Johnnie Walker has unveiled a striking new Lunar New Year Limited Edition design for Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky, created by Asian-American artist James Jean. Adept at working across multiple genres, Jean fuses contemporary subjects with aesthetic techniques inspired by traditional Chinese scroll paintings, Japanese woodblock prints, and classical portraiture.
The eye-catching design to mark the Year of the Snake, 2025’s Zodiac animal, follows on from James’ celebrated design for the brand’s Year of the Dragon release.
In the design, three snakes representing three attributes of wisdom, intelligence, and intuition, are surrounded by blooming flowers, shedding their skins to embrace the next chapter in life.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the Diageo brand’s most coveted expression, made using some of the rarest whiskies from the Johnnie Walker reserves of maturing Scotch, including some irreplaceable casks sourced from long-closed ‘ghost’ distilleries.
James Jean’s Year of the Snake artwork is said to symbolise an ambition for constant progression and self-reinvention…
Born in Taipei and raised in New Jersey, James, who attended the School of Visual Arts in New York, says: “I portrayed the snake shedding its skin to represent the idea of renewal and growth. The three snakes symbolize the attributes of wisdom, intelligence, and intuition, while also representing the past, present, and future. The snakes are constantly growing, transforming, and adapting to changing conditions.”
James Jean has also designed illustrations for the Lunar New Year John Walker & Sons XR 21 Year Old Limited Edition Design.
“James Jean’s stunning portrayal of the snake for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year 2025 collection masterfully intertwines tradition and innovation,” says Johnnie Walker Global Brand Director, Jennifer English. “Just as Johnnie Walker embodies progress with our Keep Walking spirit, Jean has brilliantly woven a connection between heritage and forward-thinking vision. His snake design represents transformation and resilience, reflecting both the legacy of our brand and the promise of the future.”
A new limited-edition English single malt brings together ex-maple syrup and Oloroso casks with a subtle hint of peat. Introducing Cotswolds Distillery’s Round Hill Harvest, the fifth expression in its popular Harvest Series. Comprising 1,200 bottles, the release marries whisky matured in ex-maple syrup casks with Spanish oak Oloroso hogsheads. The resulting dram is rich…
Christmas is coming, and Master of Malt and Drinks by the Dram are ready with a new collection of spirits advent calendars, with 30ml wax-sealed drams behind every door. The calendars cover everything from classic Scotch and Japanese whisky to gin, rum and vodka, and the vast majority of the included spirits are new for…
Glenmorangie has released its oldest-ever whisky, a 50 year old single malt made with some of the last batches of barley malted in the distillery’s own floor maltings before they were decommissioned in 1977. The whisky is limited to 149 bottles, each presented in a bespoke porcelain vessel created by American ceramic artist Peter Pincus.…
Johnnie Walker has unveiled a striking new Lunar New Year Limited Edition design for Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky, created by Asian-American artist James Jean. Adept at working across multiple genres, Jean fuses contemporary subjects with aesthetic techniques inspired by traditional Chinese scroll paintings, Japanese woodblock prints, and classical portraiture.
The eye-catching design to mark the Year of the Snake, 2025’s Zodiac animal, follows on from James’ celebrated design for the brand’s Year of the Dragon release.
In the design, three snakes representing three attributes of wisdom, intelligence, and intuition, are surrounded by blooming flowers, shedding their skins to embrace the next chapter in life.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the Diageo brand’s most coveted expression, made using some of the rarest whiskies from the Johnnie Walker reserves of maturing Scotch, including some irreplaceable casks sourced from long-closed ‘ghost’ distilleries.
Born in Taipei and raised in New Jersey, James, who attended the School of Visual Arts in New York, says: “I portrayed the snake shedding its skin to represent the idea of renewal and growth. The three snakes symbolize the attributes of wisdom, intelligence, and intuition, while also representing the past, present, and future. The snakes are constantly growing, transforming, and adapting to changing conditions.”
James Jean has also designed illustrations for the Lunar New Year John Walker & Sons XR 21 Year Old Limited Edition Design.
“James Jean’s stunning portrayal of the snake for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year 2025 collection masterfully intertwines tradition and innovation,” says Johnnie Walker Global Brand Director, Jennifer English. “Just as Johnnie Walker embodies progress with our Keep Walking spirit, Jean has brilliantly woven a connection between heritage and forward-thinking vision. His snake design represents transformation and resilience, reflecting both the legacy of our brand and the promise of the future.”
Johnnie Walker Lunar New Year Limited Edition is available from The Whisky Exchange, priced £230.
Maple sweetness and Oloroso define new Cotswolds Round Hill Harvest English whisky release
A new limited-edition English single malt brings together ex-maple syrup and Oloroso casks with a subtle hint of peat. Introducing Cotswolds Distillery’s Round Hill Harvest, the fifth expression in its popular Harvest Series. Comprising 1,200 bottles, the release marries whisky matured in ex-maple syrup casks with Spanish oak Oloroso hogsheads. The resulting dram is rich…
Whisky, gin, rum or vodka? We reveal the best spirits advent calendars that countdown to Christmas
Christmas is coming, and Master of Malt and Drinks by the Dram are ready with a new collection of spirits advent calendars, with 30ml wax-sealed drams behind every door. The calendars cover everything from classic Scotch and Japanese whisky to gin, rum and vodka, and the vast majority of the included spirits are new for…
Glenmorangie’s oldest-ever whisky is a 50 Year Old single malt made with historic floor-malted barley
Glenmorangie has released its oldest-ever whisky, a 50 year old single malt made with some of the last batches of barley malted in the distillery’s own floor maltings before they were decommissioned in 1977. The whisky is limited to 149 bottles, each presented in a bespoke porcelain vessel created by American ceramic artist Peter Pincus.…
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