Hennessy XO 2019 Chinese New Year 700ml

To usher in Chinese New Year next month, Hennessy has enlisted the talent of Shanghai-based Guangyu Zhang, one of the emerging artists featured on online art gallery Saatachi “One to Watch” list, for a special artwork that will be featured on the cognac’s packaging. Drawing inspiration from his homeland of China and Europe, the 31-year-old – who specialises in colourful paintings and digital collages that fuse Oriental and western themes – has created a piece that symbolises the natural and beautiful cycle of life – of dream of past and present, heaven and earth.

Two concentric circles representing fulfilment and perfection anchor the scene, an artistic presentation of Hennessy’s double distillation. A ship, embodying Hennessy’s legacy of adventure and craftsmanhip that has been passed down through eight generations for more than 250 years, sails across the lake. Fittingly, a boar on the handcrafted oak barrels bearing great energy in 2019 leads to a brighter future.

Zhang has also incorporated other auspicious motifs in the artwork such as the crane (which symbolises luck, loyalty and longevity), goldfish (grace and growing wealth), Ling Shi stone (willpower and courage) and the grape vine (a sign to flourish). An emblematic lantern guides those who return to their homes to celebrate the festival.

Tasting Notes

Rich, full-bodied and complex, Hennessy X.O combines the spicy aromas of oak and leather with the sweeter essences of flowers and ripe fruit. Well=balanced, the initial flourish is dominated by the powerful suggestion of pepper and rancio, which testifies to the long years it has spent being aged.