie Walker’s Year of the Horse edition pairs its flagship blend with a couture-inspired presentation by Robert Wun, the Hong Kong-born, London-based fashion designer. Known for his sculptural silhouettes and contemporary luxury aesthetic, Wun brings a fashion-led sensibility to the bottle, transforming it into a collectible object for the festive season.
Lark Distillery – Fire Horse Edition
Lark’s Lunar New Year 2026 release takes the form of a Fire Horse Edition, featuring artwork by Sydney-based artist Chris Yee. Water and fire motifs combine with wood textures that reference cask maturation, creating a layered, contemporary interpretation that reads as both label and artwork.
Suntory Old Whisky
Suntory’s Year of the Horse 2026 release builds on the house’s long-running zodiac series. The Horse motif is applied to a familiar bottle design, turning a core product into a seasonal keepsake designed for celebratory gifting.
LOUIS XIII × Liu Lihong
LOUIS XIII continues its Lunar New Year collaboration with Liu Lihong, a recognised inheritor of traditional Chinese papercutting. For 2026, the Horse is rendered through heritage stamping techniques, alongside hippeastrum flowers, creating a richly symbolic coffret that blends craftsmanship, ritual and storytelling.
Tamdhu × Page Tsou
Tamdhu’s annual Year of the Horse bottling is fully matured in oloroso sherry casks and bottled at cask strength. The presentation is brought to life by visual artist Page Tsou, whose bespoke illustration adds an expressive narrative layer that complements the whisky’s sherry-driven identity.
Hennessy × Xu Zhen
Hennessy’s Year of the Horse collection spans V.S.O.P, X.O, Paradis and James Hennessy, each presented in limited-edition Lunar New Year packaging. For 2026, the house collaborates with contemporary Chinese artist Xu Zhen, whose bold, modern artwork reframes Hennessy’s heritage through a distinctly contemporary lens.
Whisky and cognac lead Lunar New Year limited editions because they are strongly associated with premium gifting and celebration, especially in Asian markets. Vodka and gin are typically more cocktail-led and less tied to heritage or collectability, so zodiac releases tend to carry less impact for those categories.
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