Cognac "Hennessey VSOP": photo, description

In this article, we will thoroughly examine the products of Hennessy cognac house. What are the properties of elite drinks of this brand? How to distinguish them from forgery? What do domestic consumers say about cognac? Particular attention will be paid here to the brand "Hennessey VSOP". This cognac has a very interesting story. And what else are Hennessy? We will decipher for you their abbreviation. 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 should be authentic. How to protect against falsification, read in this article.

History of the cognac house

In the world of manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, brands traditionally bear the name of their inventors and first owners. This rule and Hennessy cognac house did not pass by. And it all began with the injury, which in 1745 Jacobite received Richard Hennessy, who served as captain in the Irish regiment of Louis XV, King of France. Since his way to his homeland was ordered, he decided to settle in the vicinity of Cognac and start a new life. The captain in retirement decided not to reinvent the wheel, but to do what almost all the residents of the Charente department worked on - that is, to produce the distillate of the same name to the city. And the case with Richard Hennessy went. In 1765, he founded a cognac house, which gave his name, and in 1794 even started working for export - supplied its products to North America. But the brand "Hennessey VSOP" was born a little later - in 1817. And about the history of this drink should be told specifically.

What is the abbreviation of VSOP?

So, in this fateful year 1817, the Prince of Wales, the heir to the throne of Great Britain (later he ascended the throne under the name of George the Fourth), ordered Hennessey cognac. In his letter with wishes he indicated that he would like to receive "very superior old pale cognac". The first four words in English and were taken for the abbreviation of French cognacs. Little of. The abbreviation of VSOP was later applied to classify not only cognacs in general, but also for armagnacs and brandies. News about the acquisition of elite goods is widening among royalty with the speed of a steppe fire, and already in the following year, 1818, Empress Dowager Maria Fyodorovna orders Hennessy's first batch of drink. The popularity of the Hennessy brandy VSOP grew. In 1859 the first batch of the drink went to China. Three years before that, the cognac house had acquired a coat of arms. The hand holding the halberd now flaunts on the facial labels of this drink. In 1971, the cognac house merged with the producer of champagne Moët & Chandon - the largest in France. And in 1987 they joined the giant holding company - LVMH. This abbreviation stands for Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy.

Abbreviation in translation into "asterisks"

Does VSOP have any bearing on cognac aging? Certainly! In 1865, Richard's great-grandson, Morris Richard Hennessy even proposed a new classification of his products - the asterisks that are familiar to us. These symbols on the bottle label indicate a minimum aging of the cognac alcohols that were used in making the drink. This classification has taken root, but not in the vicinity of Cognac and not in the department of Charentes. In the production of local wine houses continue to use letters, although the general principle of binding to exposure is preserved. Thus, three years of aging of the drink correspond to the classification of VS. The four stars are the Hennessy VSOP. Aging for more than five years takes brandy to the category of CW. Of course, measuring the quality of this elite drink exclusively with asterisks would be a significant simplification. After all, the main thing in brandy is assembly. Although the age of alcohols is also very important.

Classical scale of Hennessey

Let's get acquainted with the products of this respected wine house. The most common, it can be said ordinary, is Hennessy brandy VS. This abbreviation stands for Very Special. The mark was issued in 1865 by the great-grandson of the founder of the firm Morris Hennessy. The name "very special" at one stroke crosses the hint of ordinary. Still: forty spirits at the age of 2-7 years make up its assemblage. Hennessy Privilege VSOP has an even richer range of flavor combinations. Grapes for this cognac are grown in four districts of Charente. Assemblage forms sixty spirits from six to twelve years. For aging, only old oak barrels are used, the wood of which has already lost a part of the tannin, which makes the drink light, subtle and complex. And, finally, the top three classic Hennessy cognacs are branded by H.O. (Extra Old). It was created in 1870 with the participation of more than a hundred alcohols with an exposure of 20 to 30 years.

