Distiller Notes
Named after the founder, who created the House of Hennessy in 1765, it is the finest cognac in the Hennessy portfolio. Richard Hennessy brings together the past and the present in a blossoming encounter, embodying the art of maturation. An absolute masterpiece, this cognac elixir embodies over 250 years of history, talent, knowledge, expertise and savoir-faire.
Richard Hennessy is a complex cognac with infinite aromas, which conjugate compositions of past eras with those of today, with the freshness of everlasting youth.
A beautiful amber color with a silky texture. A perfect balance of complex aromas of vanilla, essential floral oils, and crystallized fruit spices. The structured composition is a succession of aromas of delicate flowers, spices and pepper with a dominance of walnut and crystallized fruit. The power and depth of the aroma is echoed in the mouth, where the spices, notably pepper, play a key supporting role in this blossoming symphony. Then the structure takes shape: leather notes gather, alongside nuts and candied fruits. A new aspect appears at every moment, revealing an unknown facet of Richard Hennessy and calling for a continual reappraisal.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A blend of over 100 Cognacs, some of which date back to the early 1800s. The aroma requires time; when it does emerge, it blossoms into a multilayered bouquet laced with tea leaves, red pepper, dried fruit and old oak. Starts sweet and caramel-like at entry; sensational midpalate features rancio, raisins, vanilla extract, dried flowers and honey. Finish is semisweet. Hennessy's pinnacle achievement. Range: 96-100
The collaboration and shared passion of Two Families – Hennessy and Fillioux (pronounced "Fee-You") – is at the heart of Hennessy’s unique legacy. The Hennessy and Fillioux families passed down a tradition of excellence in cognac making that ensures the consistent quality, craftsmanship and savoir-faire of Hennessy.
Cognac is both a product and a place. Like champagne, cognac the product, takes its name from its place of birth – Cognac, France. Cognac is a spirit distilled from grapes that come from the designated cognac growing area and must adhere to extremely stringent rules of production.
It’s important to emphasize the three pillars of craftsmanship: Selection, Maturation and Blending. At Hennessy, the Master Blender and Tasting Committee members gather each day to sample eaux-de-vie. They taste, evaluate and select up to 40-50 eaux-de-vie from the four best crus in the region. They taste 10,000 samples per year!
Widely regarded as the finest and most complex grape-based spirit in the world, Cognac follows rigorously strict production guidelines. It is made exclusively of wine—most commonly from Ugni Blanc—from the Charente and Charente-Maritime regions surrounding the town of Cognac in southwestern France. After a second distillation in antique copper pot stills (called charentais), the spirit is transferred to French oak barrels and aged a minimum of two years (VS). Cognac is classified by both age and region (Cru). The Grande Champagne Cru and Petite Champagne Cru, both having shallow limestone soils, are the most respected.