As the luxury spirits sector evolves due to increased market competition, shifting tastes and changing consumer expectations, storied maisons find themselves having to adapt as a means of connecting with a wider range of alcohol connoisseurs. Maisons like Hennessy, The Macallan and LVMH-owned labels are delivering immersive showcases — such as Hennessy’s La Chambre du Paradis in Singapore — where rare bottlings and fashion collaborations created a new take on contemporary luxury codes. In an industry where younger demographics increasingly shape demand, the ability to deliver goes beyond flavour profiles to encompass authentic brand messaging, dynamic packaging and sensorial experiences to cement consumer loyalty and market leadership.
Speaking exclusively to Head of Luxury, Diageo Southeast Asia Jay Shankar on how younger consumers approach premium spirits compared to previous generations, Shankar explains that in 2022, his team launched a study involving 9,000 luxury alcohol shoppers across Greater China and Southeast Asia to gain a clearer understanding of the market. Shankar’s comments specifically reflect insights from Diageo and the brands under its umbrella and serve as a stepping stone for understanding broader trends in luxury spirits. The research revealed that luxury consumers are becoming younger, more diverse and more inclusive. Preferences are shifting away from traditional status symbols that emphasise ownership and accumulated assets, towards cues that celebrate experiences, connections and brands reflecting shared values.
This insight has been pivotal for reshaping how luxury spirits brands engage their audiences. By emphasising culture and curating captivating experiences, brands can position themselves as “beacons of desire” while fostering more authentic, meaningful engagement with consumers. Packaging also plays a central role in engaging younger consumers, particularly Gen Z. Shankar emphasises that for these audiences, the first tangible interaction with a brand must be impactful and aligned with values such as sustainability, innovation and authenticity. From experiential launches with sustainable, boundary-pushing packaging, LUXUO explores how these innovations from Diageo and other luxury alcohol beverage companies are shaping the next generation of premium spirits.
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Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing Couture Expression
With its launch of the Johnnie Walker Vault platform earlier this year, Johnnie Walker signaled a new chapter in the way whisky might be experienced — as something akin to a cultural artefact. That ambition takes striking form in “Couture Expression”, the inaugural release co-created with French couture designer Olivier Rousteing — a collection of four seasonal blends crafted alongside Johnnie Walker Master Blender Dr. Emma Walker.
Presented privately in Singapore at The Paiza Collection, the showcase offered the rare chance to experience all four expressions — Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter — each shaped by Rousteing’s narrative of emotion and seasonality, and layered with ghost whiskies from Brora and Port Dundas. The tasting underscored how blending can be pushed into the realm of storytelling, translating fashion’s emotional language into flavour and texture.
The collection itself positions whisky within a wider creative dialogue. Rousteing’s couture instincts — metallic drapé wrapped around Baccarat crystal decanters, topped with sculptural winged stoppers — meet Emma Walker’s technical mastery across Johnnie Walker’s Vault of 500 rare whiskies. The result is a sensorial anthology that speaks to rebirth in Spring, vibrancy in Summer, introspection in Fall and comfort in Winter.
Read More: Dr Emma Walker and Olivier Rousteing Converge to Position Whisky at the Forefront of Luxury
In this way, the “Couture Expression” series becomes an emblem of how a heritage Maison can reframe its legacy for a new demographic of collectors — by pairing signature flavours with disciplines that thrive on design and cultural relevance. Where whisky once sat apart from fashion and art, Vault repositions it as part of a broader cultural fabric, extending its reach beyond connoisseurship into the sphere of lifestyle. With only 25 bottles of each expression released worldwide — and a single complete set in Singapore — the rarity speaks for itself. Yet the lasting impression is not only with its scarcity, but in cultural resonance — where whisky can be communicated through the lens of couture.
