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Cognac Hennessy, whose manufacturer – the company Jas Hennessy & Co – is one of the four so-called Great Cognac Houses, today is the undisputed world leader in its field.
Every year, about 50 million bottles of this drink are sold in the world, which is more than 40% of the total sales of cognacs. At the same time, a significant part of sales falls on the “junior” brands (Comandon, Davidoff, Denis-Mounie, Hine, Monnet and Pellisson), using spirits from Jas Hennessy & Co.
The history of the famous cognac
For the first time, having heard the frankly Irish name of the drink, many people ask quite a reasonable question: is Hennessy cognac or whiskey?
Before ridiculing such “linguists”, it should be remembered that this cognac, indeed, has Irish roots.
The founder of the company, registered in 1765, was a political immigrant from Ireland, Richard Hennessy, who served in a special Irish battalion in the army of the French king, Louis XV.
After being seriously wounded in 1745, the brave officer was treated for some time in the “cognac” province of Charente.
Having retired ten years later with the rank of captain and probably already having clear plans for his future business, the 33-year-old immigrant settled in the city of Cognac.
By the way, the military past of the founder of the family business was reflected in the later logo of the company, which contains an element of the noble coat of arms of a brave Irishman: a knight’s hand with a halberd clamped in it.
Whatever the Irishman produces alcohol from, he will do it with high quality.
Back in the century, the new drink received some recognition in France and England, and also gained unprecedented popularity in the newly created North American United States.
In the century, French distillers of Irish bottling began to supply their products to the tables of the most august persons. It was then that for the first time saw the light created by the personal order of the future English king George IV Hennessy vsop and Hennessy ho, the endurance of which exceeds twenty years.
The significant authority earned in this way among colleagues in the shop allowed the descendants of the former officer to implement important reforms that affected the entire cognac industry.
In particular, it was at their suggestion that the basic gradation of cognac was introduced according to the aging time of the youngest of the blend spirits; the drinks themselves, as part of the fight against fakes, began to be sold not in barrels, but in transparent bottles.
Today, unlike the other three great cognac houses (Martell, Rémy Martin and Courvoisier), Hennessy, even if somewhat formally, is headed by the direct descendants of the founder of the company.
True, the company’s legal status is quite confusing and is likely to be a source of headache for many tax officials.
Judge for yourself: this cognac giant is an equal co-founder of the Louis Vuitton • Moët-Hennessy conglomerate, which brings together producers of elite alcohol and luxury goods; the aforementioned conglomerate itself, in turn, is a branch of the Christian Dior empire.
In addition, Hennessy is 34% owned by the ubiquitous Diageo.
Innovation
The history of Hennessy is associated with numerous innovations: it was this brandy that was first sold not in barrels, but in bottles. He also owns the invention of the “star” classification of cognacs .
Image advertising has become another innovation of the company. A lot of effort was directed so that not a single significant event could do without a bottle of Hennessy. So, gradually, the brand became associated with luxury and wealth.
An interesting marketing ploy was made during Prohibition in the United States. Recalling the healing properties of cognac, they began to sell it in pharmacies as a medicine.
Brand image now
Hennessy is part of the French holding Louis Vuitton – Moet Hennessy, which produces luxury goods. The drink gained fame in the 18th century, when Louis XV spoke of it as a drink of the highest quality.
From the very beginning of its inception to this day, Hennessy has remained the drink of aristocrats, the standard of impeccable quality and taste.
Today, Hennessy is an indispensable attribute of luxurious receptions, expensive hotels and private meetings.
How many degrees in Hennessy
All types of Hennessy contain 40% alcohol.
The exception to the rule was the collectible Hennessy Ellipse, whose fortress was 43,5 degrees.
Varieties of Hennessy
classification of cognac by aging
Hennessy V.S. (Very Special)
The base cognac, which accounts for 70% of all company sales.
There are hints of almond pastries in the aroma; on the palate – vanilla-nutty notes.
V.S. Limited Edition
The current drink, released in a limited edition.
In terms of quality, it can be equated to the Superior class (aged from three years).
A distinctive feature of this cognac is a persistent vanilla aftertaste.
Hennessy Fine и Hennessy Black
Four-year and five-year innovative drinks designed for a youth audience.
According to the developers, they do not fit into the classical gradation at all, in view of the departure from the generally accepted blending rules. V
The taste and aroma of the drinks are distinguished by unusual combinations of floral and honey notes with barely noticeable citrus undertones.
VSOP Privilege
According to the manufacturer, it is made according to an authentic recipe developed for George IV.
Technically, it should correspond to the level of modern XO, since it contains spirits with an aging period of 6-12 years.
It is considered softer than other varieties of Hennessy.
The whole fragrance evokes memories of caramel and sandalwood.
On the palate there are almond, pear and honey shades.
Hennessy XO
Something much more than the classic Extra old. This drink is based on spirits aged 20-30 years.
It has a non-trivial flavor bouquet containing hints of chocolate, dried fruits and spices, accompanied by a woody counterpoint.
The exquisite aftertaste, which combines notes of walnut and salted caramel, deserves special attention.
Hennessy 250 Blend
Available today is a collection drink produced on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the company in the amount of 250 barrels.
