EXTRA OLD STANDARDS

In contact with something immutable, you begin to understand what the values of our world are based on. People come and go, and they remain in our memory. And while we live, these people live with us - writers, composers, craftsmen, great chefs and winemakers. If you dig deeper into everything that surrounds us, you can find a piece of eternity, for the preservation of which we are struggling, knowing that we are fighting for the right to leave a trace in the hearts of future generations and to create miracles. That is why people tend to learn things which become even more valuable with each passing day.

That's him. The head of the legendary Cognac House of Hennessy, Maurice Richard Hennesy - a man who bears a direct relationship to the creation of a wonderful and unforgettable drink - a drink to which the secular nobility and crowned heads bowed down. He is here in Baku. He sits in front, talks, answers questions and give us a friendly smile. It dawns on us that this moment needs to be remembered and carried through all life, because when else can you meet a direct eighth generation descendant of Richard Hennessy who founded the Cognac House of Hennessy in 1765? Maurice Richard's father was a nuclear physicist, and he followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather. Maurice has three daughters, so he does not rule out that the cognac baton will be picked up by one of his nephews... So, it is worth realizing the whole value of the moment - Maurice Richard Hennessy has a piece of that same Irish officer who served the glory of the French army of King Louis XV and settled in the French town of Cognac in 1765. It is in Cognac that young Hennessy tried the brandy which changed the entire history of this drink. In Cognac, Richard registered his company and began to sell this remarkable drink.

Maurice Richard Hennessy has the face of a philosopher and an aristocrat, someone who knows about good things. In general, he is a man of few words. But once you start talking about his favourite business - creating the exquisite cognac Hennessy, his face brightens up, and Maurice Hennessy is ready to answer any questions. Emotional, like all Frenchmen, and at the same time, thoughtful, perhaps, like the Irish. Hennessy admitted that in his childhood he dreamt of being a farmer. But then he liked the prospect of leading the family business, which will celebrate its

250th birthday in six years' time. Asked whether he tried Azerbaijani brandy or wine, he frankly said that he had not been offered such an opportunity yet. But as he liked Icari Sahar, he may buy a house in the old town, and then try Azerbaijani wine. Maybe Mr. Hennessy was joking about a house in Icari Sahar, but it is true that his father taught him to love cognac in his teens, giving him a sugar cube bathed in cognac. At 23, by his own admission, Maurice Richard really fell in love with this drink.

Since 1984, the descendant of the legendary house has been regularly travelling in Europe, North and South America, visiting prestigious and important clients of the company and arranging tasting for them. Just recently, on the initiative of the company Jas Hennessy & Cie and the MEY wine gallery of Apeks Limited which imports products of the Moet-Hennessy group into Azerbaijan, Maurice Richard visited Baku. In the Azerbaijani capital, he managed to do many things: to explore the city, meet with reporters and have a traditional VIP dinner to taste a prestigious range of cognacs where Mr. Hennessy personally presented his company's products and met with the R+ correspondent.

- This is your first visit to Baku? What are your impressions of the city and what is the purpose of your visit to the capital of Azerbaijan?

- Yes, this is my first visit. And I was very impressed with your city. It is beautiful, exotic and very modern. On the first day of my visit, as I walked in the streets of Baku only half a day, I noticed the luxury market widely presented in the capital - Christian Dior, Armani, Gucci, Zilli, known jewelry brands - Chopard, etc. It is very pleasing and impressive. With regard to the purpose of my visit, it is a promotion of products of the Hennessy cognac house which means meetings with potential clients, journalists and active market participants.

- It is known that here in Azerbaijan, you are working with the exclusive distributor of Mo?t-Hennessy products - Apeks Limited. It would be interesting to know what brand of cognac Azerbaijani brandy connoisseurs prefer.

- Oh, the Azerbaijani audience has a great taste, and most of all, I was told by my business partners, they are interested in Hennessy X.O (Extra Old) - it's 100 types of brandy alcohols in one bottle aged from 20 to 30. There is a considerable interest in the top versions of brandies such as Cognac Hennessy Paradis and Richard Hennessy - it includes cognac alcohol seasoned for up to 200 years. They are certainly more expensive than Hennessy X.O, but today we can say that Hennessy X.O is a really popular drink in Azerbaijan. And judging by the structure of purchasing, it turns out that Hennessy X.O, given its popularity, has become almost a popular brandy in Azerbaijan - Hennessy X.O makes up 60-65 per cent of the sale of brandy sold among other brands in Azerbaijan.

