BACCARAT NEW BOTTLE FOR HENNESSY 8

To mark the arrival of Hennessy’s eighth generation master blender Renaud Fillioux, 7th generation Yann Fillioux has created his ultimate blend: the legacy cognac Hennessy·8, presented in a limited edition of 250 bottles.

Hennessy 8 designed by Arik Levy crafted by Baccarat limited to 250 bottles

Hennessy·8 is also named after the eight blends it contains. Seven of these were hand-selected by Yann Fillioux to illustrate each of the seven successive generations of Hennessy master blenders, and the 8th blend was selected by Renaud Fillioux.

Hennessy asked the internationally renowned artist Arik Levy to design an exceptional bottle.

Baccarat crystal produces the 250 crystal decanter, with this unique design of  8 inset rings.

The number 8 is obviously culturally revered in Asia, which might be part of the appeal.

Each carafe is individually numbered and signed by Arik Levy and may be personalised upon request. It is accompanied by an elegant box containing four tasting glasses originally designed by glassmaker Georg Riedel and Yann Fillioux 30 years ago; these have been re-edited exclusively for Hennessy·8. A pipette made of oak barrel wood and a cork holder are also included.

A  brochure describing the Hennessy·8, as well as a dedicated key, a personalised authentication plate and a numbered certificate signed by Yann Fillioux complete the presentation.

The debut edition of Hennessy·8 features just 100 carafes and chests worldwide. These 100 bottles were initially offered through a VIP email campaign sent to a targeted list of clients, and it has now been opened to the public through Harrods in the UK.

Price on request through Harrods.

Source: The Drinks Report

INNOVATIVE COGNAC HOUSES IN 2016

Cognac Abecassis, Bourgoin Cognac, Comandon Cognac, Cognac Marancheville, Cognac Philbert, and Cognac Pierre Ferrand.

What do these brands of cognac have in common?

Making cognac ... that is true!

But mostly bringing forward a wind of innovation in the cognac scene with different propositions perhaps with some "Trendy Exceptions". Here are a few examples from other brands than the big 4 brands of cognac.

===> Cognac Abecassis have not been the first putting forward the concept of Single Estate cognac. Other cognac Brands such as Cognac Menuet had used this concept a long time before. But Abecassis has contributed to growing the idea of Single Estate spirit concept in the world of cognac. Other more recent innovation includes making a liqueur from cognac and honey with ABK6 Honey, 87% of cognac and 13% of honey from chestnut trees sourced from the local region of Cognac.

Abk6 Honey Liqueur

===> Bourgoin Cognac is a rather large cognac supplier to the trade whose decided recently to offer cognacs aged in 50 liters casks and in small 325ml bottles, sort of micro-cognac distilling.

Cognac Bourgoin

===> Comandon Cognac is the pioneer of Single Batch and Single cask cognac, and a rather exclusive cognac independent bottler. A Single Batch cognac is a cognac that is a one-off cognac, where the cognac is not repeated and made the same evrytime but rather individualized unique batch. Single Cask cognac is a cognac which is made from one cask: for the most part these single casks will be vintages, with one specific region of Cognac.

In conclusion, a rather authentic crafted cognac with singular and unique characteristics. Here again these 2 concepts are both by definition one-off cognac lots which cannot be repeated.

Comandon Cognac Single Cask, Vintage 2012, Grande Champagne Cask #22

===> Cognac marancheville which consists in offering limited edition cognacs sort of like Cognac Grosperrin from a dedicated cellar.

Cognac Marancheville VSOP

===> Cognac Philbert's vision is sort mirroring the crafted scotch whisky with a rather 'single malt' type of philosophy. This is an intriguing new adventure for the two brothers in charge of the 208 years old family estate. They produce a single estate cognac through the classic line of VS, VSOP and XO, and vary the line depending on whether the products are made in their distillery in Grande Champagne versus their distillery in Petite Champagne. 

Each distillery has a unique style and terroir,  and it is attended by one of the two brothers in charge of the production: Xavier Precigout in Petite Champagne and Pierre-Olivier Precigout in Grande Champagne. They offer cognacs for the fanatic of authenticity. In addition, they were the first ever to offer vintage rare cask finish cognacs with a selection of cognacs finished either in Sauternes casks or Sherry Xeres casks for both the variations from Grande and Petite Champagne.

Cognac Philbert 2012 Grande Champagne, Sherry Cask Finish, Winner of 2016 World Best Cognac San Francisco

===> Cognac Pierre Ferrand is very innovative with a cognac selection away from the standard VS, VSOP ... denominations but rather using specific model ranges such as 1840 or Amber, and recently starting a cask finish re-using Sauternes casks.

Cognac Pierre Ferrand Barrel Sauternes

Cognac is stereotyped as being always the same but this is not true!

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BRANDING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MAKING VIDEOS

Brands future will be in the visual and virtual world with inside momentum viewing. Getting people to see the work and join in the day-to-day activities. This kind of 'voyeur marketing' is based on the appeal of collaboration, relationship authenticity.

Universities are now offering Master's programme dedicated to the education of future media managers with virtual communication such as KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden:

"The main objective of the Media Management programme is to provide students with the skills required for managing innovative media companies. The programme equips you for managing positions, business developing, entrepreneurship skills, preparing you for advanced industrial positions, or continued graduate studies."

===> Brands need to manage their Creative, Production and Post-production as such:

Creative:  identity the voice. Evaluation and conceptualization to realize your video content projects.

Production:  writing and preparation of the shooting and music recording and editing.  Reviewing technical, human and even financial aspects.

Prost-Production: formatting, posting, communicating, and cross-marketing the visual contents with media.

