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by NICK NUNES IN 1765, Richard Hennessy founded not just a company, but a lasting tradition that exemplified the lifestyle of luxury, dedication, craftsmanship, and an experience that has evolved and incorporated 250 years of class. For his stellar military service to France, Hennessy was awarded French citizenship and lands in Cognac, France, where he founded the House of Hennessy with his partners and established a thriving business exporting brandies, mostly to his native Ireland and England. The Bras Armé, the Hennessy family’s coat of arms, became the symbol of the Hennessy brand. The brand of the arm wielding an axe harkens back to the military service that won Hennessy the right to land and paved the way to founding a tradition that has lasted quarter of a millennium. The House of Hennessy Hennessy hired Jean Fillioux as the first Hennessy master winemaker in 1786 and began another lasting tradition within the Hennessy House. Extraordinarily, the relationship between the two families, eight generations of direct Fillioux descendants, has continued within the Hennessy House to this day. Throughout the years, the creation of Hennessy cognacs has been overseen by the Fillioux family, including Yann Fillioux, master winemaker of today. By 1792, the first shipments of Hennessy had arrived in the United
States and this time-tested cognac swiftly gained popularity throughout the new nation in the West. Today, the company of Jas Hennessy & Co. sells about 50 million bottles a year worldwide, or more than 40 per cent of the world’s cognac, making it the world's largest cognac producer. Since then, the United States has been the No.1 market in the world for Hennessy cognac. Built in 1810, Chateau Bagnolet was acquired by Auguste Hennessy in 184, where he settled with his family and became known for hosting lavish gatherings. The house now serves as the international cultural headquarters for Hennessy, hosting dignitaries, artists and musicians, for a variety of special events. The middle of the 19th century saw the first deliveries of Hennessy cognac to China in 1859. The brand quickly became an ambassador for French culture in the Far East. Today, Hennessy is an icon in Chinese culture, a traditional part of family celebrations and fine cuisine. With arms stretched out from France both West and East, the image of Hennessy was already pervasive before the 20th century began. It wasn’t untill 1938 that Stokes & Bynoe Ltd was appointed distributor of Hennessy and joined a masterful tradition spanning the ages. The dawn of the automobile age ushered in a new era of mobile marketing. As one of the few truly global brands at the time, Hennessy was at the forefront, with tastefully adorned vehicles in lands as far flung as China, Portugal, the United States, England and beyond. Today, modern fermenting, ageing, and bottling techniques keep up with global
demand while maintaining the consistent excellence of Hennessy cognacs. Hennessy was also an early environmental pioneer and remains an industry leader in sustainable agricultural, production, and distribution methods.
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THE HENNESSY BRAND has been known around the world for centuries. (GP)
Meticulous methods make masterpieces The unique soil surrounding the River Charente in the Cognac region of France is the birthplace for all the grapes used to create Hennessy cognacs as has been the tradition for 250 years. Ugni Blanc grapes are harvested, crushed, fermented and then distilled according to strict practices perfected over time. Each fall, since the Roman Empire ruled the region, the grapes of Cognac are harvested. What was once done by hand is now achieved through carefully honed modern tools. The grapes are quickly pressed for fermentation, and for a few weeks, usually in October, the hillsides fill with the scent of fresh crushed grapes. Through centuries of experimentation, the Ugni Blanc variety of grapes prevailed as the dominant choice in the Cognac region. Perfect for distillation, the fruit boasts acidity, a high proportion of yeast, and is well suited to the chalky soils that characterise the hillside vineyards that surround the Charente region. Masters of an ancient craft, Hennessy coopers make watertight barrels without a single drop of glue or a single nail, using only wood, heat, water, and metal bands. Only French oaks from the nearby Limousin or Tronçais forests are used. These French oaks are known for their low resin
