FEELING HENNESSY

Hennessy Cognac... The very name of this drink speaks for its nobility... It is a kind of link that connects business and romanticism so that sometimes you just do not understand: is there more of business or romanticism in it? Cognac reconciled bitter enemies when diplomacy was powerless. Thanks to the flavour of this drink, the worst enemy was willing to intermarry with his foe. At any feast, Hennessy is the true king. It is a glass of cognac at a meal that emphasizes the romanticism of the situation. On the festive table, Hennessy blends with seafood, meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit, as well as with desserts and cigars.

And then the cognac, like the king on the chess board, appears in all its glory at a festive celebration. In contrast to the chess board, it does not need protection and is elevated to the heavens! R+ had the opportunity to personally talk to the ambassador of the House of Hennessy - the leader of cognac production - Mr Marc Boissonnet.

- You are in Baku for the first time. What are your impressions from the capital of Azerbaijan?

- It is a big surprise for me: beauty and novelty. Some of the streets of Baku reminded me of Cote d'Azur and beautiful, scenic places of Switzerland. The night walk in Icarisahar was simply amazing! There is a special atmosphere that keeps its ancient culture and spirit there!

- Apart from walking and exploring the sights of our city, what can you say about our national cuisine?

- I was invited to an Azerbaijani restaurant. All its atmosphere and decorations were in the national style. I was pleasantly impressed. As I drink only cognac, Hennessy Very Special combined very well with the bouquet of vegetables we were given, and I really enjoyed the evening.

- What is the purpose of your visit to Azerbaijan?

- To share my passion for Hennessy with you. The cognac has been on the Azerbaijani market for many years. I cannot say what brand is the favourite, but the fact is that there are connoisseurs of cognac in the country. In Azerbaijan there is a classic collection of Hennessy: Hennessy VS, which is considered the world champion in demand, Hennessy VSOP, Hennessy XO, Hennessy Bibliotheque, Hennessy Paradis and Richard Hennessy. This is enough for the many connoisseurs and experts in Azerbaijan to enjoy the cognac during the long evenings.

- Cognac was preferred by kings and famous persons of the world. What makes Hennessy cognac different?

- You probably know that the house has deep roots, originating from the 18th century. Irishman Richard Hennessy, who served in the armed forces of France, settled in the town of Cognac after retiring from military service and built a small brandy house in southwest France on the banks of the River Charente. This historic event for Hennessy occurred in 1765. Originally, the house sold its products in northern Europe. In three centuries, the house expanded its geography: the US, India, China, Japan ... Russia became one of the earliest partners that preferred Hennessy. An important role here was played by the Russian royal family's passionate love for everything connected with France. For eight generations, the Hennessy dynasty has been creating cognac of the highest quality. Today, after more than 245 years, we are the number one cognac in the world. This already leads to some success. The qualities of cognac can be determined by tasting. Naturally, certain techniques, technical issues and many other factors explain the level of quality and the distinctiveness and complexity of the style of Hennessy.

Yes, we have a large range of end products, but each variety was developed with great care. Each of the brands reveals original aromas of grapes and wine, and as usual in the family, they have different ages and characters.

- What is the oldest assemblage?

- Richard Hennessy, which was created and named after the creator of the cognac house in 1996, is the "king of Hennessy cognacs". The cognac includes an assemblage of more than one hundred exclusive "eaux-de-vie" (cognac alcohol) aged up to two hundred years: some alcohols were made from Folle Blanche grapes from 1800 to 1838. Richard Hennessy has a splendid range of flavours and an expressive, versatile taste.

- How often do you create a new kind of cognac and when do you realize that the time has come? Do you dedicate it to some important event?

- Not very often, but, for example, for the bicentenary of our company in 1965. By the way, we were the first house that could celebrate such an event. We are creating brandy to revive our collection. Some of them, designed for long-term storage, are perceived as new. For example, Hennessy Paradis Imperial, which will be presented in Baku in a few months, was commissioned by the Russian imperial court in 1819. The House of Hennessy was prompted to create it after Maria Fedorovna placed an order for a gift for her son Alexander I. And we tried to create the spirit of a special gift. Then, in 2010, we created creative cognac dedicated to the year of economic and cultural relations between France and Russia. After nearly two centuries, the house decided to pay tribute to the very first order. You probably know that the House of Hennessy owns a unique repository of cognac alcohols. The age of some cognac alcohols is two hundred years, and we, under the auspices of the 2010 event, decided to recreate the 1819 assemblage of "eau-de-vie". After extensive research conducted in the archives of the house in the city of Cognac, we were able to interpret the assemblage of the brandy. Thus, we developed a new decanter and brandy called Hennessy Paradis Imperial. I should emphasize that our house welcomes modern innovations and novelties. Hennessy has always stood out for its creativity. We were the first to develop our own label, logo, slogan, trademark, etc.

