Hennessy V.S.O.P. New Bottle Launch

On the 18th of May, I was invited to witness the launch of the Hennessy V.S.O.P. New Bottle and Packaging Design at Doubletree Hotel by Hilton. There's a question which has pondered me for days when I was called to attend the event, "How the new Hennessy V.S.O.P. bottle looks like with the touch of a well-known car designer - Chris Bangle?" Will it have an aerodynamic windshield, comes with 4 tyres, carbon fibered etc and etc... I know it's funny but all this came into my mind before the launch.

Will Quah as the emcee for the launch.
Their previous design of the Hennessy V.S.O.P. has been sustained in the market for a very long period and I guessed it might be a smart move to redesign a bottle which had carried a long history of World's finest cognac. So how does the new bottle really looks like? Do carry on reading the rest of my entry.



Their previous Hennessy V.S.O.P. design sitting side by side with the even older bottle design before the 1950's.

Legends are shaped over time and here's some of the history which everyone should know. The legend of Hennessy V.S.O.P. began on 7 October 1817, when the future King George IV of England asked the great French cognac House to supply him with a special cognac described in the records with the words “Very Superior Old Pale” (V.S.O.P.). Hennessy is the world’s leading premium cognac brand. Founded in 1765, the house of Hennessy has continually strived to create the World’s finest cognacs.

This cognac’s personality has gone unchanged for nearly two centuries. Under the stewardship of Hennessy’s cellar master, the Tasting Committee hands down the secrets of selection, ageing and blending, as can be seen in the use, for maturation, of oak barrels that have lost part of their tannin, so as to avoid giving the eau de vie excessively woody notes while providing an elegant expression.

Today, the House’s Tasting Committee carries on this vision, as Olivier Paultes, Member of the Tasting Committee explains, “When blending the eaux de vie for Hennessy V.S.O.P., we harmonise a wide variety of sensory characteristics as a great Chef would, selecting from a wide range of ingredients to create an exceptional dish.”

Naturally, such an iconic cognac should be presented in a bottle whose curves signify the elegance and generosity of its content, as well as its balance and exceptional harmony. After an initial modernisation of the bottle in 1989, V.S.O.P. is moving resolutely into the 21st century, as can be seen in the work of designer Chris Bangle, a legendary figure in the automobile world, who has redesigned its contours to bring its sleek silhouette firmly into the future.


Christopher Edward "Chris" Bangle is an American automobile designer known for his daring design and far-reaching influence for BMW Group. “Designing for Hennessy gave me the same sensations as working on designs for fast BMWs or a great Rolls Royce. It is that experience of a unique emotion,” said Chris Bangle. He became the first American chief of design of BMW on October 1, 1992, where he designed the Z9 Gran Turismo concept car. 

After seeking to understand Hennessy V.S.O.P’s deepest secrets, Chris Bangle picked up his pencil and drew this cognac’s new silhouette. He accentuated the curves on the sides of the bottle, thereby reinforcing its silhouette’s dynamics, then he lengthened its neck and straightened its shoulders, stretching it vertically. Inspired by the Hennessy V.S.O.P. bottle created in 1954, Chris Bangle chose to confirm this upward movement with an enriched base resembling a pedestal to distinguish the whole with opulence while maintaining its stability.

With a carefully designed optical effect, the front of the bottle evokes a pyramid perspective, suggesting an upward vanishing point to draw the eye toward the top of the bottle, where Chris Bangle has chosen to engrave the legendary arm and axe of the Hennessy family into the glass itself. The symbolic Hennessy V.S.O.P. oval label is in dark grey ennobled with golden embossing a few millimetres from this.

Chris Bangle showed us a rough sketch to explain why he designed the new bottle in his own ways.
Emcee Will Quah mocked him by saying that he needs to play the mobile game 'Draw Something' more to get used to the sketching device.
“Designing for Hennessy gave me the same sensations as working on designs for fast BMWs or a great Rolls Royce. It is that experience of a unique emotion.”

The box that the bottle comes in has also benefited from this renewal, giving its edges over to a more modern vision: the sides have been refined and dramatised by photographer Adam Savitch.
Anti-counterfeiting techniques for the Hennessy V.S.O.P bottle were also developed: a laser stamp for the 35-cl, 70-cl and 3-litre bottles and a hologram of inimitable complexity (now with horizontal lines forming a grape cluster) seal the cap, ensuring product integrity.



For Hennessy, the combination of design aesthetics and ergonomics with a never-ending quest for quality and security is indispensable. V.S.O.P. embodies these values. Because that is how the future is made: by designing legends.


The bloggers at the launch!
(From left to right: Kelvin Tan, Andrew Chiam, Missblurkit, Eric Yong 'back', Anna Bella Wong, Isaac Tan & Simon Seow)

So folks, behold the new Hennessy V.S.O.P. bottle!




I personally think that this bottle looks more sophisticated and classy compared to the previous design. I like the height of the bottle which makes it easier to hold when pouring the cognac. What do you think?



After the launch, all the guest were invited to access the black lounge where the free flow of four types of Hennesy V.S.O.P. mixture were served.



The Hennessy Berry was my favorite after the Hennesy Apple.


DJ Eva T playing some really awesome beats for us at the turntable.


This was one of their main attraction of the evening, multiples DSLR camera was mounted around this ring for the 360 degree camera photo shoot experience. This is some really cool stuff!!!

Here's a sample of the 360 degree cam in video:


Can you spot me? Feels like Matrix-lah! :D

Samantha and Vivian posing at the 360 camera area before the actual thing.

Dudes & dudette who survived the free flow. Jane, Benjamin and Jackie.

Overall, I'm happy that Hennessy is taking initiatives to make this one a great and successful launch.

For more information on Hennessy V.S.O.P, please visit Hennessy’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HennessyMalaysia 

***Photos taken with Canon Powershot G9***


.: Peace Out :.

Comments