If we speak about the history of this drink, it was created in 1870 by my great grandfather Maurice Hennessy for family members and close friends. But it so happened that soon, this cognac was well-liked not only by friends of Hennessy, but also by friends of friends of Hennessy. So this cognac received wide acclaim. It was a very important event for us - a new kind of Hennessy - Extra Old. This name was given to the drink as it was created from the oldest family of alcohols, some of which were made in the 18th century. Interestingly, on the initiative of my great grandfather, Extra Old became a completely new category of cognac. For nearly 80 years, Hennessy was the only cognac house that made X.O. This concept became a kind of standard for all producers of cognac. A decade earlier, Maurice Hennessy introduced another important development in the world of cognac - a system of star ratings for brandy which is also used successfully in the hotel industry today. The idea is simple: brandy with 5 stars is the most expensive and high-quality, and while one star brandy is the cheapest and less pleasant-tasting than its more "stellar counterparts". And in 1947, one of the direct descendants of Captain Richard Hennessy created the famous bottle of grape vines and leaves for X.O. The aroma of X.O is strong and courageous, with bright shades of oak, ripe fruit, old leather and subtle notes of flowers. Probably this is why it enjoys such great popularity among connoisseurs of cognac.

- What Hennessy cognac does Mr. Maurice Hennessy prefer?

- All Hennessy cognacs are of high quality and I love them all. All brands have their own special style, taste and aroma. And if we turn to the world's masterpieces of music, we will understand that the great Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Mozart created different music, but differing from each other, they are nevertheless superb. The same can be said of Hennessy cognacs. However, if you still talk about preferences, it is likely to depend on what you drink this divine drink with - ice or after any meal. Much depends on what accompanies the cognac - the environment, atmosphere and mood. It is important what event accompanies this process.

- It is a great art - to understand the cognac.

- Yes, certainly. As I said, the atmosphere should be suitable for brandy. Only in this case, do you begin to realize the significance of this process. From the taste you begin to understand its origin and characteristics of local grapes. There is no need to turn into a problem when and how to drink cognac. First of all, you simply love cognac. It was created for pleasure. But first you must select suitable glasses for cognac. Specialists recommend a glass resembling a tulip, but the low, spherical glass familiar to all will also do.

- What is the difference between the style of Hennessy and other types of brandy?

- Hennessy cognac is made from brandy spirits originating from vineyards in four regions of Cognac: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies and Fins Bois. These are long-term cognac spirits in barrels which have already lost some of tannins. That is why Hennessy has a very delicate flavour with a delicate scent of oak wood and is slightly spicy with hints of clove and cinnamon. The taste is harmonious and refined, stands out for its notes of honey with a slight licorice flavour. And for nearly three centuries, our house has been making it within one and the same technology and tradition beginning from the harvest. To get Hennessy cognac, we use only one grape variety - Ugni Blanc. It is impossible to create magnificent brandy without extensive reserves of cognac alcohols. This is the basis used by the winemaker to create his works of art. Today, the family owns unique stores of cognacs. The age of some of them is 200 years. Hennessy has accumulated the largest reserves of seasoned grape alcohol in the world. Each year, about three per cent of these reserves, the so-called "angels' share" (la part des angels), is lost through evaporation. The company gets products from 2,600 winegrowers. The wine is distilled in 28 distillation centres. The resulting brandy is stored in 35 warehouses located around the region.

Our oldest brandy dates back to 1800. It is 209 years old. It is a lot: under the supervision of one family, brandy is stored for 209 years. This is the only manufacturer where the creation of cognac has been maintained by a dynasty of winemakers since 1800 - the Filieu family. I think that other brandy producers do not have such clear gradation in technology, such regularity. I do not want to say that other manufacturers are making bad brandy, but in our house, I reiterate, the quality of beverages has been maintained by a dynasty of winemakers since 1800. And these traditions and skills are passed down from generation to generation.

- What is the theory of success of the Cognac House of Hennessy? What made Hennessy the most valuable beverage for nearly three centuries?

- To be frank, not all members of the Hennessy family bear a direct relationship to the creation of cognac. But those who are involved in this are obliged to do so by their mere residence in the French town of Cognac where creating the wine itself is an honorable mission and activity. For example, most of my work includes travel to various countries to present our products and sign contacts with potential customers. I myself am engaged in viticulture and wine-making. Creation of wine is an inspiring job. Because if you grow grapes, produce wine, and you are good at it, you will probably not find a better job. It is love! I think that since our house brings this honorable mission to the world, Hennessy cognac is immutable.

I would also note that we are not alone in creating Hennessy cognac. In 1971 Hennessy merged with the firm Moet & Chandon which makes champagne, and thus formed the Moet-Hennessy group (MH) which later merged with Louis Vuitton (LV), a company that specializes in creating luxury items. The LVMH concern was thus formed. The merger of the three commercial structures made Hennessy even more popular. Besides, the whole family no longer had to make wine. The structure of company governance was improved and the brand Hennessy entered a new phase in its development. Today the LVMH concern owns numerous wine, champagne and cognac brands, while Hennessy has full independence.

- How often do you create new types of brandy? Is it when the House of Hennessy realizes that it is time to create a new brand and will it be accompanied by any significant event, i.e. timed to coincide with it?

