Hennessy X.O celebrates 150 years of heritage

Fireworks in the day time? Sure, why not? After all, it’s not every year that you get to celebrate your 150th birthday! We were not flown to the actual site for the live event (how I wish!), but we did get to attend the viewing party/dinner held in town recently.

In commemoration of Hennessy X.O’s 150th anniversary, a special collaboration was struck with well-known contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang for a “Daytime Fireworks live event” – a spectacular 15-minute fireworks event in three acts – that was akin to a theatrical performance. This artistic odyssey exploded with drama, poetry and colour as multicoloured fireworks were launched from 150 oak barrels floating on the Charente River, echoing Hennessy X.O’s 150^th anniversary. 

Cai is particularly renowned for his large scale artistic installations and his use of fireworks as an artistic medium to stage spectacular public events. The project was the first daytime fireworks conceived by Cai launched from an aquatic environment broadcasted to a global, real-time audience. This was staged using exclusively non-toxic, reduced-smoke and CE certified pyrotechnic products.  

In celebration of Hennessy X.O’s 150th anniversary, Moët Hennessy also unveiled a limited-edition decanter designed by well-known architect Frank Gehry. The 91-year-old master builder, renowned for his iconic structures such as The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and The Foundation Louis Vuitton, collaborated with the Maison to reinterpret the legendary Hennessy X.O’s timeless bottle.

Drawing inspiration from the rich Hennessy X.O blend and the glistening Charente River in Cognac, France, which runs through the Hennessy Maison, Frank Gehry has created a bottle enveloped in a crinkled sleeve of 24-carat gold-dipped bronze, evoking the radiant movement of water as it reflects the light. The sculptural decanter is encased by a fractured glass glorifier, which further amplifies the inspiration of water and light.

To commemorate the anniversary locally, Hennessy Malaysia will be hosting a showcase tour, featuring Frank Gehry’s iconic masterpiece from Oct 7 to 31, 2020. The tour will commence from Eki Bar, Penang, followed by installations in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Loon Sing Taman Daya, Johor and a private final showcase in St. Regis Kuala Lumpur, where the celebrated bottles will be auctioned off.

Only an exclusive limited run of 150 numbered decanters, imprinted with Gehry’s signature globally is available. A wider release of limited-edition Hennessy X.O bottles also created by Gehry will be launched in markets worldwide, retailing at RM938. Check out Hennessy’s Facebook page for more details.

MHD Malaysia will also be hosting its “Luxury Decoded” which invites consumers of Hennessy X.O to be part of the festivities and stand a chance to win a limited-edition Hennessy X.O bottle designed by Frank Gehry. The initiative will be activated in participating Hennessy outlets around the country throughout the month of October 2020.