Words by Colin Hampden-White
Hennessy Cognac has existed for a while and its XO Cognac has also been around in its own right for a very long time. This year saw its 150th birthday. To mark the occasion, a special bottle has been designed by a very special man.
Frank Gehry is a superlative architect. Having designed incredible buildings including the Guggenheim in Bilbao, asking him to design the bottle for this anniversary seems like a great choice. And it is. The result is stunning. The classic XO bottle has been draped in a crinkled sleeve of 24 carat, gold dipped bronze which makes the bottle look like it is standing under a waterfall of gold.
The inspiration comes from the twisted vines and the Charente river that runs through the estate. The decanter is encased by a fractured glass case that enhances the ideas of water and light. Frank said, "I wanted to bring it to life, and so I took inspiration from its birthplace and used this crumpling effect of the material that gives it a feeling of movement." He adds, "The materials I've chosen catch the light and make this a really beautiful object on its own, but then you realize it is a bottle of Hennessy XO."
The XO was first created by Maurice Hennessy and the cellar master Emile Fillioux in 1870. When first created, the “Extra Old” was meant only for their close friends and family. however, 150 years on, it is the best-selling cognac in the world. This happened more quickly than one might imagine. It was exported to the USA as early as 1870 and to Asia in 1872. Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, the eighth generation Master Blender for Maison Hennessy said, “Hennessy XO is the cognac for every occasion. Its timelessness – the fact that its inspiration never changes and never bends to the whims of trends means that it exists in a realm beyond fashion. As time goes by, we have noticed that people are appreciating a wider array of moments for tasting than they ever have before. Its versatility is what I think makes Hennessy XO so contemporary and relevant today.”
The carafe that we all recognise as Hennessy XO was created in 1947 by Gérald de Geoffre, who was a member of the family. Whilst the design has been adapted in small ways over the years, it essentially remains the same, although this stunning new limited-edition design from Frank Gehry is certainly different. The cognac in the bottle remains the same XO as always. There are only 150 of these bottles created, named “Masterpiece”. There will also be a limited run of bottles worldwide with a design by Frank Gehry to expand on the design and the birthday celebrations.
Speaking about the collaboration Frank Gehry said, "It was an honour to be asked to celebrate this milestone for Hennessy X.O. While I was excited, it was also daunting because a bottle of cognac is already a work of art — one you can smell, taste, and feel — it doesn't need embellishment as it’s already there. We are showing how we can be creative within that language. There's such a powerful history and a serious emotional commitment from the people that make this product. It has a resonance that's interesting to tie into and become a part of."
Hennessy celebrated its 150th Anniversary on 25th September 2020, marking the occasion with a series of festivities in Cognac. The Masterpiece and limited-edition Frank Gehry XO decanters are available exclusively from Harrods and Clos19.com with the “Masterpiece” priced at £15K and the limited edition by Frank Gehry at £178.