Possesses the bright aroma combining shades of flowers and spices.
The taste of cognac has spicy notes of nutmeg, bitter orange, saffron, dried rose petals and light hints of ginger.
Hennessy Paradis, Paradis Imperial and Richard Hennessy
Produced on an ongoing basis, elite expensive drinks that are, so to speak, beyond good and evil.
Everyone who has an extra few thousand dollars can try to understand their taste and aromatic qualities. True, this is far from the limit.
The most expensive Hennessy ever produced by the cognac house of the same name is the collectible Hennessy Beaute du Siecle, which cost $187,500.
Hennessy № 1
A legendary executive drink that cannot be bought for any amount of money.
The number of people who have been honored to try it does not number hundreds.
How to drink Hennessy
Like the situation with other proper cognacs, here one should adhere to the classical principle: everything that is aged up to and including five years is served at the table or (if you don’t mind) added to mixes and cocktails, the rest is used as a digestif.
What do you drink Hennessy with?
It is important to know that there are no individual rules for the use of Hennessy.
But, there are a number of tips with which you can combine this cognac:
- It is customary to have a snack only ordinary (table) variations of the drink.
At the same time, among light snacks should prevail: delicate pates, hard cheeses, olives, seafood, canapes with caviar or salmon slices.
- Main dishes should be prepared from lean white meat (veal or poultry), without using too fragrant spices.
- The best desserts are: dark chocolate, ice cream, whipped cream and fruits of temperate latitudes, plus a cup or two of strong black coffee.
How to distinguish a fake Hennessy
According to statistics, genuine Hennessy is found in only one in four bottles sold. Everything else is fake.
At the same time, there are several generally accepted rules that, with a high degree of probability, allow you to distinguish the original from the fake when choosing Hennessy.
- The real Hennessy should be looked for in trustworthy specialized boutiques and serious supermarkets.
At the same time, you need to bypass the tenth way bottles offered on the cheap.
If we are talking about an amount that does not reach the twenty-dollar equivalent requested for 0,35 ml of Hennessy VS, walk past with a confident look.
- Pay attention to the shape of the container.
For example, Hennessy VS is bottled in round bottles devoid of pretentiousness, which are distinguished by some “pot-belliedness” in the base area.
VSOP Privilege cognac is contained in flask-shaped containers (by the way, counterfeiters especially like to deal with this vessel).
The drink labeled as XO is bottled only in 0,35 and 0,7 ml bottles, i.e., there is no authentic half-liter packaging of this variety of Hennessy in nature.
- Manufacturers of the drink we are interested in when designing a bottle and a cork shell, in order to protect their products, widely use laser hologram and engraving.
At the same time, the shell should fit snugly against the bottleneck and not evoke associations with domestic wines.
- The company’s logo must be engraved on the top of the bottle: the same hand with a halberd.
- The back label and the top label must be applied symmetrically and free of any external defects.
Real cognac stickers are distinguished by a high level of printing and are made on high-quality, somewhat embossed paper, reminiscent of samples used for printing banknotes.
Also, it is necessary to study the content of all paper media regarding the name, manufacturer, origin, strength, composition and age of the drink.
- Finally, you should pay attention to the quality of the contents of the bottle.
The drink should have an amber color, but at the same time be translucent; have no sediment, but at the same time have a viscous, oily consistency.
Cognac Hennessy and its famous connoisseurs
In this context, it is appropriate to mention the release of a limited batch of cognac, which was timed to coincide with the inauguration of Barack Obama. Since the African became the 44th president of the United States, the company was called “44 limited edition – unlimited potential”. Moreover, “unlimited potential” unequivocally alludes to the hopes that the society placed on the new president. Moreover, marketers were not afraid of the guardians of political correctness, as the entire batch of alcohol was aged in black. And it doesn’t matter if the new president drinks cognac, and if he does drink, then whether he drinks Hennessy. It is important that it is cognac that is very popular among African Americans thanks to the songs of Tupac Shakur filled with deep meaning, and that Hennessy should take the place of abstract cognac, and the image of Barack Obama should be used to connect in the mind as a symbol of hope and victory for all African Americans. And who doesn’t love to win? Hennessy also loved to run! And it worked: now this part of the electorate knows all about Hennessy cognac!
Kim Jong Il was also a big connoisseur of Hennessy . No cognac buyer could match this man who needed hundreds of bottles of Hennessy a year to carry the burden of running North Korea! This circumstance seems even more impressive when you consider that the cost of a bottle of Hennessy in North Korea is about $600! And he must have tried all kinds of Hennessy cognac!
About Hennessy recipes at home
On many Russian-language sites, you can find very accessible and easy-to-follow instructions for making homemade Hennessy cognac.
According to these, an alternative composition of Hennessy cognac includes diluted alcohol, vodka, or moonshine, infused with a mixture of loose tea, sugar, lemon peel, cloves, black and allspice (or tea, sugar, soda, cloves and ground oak bark). ).
Hence the question: How much contempt must one have for one’s readers in order to give them such advice?
Vzboltay sincerely hopes that readers will not fall victim to such a monstrous profanity, but will have the opportunity from time to time to indulge themselves with their favorite drink that combines Irish unrestraint and the sun of beautiful France.