[Event]

 

Headed over to Mantra Bar in Bangsar Village 2 for the launch of Hennessy Very Special in Malaysia on 17 August 2017. The exclusive launch party for members of the media, and selected guests introduced Hennessy’s energetic new variation with a line-up of various best known musical acts.

Now I’ve been attending many Hennessy VSOP parties (Hennessy Artistry especially which you can read here – https://timchew.net/?s=hennessy+artistry) as well as (a handful of) Hennessy XO events and I have many fond memories throughout the years therefore I was quite excited about this launch. I discovered that I enjoyed the Hennessy Very Special on the rocks (ice and cold constricts the taste somewhat), after trying it neat (to establish a baseline) which really showcased the cognac’s fruity flavours. The Hennessy Very Special cocktails that were specially concocted to highlight the properties of the cognac were quite interesting, and after tasting all four, I found the Hennessy VS Ginger Fizz to be my favourite as it is refreshing and tailored for easy drinking.

A special performance by Shelheil, a veteran in the local music scene, started the festivities for the night, and he played his set of new wave mixes as the new Hennessy V.S was unveiled, officially launching Hennessy Very Special in Malaysia. The party was hosted by Jin Hackman, founder of Malaysia’s very own indie hip-hop collective, who shared some insight into the unique and vibrant new cognac.

 

Up and coming singer songwriter, NYK, who recently performed at Good Vibes Festival, amazed guests with his distinct sound and soulful voice as he performed a variation of both original songs and his own unique take on current hits. Ending the night was DJ Jhin and host of the night himself, Jin Hackman, went behind the decks playing a mix of popular of electro-techno beats.

 

 

Fundamentally Hennessy and created as the embodiment of the style of the Maison and its time-honoured traditions, Hennessy Very Special is a reflection of the Maison’s unique savoir-faire, the result of an exacting process of selection to find balanced eaux-de-vie of subtle and refined character.

Great care is taken in selecting the most harmoniously balanced eaux-de-vie – those best able to reveal their full potential over a relatively short time. These eaux-de-vie’s are then aged for the greater part in new French oak barrels, which bring a distinctly toasty character. Combining a generous, fruity nature with notes of brown sugar and crème Brule, this is a highly nuanced yet intensely expressive cognac. The palate reveals notes of bourbon vanilla, toast, almond and vine fruits.

 

TASTING NOTES

The Power of Blending

On the nose, Hennessy Very Special brings together an intense and fruity character with pleasant oaky notes. In the mouth, powerful flavours evoke grilled almonds, supported by the fresh, lively notes of the grapes.

Fundamentally Hennessy

As a reflection of Hennessy’s know-how, Very Special’s audacious personality is the result of carefully selecting only the most expressive and distinctive eaux-de-vie. After several years of maturation in French oak casks, the eaux-de-vie are then blended with the mastery and consistency unique to the Maison Hennessy.

Serving Suggestions

Savour it neat, on ice or with a mixer

Hennessy also introduced four Hennessy Very Special long drinks that highlighted the cognac’s nuanced yet intensely expressive flavour:

 

Hennessy V.S Ginger Fizz

Hennessy V.S, Ginger, Lime, Mint

   

Hennessy V.S Citrus

Hennessy V.S, Coca Cola, Lime

A Very Special Sazerac

Hennessy V.S, Sugar, Atomized Absinthe

A Very Special Sour

Hennessy V.S, Lemon Juice, Orange Juice, Rosemary

 

And below are some photos courtesy of Hennessy Malaysia. Click to enlarge.

For more info, head over to www.hennessy.com

 

Photo credits: Moet Hennessy Diageo Malaysia and Andy Kho Photography (www.andykho.com) and author’s own