History of Hennessy

History of Hennessy

After 200 years of existing and developing, Hennessy has satisfied all the connoisseurs from all over the world.

Name of company: Jas Hennessy& Co. The company is also a co-leading company of Louis Vuitton.

Year of foundation: 1765

Founder: Richard Hennessy
 

Products of Hennessy includes: V.S, V.S.O.P, XO, Pure White, Private Reserve, Paradis, Richard, Timeless, Ellipse…

There are only 2000 bottles of Hennessy Timeless that are produced. Follow the Hennessy Timeless success; the company continues to produce 100 Hennessy Ellipse. The shapes of these two bottles are really alike.

Official website: http://www.hennessy.com

Richard Hennessy – founder of Hennessy

Jas Hennessy& Co ,or Hennessy, is the top liquor producer of France and also the co-leading company of famous brand Louis Vuitton. But the main field of the company is producing and running liquor business. The company has its long history of procedure and its products are the favorite of many famous and top people all over the world. Nowadays, the company sells about 50 million bottles of liquor per year.

The former president of Democratic People's Republic of Korea was also a fan of this brand. He was one of Hennessy’s “VIP” in a decade.

Hennessy’s development

The Hennessy cognac distillery was founded by Irishman Richard Hennessy in Cognac (a town of Charentes, France) in 1765. This land then belonged to Hennessy’s ownership due to his merit with King Louis XV.

In 1796, the company started to expand the market to American. Hennessy then introduced Jean Fillioux. In 1813, the name “Jas Hennessy & Co” is made official and became famous with noble class.

In 1840, Hennessy launched headquarter in London, export turnover brought back about 90% the amount of company’s profit. Jas Hennessy & C° and Bras Arme are officially introduced in 1856.

In 1864, a producing bottle factory officially worked. Hennessy is exclusive. Maurice Hennessy created a cognac classification system in 1865 and expanded around the world by starting from Japan market.

Maurice Hennessy is also father of X.O brand – a worldwide term of cognac. In 1872, Hennessy came to China. In the end of 19^th century, Jas Hennessy & Co. has gained its fame from all over the world.

The glory 20^th century

The company began international campaign in 1905 with the phrase, "Hennessy, the name which made Cognac famous. However, it is in 1930 that the company begins the use of the slogan, "The World's largest stock of eaux-de-vie." After joining Hennessy, Gerald de Geoffre de Chabrignac designs the new X.O.

The company goes on to break the shipping record of 12 million bottles in 1967. Jas Hennessy & Co. took a milestone step in 1971 when it merged with the respected champagne producer Moët & Chandon.

The merger gives birth to the luxury wine Moët-Hennessy group. Alone, Hennessy becomes the first cognac company to break the shipping record of 24 million bottles a year.

In a further effort to expand its name in luxury, the fine drinks company makes a final merger with the prominent french fashion house Louis Vuitton in 1987. And so Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton is born, "LVMH" in simple terms, the most prominent luxury goods business in contemporary time.

In 1992, in order to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the first shipment of X.O. cognac to Asia, a clipper christened "Spirit of Hennessy" is chartered by Hennessy. In the town of Cognac, the "Quais Hennessy," created by the French Architect Jean-Michel Vilmotte, is inaugurated.

The rapper, Tupac Shakur has a song titled Hennessey. Also the rapper Cheddar Bob has been made famous for drinking it in Radnor. By 2001, Hennessy broke the record of 35 million bottles sold worldwide.

The Cognac region in France

From 1909, regions that produce Cognac have to be allowed by government’s law. First are the vineyards, according to the soil, climate and luminance of the sun, there are 6 regions allowed to produce Cognac:

1.     Grande Champagne: surrounds Cognac, soil contains mainly white limestone, an qualified element for planting varieties of grapes, which then used in producing the best fortified cognac, raising the splendid flavor, but it takes time for them to “grow”. We shouldn’t confuse this region with another which only produces Champagne brand.

2.     Petite Champagne: Not only the soil element of this region but the climate in here has little differences from Grande Champagne region. Therefore, cognac produced in here is nearly similar to cognac from Grande Champagne, but the time for cognac to grow is shorter.

3.     Borderies: is a small cognac producing region in the West north of Cognac town. Soil in here has thick clay layers, but the climate is alike Grande Champagne. Liquor made from this region is stable and mainly used as an ingredient to adjust when producing Cognac.

4.     Fins Bois: is a large-scale producing region, and it also has a lot of farms and forests. Liquor made in here “grows” quite fast despite the soil contains of lots of stones.

5.     Bons Bois: this region is near the sea, the soil contains much clay. There are just some parts produce premium cognac, the rest are used to make inexpensive Cognac.

6.     Bois Ordinaires: One part of the land is near the sea shore, therefore the soil contains sandstone. Cognac made in here has normal quality, mainly used to mix with inexpensive Brandy.