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Richard Hennessy by Daniel Libeskind Cognac

Confident and assertive, Richard Henessy Cognac is made from some of the most sacred eaux-de-vie in Hennessy's reserves, carefully selected and preserved in The Founder's Cellar on the family estate.

A masterpiece for a masterpiece, this aesthetically striking decanter is an art object in its own right that brilliantly expresses the character of Richard Hennessy and the cognac he inspired: it is visionary, complex, and unapologetically intense.

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Inside this awe-inspiring decanter is a Cognac created with the rarest eaux-de-vie from Hennessy’s reserves, ranging in age from 40 to 200 years old. For this reason, the quantities available are extremely limited, as only 12 French oak barrels are used each year to make this special Cognac.

The story of Richard Hennessy by Daniel Libeskind

In a mersion of visionary minds, Richard Hennessy's monumental legacy is housed in a contemporary incarnation inside a bold, architectural, and graceful decanter made from Baccarat crystal (which comes with the usual ritual accessories including glasses, a fusil, and a tray) designed by the world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind.

The Polish-born artist is known for the reconstruction of the World Trade Centre in Lower Manhattan, as well as projects such as the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Royal Ontario Museum, Crystals at City Center in Las Vegas and the Zhang Zhidong Museum in Wuhan, China.

Much of Libeskind's work is instantly recognisable for its angular forms, intersecting planes, and frequent use of diagonally-sliced windows, a style that he has used to great effect in museums and memorials—but which he has equally adapted to conference centres, skyscrapers, and shopping malls. The Hennessy decanter is no exception:

"Cognac and architecture are not as different as you may think. There is a complexity, process and structure to Cognac just as there is in architecture. My creative process is deeply informed by music, literature, poetry, and philosophy. I relish bringing a myriad of ideas from different backgrounds to the design of kin objects. I believe it elevates and brings new meaning to the design."

With the design process spanning over four years, Daniel Libeskind explains:

“The decanter was developed over many years — like a major city plan or cathedral. I always begin by creating hand sketches to work out my first ideas— sometimes hundreds are made. Once I have a strong idea and sketch, I work with my design team to develop the form further on the computer. We then create 3D models that we can further develop. We approached the design the same way Hennessy creates its Cognacs—slow and methodically. This gave us the space to explore the ritual of drinking cognac and how it translates to the design of the decanter."

Before designing something new, Libeskind takes the time to immerse himself in his immediate surroundings:

"I am inspired by the interplay of history and the future—particular magic happens when the two come together. The inspiration for the decanter came from the powerful emblem of Richard Hennessy as a symbol of the future of the brand. I wanted to honour the history while elevating it," he says.

Libeskind drew on the founder Richard Hennessy's complex and intense characteristics to create the design of the decanter, combining geometric crystalline shapes of Baccarat crystal with soft curves.

"I started with the classic Hennessy bottle shape, but I wanted to push the boundary of the design. We also wanted to create something strong that embodies the legacy of Richard Hennessy. The result was to insert the soft curved shape within the crystalline form that echoes the spirit of Richard Hennessy. The juxtaposition of the organic curves with the bold geometric form of the silhouette gives a new energy and complexity to the liquid inside."

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