From the Depths of Blue, This Limited-Edition Johnnie Walker Unravels the Spectacle of the Lunar New Year
BANGKOK, THAILAND—Now this is one way to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Guests from across Southeast Asia gathered on January 17, 2024, to launch the limited-edition Lunar New Year Johnnie Walker Blue Label designed by world-renowned visual artist James Jean. With it, the stars came out to shine at Penthouse Bar + Grill in Park Hyatt Bangkok.
James Jeans Takes on the Wood Dragon
The bottle marks a full-circle moment for the Asian-American artist in many ways. Jean, remembered for his large-scale paintings depicting allegorical and cosmological imaging, reinterprets the Year of the Dragon by focusing on 2024’s Zodiac animal: the Wood Dragon. In Asian tradition, the creature symbolizes life and creativity as well as a sign of future prosperity.
The artist posing with the limited-edition bottle.
The spirit of the Lunar New Year is most evident in the design's layered visuals punctuated by the evergreen Wood Dragon. Complementing this is the bountiful flora and fauna, which is said to represent "life with auspicious ambition"
Jean explains: "Evolved from traditional depictions of Chinese dragons, my dragon is composed of flowers and organic elements, from which emerge tendrils and arcing lines, evoking the idea of roots and connection."
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The limited-edition Lunar New Year Johnnie Walker Blue Label and John Walker and Sons XR 21 designed by James Jean is now available in the Philippines.
In the past, Jean has worked with various Hollywood directors for promotional posters. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, the artist has worked across different genres. For this project, he blended contemporary imagery with aesthetic techniques inspired by traditional Chinese scroll paintings, Japanese woodblock prints, and Renaissance portraiture.
The artist further unravels the Wood Dragon as we look more closely at the detail. “There are hidden elements in the picture as well—layers to be discovered, just like the layers in this incredible whisky," the Taipei-born artist adds. "I included chrysanthemums, from which flow liquid gold—inspired by Johnnie Walker whiskies—and hummingbirds sipping on the precious nectar. I want the viewer to peel back the layers and discover more about the image."
A fun night in Bangkok.
Inside the Depth of Blue
The room has become quite the attraction these days. It's JW's first flagship store in Southeast Asia.
On the 35th floor of Park Hyatt is where its worst-kept secret resides. The Johnnie Walker Depth of Blue Room is a multisensory conceptual space that takes consumers through the whisky maker's most sought-after offerings and then some. Here, patrons are treated to a confluence of taste, scent, and form. Boasting a 180-degree immersive screen and special effects, the room is meant to reflect the "mysteries of the ocean's depths."
More than that, however, is the selection that awaits guests. Apart from the intricately crafted Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky, among the rarest in the JW collection, is the specially curated cocktail menu that celebrates Thai and Scottish influences.
High Soul, Daring Ocean, Too Blue, and Lowland Heath each serve as mementos to Johnnie Walker's rich history. Of course, there's always the option to get the Johnnie Walker Blue Label on the rocks. Maybe for the Esquire man. Adding to the experience is the "Rarity" Card and "Luxury Flipbook" sprayed with the aroma of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Perfume. Yes, it's as indulgent as it sounds.
For more information on the latest release, visit Johnnie Walker.