content and are perfect for ageing the world’s most iconic cognac. Predating revolutions in industry and production Starting a tradition of cognac making before the great boons of the industrial revolution, Hennessy once utilised teams of skilled bottlers to create and distribute its product to the markets. In the age of changing methods of production, the advent of steam and other innovations, Hennessy became one of the first spirit brands to distribute a product in bottles. Prior to this advance in packaging, spirits were distributed straight in their oaken casks. Continuing its proud traditions, the Hennessy tasting committee has met every morning at 11 for over a century. At its headquarters in Cognac, members gather to taste eaux de vie, catalogue maturation, and mastermind the blends that create Hennessy cognacs. A group and a ritual unique to Maison Hennessy, their generations of expertise creates the world’s finest
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• From Page 2. cognacs. A history of class For 250 years, Hennessy has impressed and pervaded the lives of world citizens from royalty to the world of rap. As an experience of a lifestyle and a taste of class, Hennessy boasts a level of demand that perfectly balances this iconic spirit. In the beginning of the 19th century, the Prince of Wales, a cognac connoisseur and future King George IV of Great Britain, personally ordered a “Very Superior Old Pale” from the House of Hennessy. Since then, “V S O P” has become a benchmark for all cognac makers and adopted the title of “privilege” the world over. A cognac fit for emperors, Paradis Imperial was inspired by a special order for the Tsar of Russia in 1818. It is comprised of eaux de vie aged from 30 to 130 years. It was Empress Maria Feodorovna who requested Hennessy to produce the most exceptional cognac as a birthday gift to her son Tsar Alexander I. It began a tradition of the Russian royal court regularly enjoying Hennessy cognacs. The Paradis Imperial has remained one of the highest grades of the cognac world and still sits almost at the top of the Hennessy catalogue. The only step above being the outstanding cognac created and named for the founder Richard Hennessy. The New Orleans Classic One of the most storied cognac cocktails, dating back to 1850 from the Sazerac House in New Orleans, is the iconic cocktail of the Big Easy. Mix simple syrup, three dashes of bitters, Hennessy Cognac, and ice in a glass. Remove the ice and in a chilled glass pour a small amount of absinthe over the ice. Discard the liquid and add the flavoured ice to the Hennessy. Stir and serve. In art and legend Hennessy collaborations with celebrities of music and art have yielded a range of signature drink recipes, each reflecting the collaborator’s unique attributes. From Nas' “Big Apple” to Shepard Fairey’s “Revolution”, artists have embraced the opportunity to express their creativity through cocktails.
SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL Hennessy has indeed fully embraced the culture, and over the years the brand has chosen to collaborate with some of the most outstanding talents in hip hop and urban culture, including Tupac Shakur, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Eminem, Wyclef Jean, NeYo, 50Cent, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and recently Nas. Extending their tradition of musical patronage dating back to the 19th century, the first official Hennessy music event featured virtuoso violinist Patrice Fontanarosa conducting the Hennessy Concerto in 1977. Since then, Hennessy has hosted scores of prestigious classical events, operas, and symphonies around the globe, including the famous Hennessy Artistry.
The taste of a new experience
Part of Hennessy’s long tradition of history-making artistic collaborations, The Rap Monument is one of the most extensive hip hop tracks ever produced, featuring original verses from 36 artists, stretching over more than 40 minutes. Throughout the years, Hennessy has fervently supported jazz and rhythm & blues, collaborating with some of the most prestigious artists in both genres. Hennessy hosts the annual Blues Passions Festival in Cognac and has partnered with Jazz At Lincoln Center, and even once launched an album with Grover Washington Jr. Continuing its evolution and patronage of the arts, Hennessy in the Caribbean has seen a wave of unbridled support in the
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reggae community and the icons of today taking part in a lifestyle that has been crafted for centuries. From Hennessy Artistry to the Barbados Reggae Festival, the complete saturation of Hennessy brings more than just music and flavour to the world but also the taste of an experience, a lifestyle that can trace back an illustrious past and an evolving future. The Hennessy brand strives for a continuing dialogue between the past and the present as a blend of, as they say, grands siècles, the great centuries. An illustrated Hennessy campaign from the 1900s featured images of St Bernards with casks on their collars, which helped cement a myth in the popular imagination. The heroic rescue dogs of the French Alps did not actually carry brandy, the legend sprung from an 1820 painting by Edwin Landseer. For the 250th