- There are about 400 brands of cognac in the world. This is a very big figure. And among these brandies many brands belong to the Cognac House of Hennessy. Our latest brand is called Hennessy Black. This is the first launched since 1961, when the company introduced Hennessy V.S. The new cognac Hennessy Black will first be placed on the US market in 10 selected states: Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Washington and Massachusetts. Hennessy Black is placed in a black bottle, and it is a unique blend of 35-45 brandy alcohols of light wood and flame gold shades with subtle floral aromas. The cognac is seasoned in used French oak barrels for at least 5 years. The end result is a soft and light taste with hints of jasmine, narcissus, orange flower, citrus, honey and fresh grapes. In addition, we have released a special limited series Hennessy-44 in honour of the 44th US President Barack Obama. This brandy was produced specifically for the inauguration of the new US president and appeared on the market on 12 January 2009. Or, for example, we have a brand of cognac called Davidoff Selection Classic and Davidoff Selection Extra - these two brands are the only works of the Hennessy cognac house sold under another brand. This is a cognac with a rich aroma, with strong tones of vanilla and oak, i.e. as bright as a good cigar. This meant that alcohol for the new cognac had to be created anew, and we used exclusively new barrels in order to achieve a more explicit expression of wood tones... The result of joint efforts by Hennessy and Davidoff was first Davidoff Selection Classic, and then Davidoff Selection Extra. They have their own particularities, from strength at 43 degrees to with their decoration. Exclusive bottles, made from special glass, open as wine bottles first, and then there is a special cork.

- So who is Cognac Hennessy meant for?

- You know, for example, Davidoff Selection Classic and Davidoff Selection Extra are noble beverages. They are intended only for wealthy people who love to smoke cigars. Therefore, Hennessy and Davidoff are sold only in elite restaurants and shops. It is important to realize that after the appearance of the Hennessy brand in 1765, the word cognac entered the vocabulary of the Europeans not as a city in France, but as an alcoholic beverage for the nobility. This is a very significant event. I must say that King of England George IV, who was a fan of this drink, also contributed to the popularity of Hennessy. Needless to say that because of this, the whole court began to drink Hennessy. It was simply impossible to ignore the cognac. And it was noticed. After tasting it, everyone understood why this cognac is here, because the nobles should be surrounded by all the best things.

No wonder that the noble recommended it to their friends. Hennessy became the standard for the wealthy, a style icon and a sign of taste. Meanwhile, the world changed. Aristocrats and nobles all sunk into oblivion. But society got its own "nobles" - businessmen, actors, singers, athletes. They became the main target of the company in the 20th century. Expensive clubs, hotels and other places which provided services for wealthy individuals started to stock up on our brandy. Having Hennessy in a fashionable hotel became mandatory for any manager. Indeed, such old and high quality things that have proved themselves over the centuries enjoyed great popularity among wealthy people with taste. And if we answer this question more fully, I can say that Hennessy is designed for men and women with taste, for financially successful people, because this drink is really not cheap.

- And what can you say about Hennessy bottles? They too are a real work of art.

- I must say that in the 18th century, Hennessy was not sold the way it is sold now - in bottles with the family coat of arms (halberd in the hand of a knight), it was sold in ordinary barrels, which created additional problems for Richard. His brandy was forged. Of course, hardly anyone could compete with him in taste, but many people simply did not feel the difference. The mass production of bottled Hennessy began in the second half of the 20th century, when the company was headed by Maurice Hennessy. In 1964, he inaugurated the first plant for the mass production of what is now a legendary cognac. The plant was built in France, of course. That's when the brandy started to be sold in bottles of quite an interesting shape. This helped the beverage become even more popular. And the idea of making non-standard bottles came to us from Asia.

- Have you modernized the production line at Hennessy factories recently, or do you still prefer traditional methods which existed in the 18th century?

- In general, our methods remain traditional and are passed from generation to generation, beginning from grapes and the harvest to the creation of cognac. We store the cognac in oak barrels and expose it to double distillation and then, we mix it with other cognac alcohol. But we also use new technologies. Now we put digital codes on the barrels, which give us information about the seasoning of the product, its price and quality. Then advanced technologies are used to maintain the temperature in the storage of cognac alcohol. Such equipment allows us to keep the temperature stable. Then we put into operation new cooling equipment.

- What are your plans in Azerbaijan?

- Judging by the popularity which Hennessy enjoys in Azerbaijan, it is time to create a club for the fans of this drink in Baku (laughs). Well, our immediate plans include another trip to your unforgettable capital, familiarization with your drinks and organization of new VIP dinners with cognacs tasting.

- How did you see Baku?

- Baku is a port city and it is very difficult to give specific definitions to port cities. On the one hand, we can say that Baku is an outpost which connects Asia to Eastern Europe, but on the other hand, it is important to note that cities like the capital of Azerbaijan change greatly over time. Many nations and ethnic groups leave their traces here, and it imposes its own character on other generations. I would say more, the French learn about Baku from the history of France when they study the events of early 20th century. Baku is part of French history as British troops occupied Arkhangelsk and the Trans-Caspian region in August 1918, and in January 1919, a military unit of the Entente, which included England and France, landed in Odessa, the Crimea, Baku and Batumi. In short, Baku is a very interesting city, and there are many interesting events and meetings here today.