As the 2026 Bingwu Fire Horse Year approaches, the season for selecting festive gifts officially begins. For many gift-givers who value etiquette and taste, a fine bottle of wine is not only a vessel of sentiment but also a dual embodiment of sophistication and blessings. The Year of the Horse symbolizes a spirit of galloping forward, boundless vitality, and pioneering freedom. Major wine merchants have closely embraced this theme, releasing limited-edition gift sets with exceptional collectible value and artistic beauty.
This article will delve into the most anticipated zodiac wine gifts of 2026, spanning cognac, whisky, and wine, to guide you through the year’s masterpieces that blend Eastern and Western aesthetics, offering professional guidance for your gift list.
Cognac Duo: A Festive Duel Between Classic Heritage and Artistic Transformation
Hennessy: Six Decades of Eastern Affinity, the Steed Rises as a Festive Totem
As a leading cognac brand with over 160 years of presence in the Chinese market, Hennessy’s annual zodiac series has long transcended mere wine to become a cultural phenomenon. For the 2026 Year of the Horse, Hennessy centers its design on the “galloping steed,” skillfully using warm metallic copper and deep mineral tones to outline the bottle. The amber liquid, shifting with light and shadow, captures the dynamic moment of a horse in full gallop, perfectly interpreting the Eastern philosophy of “harmony between motion and stillness.”
This series comprehensively covers the spectrum of gifting needs:
Entry-Level Choice for Gatherings: The V.S.O.P Lunar New Year Limited Gift Set, with its smooth and easy-drinking profile, is a foolproof choice for sharing during family reunions and festive visits.
Top Choice for Mid-Range Gifting: The X.O Lunar New Year Limited Gift Set, with its rich and deep layers, pays tribute to important partners and elders, carrying profound meaning.
Ultimate Collectible: The Paradis Lunar New Year Limited Collector’s Bottle, designed for connoisseurs and collectors, embodies the pinnacle of craftsmanship and vintage value.
RÉMY MARTIN: Contemporary Art Collage, Crafting the Auspicious Omen of “Six Steeds Galloping”
“Open a bottle of RÉMY MARTIN, and good fortune naturally follows!” This deeply resonant blessing takes on a new artistic interpretation in the Year of the Horse. RÉMY MARTIN invited renowned Chinese contemporary collage artist Xue Song to create the monumental 1.8-meter-tall painting Six Steeds Galloping. The painting not only features the brand’s iconic golden centaur leading the way but also cleverly incorporates six steeds, echoing the Chinese auspicious phrase “six-six great smoothness” (liùliù dàshùn). It deconstructs and reassembles traditional symbols such as calligraphy, paper-cutting, and auspicious clouds with elements of the Cognac terroir.
This artwork is fully transferred onto RÉMY MARTIN’s Lunar New Year Limited Gift Set. From the outer box to the bottle, the layered collage visuals narrate a story of heritage, terroir, and progress toward the future. This makes the gift set itself a shareable and inheritable piece of contemporary art. Gifting it not only offers fine wine but also a unique cultural experience and heartfelt wishes.
Whisky Feast: From Eastern Harmony to Western Cellars, Embarking on a Flavor Exploration Journey
Suntory “Hibiki”: Brewing a Japanese “Harmony” New Year Ode with Seasonal Flowers
Japanese whisky giant Suntory’s “Hibiki” debuts its New Year Limited “Blossoming Prosperity Gift Set Edition.” Inspired by the traditional Japanese auspicious pattern “flower cart motif,” the gift set features a cart laden with flowers moving gracefully amidst auspicious clouds. Adorned with plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and maple leaves, it quietly speaks of the passage of seasons and the accumulation of time—the core spirit of Hibiki whisky.
The offering is the classic Hibiki Japanese Harmony, a blend of spirits from the Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries. Its flavor is delicate and balanced: initial aromas of fresh rose and lychee gradually transition into deep sandalwood and mature woody notes. On the palate, it reveals the sweetness of honey and citrus preserves, coupled with a silky white chocolate texture, finishing with a hint of delicate vanilla and cinnamon spice. From the bottle’s facets symbolizing the 24 solar terms to the label made of Echizen washi paper, every detail reflects meticulous craftsmanship. This is a “harmonious creation” meant to be savored slowly and shared in quiet conversation with close friends and family on New Year’s Eve.
Johnnie Walker: Forward-Looking Vision, a Unique Chapter of “Keep Walking” for the Year of the Horse
Upholding its “Keep Walking” brand spirit, Johnnie Walker embraces the 2026 theme “Steed Illuminates New Horizons, Insight Leads the Way.” Collaborating with internationally renowned fashion designer Robert Wun, the brand interprets the galloping steed with avant-garde and dynamic lines.
