Spirit-raising: Arik Levy designs spiral-shaped bottle for Hennessy 8
For more than 200 years, the Hennessy clan and the famille Fillioux have created the finest cognacs for royals and rappers. The former founded the maison in 1765; the latter has been its master blenders since the early 1800s.
Last week, after 50 years at the helm, seventh generation master blender Yann Fillioux handed the keys of the cellar to his nephew Renaud Fillioux. To mark the occasion, the maison has created Hennessy 8, a commemorative blend that comes in a limited edition bottle and case designed by Arik Levy.
Levy worked with Baccarat to design the 60kg carafe. It features eight crystal rings that loop around a bottle inspired by the tasting flacons of old and is wrapped in a wooden case made in oak from the Hennessy cooperage (where barrels are still made by hand). A copper inlay references the metal tools used in the distilling process.
‘I used all the raw materials associated with making cognac,’ says Paris-based Levy, who worked with Hennessy on a methusaleh for its XO in 2012. ‘I was asked to imagine where the company would be in 200 years’ time. For that reason, it’s a highly technical work which took three years to develop.’
The blend was equally complex to create. It’s a fusion of eight eaux-de-vie, seven of which were created by Yann, one by Renaud. ‘Each has a strong personality and combining them was a challenge,’ explains Fillioux senior. There are no plans to produce any more of the rare elixir, and Levy has created only 250 bottles. Which for €35,000 each can be yours.
INFORMATION
For more infromation, visit the Hennessy website
Photography courtesy Hennessy
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Emma O'Kelly is a contributing editor at Wallpaper*. She joined the magazine on issue 4 as news editor and since since then has worked in full and part time roles across many editorial departments. She is a freelance journalist based in London and works for a range of titles from Condé Nast Traveller to The Telegraph. She is currently working on a book about Scandinavian sauna culture and is renovating a mid century house in the Italian Lakes.
-
Montblanc’s leather goods evolution offers peak style
Montblanc takes design inspiration from its iconic writing archive for new collections of leather goods
By Simon Mills Published
-
Ray Phoenix to rise in Arizona
Ray Phoenix housing project launches, designed by Johnston Marklee, who worked with Lamar Johnson Collaborative and artist Alex Israel, for property experts Ray and Vela
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The cosmos meets art history in Vivian Greven’s New York exhibition
Vivian Greven’s ‘When the Sun Hits the Moon’, at Perrotin in New York City, is the artist’s first solo exhibition in the USA
By Emily McDermott Published
-
Celebrate Lunar New Year with tiger claw buns and coin-shaped dumplings
London restaurant Bao is celebrating Lunar New Year with festive treats, plus seasonal gifts from its online store, and the chance to win a year’s supply of bao buns
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
Vincent Darré reimagines the Cointreau bottle
Cointreau celebrates 170 years of the Art of The Mix with a limited edition bottle designed by Vincent Darré
By Emi Eleode Last updated
-
Cask master: Glenmorangie House to host exclusive whisky weekends
Clos19's experiences division presents its very own highland fling in the dramatic reaches of Scotland
By Melina Keays Last updated
-
Artist Michael Rakowitz celebrates the humble date in sweet and sticky cookbook
By Harriet Thorpe Last updated
-
Sharjah’s new lagoon-side bookstore weaves literary references into its interior design
By Harriet Thorpe Last updated
-
Wonka meets Gatsby at Compartes’ new Los Angeles outpost
By Carole Dixon Last updated
-
Ham-mer time: a slice of Berkel's history goes under the gavel
By Ellen Himelfarb Last updated
-
Counter culture: Melbourne’s Moby 3143 is more than just a café
By Sara Sturges Last updated