December 9, 2025
Pernod Ricard GTR and Maison Martell reveal Year of the Horse Limited Editions
The collection includes three travel exclusives, featured across key locations in Asia Pacific and the USA
In celebration of Chinese New Year, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail (PR GTR) and Maison Martell are galloping towards the Year of the Horse with a renewed spirit and an evocative range of limited edition bottles and gift boxes.
The collection includes three travel exclusives, all supported by a far-reaching, omnichannel masterbrand campaign and multiple GTR activations across key locations in Asia Pacific and the USA.
Inspired by the Maison’s connections to this powerful zodiac animal – in Chinese the word for horse, ‘mǎ’, mirrors the first syllable of ‘Martell’ – the collection creates instant impact through the dynamic brushstrokes and custom calligraphy of contemporary Chinese artist He Datian.
Across the Year of the Horse gift boxes, the brand name is presented vertically in large gold embossed lettering; the ‘mǎ’ rendered as a horse’s head, a symbolic icon that is replicated throughout the supporting campaign and activations.
Renowned for his depictions of horses, the artist has created illustrations to correspond to the personality of each cognac. For Martell VSOP, overlapping images of a galloping steed evoke the richness and intensity of its fruity aromas, while for Martell Noblige Noir (a GTR exclusive), a rearing horse dramatically conjures the cognac’s vibrant, energetic personality.
When it comes to Martell Cordon Bleu (the #1 XO cognac in travel retail Asia) the animal is represented on the bottle and pack changing direction at speed, suggesting the elevated trajectory of Maison Martell’s most iconic cognac. He Datian’s work is also reflected on a special edition box for Martell XO, using shining gold and silver tones to create an effect that is precious and refined. Here the horse is shown in a proud, upright stance, reflecting the prestige of this cognac, widely regarded as a status symbol.
Separate to this collection but also part of the Year of the Horse celebrations is the ultra-prestige L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition - Assemblage du Cheval. A sublime blend of aged Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie drawn from past Years of the Horse, housed in a Baccarat crystal decanter with horse-shaped stopper, it is limited to just 500 units worldwide, each bottle individually numbered. Two of these bottles, priced at RMB76,000/ €9,700 have already sold at World of Wines and Spirits, Singapore Changi Airport.
With bottles on shelf from December and a full, impactful, omnichannel campaign across Asian domestic and GTR markets – incorporating a WeChat and Red social media strategy, influencers, OOH and in-store activations planned from January – the Martell Year of the Horse Limited Editions Collection is perfectly positioned for the gifting season and the growing Asian consumer base for fine cognac.
Setting out the traveler strategy, Andrew Bardsley, Director, Prestige Brands & Champagne at Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail, said, “Pernod Ricard is absolutely committed to long term sustainable growth in China and Asia-Pacific and as we approach Chinese New Year we are fully leveraging our market leading position in cognac that has successfully built up over decades of meaningful engagement in the region. Powered by social media and the incredible expertise within the Pernod Ricard GTR team, this stunning Year of the Horse collection and 360 marketing campaign will ensure we regain share of voice and anchor Martell as the top choice for gifting and celebratory occasions.”
Sebastien Borda, Martell Global Marketing Director, added, “The travel retail channel remains one of the most strategic growth engines for Maison Martell. The end-of-year period brings an exceptional surge of international travelers; this year, Martell limited editions celebrating the year of the Horse were crafted precisely with these explorers from the Asian community in mind. Their journeys take them through the world’s most influential duty free touchpoints.
“We really see this moment as a powerful opportunity to share our craftsmanship, celebrate the festive season, and strengthen the emotional bond between our Maison and discerning travelers worldwide.”
The Maison Martell Year of the Horse Limited Editions Collection will be on-shelf from December 2025 and activated across key airports in Singapore, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles from January through March 2026.
