Changi Airport Group’s World of Wines & Spirits (WOWS) capped its 2025 run with a two-night gala at Changi Axis, Terminal 2, designed as a multi-sensorial journey through some of the world’s rarest bottles. Themed “Wonders Reimagined”, the invite-only event on Oct 24 & 25 drew more than 600 guests and industry partners, including actor Lawrence Wong and actress Jeanette Aw, for an evening of immersive storytelling, pairings and performance that foregrounded provenance and craftsmanship over spectacle.
This year’s WOWS brought together 63 bottles from 29 labels, spanning blue-chip Scotch and Japanese whiskies, storied cognacs and cellar-worthy wines and champagnes. Headliners included Johnnie Walker’s couture-inspired Vault debut and a pre-release L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition - Assemblage du Cheval, alongside museum-grade Macallan expressions. The curation is presented in partnership with Lotte Duty Free and continues a programme first launched in 2022 to elevate travel retail beyond transactions to storytelling and discovery.
Gala setup
Guests moved through five sensorial zones that translated terroir and ageing into space, sound and scent. “Highland Wonders” framed Japanese and European whiskies with bamboo cues, coastal mists and notes of citrus, clove, dried fruits and smoke. “Cognac Landscapes” layered displays to echo chalky soils and rolling hills, while “Flavours in Bloom” paired wines and champagnes with Janice Wong chocolates. “Echoes of Rarity” set rare and fine spirits against a diamond-inspired environment with gentle soundscapes and immersive visuals.
Macallan Red Collection 40 Years Old
Meanwhile, Michelin-starred Nouri ran a live station of savoury and sweet canapés tuned to each pour. The programme featured a Cyr wheel solo by Hong Kong performer Lai Yee, a handpan-violin set by Japan’s Bodai & Bonno and a finale collaboration merging movement and sound.
WOWS is increasingly a platform where collectability and narrative shape demand. “The most discerning connoisseurs of wines and spirits prize rarity, craftsmanship, and the stories behind each bottle,” says Hung Jean, managing director, airside concessions, Changi Airport Group. “Guided by valuable client feedback, this carefully curated portfolio aims to delight collectors and elevate the luxury retail experience”.
Jeff Jeong Soongyu, managing director, Lotte Duty Free Singapore, adds: “With every edition of WOWS, we carefully curate collections that speak to what collectors are looking for today, while continuing to offer something fresh, rare, and unmatched in travel retail.”
The bottles told the story. The Macallan Red Collection 40 Years Old changed hands at $25,000, its four decades in oak a study in patience and wood selection. Martell L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Cheval, limited to 750 bottles worldwide, was offered at $14,500 and presented in a Baccarat-crowned crystal decanter that nods to the vitality and elegance of the Horse. A Yamazaki Mizunara 18- and 25-year-old set, exclusive to WOWS, went at $15,000, while a Yamazaki 25 with Bowmore 30 Lotte Exclusive set was priced $10,700, a meeting of Japanese and Islay heritage. Each sale underscored the event’s positioning as a serious buying opportunity for collectors who want access, not just atmosphere.
Johnnie Walker Vault Couture Expression
Design-led releases also took a bow. Released in only four cities, a single complete set is available at WOWS for $103,800. The Johnnie Walker Vault Couture Expression, co-created by Master Blender Dr Emma Walker and French creative director Olivier Rousteing, reinterprets whisky through a fashion lens across four seasonal editions, each anchored by ghost whiskies from Brora and Port Dundas.
For Macallan collectors, a Fine & Rare 1965 set, resonant with Singapore’s own 1965 milestone, features a Kamini Ezralow tantalus, Lalique crystal and ebony coasters. One set is offered at $48,000. For those chasing age statements at the outer limits, The Macallan Red Collection 71/74/78 complete set, upholstered in red Scottish leather, is curated exclusively at WOWS for $368,200.
Beyond the gala, WOWS extends into a year-round destination accessible to travellers and non-travellers. Rarities can be previewed and purchased via the official site, with concierge support for reservations. Eligible purchases are tax- and duty-free for travellers at collection with valid documents; taxes and duties apply to non-travellers. Perks include a set of Christofle crystal champagne flutes for Mastercard spends from $5,000, while stocks last.
The staging at Changi Axis serves a broader strategic aim: to position Singapore as a luxury gateway to Asia for wine and spirits, and to reinforce Changi’s reputation for experiential retail. The 2025 edition opened with masterclasses by Johnnie Walker and The Macallan and invited previews, then culminated in an event that used art, performance and gastronomy to bring age statements and appellations to life. In doing so, WOWS met its brief: to create desire among high-net-worth buyers and connoisseurs by letting the bottles, their makers and their stories take the spotlight.
The curation remains available online (https://wows.changiairport.com/) for a limited period, including ultra-rare pieces such as The Macallan Red Collection 71/74/78, the Bowmore ARC Series with an accompanying Islay experience, Johnnie Walker’s couture set and an APAC-exclusive Glenfiddich 1959 Cask 3935. For collectors weighing investment, status or gifting value, WOWS 2025 is a concentrated snapshot of what matters today: scarcity backed by provenance and presented with care in Singapore.
For enquiries on product reservations, customers may connect with a Changi Airport Shopping Concierge at +65 9725 3459. Prices indicated above are tax-free and duty-free for eligible travellers with a valid boarding pass and passport at point of purchase and collection. Tax and duties will apply for purchases made by non-travellers or any amount exceeding the customs allowance for travellers.