Two highlights from the series are not to be missed:
Exclusive Gift for Taiwan: The Blue Label Year of the Horse Limited Edition, specially released at 46% ABV, features a discreetly embossed gold “Taiwan” script and outline on the bottle. The deep mineral-colored bottle paired with metallic accents enhances its commemorative and collectible value.
Prosperity-Bringing Choice: The XR21 2026 Lunar New Year Limited Edition, adorned with a vibrant red horse totem, is bottled at 43% ABV. It blends rare reserves from several closed distilleries, offering an exceptionally rich and complex flavor profile, symbolizing a prosperous start to the new year.
Tamdhu “Fire Horse Year”: The Artistic Journey of a Sherried Steed in Single Cask
Specializing in sherry cask whiskies, Tamdhu launches its “Zodiac Series—Fire Horse Year Limited Edition.” The expression is matured exclusively in 100% custom-made Oloroso sherry casks, adhering to small-batch bottling and no added caramel coloring for a full-bodied and pure flavor.
The packaging design is a major highlight. The brand invited Taiwanese artist Page Tsou, known for collaborations with luxury houses like Gucci and Dior, to create a magnificent scroll inspired by The Eight Steeds. The artwork merges Speyside landscapes, sherry casks, and the distillery’s historic railway. Each side of the gift box is an independent painting, unfolding to reveal a continuous story, as if holding a journey of flavor and time in one’s hands. The whisky’s flavor profile features rich raisins, honey, and gingerbread, with a finish showcasing malt robustness and orange peel freshness, making it a heavyweight sherry whisky tailor-made for the Fire Horse Year.
Glenfarclas “Treading Flames, Galloping at Noon”: A Taiwan-Exclusive Tribute for the 190th Anniversary of Direct-Firing Craftsmanship
Coinciding with its 190th anniversary, Glenfarclas specially releases the substantial “Treading Flames, Galloping at Noon” Year of the Horse New Year Collection 2002 for the Taiwanese market. This is a single cask original wine (Cask #3325), globally limited to just 321 bottles, aged for 23 years in Oloroso sherry casks.
Glenfarclas is one of the few distilleries still insisting on “direct-fired distillation,” where the direct-fired flame induces Maillard reactions in the stills, imparting a more oily and robust character to the new spirit. After years of sherry cask maturation, this exuberant fiery energy mellows into deep notes of caramel, coffee beans, and cocoa, resulting in a grand and complex structure.
Chivas Regal and Royal Salute: The Golden Combo Precisely Catering to Diverse Gifting Scenarios
For different gift recipients and budgets, some brands offer clear and diverse options.
Chivas Regal “Start with Spirit” Series
Featuring three core expressions—Chivas 12 (smooth and easy-drinking), Chivas Extra 13 Gold Sherry (sweet and pleasing), and Chivas 18 (rich sherry depth)—paired with gold, orange, and sapphire blue gift boxes symbolizing wealth, popularity, and stability, respectively. The sets include transfer cups or mini bottles, adding practicality and extending blessings into daily life.
Royal Salute Lunar New Year Limited Series
Based on its 21-year-old high-age whisky, three variants are offered:
“21 Year Galloping Steed Illuminates the New Year Limited Edition”: Designed by British artist Emily Carter, blending auspicious motifs like steeds, cranes, and peonies, offering the highest collectible and display value.
“21 Year Diamond Jubilee Miniature Lunar New Year Limited Gift Set” (Taiwan Exclusive): Includes a 700ml bottle and a 50ml miniature, containing rare spirits from vanished distilleries for a unique flavor.
“21 Year Diamond Jubilee 1.08L Large Format Limited Edition”: Designed for group gatherings and generous sharing, exuding magnanimity and ease.
Wine Giant’s Eastern Tribute: Penfolds’ Paper-Cut Steed
Leading the red wine market, Penfolds also joins the festivities with its “Year of the Steed” Lunar New Year Limited Series. Led by the flagship Grange, classics like Bin 707 and St. Henri don festive new packaging. The design employs vibrant red, gold, and emerald green as primary colors, conveying the horse’s power and speed. Notably, the Grange gift set includes a self-assemblable paper sculpture artwork, paying homage to traditional paper-cutting craftsmanship. This allows the empty box to be transformed into an elegant home decor piece, extending the gift’s life and memories.
The 2026 Year of the Horse limited-edition wine gift landscape is truly a blooming spectacle. From the cognac artistry of Hennessy and RÉMY MARTIN to the harmony and forward-looking spirit of Hibiki and Johnnie Walker, and further to the single cask sherry craftsmanship pinnacle of Tamdhu and Glenfarclas, each creation is more than just an alcoholic beverage—it is a crystallization of culture, art, craftsmanship, and the spirit of the times.
