Menu
News

How are drinks brands celebrating the Year of the Snake?

Longevity is closely associated with the snake in the Chinese zodiac, and with the Lunar New Year 2025 festivities set to kick off tomorrow, Eloise Feilden takes a look at how global brands are marking the occasion to ensure a long future in the Chinese market.

January’s end brings with it the close of the Year of the Dragon, as festivities taking place tomorrow (29 January) will usher in the next animal in the Chinese zodiac: the snake.

The dragon, representing strength, health and good luck, has served us well throughout the year; 2024 has been a time when holding strong was necessary for the sheer survival of our industry, and the dragon’s power reflects the tenacity with which our sector has stood up to its headwinds.

These familiar challenges (which I will, for this reason, spare listing) remain as we head into a new phase. But what can the Year of the Snake offer by way of comfort?

This serpentine, limbless creature gets a bad rap in Western lore, thanks, no doubt, to its role in Adam and Eve’s downfall in the Bible’s creation narrative.

In the Chinese zodiac, however, the snake represents wisdom, intelligence, and creativity.

With this in mind, we take a look at how some of the world’s biggest drinks brands are getting creative with their Year of the Snake celebrations.

Martell

Each year, Maison Martell releases an exclusive edition of its most premium Cognac inspired by that year’s zodiac animal. Celebrating the Year of the Snake, just 500 bottles have been released of the 2025 edition, L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Serpent.

Each individually-numbered bottle contains liquid blended by Martell cellar master Christophe Valtaud, who selects very old eaux-de-vie from past Years of the Snake, combining them with the original blend. The final product contains over 1,400 eaux-de-vie from Cognac’s four terroirs.

Masi

Partner Content

Situated in Valpolicella Classica since 1772, Masi is a leading producer of Amarone and other Triveneto wines.

The Italian wine icon is targeting Asian markets with its latest Lunar New Year Amarone release.

Nectar Costasera Lunar – Year of the Snake is a limited-edition Amarone Classico 2019 created specifically for the 2025 Chinese New Year.

The release marks the second consecutive collaboration between the Valpolicella-based producer and China Duty Free Group (CDFG), following last year’s Dragon edition.

Masi’s Nectar collection is a travel retail exclusive, and will be available in select duty-free locations across China, including Hainan, Beijing and Shanghai.

Penfolds

Australian wine giant Treasury Wine Estates will have added reason to celebrate this Lunar New Year, thanks to the lifting of tariffs on Australian wine in China in 2024.

To mark the start of the Year of the Snake and solidify its presence in the Chinese market, the producer’s Penfolds brand has released a number of gift boxes.

All adorned with snake imagery and red packaging, the Year of the Snake editions include: Grange 2020 750ml Lunar New Year Gift Box, Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Lunar 750ml New Year Gift Box, RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022 750ml Lunar New Year Gift Box, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2022 Lunar New Year Magnum 1.5L Gift Box, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2019 750ml Lunar New Year Edition.

Hennessy

LVMH-owned Cognac house Hennessy has gone a different route to celebrate the Lunar New Year festivities in 2025. The French brand recently unveiled its Kinetic Spring Garden at ION Orchard in Singapore. The installation is inspired by the limited-edition Year of the Snake bottle designed by Shanghai-based artist and fashion designer Shuting Qiu.The artwork has been created in collaboration with local artist Pei Li of PeiPer Studio.

Related news

Radico Khaitan Q3 results boosted by luxury brands

Berry Bros. & Rudd enters redundancy consultation with staff

What to pair with...a portion of fries

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

It looks like you're in Asia, would you like to be redirected to the Drinks Business Asia edition?

Yes, take me to the Asia edition No