The Singleton Gourmand Collection
The Singleton has introduced the Gourmand Collection, a trio of 42-year-old single malts positioned at the pinnacle of its portfolio and priced at SGD 13,000 per set. Each expression — Fig & Chocolate Ganache, Caramelised Crème Brûlée and Black Cherry Gâteau — underwent the longest secondary maturation in the brand’s history, with 29 years of cask layering following an initial 12-year maturation.
The Fig & Chocolate Ganache expression carries notes of dried fruit and cocoa powder with hints of roasted hazelnut, giving it a rounded, almost truffle-like finish. Caramelised Crème Brûlée leans towards honeycomb and vanilla custard with delicate toffee undertones, balanced by a whisper of smoke. Black Cherry Gâteau is the boldest of the trio, brimming with ripe red fruit, spiced kirsch and a satin-smooth chocolate finish. Together, they present a spectrum of profiles that mirror the multi-sensory experience of fine desserts.
Created under Malt Master Dr Craig Wilson, the collection reflects a growing trend in luxury spirits towards cross-disciplinary collaboration. To underline its culinary inspiration, The Singleton partnered with Master Pâtissier Nicolas Rouzaud of Maison de Haute Pâtisserie in London, who crafted bespoke desserts mirroring the whiskies’ profiles.
The packaging — presented in lacquered cases with gilded detailing — reinforces the perception of the set as a long-term collectible, while the scarcity also mirrors luxury’s pivot towards ultra-limited drops. The Gourmand Collection signals the continued premiumisation of Scotch and the sector’s shift towards limited, experiential releases aimed at collectors and high-net-worth consumers seeking exclusivity. With only five sets available in Singapore, the launch positions The Singleton within the ultra-luxury tier of single malt producers while reinforcing Diageo’s wider strategy to elevate whisky into lifestyle-driven luxury culture.
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Hennessy Paradis
Hennessy brought its most treasured expression — Hennessy Paradis — to Singapore with an exclusive multi-sensory showcase at Le Freeport, highlighting how the maison continues to evolve in an increasingly competitive luxury spirits market. First created in 1979 by sixth-generation Master Blender Maurice Fillioux, Paradis blends over 100 eaux-de-vie — some aged up to 130 years — into a luminous, richly layered cognac.
Beyond celebrating its storied past, Hennessy used the event to demonstrate how luxury alcohol brands are innovating to engage consumers. The showcase included rare bottles such as Hennessy Paradis Unlimited, Paradis Gold Edition and archive pieces from previous limited editions — alongside the Loewe x Hennessy Paradis collaboration — which merges artisanal cognac craftsmanship with luxury design. By integrating storytelling, bespoke services like Hennessy Hands and digital activations around the collection, Hennessy illustrates how heritage maisons can remain relevant, deepen consumer loyalty and simultaneously attract younger, design-conscious audiences.
As previously seen with the Hennessy Paradis Unlimited, Hennessy Paradis X Lorenz Bäumer NBA 3L, Hennessy Paradis Gold Edition and Hennessy Paradis Chinese New Year release, this Singapore showcase illustrates how the Hennessy brand can implement forward-looking strategies — inspiring collectors and connoisseurs alike while reinforcing the Maison’s leadership in the global luxury spirits sector.
Alongside ultra-prestige launches like the Paradis, Hennessy continues to broaden its cultural reach through collaborations aimed at younger, experience-driven consumers. For this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival, the maison unveiled limited-edition V.S.O.P and X.O bottles designed with global ambassador Jackson Wang. Featuring contemporary artwork and signature serves like the “Henny Tea” and X.O on ice with sparkling water, the editions link cognac to tea culture, modern gifting and festive rituals across Asia. The bottle invites consumers to “Mix It Like Jackson Wang” — a not-so-subtle nod to the singer’s aforementioned easy-to-make serve: the Henny Tea (40ml V.S.O.P, a splash of oolong tea and ice).