anniversary, Hennessy has launched its Hennesy 250 Tour of visual artists from around the world. The tour sees Hennessy’s legacy, its unique expertise, and emblematic objects that have marked its history, interpreted through the eyes of internationally renowned artists: photographers, filmmakers, and designers, including Xavier Veilhan, Charles Sandison, Pierrick Sorin, Tony Oursler, Anton Corbijn, and Constance Guisset. In 2003, the Hennessy Privilège Awards were established to recognise those who give back to their community, while also embodying the attributes that define Hennessy V S O P Privilège: mastery, strength, and sophistication. Past honourees include Daymond John, Spike Lee, Magic Johnson, Carmelo Anthony, and George Lopez, among others. In Barbados, there is a tendency to call it brandy, but it’s really cognac because of where it is made. Cognac can only be called such when it is made in the Cognac territory of France. A lot of the grape vines there are 45 years and older. They grow and are trimmed every spring. In those mountains, they train the vines. If they have too many sprouts and bear too much then the quality goes down. The grapes are fermented to make wine and then the wine is distilled to make cognac. For Hennessy, they take the first and last distillation away and only use the middle distillation. That is what they refer to as eaux de vie that goes into the cask and aged to become Hennessy Cognac.
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by NICK NUNES STOKES & BYNOE, now Bryden Stokes, owned by ANSA McAL, has been distributing Hennessy since 1938. “We already had our 75th anniversary of distributing Hennessy here,” said Bryden Stokes chief executive officer Geoffrey Evelyn. “We’ve been doing it for a long time, the initial agreement is dated and we have the original on old parchment framed at the offices in Wildey, [St Michael],” he continued. In 2004, ANSA McAL bought Brydens and ran it independently from 2004 to 2012. In 2010, the whole group installed the same software platform Technology One. “It was always the intention to merge the two distribution companies,” said Evelyn. “In fact, there were three companies – there were Brydens Barbarees, Brydens Distribution, and A & R Tempro. Then there was Stokes and Bynoe in Wildey. It was a move to efficiency.” From small shops to supermarkets and certainly the hotel industry, Bryden Stokes is an integral cog in the machine that is Barbadian industry. “When I joined in 2006, Hennessy was obviously already a strong brand. I vaguely remember in my youth people driving around neighbourhoods with a megaphone on top of the roof telling the community to come to a big event, whether sporting or whatever it might be. ‘Come on down to this rum shop where Hennessy will be on special for a Hennessy promotion’,” said Evelyn. Hennessy has been promoting in the rum shops of Barbados for many, many years.
GEOFFREY EVELYN (GP) This has been the modus operandi here for the better part of the last century. “We still do a form of that promotion today. For major sponsorships and during our Hennessy Artistry promotions, we do a live broadcast on the radio with Starcom. And we strive to make the bars and shops in neighbourhoods come alive,” Evelyn added. Since those early years, Hennessy has evolved in Barbados with the times. The advent of Hennessy Artistry for the
last six years has been a well marked calendar event in the lives of many Barbadians as the culmination of Hennessy’s year round celebrations. The first two years of the Hennessy Artistry were held at the National Stadium before moving to Kensington Oval. Evelyn continued to recall the first days of Hennessy Artistry, “It’s always been well attended and well presented. I’ve always been impressed
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• From Page 4. with it.” The first year that Artistry was held at Kensington Oval, there were more than 18 000 in attendance. From Artistry to the Reggae Festival, the latter about to begin, Hennessy has been a part of the Barbados community and involved itself in every facet of the culture of this island for the past 77 years. “We’re extremely proud to be associated with a brand like Hennessy,” said Evelyn. “It has a worldwide reputation for excellence. I think why the brand is where it is, is because of the quality of the product. I honestly say that
from my own personal taste and preference. The product has made itself because it is superior to the other brands, in my opinion. The success speaks for itself. “We are strongly supported by the brand owners Moët Hennessy. They have put a lot of resources into the market here in the Caribbean. We are visited by the area manager at least once a month. There is a strong marketing presence. We are already planning for the next Hennessy Artistry. We’re full of support and ideas and we keep everyone motivated. We couldn’t want for a better partner.”
