What is Hennessy cognac made from? Hennessy (cognac) - history, classification and taste properties

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 18th 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 19th 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 vson and Hennessy ho, the endurance of which exceeds the twenty-year milestone. The weighty 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 Diagio.

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

Hennessy V.S. (very special)- the basic two-year-old cognac, which accounts for 70% of all sales of the company. There are hints of almond pastries in the aroma; on the palate - vanilla-nutty notes.

V.S. limited edition- a drink that is relevant today, 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 and 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. The taste and aroma of drinks is distinguished by unusual combinations of floral and honey notes with subtle 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 X.O, 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 X.O.- something much more than the classic Extra old. This drink is created on the basis of spirits aged 20-30 years. It has a non-trivial flavor bouquet containing shades 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 is a collection drink available today, 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 No. 1- the legendary representative drink that cannot be bought for any money. I won’t be surprised if 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, canapés 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 you're talking about less than the $20 equivalent you're asking for 0.35 ml of Hennessy V.S., walk past with confidence.
Pay attention to the shape of the container. For example, Hennessy V.S. bottled in unpretentious round bottles, characterized by a certain "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 is labeled as X.O. bottled only in bottles of 0.35 and 0.7 ml, 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 a 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. Moreover, 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.

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, the alternative composition of Hennessy cognac includes vodka, or moonshine, infused with a mixture of loose tea, sugar, lemon zest, 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?

We sincerely hope that the readers of Vzboltai will not become victims of such a monstrous profanity, but will have the opportunity from time to time to indulge themselves with their favorite drink, which combines Irish unrestraint and the sun of beautiful France.

Only a few know the taste and strength of elite cognac. If many people recognize it, then it will no longer be cognac.

We all know how popular elite Hennessy cognac is, but what is hidden under its creation? What are its features and who managed to create such a coveted drink of the nobles, which is not inferior to any other cognac?

Future since 1765

The ideal taste of Hennessy cognac was brought out by the Irish officer Richard Hennessy, who served in the brigade under the French King Louis XV. Richard has always been distinguished by special courage and perseverance in military affairs. But who would have thought that it was he who would become the creator of the reference cognac, forcing the French to give up wine and give their preference to an amber drink.

Richard Hennessy managed to win the favor of the king. He distinguished himself in several important battles, but, fighting bravely in the last battle at Fortenoy, he was seriously wounded. For special services to France, Louis XV gave Richard Hennessy land in the city of Cognac. Here, in a temperate climate on the humid banks of the Charente River, the production of the future Hennessy elite cognac was started. It happened in 1765. Richard Hennessy worked on improving the taste of an aristocratic drink for 44 years. During this time, Hennessy cognac managed to visit the tables of many aristocrats in England and France.

The 19th century was Hennessy's runway to success. Cognac was supplied to the Russian Empire, Japan, India, China. More and more people learned about the unique taste of Hennessy, and in 1890 Jas Hennessy & Co became the full leader in the world market of cognac spirits.

Some interesting facts from the history of Hennessy

In 1818, at the request of the Russian Empress Maria Feodorovna, the Hennessy house prepared a special cognac for Tsar Alexander I. The tsar liked the gift very much, and from that time on, French cognac began to be regularly supplied to the Russian Empire.
The emblem on the bottle - a hand holding an ax - symbolizes 12 years of Richard Hennessy's service in the army and, as a result, getting the land on which the history of the best cognac in the whole world began.
In 1832, during the cholera epidemic, Hennessy cognac sold out very quickly, as English doctors strongly recommended drinking it for disinfection.
The international quality classification of cognac was developed by Richard's great-grandson, Maurice Hennessy: the so-called stars, which are now used all over the world.
Great-grandson Maurice also created a special cognac with the designation XO (extra old). This designation also became international over time.
In 1947, the representative of the Hennessy dynasty, Gerald de Joffre de Chambrignac, created an elegant branded bottle for Hennessy XO - a decanter with a vine.
Hennessy cellar master Jean Filho assisted Richard in creating the perfect cognac. They passed on their secrets of production to their descendants. The families of the two dynasties of Hennessy and Filho still keep the traditions of their ancestors, thanks to which Hennessy remains a popular elite drink.

Hennessy today

At the moment, the Hennessy brand is considered a leader in the cognac business. The company sells about 50 million bottles of fine drink per year, which is approximately 40% of the world's total cognac production.

