The name Hennessy is widely known among connoisseurs of wines and spirits as a brand of quality, sophistication, and exclusivity.
Its products are a must-have for every high-end bar, and no one can say Cognac without mentioning Hennessey.
So, exactly what is Hennessy, and what makes it so special? Let’s take a peek into the world of high-end liquor to find out.
What is Cognac?
When asked what is Hennessy, most who know the brand will answer Cognac. Cognac is a type of brandy, a very special kind of brandy in fact.
The name comes from Cognac, a commune in France, and is known as an Appellation d’origine contrôlée, or controlled designation of origin. This means that for a brandy to be considered as Cognac, it must be produced in Cognac, France.
The brandy itself is distilled from white wine that’s fermented from locally grown grapes. The varieties of grapes that can be used for Cognac are very limited.
The resulting wine is thin, acidic, and dry. The wine itself isn’t good for drinking, though it makes excellent brandy when distilled.
This wine is distilled twice in copper alembic stills that themselves are highly regulated.
Once distilled, they’re stored in Limousin oak barrels and allowed to age for at least 2 years. Cognac is made from a blend of different ages of brandy, and is seen to have the age of the youngest of the mix.
The Hennessy Brand
Hennessy is the colloquial term both for the product and the company, Jas Hennessy & Co. based in the commune of Cognac, France. It’s the largest producer of Cognac in the world, with sales of up to 50 million bottles of the spirit a year, worldwide.
Established by an Irishman, Richard Hennessy in 1765, the company name itself was coined by Richard’s son James Hennessy in 1813.
A booming trade in alcoholic spirits during the years that the company was created helped establish the brand. Hennessey Cognac itself was so popular that it elevated their previously minor house into one of the great houses in France.
In 1987, a merger with Louis Vuitton created what is now considered the largest luxury brand company in the world, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, or LVMH. What Hennessy is today, is both a brand, and a lifestyle.
Hennessy Products
Hennessy has a wide range of products that showcase different blends of the Cognac it’s so famous for.
What Hennessey is can ultimately be found in the liquor that it prides itself on. From the regular bottles that can be bought for a little over $50, to their collector’s editions that run into the several thousands, there’s a Hennessey blend to fit your every mood.
Hennessey VS
Aged in new oak barrels, Hennessey VS, or Very Special is considered one of the most popular Cognacs in the world. It has a very clear amber hue, with an aroma that evokes a mix of roasted almonds, and brown sugar with a hint of fruit. It has a creamy tongue feel, with a smidgen of vanilla.
Hennessy Black
A product exclusively available in the US, Hennessy Black has a pale gold hue, with an aroma that evokes jasmine, citrus, and honey. Its taste has a hint of the grapes used to make cognac, with a touch of citrus. It also has a higher alcohol by volume, at 43%, or 86 US proof.
Hennessy Classivm
Made of a blend that has been aged from between three and twelve years, Classivm has a light amber hue, with shades of mahogany and hints of green. It has a spicy aroma with undertones of dried mint, which enhances its spicy flavor and evokes white pepper and freshly grated ginger.
Hennessey Pure White
Made with colorless fruit brandy blended to create a unique flavor, Hennessey Pure White has a straw gold color, with an aroma of spring flowers and fruits. It has the sharp taste of Cognac grapes along with a hint of white flower honey.
Hennessey VSOP Privilege
Considered as the world’s most favorite VSOP Cognac, it has a light mahogany color with notes of vanilla, clove and cinnamon in the aroma. It has a strong toasted flavor with smidgen of vanilla, and a long-lasting aftertaste, which is the product of its maturation inside charred oak barrels.
James Hennessey
Created in tribute to one of its greatest figureheads, James Hennessey Cognac has an amber hue punctuated with hints of pink and bronze. It has a smoky aroma, with roasted almonds and vanilla, that enhances subtle flavors of pistachio, apricots, and peach.
Hennessey XO
Based on a blend created by Maurice Hennessey in 1870, Hennessey XO is seen as the epitome of the Hennessey brand. It has a deep amber color, with an aroma that evokes spices, and oak. It has a hint of candied fruit, with undertones of dark chocolate, with a long lasting aftertaste.
Hennessey XXO
Created alongside the XO in 1870, by the master blender Emile Fillioux, it was recreated in 2018 by a 7th generation descendant, Yann Fillioux. It has a bright amber color, with a fruity aroma of orange, nutmeg, licorice, peppermint that enhance its spicy taste.
Hennessey Paradis
Created by one of Hennessey’s master blenders, Maurice Fillioux in 1979, Paradis has become one of the more famous blends of their Cognac line.
It has an amber gold hue, with an aroma of dried rose and honeysuckle, with undertones of fruits and spices. Its taste shows notes of honey, truffles, soft spices, and flowers which are then enhanced by undertones of cinnamon, cardamom, and dried rose petals.
The Best Among Its Peers
So, what is Hennessey and why is it famous? Is it the drink, the brand, or the lifestyle that makes it so popular? Truth be told, it’s a mix of all of the above. Put simply, it’s an excellent product, the epitome of what Cognac should be.
The brand is one of the biggest luxury names in the industry, and the lifestyle tied to the Hennessey name conjures images of high-class elegance.
Hennessey has established itself as the best among its peers, and it looks like it will stay that way for the foreseeable future.