Things you (probably) didn't know about Hennessy

From happy-go-lucky cognac sippers and all the way into the lexicon of American pop culture: generations of Hennessy drinkers have enjoyed their cognac over its centuries-long existence. Here are a few anecdotes that we thought would be fun to share with the world.  


1. Hennessy's founder was Irish.

That's right, the founder of Hennessy, Richard Hennessy, was an Irishman who moved to France during the mid-eighteenth century. The name Hennessy, in fact, refers to an ancient Irish clan and comes from the Gaelic Ó hAonghusa, which means 'descendant of Angus'. And even though our founder was Irish, everything about our cognac, its making, and savoir-faire, is French.

2. If Richard is the founder of Hennessy, what does "Jas. Hennessy" on an Hennessy cognac bottle mean?

Wonder no more! The story goes something like this: Jacques Hennessy, the son of the founder Richard, was the one who took Hennessy to another level and who turned it into a truly successful firm. How did he manage to do that? He started "James Hennessy and Company" brandy merchants in 1813. And that's how "Jas. Hennessy" ended up on the label! But wait a minute, that still doesn't add up: Jacques... how can that be Jas? Fun fact, the names Jacques is French for James and Jas is a shorter name for James!

3. Hennessy was sold as a medicine.

It was a dark time in America from 1920 to 1933, today also known as the Prohibition era. But Hennessy could thrive during this moment in America because of one man, William Schiefflin, who sold Hennessy cognac through his family's drugstores. Schiefflin & Co. It might be hard to imagine that today, but this is how it went down, and Mr Schiefflin eventually became a significant liquor distributor, in fact so crucial to Hennessy's success that Moët Hennessy bought the company in 1981.

4. The Olympian Herbert Douglass was once Vice President of Hennessy


Back in 1968, Hennessy made waves by promoting Olympian Herbert Douglas to vice president, making him one of the first African-American VPs in corporate America. Through his resilience and trailblazing mindset, he elevated Hennessy to its highest potential and promoted minority hiring and mentorship within the company.



5. Nas is Hennessy's official brand ambassador.

Hennessy brand ambassador, Nas, was a Hennessy man long before he began collaborating with the company. He dropped the name "Hennessy" on the very first track of Illmatic. Twelve albums later, they are still together. And he still drinks Hennessy Very Special!

6. It takes ten years to become a professional Hennessy taster.

Ten years of apprenticeship on the Tasting Committee (Comité de Dégustation), that's how long it takes to become a professional Hennessy taster. The Tasting Committee, a selected group of tasting experts who evaluate each eau-de-vie that goes into Hennessy cognac, meets every day at 11 am to put their palate to work. And according to Yann Fillioux, Hennessy's 7th Generation Master Blender, ten years of apprenticeship is what it takes before you can call yourself a taster extraordinaire. Why is that? Ten years is the time it takes somebody with normal abilities to train and organize their memory. You receive information through your taste buds and nose, but you have to connect it with references in your memory, and that's why it takes so long.