In 2009, the company released a limited edition bottle of Hennessy VS cognac in honor of Barack Obama. The bottle had gold embossing on black glass with the inscription "In honor of the 44th President."

In 2010, at the World Competition in San Francisco, the Hennessy Cognac House received a silver medal for Hennessy Black Cognac. This drink, according to President Hennessy, will appeal to young people in a diluted form more than strong gentlemen.

Despite the fact that Hennessy cognac is, after all, a classic drink of aristocrats, he managed to acquire a younger and more fashionable image. The popular African-American rap stars Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, P. Diddy and Kanye West helped him in this.

In 2015, the company celebrated its 250th anniversary. At the celebration of the anniversary, the representative of the cognac house Hennessy & Co, Jean-Michel Cochet, said wonderful words: “The important thing is not that we are already 250 years old, but that the unique legacy of Hennessy is constantly maintained and developed.”

Today, Jas Hennessy & Co decided not only to supply amber drink to all countries of the world, but also to give an opportunity to inquisitive connoisseurs to see with their own eyes how the best French cognac is made. For this, the Hennessy Museum was created. It is located in the city of Cognac. The cognac art tour begins with a quiet ride on the riverboat along the Charente River, and then continues to the "holy of holies" - the Hennessy factory. Here you can learn more not only about the production of an elite drink, but also see a large collection of exclusive bottles and labels.

Hennessy cognac production technology

For the manufacture of an elite drink, special grapes of the Ugni Blanc variety are used, which are grown in 4 regions of Cognac: Grande Champagne, Petit Champagn, Borderie, Fins Bois. All cognac spirits are regularly tasted with attention and love by oenologists and cellar masters. Thus, ripening is controlled. Alcohol can also be "brought" to the desired taste by assembling (mixing).

Unfortunately, Jas Hennessy & Co keeps the detailed technology and specifics of its cognac preparation a secret, but its owners made it clear what exactly Hennessy's production is based on: rigor, attention and love.

The process of creating Hennessy cognac is divided into several stages:

distillation. It all starts with her. This process is carried out in special copper distillers;
excerpt. Alcohol is aged in oak barrels: first new, and then in old ones. Aging in new barrels makes the cognac taste spicy, while in old barrels it acquires a light shade and a refreshing taste. The Hennessy family uses only wood from the Tronsay forest to make barrels. The duration of exposure is from 60 years. And the oldest cognac is considered to be a drink, the shelf life of which is 250 years;
mixing. Do this to create the desired quality.

For over 200 years main features of Hennessy cognac remain:

the use of exclusive cognac spirits;
long exposure over 60 years;
multifaceted taste with a rich voluminous texture and various shades;
the preservation of the special traditional technology of Hennessy, which makes the taste of cognac so special.

That is why, just like 250 years ago, all connoisseurs of refined luxurious taste and a long pleasant aftertaste wish to enjoy exquisite cognac of incomparable quality and high reputation.

Cognac Hennessy (Hennessy) deservedly belongs to the group of elite alcoholic beverages. Its nobility is evidenced by the high price and no less high demand. To understand why this drink is so good, you need to have an idea about the features of its production, so we will definitely have a brief digression into the history of the creation of this unique drink.

In the article:

Hennessy - features and varieties

Oddly enough, the creator of the famous Hennessy cognac was the Irishman Richard Hennessy, who settled after serving in the ranks of the Irish battalion in the army of Louis XV in the province of Charente in 1745. The gallant Irish had such a taste for winemaking that already in 1795 his quality product was supplied to North America in very decent volumes.

Hennessy VSOP

In 1817, by order of the Prince of Wales, a batch of brandy was made under the general name Hennessy V.S.O.P. This abbreviation of the phrase "very superior old pale cognac" has become an independent brand. Cognac Hennessy V.S.O.P. received wide recognition and was even specially ordered to the court of the Russian Empress Maria Feodorovna - the widow of Alexander III. The assemblage (composition) of this unique drink includes 60 varieties of cognac spirits, aged from 6 to 12 years. The price in Russian supermarkets for 05 liters of this royal distillate is at least $40, and in some places even higher. But its taste will not disappoint you and the cost will not seem exorbitant.