Spacesheep Projects

Large communication firms and more intimate companies such as Spacesheep provide consulting for these services.

Sources: KTH, Spacesheep

ITS NAME WAS HEADPHANIE

Hennessy Cognac has had many relationships with rappers and Hip-Hop culture artists, and many limited edition bottles with amazing designs, i.e., Hennessy VS artistry.

Lilac Company, a Florida-based company recently launched a new product, "Headphanie" Hennessy.

Young M.A an up-coming female rapper from NY sings in one of her song "every time I'm out, why she stressin' me?/You call her Stephanie? I call her Headphanie".

It appears that Lilac Company did not have any agreement with neither Hennessy nor Young M.A., and hence the products are bieng taken away.

Source: Pulse

Mr MARANDI INVEST IN COGNAC WITH A LUXURY HOTEL

Built in the 19th century, 'Chez Monnet' is in the heart of the quite town of Cognac. Originally, it was the childhood home of Jean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, with its cellars from 1845.

Not so long ago it was sort of abandon but was recently purchased by British investor Mr Marandi. Now he is personnally investing €60 million to transform the site into a 15,000m2 luxury hotel, spa, restaurant and retail boutique complex.

Last October 2016 the first construction stone was set.

Hotel and resort is planned to be completed in Spring 2018.

(left, architect) Didier Poignant, Mr Marandi, Michel Gourinchas (Mayor of Cognac)

Source: HotelDesigns.net

BURBERRY IS RAISING THE BAR FOR LUXURY MARKETING

Burberry is celebrating its 160th anniversary this Christmas with a short film telling the story of Thomas Burberry, the man behind the iconic trench coat.

Burberry Pattern

Directed by Academy Award winner Asif Kapadia, this short film has the scope and scale of a blockbuster movie trailer, indeed.

After watching the 3.30 minutes I was looking all over the Internet for more story of this soon to come movie ... to find out this was just a commercial.
Well done!

Spectacular. Burberry has just raised the bar for luxury brand marketing.

Source: Youtube

REMY MARTIN'S COGNAC BEARING THE NAME OF ITS SYMBOL: CENTAURE EXTRA OLD COGNAC

In 2011, Cellar Master Pierrette Trichet, Remy's  previous cellar master, created the Centaure as a cognac that reflects the house style: human, sincere, confident, and natural without ostentation. 

This cognac bears the name of the symbol of Rémy Martin, the centaur, half man, half horse.

Cognac Remy Martin Centaure Extra Old

Rémy Martin Centaure is the unpretentious XO cognac (Extra Old) for sincere moments with friends.

Made from a very fine selection of subtle eaux-de-vie, aged for at least six and up to 25 years, it is very smooth and easy to drink.

Rémy Martin Centaure is a blend of cognacs from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne, which blends is known as AOC Cognac Fine Champagne.

FRUITINESS (4/5 points)
Aromas coming from the still wine’s fermentation, distillation on the lees and ageing.

SMOOTHNESS (4/5 points)
Sensation on the mouth giving mellowness, balance and perfect harmony.

OPULENCE (4/5 points)
Defines the intensity of richness in the cognac’s aromas.

LENGTH (3/5 points)
The length of time for which the tastes are expressed after a sip.

Cognac Remy Martin Centaure Extra Old

NOSE
The aromas are those of stewed fruits, recalling the smells of hot apple pie and quince pie, and honey from the white blossoms of elderberry or acacia.

TASTE
Notes of fruit and honey with balanced, oak-matured aromas.

BODY
Smooth and harmonious.

Source: http://www.remymartin.com

EMPERADOR & FUNDADOR FORM THE LARGEST BRANDY COMPANY

Andrew Lim Tan is a Chinese Filipino billionaire with business interests in real estate, liquor and fast food. In 2011, Forbes magazine rated him fourth on the list of the "Philippines 40 richest" with an estimated net worth of $2 billion.

This year 2016, Andrew Tan’s company successfully acquired Spain’s oldest and largest brandy company, i.e., Fundador.

Acquisition makes Emperador the biggest brandy company in the world.

Emperador Brandy and Fundador Brandy

“A new era begins not just for Fundador, but the whole brandy and sherry industry in Spain. This is an era that will bring in more innovation and new ideas,” Andrew Tan said. “If the world’s best whiskies are aged in sherry casks in Jerez, then many of the brandy products now aged in sherry casks in Jerez should become the best brandy in the world. In Bodegas Fundador, we have a sizable inventory of brandy that has been aged for more than 50 years. 

Once they are bottled, they should become one of the most valuable brandies in the world.”

The agreement includes the Fundador, Harveys, Terry and Tres Cepas brands, as well as production operations in Jerez and Tomelloso, Spain.

“A recent review of our portfolio of brands and supply chain footprint led us to believe that our Spain-based brandy and sherry business could be of greater value to another company,” said Steve Fechheimer, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at Beam Suntory. “Our teams in Jerez and Tomelloso are outstanding, and I am confident that the operations and the brands produced there have a very bright future as part of Emperador Inc.”

Emperador Inc. is the world’s largest brandy producer through the Emperador brand. “We are very excited about adding the iconic brands of Fundador (the Philippines’ premier imported brandy brand), Terry Centenario (Spain’s number one selling brandy), Tres Cepas (number one brandy in Equatorial Guinea) and Harveys (number one selling sherry wine in the United Kingdom) to the Emperador portfolio,” said Winston Co, President of Emperador Inc. “We look forward to continuing to invest behind the acquired brands, welcoming the transferring employees to Emperador and engaging with the local community.”
The all-cash transaction was valued at 275 million Euros.

Sources: BeamSuntory.com, Kickerdaily.com