48 Hours in Cognac, France: An immersive journey into the world of Hennessy
Where heritage meets innovation, craftsmanship meets artistry and tradition meets modernity.
As one of the world’s most prestigious cognac houses, Hennessy needs no introduction. But even if you’re a cognac connoisseur, there are still delightful discoveries awaiting at the Maison. For over 250 years, the brand has been producing one-of-a-kind cognacs in the commune of the same name in the Charente region in southwestern France. Its founder, Richard Hennessy, an Irish officer in Louis XV’s army, had a vision to produce exceptional cognac and recognised the potential of the region's grapes and distillation methods. Today, the brand is one of the leading premium spirits brands globally with a presence in more than 160 countries.
All year round, Hennessy opens its doors to enthusiasts and curious minds to explore the rich heritage and craftsmanship behind the Maison. From the vineyards where grapes are grown to the cellars where eaux-de-vie are aged to perfection, the multisensory experiences offer a special glimpse into centuries-old techniques and traditions.
In celebration of the founder’s 300th anniversary, L’Officiel Malaysia was invited on an exclusive trip to Cognac to gain a deeper understanding of Hennessy’s storied legacy and unparalleled craftsmanship.
Less than three hours from Paris and just an hour from Bordeaux by train, Cognac makes for the perfect pitstop. We made our way to Cognac from Bordeaux.
Day One
We were met by Thierry Sales, ambassador for Hennessy, for the first full day of the tour. Our itinerary kickstarted with a trip to the La Bataille vineyard that’s usually closed to the public. Spanning 185 hectares, the plantation, known for its exceptional terroir, cultivates six different grape varieties, predominantly the star varietal, the Ugni Blanc grape. The place is also dedicated to research and innovation towards sustainability and biodiversity — key priorities for the Maison for the past 20 years.
We made our way to the La Groie distillery next. From October to March, the traditional Charentais copper stills transform wine into eaux-de-vie through a double distillation process. In the first, a raw spirit called 'brouillis' is produced, while the second produces a much higher alcohol content. Only the middle part — a clear, colourless liquid — is saved. Here, we also learnt more about the evolution of distillery. Originally, cognac was heated by burning wood and later charcoal, but today, natural gas is the fuel of choice. That said, Hennessy has plans to use 100 per cent hydrogen for distillation by 2030 to reduce its carbon footprint.
The Hennessy cooperage, L’Atelier de Tonnellerie, is where the savoir-faire of crafting oak barrels comes to life. An integral part of not only the cognac house’s history but also the ageing process, the workshop houses a dozen master coopers who meticulously create new barrels of the highest quality and repair the old ones. We learnt that for every French oak used to create casks, three new trees are planted, and each barrel is used for up to 60 years.
Perhaps one of the highlights of this trip is our visit to the Maison’s traditional ageing cellars, where time seems to slow down. At the Faïncerie cellar, the air is thick with the heady aroma of ageing eaux-de-vie. The lined barrels are hand-inscribed in chalk script in a specific Hennessy font that can only be written by one master and four artisan calligraphers.
We walked through the hallowed halls and immersed ourselves in the one-of-a-kind sensory journey before heading to one of the estate’s oldest and most emblematic buildings — the Founder’s Cellar. Only open for private visits, the repository is where some of the rarest and most precious eaux-de-vie, dating back to the 1800s, are slowly and surely aged to perfection. “Europe have watches but we have time,” states Sales.
Day Two
After spending a marvellous night at the Château de Bagnolet, the former family estate of the Hennessy family that only hosts VIP guests, we commenced day two with a visit to Bas Bagnolet, the brand’s latest generation ageing cellars. The modern space houses 13,600 barrels that are transported using semi-automatic forklifts that are created for the brand, and it’s the perfect example of how the Maison raises the bar of innovation.
Next, we made an exclusive pitstop at its Editions Rares workshop where exclusive decanters are prepared and produced. The division was established in 2016 to mark the launch of Hennessy 8, a limited-edition cognac made from a blend of eight eaux-de-vie in conjunction with the Maison’s 250th anniversary. Here, we had an up-close look at the assembling of the eight-ring Baccarat crystal decanter, designed by contemporary Israeli artist Arik Levy. Decanters from some of the recent notable collaborations, including the Hennessy Paradis x Lorenz Baumer crystal basketball as well as the leather marquetry-meets-wicker basket are also displayed.
It’s not a Hennessy tour without a tasting session. Led by Thierry Sales, we were guided through a selection of the Maison’s cognacs. During the hour-long experience, we dived deep into the characteristics of each eaux-de-vie, including the flavour profile, aroma, ageing process and more. Our biggest takeaway? Age is just a number. A longer maturation does not necessarily result in a better-tasting cognac for one simple reason: it’s not ready. As Richard Hennessy famously said: “You must allow time to do what the present cannot.”
The two-day excursion ended with a visit to the Maison’s boutique — the only one in the world that offers the entire collection of Hennessy cognacs, including limited and collector’s editions as well as the Pure White and X.X.O, which are not available in Malaysia. The cognac ice creams (the XO flavour with raisins is a hit!) concluded this special trip on an extra sweet note.
