Courvoisier releases Lunar New Year collection

Cognac brand Courvoisier has partnered with Chinese painter Jiannan Huang to create a collection that celebrates the Year of the Dragon.

The three-bottle range includes Courvoisier’s Year of the Dragon Blend, L’Essence and XO.

“This creative partnership with Maison Courvoisier has allowed me and my team to fuse enamel techniques and traditional Chinese art, providing not only a remarkable canvas for storytelling but also enabling me to pay homage to the dragon’s symbolic power and elegance,” said Huang, who was born in the Year of the Dragon.

“Together, we’ve created something truly enchanting that immerses Cognac aficionados in the rich customs and festivities of Lunar New Year.”

The first Cognac in the collection, the Year of the Dragon Blend, is a rare Courvoisier expression comprising eaux de vie from previous Dragon Years, the oldest dating back to the last century.

The expression is packaged in a crystal decanter created by Baccarat, with a ceramic pedestal crafted by Huang.

Bottled at 42% ABV, the Year of the Dragon Blend is comprised of four crus: Fins Bois, Borderies, Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne. Only eight bottles are available, exclusively in China.

“The Borderies’ spiciness and floral notes are elegantly pronounced. I specifically chose them for the Chinese palate, which holds a deep appreciation for these flavours,” said Maison Courvoisier’s chief blender Thibaut Hontanx.

“Drawing on the contributions of three former chief blenders who have lent their expertise to the eaux-de-vie selection, our combined expertise shines through in this Year of The Dragon blend.”

The special edition L’Essence de Courvoisier features Huang’s dragon painting on both the bottle and box. The expression blends more than 100 eaux de vie sourced from the Cognac region, namely Grande Champagne and Borderies.

The 42% ABV Cognac has an RRP of £3,000 (US$3,808) and will be available in the UK, Canada, the US, Southeast Asia and China.

The Lunar New Year edition of Courvoisier XO features the regular 40% ABV expression with a new box featuring Huang’s red dragon design. It has an RPP of £135 (US$171).

“On behalf of Maison Courvoisier, we’re particularly pleased to present this three-part Year of the Dragon series in 2024,” said Hontanx.

“Collaborating on the Year of the Dragon collection with Jiannan Huang to create these incredibly special releases has allowed us to explore tradition, heritage, and culture in a new way. It is a truly unique and striking interpretation of the Maison’s tenets of joy and light.”

Cognac brand Hennessy has also collaborated with a Chinese artist to mark the occasion.