Unique art and whisky collaboration highlights New Year celebrations around the world

In a collaboration with The Macallan titled A Night On Earth In Scotland, acclaimed Japanese-French illustrator Erica Dorn highlights historic fire rituals that are present in New Year celebrations around the world.

With Chinese New Year fast approaching, it is interesting to note that no matter how differently cultures around the world celebrate the turning of a year, they all have some things in common.

Fire, in particular, is a universal theme among many New Year celebrations around the world – from the explosive fireworks of Chinese New Year to the warm fireplaces of Scotland.

In a unique collaboration with The Macallan titled A Night On Earth In Scotland, acclaimed Japanese-French illustrator Erica Dorn highlights historic fire rituals that are present in New Year celebrations around the world.

Dorn, who has previously created designs for some of the world’s leading luxury brands, and whose artwork has featured in director Wes Anderson’s films, chose the fire theme because of the significant role fire plays in New Year celebrations worldwide.

“Around its warmth, we gather our families, friends, and loved ones to share past memories and future hopes. Though the fire rituals may differ from culture to culture, fire is universal in its ability to unite us and bring us ‘home’,” she says in a press release.

A Night On Earth In Scotland is the first in a new annual limited edition gifting series by The Macallan.

Presented as part of an innovative package that provides a unique unboxing experience, it tells the story of Scotland’s world-famous Hogmanay festivities and captures the universal joy of celebrating the change of year around the world.

Dorn highlights historic fire rituals that are present in New Year celebrations around the world.

In Scotland, Hogmanay is celebrated to mark the arrival of the new year. The origin of the festival is older than most modern New Year’s Eve traditions, and has been said to date back to the time of the Vikings and their allegedly wild celebration of the winter solstice.

Distinct customs of Scotland’s Hogmanay include the tradition of first footing, when it is good luck for a dark-haired visitor to be the first person to enter your home after midnight, bearing symbolic gifts – whisky, coal and Scottish shortbread - that aim to bring comfort and happiness in the year ahead.

This unique custom, as well as other elements of Hogmanay and also New Year celebrations around the world, are captured in Dorn’s playfully abstract illustrations and the colours she chose.

“The colours for this presentation box were selected with a particular journey in mind: first, red for merriment, vitality, good fortune and joy; blue to remind us of a winter evening in Scotland, in all its peace and stillness; and finally, amber – in tribute to the sweet aroma of soft butter and freshly baked shortbread, which were an inspiration for Sarah Burgess in the creation of this whisky,” Dorn explains.

The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker, Sarah Burgess, who drew on her own fond family memories of Hogmanay to create a runique, rich, evocative expression of the signature Macallan style.

Speaking of the whisky, some of Dorn’s other design elements focused on the flavours found within the single malt crafted by The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker, Sarah Burgess, who drew on her own fond family memories of Hogmanay to create a runique, rich, evocative expression of the signature Macallan style.

“Crafting A Night On Earth In Scotland has been an extremely personal experience for me,” Burgess says in a press release. “It took me back to growing up in our family home in Speyside, just across the river from The Macallan Estate.

Burgess crafted the whisky from a selection of The Macallan’s sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks, along with American ex-bourbon barrels to deliver a rich, sweet shortbread-like character.

The result is a whisky that has aromas of vanilla, butter rich, baked apple, baking biscuits, plum and almond on the nose, with soft velvety sweetness on the palate reminiscent of shortbread thanks to a rich mouth coating, vanilla sweetness, with lightly toasted marshmallow, dried oranges, fig and cinnamon. The finish is medium, with sweet butterscotch and freshly baked biscuits.

“The whisky’s vanilla sweetness references the rich Scottish shortbread traditionally gifted and eaten at Hogmanay, while notes of dried orange and spice recall the flavours and aromas that filled our house through the festive season,” Burgess explains.

“It encapsulates the hopes and dreams of Hogmanay celebrations past, present and future, it also conveys the unwavering human desire to spend special times with loved ones.”

Learn more about The Macallan "A Night On Earth In Scotland" at www.themacallan.com/en-my.