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The brand in Barbados by NICK NUNES
THE BRYDEN STOKES sales and marketing team 2015 incentive trip to Miami. Celebrating with Moët Hennessy market manager caribbean Geoffrey Bouilly (extreme right). (GP)
“I’VE BEEN WORKING with Bryden Stokes and Hennessy for 13 years,” said Antonio Arthur, brand manager for Moët Hennessy. “The business for Hennessy is very unique because we don’t just sell alcohol, we sell a way of life, an experience. It’s luxury, it’s a part of the LVMH portfolio, which is the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy portfolio.” From a village shop to a catered event like Hennessy Artistry, when you purchase Hennessy, you’re paying for more than a drink, you’re paying for a slice of the life and the experience that has characterised the brand of Hennessy for 250 years. “We go to the shops with our promotions and bring that experience to our customers. We make sure things are done properly from the banners to the well dressed promotional ladies. As I said, we sell an experience,” continued Arthur. “With these promotions, we reward our customers as well as the consumers for their support over the years. This year, we’re giving away over 250 prizes to celebrate the 250-year anniversary of Hennessy. Digicel Samsung handhelds and credit, Hennessy VSOP Limited edition and, of course, Hennessy VS are some of the prizes that we’re giving away at ANTONIO ARTHUR, these promotions. Our promotions are advertised BRAND MANAGER, MOËT HENNESSY (GP) on all social media platforms and are aired on HOTT 95.3 FM. “Hennessy has added the special 250-year anniversary logo on every bottle for all of their consumers to celebrate with them. We bring this to our customers to reward them. We ‘Never Stop. Never Settle, just like Hennessy.” You can win by just being a part of the experience called Hennessy. “We want people to always flaunt their taste responsibly, to only consume within their limits, and have a good time,” said Arthur. Barbadian band NexCyx won Hennessy’s first worldwide social media competition Chase The Music, Own The Stage. That year, NexCyx went to the Blues Passion Festival in Cognac, France, and represented Barbados very well. You had to go on the Hennessy Barbados Facebook fan page and vote for which band you wanted to see and NexCyx got the most votes, while Simon Pipe came in third. NexCyx performed so well that the next year, the band was invited to the festival by the organisers, this time
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The taste of a new experience
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THE MOËT HENNESSY BARBADOS TEAM: (from left) Antonio Arthur – manager, Claudius Dujon – trade marketing representative, Dwayne Campbell – trade marketing representative, and Leandrea Bailey – administrative assistant. (GP)
• From Page 6. as featured performers. Hennessy Barbados Facebook Fan page was voted the most active Facebook Fan page in the world in the wines and spirits category by Booshaka, an audience onboarding platform, independently monitoring Facebook. Hennessy Barbados has been ranked No. 1, in terms of the most active fan page, about eight times.
With all the marketing and promotions, and the success of Hennessy in Barbados, it comes as no surprise that its sales and marketing team was rewarded for such outstanding efforts. The Easter weekend saw the Hennessy Barbados sales team taking a trip to Miami as a reward for a great year of work. Though the trip did involve team learning and training, it wasn’t without a bit of enjoyment and the very lifestyle experience that Hennessy promotes.