Hennessy VS

Cognac Hennessy V.S. (Very Special) was created in 1865 by the great-grandson of the founder of the Hennessy trading house, who proposed to introduce an international classification of cognac according to the aging of its alcohols, assigning stars to one or another brand, the number of which clearly indicated the class and quality of the drink. Cognac Hennessy V.S. got three stars on its own label. It consists of 40 spirits aged from 2 to 7 years. In the domestic market of Russia, its price varies from 2,500 to 3,000 rubles, depending on the volume of the bottle and the region in which it is sold. Packaging in classic and gift boxes. The bottles are sealed with natural corks with plastic caps. The drink itself is brown in color, slightly viscous with a woody aroma and hazelnut aftertaste.

Hennessy XO

Hennessy X.O. Cognac Hennessy X.O. (Extra Old) was created by the same Maurice Hennessy in 1870 for a very narrow circle of people. The composition of this Hennessy product included 100 cognac spirits aged from 20 to 30 years. This is a drink of unsurpassed quality; already in 1947, an author's bottle was created especially for this drink, with a bas-relief of a grapevine. Cognac Hennessy H.O. and today it is considered one of the best and most sought-after alcoholic beverages on the world market. This brand is represented in the domestic market of Russia. Because the product is extra-premium, the price corresponding to $200 and up. It has an unsurpassed taste of cinnamon, cocoa, nuts with a delicate aroma of flowers and wood.

Limited stamps of Hennessy

The Hennessy trading house is not used to resting on its laurels, and to this day creates new compositions dedicated to significant dates and events around the world:

Hennessy Private Reserve 1865

Hennessy Private Reserve 1865 was created for the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Hennessy trading house. The composition includes 11 cognac spirits with a floral aftertaste.

Hennessy Timeless

Hennessy Timeless - created in 1999 in honor of the change of the millennium.

Hennessy 888

Hennessy 888 is a cognac created for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This is not a complete list of all varieties of the wonderful drink of the Hennessy trading house. Usually this drink is bottled in original bottles of the French design company Baccarat, and not only bottles, but also decanters, gift sets with original cognac glasses.

Hennessy Mathusalem

In general, this company knows how to surprise its consumer - Hennessy Mathusalem - an exclusive product that was released in limited quantities. Only 300 six-liter bottles packed in leather cases. The price of these collectible bottles reliably protects the noble drink from mere mortals.

How to distinguish a fake from the original Hennessy

Unfortunately, there are sad statistics in the world that only every fourth bottle sold under this brand is really an original product, and the rest are unashamed fakes. How to insure against fake and buy a real original product for a lot of money?

Mandatory presence of an excise stamp, neatly pasted, without smudges of glue and distortions.
Natural cork is covered with aluminum film, on which the company logo and the exposure time are printed.
The bottom of the bottle is even, smooth, without any markings.

It would be nice to have an idea of what a real product looks like so that there is something to compare.

On the labels of the bottles in which the finished products of the famous trading house are poured, the coat of arms of the Hennessy house flaunts - a hand with a halberd, hinting at the glorious past of this family, which almost literally reforged the sword into a plowshare and was very successful in this field.

Hennessy is one of those houses whose history you could write books on. This house was the first to introduce the designation of age with asterisks, the first to use the XO names, the first to produce a super cognac dedicated to the millennium ... The house that used to be the first: once topping the list of cognac brands, it did not miss the lead.
Today, Hennessy has the largest reserves of cognac spirits - about 200 thousand barrels, which makes its possibilities basically inexhaustible. The pride of France is the reference cognac Hennessy, which was created by a man from a country where they love beer and whiskey. Richard Hennessy was an Irishman who served in the army of King Louis XV. In 1765 he left to treat his wounds on the Isle of Re in France. The hospital was located near the town of Cognac, which was famous for its good French cognac. As an Irishman, he knew a lot about strong alcohol, and appreciating the local drink, the 36-year-old captain decided to go into the cognac business.
This year, Hennessy registered his trademark and moved to the Cognac region. A few years later, the products of the Hennessy Cognac House became very famous and widely known in the Old and New Worlds. The emblem of Hennessy cognac was transferred from the coat of arms of the captain: a hand with a raised halberd. It is interesting that in France in the middle of the 18th century no one knew or even heard about.
Richard Hennessy can rightfully be called the one thanks to whose efforts the name of one of the most exquisite drinks in the world is taken from the name of the city. Richard Hennessy was helped by his Irish roots to quickly learn the important British market, difficult enough for French winemakers. Since then, London has retained the position of the center, from there Hennessy's global expansion has been carried out. The North American States achieved their independence from the British, of course, not without the help of France, so buying up French goods became a political act for the Americans.
In the 1790s, the Hennessy company accounted for about 40% of all French cognac exports. Having invested in the production and distribution of cognac a huge amount for those times - 150 thousand pounds, the Hennessy company overtook even the more popular and old cognac houses in terms of cognac exports.
Richard Hennessy died in 1800. But his son Jacques multiplied his father's business many times over and gave the name to the family company, which is known all over the world: Jas Hennessy & Co. After the defeat of Napoleon's troops, the Hennessy company in the British Isles had two dealers at once. One of them was the French ambassador, Marquis de Talleyrand, who loved this cognac brand.

