Johnnie Walker has unveiled the latest release in its Lunar New Year series: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Dragon.
Johnnie Walker has long been releasing limited-edition Blue Label bottlings to celebrate the Lunar New Year. These releases are particularly popular in Asia, where the Lunar New Year is most often celebrated and observed.
The Johnnie Walker brand has a huge presence in the blended whisky market in Asia, with Diageo reporting a 7% rise in sales volume of Johnnie Walker in 2023. The Asian market has also overtaken Europe in terms of Scotch whisky consumption as of the time of writing.
As such, it is no wonder that Johnnie Walker’s Lunar New Year releases are so highly anticipated.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Dragon
The new Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Dragon. Image via Malts.com.
In the Chinese zodiac calendar, each year is represented by an animal: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. We are currently in 2023, the year of the rabbit. However, the Lunar New Year, the year of the dragon, is on the horizon.
In celebration of the Lunar New Year, as always, Johnnie Walker has released a limited edition Blue Label in collaboration with James Jean, an international artist who has exhibited all over the world. Jean is known for his hyper-stylised paintings and multi-layered compositions using abstract figures and plays of colour. The box for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Dragon features a stunning illustration reminiscent of a Chinese dragon. Of the image and its meaning, Johnnie Walker said:
“the evergreen Wood Dragon springs from bountiful flora and fauna, and bursts to life with auspicious ambition. His artwork of the mythical dragon, interwoven and layered with botanical elements, echoes the visceral flavour experience of this exceptional Scotch”.
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As well as Jean’s illustrations, the bottle is also decorated with Johnnie Walker’s iconic Striding Man logo, which has been a fixture on Johnnie Walker bottles since 1908.
The Johnnie Walker Lunar New Year releases are the perfect bottles for collection, or for celebrating Lunar New Year with family and friends.
Tasting Notes
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is considered one of the world’s most premium blends, and this expression is no different. On the nose: smokiness, sweetness, and raisins. On the palate: dried fruit, citrus smoke, honey, sweet spice, and vanilla. The finish is rounded, smoky, and velvety chocolate.
Other Johnnie Walker Lunar New Year Releases
Johnnie Walker has been releasing limited edition Lunar New Year bottlings since 2013 when the Year of the Snake was unveiled. Each year since, a new iteration has been released to the market, with packaging designed around the animal that represents any given year. 2022 saw the release of the Year of the Rabbit, featuring designs by Angel Chen.
Buy Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year Of The Dragon
The latest edition to the Lunar New Year series by Johnnie Walker is available to buy now at Malts.com for £225.
Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year refers to the first new moon of a lunar calendar or a lunisolar calendar. The months of the lunar calendar are based on moon cycles and differs from the Gregorian calendar, which is widely used in the Western world.
The Lunar New Year is widely celebrated in Asia, although dates and customs vary across cultures. Most often, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in late January or early February. Countries that observe Lunar New Year celebrations include China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Vietnam.