- Tell us about the Hennessy curly decanter - it can be called a work of art ...

- The House of Hennessy was the first to deliver its brandy in glass containers rather than in traditional casks. In 1947, one of the members of the House of Hennessy designed a carafe. And in 1948, a bottle in the form of a decanter with a vine and lacy vine leaves (on some bottles) became an integral part of Hennessy cognac. If you take a bottle by the neck and flip it, the shape of the bottle shows the contours of a bunch of the sort of vine from which wine and then cognac are created. The development of this bottle with vine inlays made a splash on the market of alcoholic beverages in the world. Depending on the imagination and creativity of people, you can see different images when you look at the bottle: grapes, a lyre, the silhouette of a woman, etc., which emphasizes the richness and complexity of the Hennessy assemblage. It should be noted that since 1947, the bottle has slightly changed its design under the influence of time, but the basic idea of the author of the decanter is preserved to this day, of course. In 2000, a new form of the crystal decanter, developed by a French designer, was released.

- Since we touched upon the subject of modernization, has the production line been upgraded or does the house stick to traditional forms of production?

- Of course, the use of horsepower is a thing of the past, but the basic technology for the production of wine and cognac remains unshakeable. The distillation of brandy has remained traditional throughout the existence of our house. The only innovation is that instead of coal used for heating, we use gas. We are integrating into modern realities, but as you can see, classic production is still there. There are rules and laws that are an integral part of traditional production. There are organizations that monitor the accuracy of their compliance. The functions of these organizations also include the defence of the word "cognac". After all, the name of the drink is associated with the city of Cognac and its environs. The geographic boundaries of the area with its particular climate, technology of production and other conditions permit the manufacture of a high quality product. There are specialized organizations to monitor the manufacture of these products. Even the casks that play an important role in the production of cognac, in particular for storing "eau-de-vie", should conform to accepted standards: they should be made of oak grown under certain climatic conditions, etc. That is to say all the criteria are not just regulated, but strictly monitored. If all rules are observed, you have the right to call your drink cognac. All other beverages with the same method of production made in the Cognac region and its vicinity have no such right.

- What is the mission of the ambassador of the House of Hennessy?

- Like all ambassadors, my mission is to represent the Hennessy brand in the world on behalf of the company Mo?t Hennessy. One of my responsibilities is to educate partners and VIP clients on the features of the brand of one of the oldest cognac houses in France. I also work in the academy that provides training for our staff, because it is very important to ensure that our customers not only try, but also hear about our products. That is to say we have a whole training system for our staff.

- What consumers are the products of the House of Hennessy designed for?

- In general, they are for everyone, but especially for those who wish to have access to something special and sophisticated. For such sophisticated fans, we have Hennessy Paradis and Richard Hennessy. Of course, there is a price difference, which determines the value of the product. Because there are types of cognac whose "eau-de-vie" originates from the beginning of the 18th century and which can be attributed to antique works. There are young ones as well.

First of all, our customer is one who can understand and share the pleasure of contact with this product of nature and man. The name itself, for example, Paradis (Paradise), means that you cannot drink it alone. With such a masterpiece, you should not be left alone with yourself. That is to say if you are asking about the contingent of people who consume Hennessy, it is fans inspired by the assemblage of these cognacs.

- And finally, what can you wish Azerbaijani women on the New Year's Eve?

- The most feminine and sensual of all the things I would suggest - it is not heavy, but very insightful - is Hennessy Paradis. I wish all the ladies in Azerbaijan princes with whom they would be able to feel the splendour of this heavenly drink on the New Year's Eve. It is also a wonderful gift for the New Year. I think that Hennessy XO is stronger and its bouquet is perfect in combination with a cigar. As for Richard Hennessy, it is concentrated. If you can compare it with perfumery, it is more suitable for extracts due to its astringency. Therefore, the Paradis cognac is open and airy for women, and can be offered in various combinations - with ice, fruit or chocolate...