In 1832, a cholera epidemic began in England. Then English doctors began to recommend French cognac to their patients as a disinfectant - and thus Hennessy cognacs were in great demand. Thanks to the trading agency that opened in London, by the 1840s, up to 90% of the company's cognacs were exported. Many royal houses of Europe by that time had become Hennessy's clients, including Russian emperors: in 1818, Hennessy began to supply her cognacs to the court in St. Petersburg, and ten years later she opened the Hennessy trading house in the capital of the Russian Empire. The descendants of Richard Hennessy were not limited to Europe and North America, they began to make deliveries to Asia and Australia, an exception in the extremely cognac market. The second half of the 20th century passed under the heyday of mass production of cognac, and quite difficult times came for producers of elite cognacs. In 1971, three years after the release of the millionth box of Hennessy cognac, the head of the company, Kilian Hennessy, after deliberation, sold a share of the shares to the family business " Moet & Chandon, which produces very famous sparkling wines. Founder Claude Moet began trading champagne around the same time that Richard Hennessy was trading cognac. After 17 years, the combined company decided to become part of Louis Vuitton, which specializes in the production of luxury goods. Thanks to Bernard Arnault, who headed LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet-Hennessy) some time after its creation, things went uphill. Today LVMH is one of the largest corporations in Europe. She owns almost fifty world brands: Givenchy, Christian Lacroix, Kenzo, Guerlain, Loewe, Berluti, Celine fashion houses, Moet et Chandon, Dom Perignon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart champagne and, of course, Hennessy cognac. , completely incompatible. Offering the market elite Hennessy premium class cognacs, designed for connoisseurs, it is the leader of the cognac market. In 2001, the house of Hennessy produced a record number of bottles - 35 million. Hennessy controls a third of all sales, and its main competitor is two times behind in sales. Hennessy cognac style features: Grapes are a great predominance of Yuni Blanc. Zones of the sub-regions of Grande Champagne, Petit Champagne, Borderies, Fen Bois. Distillation, side fractions are distilled with wine. Extract is made from oak, Limousin and Tronse regions. Master Blender: Yann Filho, from a dynasty that has been working with Hennessy for over two centuries. Cognac range Hennessy:V. S. The composition of cognac includes up to 40 spirits from the four zones of Cognac with a predominance of Borderies and Fen Bois.V. S.O.P Privilege. The cognac contains up to 60 spirits from four zones. The age of spirits is up to 14 years. Pure White. Very light cognac in English taste. The assemblage is dominated by spirits from Fen Bois, which give this drink lightness and a pronounced floral-fruity bouquet with minimal tones of oak. Exposure - several years in old barrels. XO. The composition of cognac includes up to 100 spirits from the four zones of Cognac. The age of spirits is up to 30 years.Private Reserve Grand Champagne. Cognac contains 14 alcohols.Paradis Extra. The composition of cognac includes several hundred components with a predominance of spirits from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. The oldest spirits are from 1870. Richard Henessy. The composition of cognac includes more than 100 spirits, including the oldest from the Hennessy collection, for example, 1830 and 1860 from Folle Blanche. The assemblage is dominated by Grande Champagne.Timeless. The composition includes 11 alcohols: 1900, 1918, 1929, 1939, 1947, 1953, 1959, 1961, 1970, 1983 and 1990. Alcohol 43.5 percent. Two thousand decanters of Baccarat were produced by the millennium. You can buy the legendary Hennessy cognac in our store.

Hennessy is the most famous and best selling cognac in the world. It is sold in more than 100 countries, and its annual production turnover reaches about 50 million bottles. The popular brand presents connoisseurs of elite alcohol with an impressive range of inexpensive drinks, affordable basic blends and immodestly expensive cognacs with a 100-year aging period. Hennessy is an extra-class cognac, a standard of quality, impeccable taste and respectability, which has passed the stellar path of 250 years.

