Hennessy VS Cognac 5cl

Hennessy is one of the biggest names in Cognac and one of those brands that basically became shorthand for the entire category whether the rest of Cognac liked it or not. Founded in the 1700s, the house has spent centuries building a reputation for rich, smooth and remarkably consistent Cognac that somehow works both in serious spirits collections and in very loud nightclubs at two in the morning.

At its core, Cognac is distilled wine aged in oak barrels, and Hennessy’s style leans warm, rounded and approachable. Vanilla, dried fruit, spice, toasted oak and soft grape sweetness all sit at the centre of the range, with older bottlings developing much deeper notes of tobacco, leather, cocoa and rancio richness over time.

The VS and VSOP releases are probably the bottles most people know, especially for mixing, cocktails or just generally introducing people to Cognac without terrifying them financially. Once you move into the XO and prestige bottlings though, things get much more layered and complex very quickly.

Part of Hennessy’s success comes from how well it bridges different drinking cultures. In one room it’s being carefully analysed by spirits collectors, in another it’s being poured into cocktails alongside hip hop playlists and enormous amounts of ice. Weirdly, it suits both worlds perfectly well.