Building the Future with HENNESSY V.S.O.P: New Legend Bottle Design by Chris Bangle!

Hennessy V.S.O.P moves forward in a spirit of continuity with a new bottle and packaging design!

Legends are shaped over time. 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”.

The Evolution of the Bottle Design

1954 – 1989 – 2012

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.”

After decades of legendary history, Hennessy V.S.O.P is proud to present its evolution of a new bottle and packaging design by Christopher Edward Bangle. Held at Doubletree Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, the event was graced by elite entertainment stars, media, bloggers and guests.

The initial event had everyone ushered into The White Room where everyone of us kick start the event with the precious amber gold liqueur on the rocks! Canapes were passed around while guest await the presentation of the launch.

"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.

Renowned for his work as Chief of Design for BMW Group, the man has been responsible for BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce motor cars since 1992 to 2006. Chris was the creator of the emblematic M6, Z4 and the famous GINA Visionary Model Concept cars before leaving to start up his own firm, Chris Bangle Associates in Italy.

Towards the evening, the event started officially with Chris performed a live presentation of his vision for the new bottle designed together with Will Quah, our MC for the night!

Conceptually designed with precision and details, Chris accentuated the curves of the sides of the bottle and reinforced the sillhouette’s dynamics. He proceeded to lengthen the bottle’s neck and straightened its shoulders, stretching it vertically for a better grip. The bottle evoked a pyramid perspective, suggesting an upward vanishing point to draw sight towards the top of the bottle where the legendary arm and axe of the Hennessy family is impressed into the bottle itself with the legend Hennessy V.S.O.P oval label ennobled with golden embossing nearby.

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.

Launching of the new design, untouched since two decades ago, Hennessy Ambassadors paraded on the catwalk with the legendary Hennessy V.S.O.P in its brand new bottle!

After much flashes of photography, everyone was ushered into The Black Room where the party began!

Guests were generously treated to four variations of Hennessy V.S.O.P such as The Hennessy Ginger, The Hennessy Berry, The Hennessy Apple and The Hennessy Soda. Original Hennessy served neat or on the rocks were also available.

My ultimate favorite of the night was The Hennessy Berry, where the delicious berries really blend well with the liquor to produce a luscious fruity cocktail. I simply lost counts of how many I had that night!! J

A highlight of the night was The Hennessy 360 Degree Cam where everyone had loads of ultimate fun posing for all the cameras surrounding the stage! As the camera snaps in sequence, one can view a 360 degree shot of poses that had everyone showing off their macho or fashionista poses!

Check out our 360 Degree Group Pose!!

We also had DJ Eva T. blasting her mixes for us that night!

With any event, everyone is always readily happy for a photo! Check out the happy faces that night… J

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.

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

*Pictures without watermark is provided by Hennessy Malaysia.