The packaging doubles as a collectible, featuring an elegant exterior box with layered tones of deep amber and silver accents, as well as an embossed frozen effect that further reinforces the connection to the XO on ice serve. By aligning with a multi-hyphenate star who resonates across fashion, music and youth culture, Hennessy was not only paying homage to tradition but also re-framing cognac as a dynamic, cross-cultural symbol for a new generation of drinkers in Asia. The collaboration underscores how Hennessy balances heritage with evolving tastes, using design, music and accessible serves to attract a new generation of drinkers.
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Macallan’s Harmony & Timeless Collections
The Macallan’s latest Harmony Collection release — in collaboration with JING — demonstrates how luxury spirits brands are finding new ways to innovate while honouring heritage craftsmanship. Drawing inspiration from rare single garden teas such as Phoenix Honey Orchid and Organic Cherrywood Lapsang, the 2025 edition presents two limited-edition whiskies that translate the character of these teas into distinct whisky expressions.
Crafted using a combination of Sherry Seasoned American and European oak casks, each whisky balances layered flavours with meticulous attention to provenance and quality. Beyond the bottles themselves, the release incorporates immersive experiences — including a bespoke whisky and tea pairing ritual inspired by the traditional Chinese Gong Fu ceremony and sustainable presentation boxes made from repurposed tea leaves.
Complementing these activations and releases, The Macallan has reimagined its Timeless Collections with a visual identity created by acclaimed graphic designer David Carson. Drawing on two centuries of whisky mastery, the redesign transforms Sherry Oak, Double Cask and Colour Collection bottles into visual representations of the distillery’s architecture and heritage, uniting tradition with a forward-looking aesthetic. These refreshed expressions allow The Macallan to engage consumers beyond tasting alone, presenting whisky as a collectible, design-conscious object while maintaining the signature complexity of the spirit itself.
Seasonal relevance also plays a role in The Macallan’s engagement strategy. Double Cask range — positioned as ideal for summer sipping — highlights the versatility of different drinking occasions, adapting to different moods or ways of serving, while still delivering the signature complexity and craftsmanship The Macallan is known for. By connecting specific expressions to lifestyle moments — rooftop sundowners, weekend dinners or intimate gatherings — the brand reinforces emotional resonance, demonstrating how luxury alcohol is increasingly about experience and context, not only provenance and heritage.
To find out more, head to The Macallan.com or visit The Macallan House.
The Glendronach’s Master’s Anthology Series
With nearly two centuries of whisky-making heritage, The Glendronach has long stood as one of Scotland’s preeminent sherry cask houses. Its newly unveiled “Master’s Anthology” range continues that legacy, presenting three non-age-statement single malts — Ode to the Valley, Ode to the Embers and Ode to the Dark — each designed as a distinct movement in a larger composition of flavour and craft.
Curated by Master Blender Rachel Barrie, the collection is a reframing for the brand — particularly in showcasing the distillery’s DNA through a more expressive, almost narrative-led format. The bright fruit-forward “Ode to the Valley”, the rare smoky depth of “Ode to the Embers” and the velvet richness of “Ode to the Dark” reveal different facets of sherry cask maturation, together forming a modern anthology that remains rooted in The Glendronach’s tradition.
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This release also follows The Glendronach’s recent “Raise Expectations” campaign, which introduced a refreshed visual identity that speaks to the distillery’s dual character — the robust Highland spirit in dialogue with Spanish flair, brought to life in Rankin’s dramatic imagery of flamenco in the Highlands. The redesign also introduced a new brand pattern of brambles and rooks, a nod to the distillery’s name (‘Valley of the Brambles’) and the natural world that surrounds it.
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In this light, “The Master’s Anthology” becomes not just a continuation of the distillery’s sherry cask mastery, but also a milestone in its evolving luxury positioning — one that blends the permanence of tradition with a contemporary artistry designed to captivate a new generation of whisky drinkers. Taken together, these evolutions position the The Glendronach distillery not only as a custodian of sherry cask mastery but as a house unafraid to reinterpret that mastery for today’s whisky drinker — layering history with renewed artistry. The Glendronach’s Master’s Anthology is therefore a signal of how a heritage distillery can translate centuries of expertise into contemporary expressions.
