Festive drinks packaging and paraphernalia to usher in the Year of the Snake

Every year, beverage brands put out special-edition packaging and paraphernalia for Chinese New Year.

The Straits Times highlights a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to  add revelry to the occasion.

Hennessy

Chinese fashion designer Qiu Shuting has come up with striking bottle designs for the cognac house’s VSOP, XO, and Paradis expressions (from $93).

All three bottles are matt red, but the colour transitions into a vivid purple tone near the bottom of the XO bottle. 

The Hennessy VSOP Chinese New Year 2025 Deluxe Edition comes with a patterned linen bag and matching strap, also designed by Qiu. 

Info:

str.sg/dcji

Johnnie Walker

Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker has once again recruited Taiwanese-American artist James Jean to design its special-edition bottle and box for Chinese New Year.

His design for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year ($330) features three snakes surrounded by lush flowers as they shed their skin, a metaphor for the new beginnings that come with a new year. 

Jean also designed a special-edition box and bottle for John Walker & Sons XR 21 Year Old ($216).

Info: Available at selected retailers including Paneco. Go to

str.sg/nLk8

Glenfiddich

Single malt Scotch whisky label Glenfiddich has made it a tradition to release festive gift sets emblazoned with artwork. These always feature its signature stag mascot, which is inspired by the purported meaning of the brand’s name in Scottish Gaelic, namely “valley of the deer”.

The 2025 artwork was designed by contemporary Chinese artist Zhang Yu, who used traditional Chinese ink wash painting techniques to merge the imagery of the Glenfiddich deer with the nine-colour deer of Chinese legend.

The festive gift packs are available for the brand’s 12, 15 and 18 Year Old variants (from $104.95) as well as the Reserva Rum Cask 21 ($389.95).

Info:

bit.ly/Glenfiddich2025CNY

Penfolds

Australian wine brand Penfolds is offering three gift boxes for the festive season, which sees its iconic red box re-imagined with striking snake artwork in gold and teal accents.

The boxes are for the Grange 2020 ($1,080), Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($800), RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2022 ($218) and Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2022 ($138 to $358). 

The Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 750ml ($138) boasts a snake design on its bottle label and its box. 

Info:

str.sg/DmDz

Sawanoi Golden Snake sake

The golden bottle of the Sawanoi Golden Snake sake ($138) will make for an eye-catching centrepiece in any reunion dinner spread. The bottle is also embossed with the auspicious “fu” character that signifies blessings and prosperity. 

It comes from Ozawa Brewery, which is reportedly Tokyo’s oldest sake brewery. 

Info:

sakeinn.com

Asahi Super Dry

Asahi, one of Japan’s largest beer brewers, has teamed up with a fellow Japanese brand for its festive cans ($38.75 for a 12-can pack) – Teradamokei, which specialises in producing 1:100 architectural model kits.

The design incorporates motifs such as Chinese lanterns, snakes and fans – all coloured in auspicious shades of red and gold. 

Info:

instagram.com/asahisg

Carlsberg

China-based artist duo 1983Asia have added serpentine imagery to the iconic green packaging of Danish Pilsner beer brand Carlsberg ($62.18 for a 24-can pack). 

The design is informed by the brand’s hop leaf symbol, which can be seen in the head of the snake. The blossoming flowers crowning the head and surrounding its body symbolise new beginnings and prosperity for the year ahead. 

Info:

instagram.com/CarlsbergSG

Yeo’s

Singapore’s home-grown heritage drinks brand has given its Chrysanthemum Tea packets an adorable makeover in the form of the white Fortune Cat, most commonly seen as a statue with its left paw held up in a wave.

There are three designs ($2.45 for a six-pack) that showcase the Fortune Cat in traditional Chinese dress with chrysanthemum flowers and other auspicious motifs such as koi and gold coins.

The public can view 1.2m-tall installations of the Fortune Cat – made from recycled Yeo’s plastic bottles – at FairPrice Hougang Mall and FairPrice Xtra @ Jurong Point till Feb 9. 

The brand is also giving away blind box gift sets in its social media contest. Each blind box contains a mystery Yeo’s beverage, one of nine flavours that are the most popular during Chinese New Year, such as the Longan Red Date drink. The contest ends on Jan 20.

Info:

instagram.com/yeossg

Coca-Cola

The world’s best-selling soda has always been popular and appropriate for Chinese New Year celebrations, thanks to the auspicious red of its cans and bottle labels. So it makes sense that its festive packaging for 2025 ($10.80 for 12-pack) takes a subtle approach. 

Each of its three special designs focuses on a pair of symbols: the ingot and fishes, representing wealth; pine tree and peaches, representing longevity; and fans and bamboo, representing power and resilience.

Info:

cokeurl.com/CocaColaCNY_SG

 

Bonus: Starbucks

American coffee chain Starbucks rolls out a rotating roster of seasonal drinkware, and it has come through again in 2025 with a snake-inspired collection for Chinese New Year.

The collection includes a Stanley Quencher tumbler ($75.90) with a pink, orange and white gradient colour scheme, and a floral snake stainless steel tumbler ($49.90) adorned with cute baby snakes and delicate flowers. 

The brand has also released a Prosperity Bearista collection to celebrate the traditional imagery of the season, such as the lion dance. This is highlighted in its bright red stainless steel tumbler with Lion Dance Cup Carrier ($44.90). 

Info: Available in store, on Lazada and Shopee and at

shop.starbucks.com.sg