Cognac "Hennessy VSOP": photo, description

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

In this article we will comprehensively study the products of the Hennessy cognac house. What properties do elite drinks of this brand have? How to distinguish them from a fake? What do domestic consumers say about cognac? Particular attention will be paid here to the Hennessy VSOP brand. This cognac has a very interesting history. And what else are Hennessy? We will decipher their abbreviation for you. But the fact that the Hennessy cognac house is part of the Louis Vuitton holding, a well-known manufacturer of luxury accessories and elite drinks, speaks of the high quality of its products. The main thing is that it be authentic. How to protect yourself from counterfeit, read this article.

History of the cognac house

In the world of alcoholic beverages, brands traditionally bear the name of their inventors and first owners. This rule has not bypassed the cognac house of Hennessy. It all started with a wound that in 1745 was received by the Jacobite Richard Hennessy, who served as a captain in the Irish regiment of Louis XV, King of France. Since the way to the homeland was ordered to the veteran, he decided to settle in the vicinity of the city of Cognac and start a new life. The retired captain decided not to reinvent the wheel, but towhat almost all the residents of the Charente department worked on - that is, to produce a distillate of the same name to the city. And things went well for Richard Hennessy. In 1765 he founded a cognac house, to which he gave his last name, and in 1794 he even began to work for export - he supplied his products to North America. But the Hennessy VSOP brand was born a little later - in 1817. And the history of this drink should be told especially.

What does the abbreviation VSOP mean

So, in this fateful 1817, the Prince of Wales, heir to the throne of Great Britain (he would later ascend the throne under the name of George the Fourth) ordered cognac from Hennessy. In his letter of wishes, he indicated that he would like to receive "very superior old pale cognac". The first four words are in English and were taken for the abbreviation of French cognacs. Little of. Abbreviation V. S. O. P. later it began to be used to classify not only cognacs in general, but also for armagnacs and brandies. News about the purchase of luxury goods is spreading among the royal people with the speed of a steppe fire, and already in the next year, 1818, the Dowager Empress of Russia Maria Feodorovna orders the first batch of drink from Hennessy. The popularity of Hennessy VSOP cognac grew. In 1859, the first batch of the drink left for China. Three years before that, the cognac house acquired a coat of arms. The hand holding the halberd is now featured on the front labels of this drink. In 1971, the cognac house merged with Moët & Chandon, the largest champagne manufacturer in France. And in 1987 they became part of the giantholding - LVMH. This acronym stands for Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy.

Abbreviation translated into "asterisks"

Does VSOP reduction have anything to do with cognac aging? Undoubtedly! In 1865, Richard's great-grandson, Morris Richard Hennessy, even proposed a new classification of his products - the stars we are used to. These symbols on the bottle label indicate the minimum aging of cognac spirits that were used in the manufacture of the drink. This classification has taken root, but not in the vicinity of the city of Cognac and not in the department of Charente. Letters continue to be used in the production of local wine houses, although the general principle of linking to aging is preserved. Thus, three years of aging of the drink correspond to the VS classification. Four stars is Hennessy's VSOP. Exposure for more than five years translates cognac into the category of XO. Of course, it would be a significant simplification to measure the quality of this elite drink exclusively with stars. Indeed, in cognacs, the main thing is assemblage. Although the age of spirits is also very important.

Classic Hennessy Range

Let's take a closer look at the products of this respected wine house. The most common, one might say ordinary, is Hennessy V. S. This abbreviation stands for Very Special. The stamp was issued in 1865 by the great-grandson of the company's founder, Morris Hennessy. The name "very special" in one fell swoop crosses out a hint of ordinaryness. Still: forty alcohols inaged 2-7 years make up his assemblage. Hennessy Privilege VSOP has an even richer range of flavor combinations. The grapes for this cognac are grown in four regions of the Charente. The assembly is formed by sixty spirits from six to twelve years. For aging, only old oak barrels are used, the wood of which has already lost some of the tannin, which is why the drink acquires lightness, subtlety and complex character. And, finally, the brand H. O. (Extra Old). It was created in 1870 with the participation of more than a hundred spirits aged from 20 to 30 years.

