Hennessy celebrates the 150th anniversary of its X.O with two creative masters
Created in 1870, Hennessy X.O set a standard of excellence across cognacs that lives on to this day
Emblematic French cognac hennessy X.o is celebrating
150 years of unmatched sensory elegance this year. Thanks to a meticulous blending process, Hennessy X.O is a cognac of timehonoured consistency and is the jewel in the Hennessy crown, synonymous with elegance and quality, thanks to a graceful yet complex blend of eaux-devie. This alchemy gives the cognac its intense amber hue and a rich layering of flavours with extraordinary persistence on the palate.
Its noble character stirs taste sensations, while its powerful, carefully balanced structure makes every single drop an odyssey, and guarantees an extremely long finish.
As we emerge from a time of global transformation and reach the end of the 2020 harvest, so begins a new cycle and the start of a new odyssey. To mark 150 years of X.O, Hennessy commissioned a remarkable World Odyssey, collaborating with two creative masterminds who shared the common vision of a hopeful future, honouring and amplifying Hennessy’s universal values of joy, optimism and resilience.
For the first collaboration, acclaimed Chinese artist Cai Guo-qiang – known as the
‘Fire Alchemist’ – told a story of life and rebirth with an epic, ephemeral daytime celebration over Cognac’s Charente River, which saw fireworks being launched from 150 oak barrels, symbolising the 150-year history of Hennessy X.O. This event was the centrepiece of Hennessy X.O’S 150th anniversary World Odyssey program, and was shared with a global audience via livestream on 25 September – a first for both Guo-qiang and the Maison. Alongside Cai Guo-qiang’s performance, and in continuation of celebrating the milestone, the Maison also unveiled a limitededition masterpiece decanter designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Using his signature sculptural style to reinterpret Hennessy X.O’S iconic bottle, the prolific creator married gold and glass to extol the rich legacy of the Maison. Drawing inspiration from the rich X.O blend, the vital soil, twisting vines and the glistening Charente River that runs through the Hennessy Maison, the limited-edition bottle is enveloped in a crinkled sleeve of 24-carat-gold-dipped bronze, evoking the radiant movement of water as it reflects the light. A fractured glass glorifier encases the sculptural decanter; Gehry also created a luminous and beautifully understated fusil made of brass and gold, which keenly reflects the Hennessy cellar master’s extraction ritual.
The limited run of 150 extraordinary decanters, imprinted with Frank
Gehry’s signature, is available on direct request from Hennessy. A wider release of the limited-edition Hennessy X.O bottles, also created by Frank Gehry, are available from bottle stores nationwide or through Hennessy.com from R2 400.