Johnnie Walker has announced a collaboration with haute couturier Robert Wun to create limited edition bottle designs for its Blue Label and John Walker & Sons XR 21 Year Old expressions. The new packaging celebrates the upcoming Lunar New Year, the Year of the Horse. Both expressions are available in the global market ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in February 2026.
The partnership combines the worlds of Scotch whisky and high fashion, reflecting the brand’s continued strategy of working with cultural creators for special Lunar New Year editions.
Robert Wun is a Hong Kong-born, London-based fashion designer known for his avant-garde and sculptural work.
He became the first designer from Hong Kong to be added to the official Haute Couture Calendar in Paris.
Wun’s design for the collaboration is said to capture the horse’s spirit of strength, optimism, and constant motion.
“Pushing boundaries is integral to storytelling, and that’s how I approach my work: How can I go further? How can I bring magic to the collaboration?” said Wun.
He added: “For the Year of the Horse, this connection felt especially meaningful – the horse charges forward, symbolising optimism and a relentless drive to push boundaries.”
The limited edition aims to appeal to existing Blue Label collectors and new luxury consumers interested in contemporary design.
Mariana Assis, global head of Johnnie Walker luxury innovation, commented on the partnership.
“Robert Wun is a true pioneer – an artist whose craftsmanship, imagination, and cultural influence mirror the values at the heart of Johnnie Walker,” Assis stated. “We are always seeking collaborators who, like us, honour tradition while boldly reimagining it for a new era.”
The liquid inside the limited edition bottle is Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a blend crafted from whiskies drawn from the company’s extensive reserves. According to brand owner Diageo, only one in 10,000 casks has the character required for the Blue Label blend.
Official notes from the brand describe the whisky as having layered notes of rich spice, vanilla, honey, caramel, hazelnut, dark chocolate, and a long, smoky finish.
In addition to the Blue Label release, Wun has also created a design for John Walker & Sons XR 21 Year Old.
This expression is crafted from whiskies aged for a minimum of 21 years using a rare three-stage blending process.
Its tasting notes include layers of honey, spice, and tropical fruits, with a warm finish.
The Lunar New Year for 2026, which marks the Year of the Horse, begins on 17 February.
Both limited edition designs will be available in markets including the US, Greater China, Southeast Asia, Canada, Australia, Europe, and the UK.
Johnnie Walker is the world’s number one Scotch whisky brand by volume, according to IWSR 2024 data, with sales in more than 160 countries.
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