Hennessy's Elite Range and New Items

In addition to the classic line (X. O, V. S. O. P. and V. S.), there are a number of elite class drinks. Such is the Hennesy Paradies, which first appeared on the market in 1979. Masters of assemblage, the Fiyu family, have been working with the Hennessy house for more than two hundred years, and every generation surprises the world with something new. One hundred cognac spirits over 15 years old participate in Paradise. Pure White, an English-type light cognac, is dominated by alcohol from Fen Bois, which gives the drink a light floral-fruity taste. Jan Fiyu in 1996 compiled a new assemblage, which he dedicated to the founder of the wine house. Folle Blanche grapes, collected in the distant 1800 and 1830-1860, participate in Hennessy Richard. And, finally, the same Yang Fiyu in 2011, based on the "Hennessy VSOP" (the one created for the king), created the Hennesy Imperial. It is impossible to ignore the collection cognacs produced in limited quantities. For example, by the Millennium, only 2000 decanters of the company"Baccarat" with elite drink Hennessy Timeless. Eleven spirits of the most successful vintages of the twentieth century took part in its manufacture. Of particular note are Hennessy Ellipse and Hennessy Private Reserve.

VSOP quality Hennessy

The customer - the Crown Prince and future King of Great Britain George the Fourth - was not an ordinary client. Therefore, Richard Hennessy was very sensitive to his wishes. The letter indicated "very superior old pale", that is, very seasoned old and soft. The task is not easy. After all, the longer the cognac is infused in oak barrels, the more it gains tannin, which makes its taste “more intense”. The winemaker approached the task creatively. He insisted spirits in old, already reused Limousin oak barrels. Thanks to this technique, the drink turned out with a special velvety taste that simply melts in your mouth. "Hennessy VSOP" - the photo shows this - has a light amber color. The taste of this cognac is soft, well balanced, with hints of fresh grapes and honey. In a rich bouquet, aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, cloves are felt, and a light smell of smoke hovers over these spices. The aftertaste of cognac is long. It has hints of sweet fruits and almonds.

Price

Good cognac, by definition, cannot be cheap. After all, they need to be masterfully blended and carefully grown. "Hennessy VSOP" 1 liter costs about forty Euros. And it's in duty free stores. ATdomestic alcohol shops will have to shell out money also for customs duty and value added tax. However, the quality of the drink is worth it. Prices for collection brands of Hennessy cognac in the Russian market start from several hundred thousand rubles (for example, for Timeless). And "VSOP" can be purchased for five thousand rubles per liter bottle. If you are offered a product at a lower price, it is a fake.

"Hennessy VSOP": how to drink

This is a typical digestif. Reviews advise you to enjoy cognac in a relaxed atmosphere and not on an empty stomach. Pour the drink into digestive or cognac glasses. Slightly warm in the palms. Drink in small sips without snacking. Only in this way, users say, you will feel a plume of spices and honey. Reviews and experts recommend using Hennessy in its pure form. It is not suitable for cocktails.

"Hennessy VSOP": how to distinguish a fake

Hennessy is already a symbol. Luxury, sophistication, impeccability. It is clear that many dishonest businessmen are trying to cash in on his fame. How to distinguish an authentic drink from a counterfeit? First, buy cognac (and other alcohol) only in trusted stores. Secondly, look at the container. The bottle should be free of chips, scratches, traces of soldering. Gift boxes should not stain hands with paint, they are sold without scuffs and tears. The label on the authentic "Hennesy" is glued evenly, all the inscriptions and drawings are clear, the gilding is not erased by fingers. The cork sits tightly, notspins and doesn't wobble. Now flip the bottle upside down with a jerk. The original "Hennessy" has large air bubbles, and the drops flowing down the glass are viscous, leaving a kind of oily trail. Reviews recommend paying attention to the transparency of the drink. Take a look at the bottle. If you see clear lines of your finger on the opposite side, you have a real Hennessy VSOP in your hands.