The elite Hennessy series and novelties

In addition to the classic line (H.O, VSOP and VS), there are a number of elite beverages. This is Hennesy Paradies, first appeared on the market in 1979. Masters of assembly, the family of Fiyu, have been working with the Hennessey house for more than two hundred years, and each generation surprises the world with something new. In "Paradise" one hundred cognac spirits older than 15 years are involved. In Pure White - a light cognac of the English type - alcohol from Fen Bois predominates, which gives the drink a light floral-fruity taste. Ian Fiyu in 1996 composed a new assembly, which was dedicated to the founder of the wine house. In Hennessy Richard participates in the grapes of Fol Blanche, collected in the distant 1800 and 1830-1860 gg. And, finally, the same Ian Fayu in 2011, based on the "Hennessy VSOP" (the same one created for the king) created the Hennesy Imperial. It is impossible to ignore the collection cognacs, issued in limited batches. For example, to the Millenium was issued only 2000 decanters of the company "Baccarat" with an elite drink Hennessy Timeless. Eleven alcohols of the most successful harvests of the twentieth century took part in its manufacture. Especially worth mentioning is Hennessy Elips and Hennessy Private Reserve.

Qualities of "Hennessy" brand VSOP

The customer - Crown Prince and future King of Great Britain Georg Four - was not a simple client. Therefore Richard Hennessey reacted very sensitively to his wishes. The letter stated "very superior old pale", that is, very old and soft. The task is not from the lungs. After the longer the brandy is insisted in oak barrels, the more it collects tannin, which makes its taste become "more cautious". The winemaker approached the task creatively. He insisted on spirits in the old, already reusable barrels of limousine oak. Thanks to this reception the drink turned out with a special velvety taste, just melting in the mouth. "Hennessy VSOP" - the photo shows it - has a light amber color. The taste of this cognac is soft, well balanced, with shades of fresh grapes and honey. In a rich bouquet, you can smell the aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and above these spices a light smell of haze floats. The cognac has a long aftertaste. It clearly feels the notes of sweet fruits and almonds.

Price

A good cognac by definition can not be cheap. After all, they need to be masterfully blended and carefully grown. "Hennessy VSOP" 1 liter costs about forty euros. And this is in Duty Free shops. In domestic bills it is necessary to spread money also for the customs duty and the surplus value tax. However, the quality of the drink is worth it. The prices for collectible brands of brandy "Hennessy" in the Russian market start from several hundred thousand rubles (for example, for Timeless). A "WSOP" can be purchased for five thousand rubles per liter bottle. If you are offered a product at a lower price - this is a fake.

"Hennessy VSOP": how to drink

This is a typical digestive. The advice is to enjoy cognac in a relaxed atmosphere and not on an empty stomach. Pour the drink into digestive or brandy glasses. Slightly warm in the palms. They drink in small sips without having a snack. Only this way, users say, you will feel the plume of spices and honey. Comments and experts recommend using Hennessy in its pure form. For cocktails, it's no good.

"Hennessy VSOP": how to distinguish a fake

Hennessy is already a symbol. Luxury, refinement, impeccability. It's clear that many impure dealers try to cash in on his fame. How to distinguish an authentic drink from counterfeit? First, buy cognac (and other alcohol) only in trusted stores. Secondly, take a closer look at the container. The bottle should be free of chips, scratches, soldering traces. Gift boxes should not stain hands with paint, they are sold without scuffs and tears. The label on the authentic "Hennessy" is glued exactly, all the inscriptions and drawings are clear, the gilding is not rubbed off your fingers. The cork sits tightly, does not scroll and does not swing. Now jerk the bottle upside down. The original "Hennessy" air bubbles are large, and the drops that flow down the glass are viscous, leaving an oil trace. Reviews recommend paying attention to the transparency of the drink. Look at the bottle. If you see on the opposite side of the clear lines of your finger - in your hands the real "Hennessy VSOP".