Find out more about this exclusive range here.
Roku Gin IF ONLY X Stay Gold Flamingo
As luxury spirits adapt to shifting consumer expectations, experiential activations are becoming key growth drivers. Roku Gin — part of The House of Suntory — has launched a limited one-day showcase in Singapore with Stay Gold Flamingo (Asia’s Best 100 Bars 2024) and Kuala Lumpur’s IF ONLY. The collaboration highlights how brands are leveraging cross-border partnerships to engage a younger, experience-driven demographic.
For one night only, bartenders Amos Kew and Linus Teng created three exclusive cocktails featuring Roku Gin’s signature and Sakura Bloom editions. Alongside the drinks, IF ONLY’s Chef Bryan Tan and Stay Gold Flamingo’s Chef Joanne co-developed a menu that reinterprets Malaysian flavours through a modern Asian lens. This pairing of culinary identity with Japanese craft spirits underscores how localisation and cultural storytelling can create stronger consumer resonance.
The event reflected a broader strategy of using craft storytelling and limited-edition experiences to expand brand equity in competitive markets. By working with leading Southeast Asian venues, Roku Gin is positioning itself not just as a premium spirit but as a cultural touchpoint in hospitality and dining.
Suntory Deepens Premium Credentials with Yamazaki 25 Mizunara
In parallel with Roku’s cross-cultural collaborations, The House of Suntory has underscored its mastery in the whisky category with the launch of Yamazaki 25 Years Old Mizunara — the oldest 100 percent Mizunara-cask aged expression in its history. Retailing at USD 7,500, the release reinforces Suntory’s ability to operate at the pinnacle of prestige while diversifying its consumer base through more accessible, experiential activations like Roku Gin. Mizunara oak — prized for its rarity and its difficulty to work with — has long been a hallmark of Suntory whisky. Unlike partial Mizunara finishes seen in earlier editions, this release is fully matured in Mizunara casks, delivering complex layers of sandalwood, incense and oriental spice. The result is a profile that appeals to connoisseurs seeking rarity, while symbolising Suntory’s commitment to continuous innovation. Together, these dual strategies — high-end scarcity with Yamazaki and broad-based cultural engagement with Roku — demonstrate how luxury spirits are evolving.
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Aston Martin and Glenfiddich Partnership
August 2025 saw Aston Martin and Glenfiddich announce their collaborative debut at Monterey Car Week in California, aligning two heritage brands to engage a younger, experience-driven audience. Marking a pivotal moment in both brands’ histories, the 1976 Single Malt embodies Glenfiddich’s modernisation in the 1970s and Aston Martin’s innovative design milestones, bringing the two legacies together in a tangible, collectible expression.
The partnership builds on Glenfiddich’s existing relationship with the Aston Martin Formula One Team, extending into curated experiences and limited-edition releases. Malt Master Brian Kinsman has hand-selected a rare 1976 Single Malt — aged for 48 years in a specially coopered European oak sherry cask — reflecting a defining era for both brands and underscoring the premium storytelling and craftsmanship. Tasting notes include red berry sweetness, crumbly butter pastry, soft spice, stewed fruits and toasted oak, finishing with lingering sweet spice.
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Stefano Saporetti — Director of Brand Diversification at Aston Martin — notes that the partnership allows both brands to bring their shared heritage to life through “immersive, sensory and emotional experiences” that appeal to their core consumer bases that share common values that reflect an unwavering dedication to luxury, beauty and progressive storytelling. Similarly, Glenfiddich’s Global Brand Director, Claudia Falcone highlights the extension beyond Formula One into curated pop-up whisky tastings, where Aston Martin’s Valhalla plug-in hybrid supercar takes centre stage — linking the precision, rarity and forward-looking vision of both brands.
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