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Connecting the community HENNESSY STRIVES to bring everyone under one umbrella and to bring different tastes together. Enjoying everything from the product to the atmosphere and coming together to enjoy a way of life are all part of what Hennessy strives to achieve in Barbados. With the tagline “Never Stop. Never Settle”, Hennessy doesn’t just speak to bringing the community together but striving for a better community and bringing people together with lifestyle in mind. Always with an eye on the responsible side, Hennessy invites you to flaunt your taste responsibly. Whether it’s the Pan In De’ Village promotion or the Reggae Rumbles, community is an important part of Hennessy’s market and its desire to make sure that the experience goes constantly throughout the year. Apart from the music events and such that Hennessy is known for in Barbados, it also held the Hennessy Cognac Masters Football Tournament to involve the young at heart and it has seen ten years of sponsoring this programme of
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NIKKI Z (left), and Alison Hinds teaming up at the Hennessy Artistry series. (FP)
Tel: 424-0615 I Email: fysdistribution@gmail.com
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FLASHBACK 2013: Revellers partying the night away with awesome music, atmosphere and, of course, plenty Hennessy to drink. (FP)
• From Page 8. of athleticism. “We have two locally branded bars in Barbados,” said Antonio Arthur, brand manager for Moët Hennessy. “The Village Bar in Lemon Arbour, St John, and the Flash-N-Bar in Pilgrim Road, Christ Church, are two location earmarked and branded for Hennessy. “This is new to
Hennessy in Barbados,” he continued, “we had never done it before but we had to keep up with the market trends. So we looked for locations that can mirror the image of the brand.” Whether it is the neighbourhood rum shop, a giant Crop Over event or Hennessy Artistry, Hennessy always brings people together to experience the lifestyle of the Hennessy brand.
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HENNESSY ARTISTRY has brought together some of the most talented artistes on stage for an eclectic mix of musical talents, for years. (GP)
HENNESSY ARTISTRY started in 2006 and came to Barbados in 2008. It is an event to bring the very important consumers together and give them the extraordinary experience of Hennessy in different forms that they have never experienced before. Hennessy started in the early days supporting jazz and then went on to support blues to the evolution of hip hop and rhythm & blues. Here in the Caribbean, Hennessy has very much joined in with the culture of soca and reggae. All around the world, Hennessy Artistry brings together some of the most talented artistes on stage for an eclectic mix of musical talents. Ranging from hip hop to pop, rock to electronic music, these artistic encounters bring out sounds that create engaging parties. The concept is to have Hennessy Artistry as the plateau, which is why it is held at the end of the year as a grand finale to Hennessy’s year of promotions. “We try to maintain the prices at the bars to what we call ‘rum shop prices’,” said brand manager for Moët Hennessy, Antonio Arthur. “I am proud to say that in the last six years, Barbados has had the largest Hennessy Artistry events anywhere in worldwide,” he continued. Hennessy Artistry events are more than music concerts. Each event offers complete sight, sound, and taste sensations in a combination rarely to be found in one music event. This ultimate experience includes cocktail bars where partygoers learn how to concoct Hennessy long drinks. More than a show of different artistes, Hennessy Artistry series are exciting collaborations of musical artistes in exceptional onstage performances. Since the concerts began in 2006, their fame has grown. Cosmopolitan and truly entertaining, Hennessy Artistry series of events are a perfect example of Hennessy: a bold, exciting mix of sound, visual innovation, and unique experiences. From Kuala Lumpur to the Caribbean isles, Hennessy Artistry is a border breaking event that stretches its artistic blending of tastes across the world stage catering to the specific cultures that have all come together under the umbrella of a 250-year-old brand. In 2013, Hennessy Artistry Barbados featured Mavado, Junior Kelly, I-Octane, Morgan
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SCORES OF PEOPLE come together for fun-filled events due in part to the Hennessy brand. (GP)
• From Page 10. Heritage, NexCyx, Richie Campbell, and boasted many DJs of monster quality. Though the line-up for Artistry 2015 hasn’t been released yet, the work has already begun. For now, Hennessy is a part of the sponsorship for the Digicel Barbados Reggae Fesitval. From April 19 to 26, the festival will be exactly the sort to epitomise the lifestyle experience that Hennessy offers. Four fantastic events, comprised of the Reggae Beach Party, the Vintage Reggae Show & Dance, the Reggae Party Cruise, and culminating in the always popular Reggae On The Hill, are sure to keep the hype going and meet the high standards of the Hennessy experience in a bottle.
The taste of a new experience
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BARBADIAN BAND NexCyx won Hennessy’s first worldwide social media competition, Chase the Music, Own the Stage and the opportunity to perform at the Blues Passion concert in Cognac, France. NexCyx represented Barbados and performed so well that the next year they were invited to the Blue Passion Festival by the organisers as featured performers. (FP)
The taste of a new experience
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