History of the legendary drink

The noble drink owes its origin to the Irishman Richard Hennessy. Being the captain of one of the battalions of the army of Louis XV, he was wounded in battle and was sent to the hospital for treatment. By the will of fate, he ended up near the city of Cognac, famous at that time for the production of magic brandy, which, according to local residents, could put even a hopelessly ill person on his feet. The wonderful taste made an indelible impression on Richard, inspiring him to create a similar drink. However, he failed to immediately put his plans into practice - the officer was waiting for service. And the birth of Hennessy (cognac) was pushed back indefinitely.

In 1765, having earned the rank of retired captain, Richard returned to Cognac and founded a small cognac company. Taking advantage of a temporary shortage of whiskey, he organized deliveries first to the Emerald Isle, and then throughout Britain. Over time, the taste of cognac was appreciated in France. Deserving the high praise of Louis XV, the brainchild of Hennessy reached the shores of the United States, Russia, Australia and China. Soon his fame spread throughout the world and resonated with millions of alcoholic gourmets. In 1813, Richard's son Jacques patented the brand Jas Hennessy & Co, under whose auspices the legendary cognac is produced to this day.

Star classification

Today, the brand which sets the tone for the entire alcohol industry is known throughout the world. The secret of his success is in the special production technologies and in the will to win, which are passed down from generation to generation, from father to son.

In 1865, in order to combat cognac, originally sold in barrels, they began to be supplied in bottles for the first time. At the same time, the iconic shape of the bottle was invented, resembling a bunch of grapes in outline. At the same time, Maurice Hennessy invented the legendary star classification of blends, by the number of which the age of cognac spirit was determined. The number of stars indicated the minimum exposure time. So, Hennessy Very Special received three stars, and Hennessy VCOP - four.

The versatility of Hennessy

Hennessy is presented on the market in several categories, distinguished by aging time, cost and taste. The basic blends include: the most famous cognac Hennessy XO (reviews confirm this), Hennessy VS, Hennessy VSOP. To the more expensive - Hennessy Paradis and Richard Hennessy. The highest level is occupied by collection representatives of the brand: Hennessy Timeless, Hennessy Ellipse, Hennessy Private Reserve, the price of which can reach 700-800 thousand rubles.

Hennessy VS (Very Special)

This is the most sought-after cognac in the world with an aging period of more than two years. It is distinguished by a sparkling and soft, velvety taste, rich in floral, oak and nutty nuances. An expressive vanilla aftertaste completes the range of sensations. The cost of a bottle of 0.7 liters is 800-1000 rubles.

Hennessy VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale)

A light amber drink with a multifaceted palette of flavors: a wave of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves is followed by a slight smack of smoke, which is immediately replaced by honey and grape notes, ending in an avalanche of aftertaste with the participation of almonds and fruits. Cognac is made from 60 types of alcohol, which are 6-12 years old. The price of a drink is 2-3 thousand rubles (0.5 l).

Hennessy XO (Extra Old)

Cognac of this category can be safely called a masterpiece of the alcohol industry. It is based on a combination of one hundred types of alcohol, each of which has been aged for at least 20 years. The drink is distinguished by a deep amber-red color and a perfectly balanced taste, in which there is nothing superfluous, intrusive - only notes of cinnamon and oak, the strength of which is softened by hints of dried fruits, flowers and cocoa. The avalanche of feelings ends with a long, spicy aftertaste. Buy cognac 0.5 l. You can for 12-13 thousand rubles.

How to drink

It is customary to drink cognac slowly, leisurely, enjoying every sip, rich palette of taste and pleasant aroma. It is for this reason that the noble drink is served in special dishes - snifters (from the English word sniff - sniff). Snifter has the shape of a wide glass on a short stem, sharply tapering upwards. Dishes make it possible to fully enjoy the smell of elite alcohol. Hennessy (cognac) is consumed slowly, warming the glass with the warmth of the hand, from which the whole bouquet of its luxurious aroma is revealed. usually they don’t have a snack, although over the entire history of its existence, the drink has acquired national characteristics of consumption. So, the Russian people are used to seizing it with lemon or chocolate, while the French developed the rule of three "C" (Cafe, Cognac, Cigare) - coffee, cognac, cigar.

Cognac Hennessy: how to distinguish a fake

To protect yourself from buying a fake of the famous drink, you need to know some rules:

Use only original Hennessy cognac. How to distinguish a fake, we told you. And after tasting the taste of the true "Hennesy", you will become a fan of it for a long time!