Hennessy cognac: history, overview of types + how to distinguish a fake
Hennessy cognac, produced by the Jas Hennessy company & Co - is one of the four so-called Great Cognac Houses, today it is the undisputed world leader in its field.
Every year, about 50 million bottles are sold worldwide. bottles of this drink, which is more than 40% of the total sales of cognacs. At the same time, a significant part of sales falls on the "younger" brands (Comandon, Davidoff, Denis-Mounie, Hine, Monnet and Pellisson) that use spirits from Jas Hennessy & Co.
The history of the famous cognac
When many people hear the frankly Irish name of the drink for the first time, they ask themselves a very reasonable question: Hennessy is cognac or whiskey?
Before ridiculing such "linguists", it should be remembered that this cognac does have Irish roots.
The founder of the company, registered in 1765, was a political emigrant from Ireland, Richard Hennessy, who served in a special Irish battalion of the army of the French king, Louis XV.
After being seriously injured in 1745, the brave officer was treated for some time in the "cognac" province of Charente.
Having retired as a captain ten years later 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 is reflected in the subsequent 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 clutched in it.
No matter what the Irish produce alcohol from, they will do it well.
As early as the eighteenth century, the new drink gained some recognition in France and England, and also gained unprecedented popularity in the newly created North American United States.
In the XIX century, French distillers of Irish bottling began to supply their products to the tables of the most brilliant persons. It was then that the world first saw the Hennessy Sop and Hennessy Ho, created by the personal order of the future King George IV of England, whose aging exceeds the twenty-year mark.
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 a basic gradation of cognac was introduced according to the aging period of the youngest of the blend spirits; the drinks themselves, as part of the fight against counterfeiting, began to be sold in transparent bottles instead of barrels.
Today, unlike the other three Great Cognac Houses (Martell, Rémy Martin и Courvoisier), Hennessy, even if somewhat formally, is headed by the direct descendants of the company's founder.
However, the legal status of the company is very confusing and probably a source of headaches for many tax officials.
Judge for yourself: this cognac giant is an equal co-founder of the Louis Vuitton - Moët-Hennessy conglomerate, which unites manufacturers of luxury alcohol and luxury goods; the aforementioned conglomerate itself, in turn, is a branch of the Christian Dior empire.
In addition, 34% of Hennessy shares are owned by the ubiquitous Diageo.
How many degrees in Hennessy
All types of Hennessy contain 40% alcohol.
The exception to the rule was the Hennessy Ellipse collection, whose strength was 43.5 degrees.
Varieties of Hennessy
Hennessy V.S. (Very Special)
Basic cognac, which accounts for 70% of all company sales.
There are hints of almond pastries in the aroma; vanilla and nutty notes in the taste.
V.S. Limited Edition
A drink that is relevant today, produced in a limited batch.
By its quality, it can be equated to the Superior class (aged for three years or more).
A distinctive feature of this cognac is a persistent vanilla aftertaste.
Hennessy Fine and Hennessy Black
Four- and five-year-old innovative drinks designed for a young audience.
According to the developers, they do not fit into the classical gradation at all, due to the departure from the generally accepted rules of blending. В
the taste and aroma of the drinks are characterized 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, as it contains alcohols with an aging period of 6-12 years.
Considered to be milder than other Hennessy varieties.
The holistic aroma evokes memories of caramel and sandalwood.
The taste is characterized by almond, pear and honey flavors.
Hennessy X.O.
Something much more than the classic Extra old. This drink is created on the basis of spirits of 20-30 years of aging.
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
The most affordable collector's drink today, produced on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the company in the amount of 250 barrels.
It has a bright aroma that combines shades of flowers and spices.
The taste of the cognac contains spicy notes of nutmeg, bitter orange, saffron, dried rose petals and light hints of ginger.
Hennessy Paradis, Paradis Imperial and Richard Hennessy
Elite expensive elite drinks, produced on a regular basis and, so to speak, beyond the line of good and evil.
Anyone who has an extra few thousand dollars can try to understand their taste and aroma preferences. However, this is far from the limit.
The most expensive Hennessy, ever produced by the cognac house of the same name, this is the Hennessy Beaute du Siecle collection, which cost $ 187,500.
Hennessy No. 1
The legendary executive drink that no amount of money can buy.
The number of people who have been honored to try it is not even a hundred.
How to drink Hennessy
Similarly to the situation with other proper cognacs, the classic principle should be followed here: everything that is aged up to five years is served to the table or (if you don't mind) added to mixes and cocktails, the rest is used as digestifs.
What to drink Hennessy with
It is important to know that there are no individual rules for drinking Hennessy.
However, there are a number of tips on what to combine this cognac with:
Only ordinary (table) variations of the drink are accepted as a snack.
At the same time, light snacks should be dominated by: delicate pates, hard cheeses, olives, seafood, caviar canapes or slices of salmon.
Main dishes should be prepared from lean white meat (veal or poultry), without using too aromatic spices.
The best desserts are: dark chocolate, ice cream, whipped cream and temperate fruits, plus a cup or two of strong black coffee.
How to distinguish a fake Hennessy
According to statistics, real Hennessy is contained in only one in four bottles sold. Everything else is fake.
At the same time, there are several generally accepted rules that make it possible to distinguish an original from a fake with a high degree of probability when choosing Hennessy.
The real Hennessy should be sought out in specialized boutiques that are trustworthy and serious supermarkets.
At the same time, you need to avoid bottles offered cheaply.
If the amount in question is less than the twenty-dollar equivalent requested for 0.35 ml of Hennessy V.S., walk by with a confident look.
Pay attention to the shape of the container.
For example, Hennessy V.S. It is bottled in plain round bottles with a slight "bubble" at the base.
VSOP Privilege cognac is contained in flask-shaped containers (by the way, this is the type of container that counterfeiters especially like to deal with).
The beverage is labeled as X.O. is only available in 0.35 and 0.7 ml bottles, t.е., authentic half-liter packaging of this type of Hennessy does not exist in nature.
The manufacturers of the beverage of interest widely use laser holograms and engraving in the design of bottles and corks to protect their products.
At the same time, the casing should fit snugly to the bottle neck and not evoke associations with domestic wines.
The top of the bottle must be engraved with the company's logo: the same hand with a halberd.
The counter label and the top sticker must be applied symmetrically and not contain any external defects.
Real cognac stickers are characterized by a high level of printing and are made on high-quality slightly embossed paper, reminiscent of the samples used for printing banknotes.
Also, it is necessary to study the contents of all paper media regarding the name, manufacturer, origin, strength, composition and aging of the drink.
Finally, you should pay attention to the quality of the bottle's contents.
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 websites, you can find very accessible and easily implementable instructions for making homemade Hennessy brandy.
According to the latter, the alternative composition of Hennessy cognac contains diluted alcohol, vodka, or moonshine infused with a mixture of leaf tea, sugar, lemon peel, cloves, black and allspice (or tea, sugar, soda, cloves, and ground oak bark).
Hence the question: how much do you have to despise your readers to give them such advice??
Zbovtay sincerely hopes that readers will not fall victim to such terrible profanation, and instead will be able to indulge in their favorite drink from time to time, which combines Irish irrepressibility and the sun of beautiful France...
Update: 09.07.2017
Category: Brandy and Cognac