View source for Hennessy

{{Short description|Brand of cognac}}
{{hatnote group|
{{Other uses}}
{{distinguish|Hennessey (disambiguation)| Hennesey}}
}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Jas Hennessy & Cie.
| logo = [[File:Logo hennessy.svg|250px|class=skin-invert]]
| logo_size = 250px
| image = Hennesy XO close.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| type = 
| genre = 
| foundation = {{start date and age|1765}}
| founder = [[Richard Hennessy]]
| location = [[Cognac, France|Cognac]], [[Charente]], France
| locations = 
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = Charles Delapalme ([[chairman]] & [[CEO]])
| industry = 
| products = [[Cognac]]
| revenue = {{profit}} €2.12 billion (2022)
| owner = [[LVMH]] (66%)<br>[[Diageo]] (34%)
| num_employees = 
| homepage = [http://www.hennessy.com Hennessy.com]
}}
'''Jas Hennessy & Cie.''', commonly known simply as '''Hennessy''' ({{IPA|fr|ɛnɛsi}}), is a French producer of [[cognac]], founded in 1765 by [[Richard Hennessy]] which has its [[headquarters]] in [[Cognac, France]].

It is one of the best-known cognac houses,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2011-09-23 |title=Cognac makers look beyond China for growth |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/drinks-cognac-idUKL5E7KJ0V820110923 |access-date=2022-03-23}}</ref> along with [[Martell (cognac)|Martell]], [[Courvoisier]], and [[Rémy Martin]], who together make around 45% of the world's cognac.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-11-22 |title=Cognac makers ramp up U.S. efforts as China sips less |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cognac-idUSKCN0TB08T20151122 |access-date=2022-03-23}}</ref> Hennessy sells approximately 102 million bottles of its cognacs per year,<ref name="lvmh.com">{{Cite web |title=Hennessy, high-end cognac - Wines & Spirits |url=https://www.lvmh.com/houses/wines-spirits/hennessy/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=LVMH |date=June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> making it the world's largest cognac producer, and in 2017 its sales represented around 60% of the US cognac market.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Cognac's Streak Continues – |url=https://www.marketwatchmag.com/cognacs-streak-continues/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Market Watch |date=6 December 2019 |language=en}}</ref> As well as distilling cognac [[Eau de vie|''eaux-de-vie'']] itself, the company also acts as a ''[[négociant]]''.<ref name=":0" />

The brand is owned by [[Moët Hennessy]] since a champagne & cognac merger in the early seventies, which is in turn owned by [[LVMH]] (66%) and [[Diageo]] (34%), with Diageo acting as a controlling shareholder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/d/LSE_DGE_2021.pdf|title=DIAGEO Annual Report 2021}}</ref> Hennessy pioneered several industry-standard practices in the world of cognac, and its association with luxury has made it a regular point of reference in popular culture, especially in [[Hip-hop culture|hip-hop]].

==History==
[[File:Richardhennessy1724-1800.jpg|thumb|[[Richard Hennessy]] (1724–1800) founded the distillery in 1765]]
The Hennessy cognac [[distillery]] was founded by Irish [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] military officer [[Richard Hennessy]] in 1765, who had served in the army of [[King Louis XV]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Time Inc|title=LIFE|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1kQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64|date=24 May 1937|publisher=Time Inc|page=64|issn=0024-3019}}</ref><ref name="MHD {{!}} Moët Hennessy Diageo">{{Cite web |title=MHD {{!}} Moët Hennessy Diageo |url=https://www.mhdkk.com/en/brands/hennessy/history/index.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=MHD {{!}} Moët Hennessy Diageo |language=ja |archive-date=2022-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221118154940/https://www.mhdkk.com/en/brands/hennessy/history/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Hennessy family's seat was Killavullen near Mallow, and was closely related in County Cork to the Nagle, Burke and Roche families. He retired to the [[Communes of France|commune]] of [[Cognac, France|Cognac]], and began distilling and exporting brandies, first to Britain and his native Ireland, closely followed by the United States.<ref name="MHD {{!}} Moët Hennessy Diageo"/> In 1813 Richard Hennessy's son James Hennessy gave the company its trading name, Jas Hennessy & Co.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Hennessy, l'empire du cognac |url=https://www.francesoir.fr/lifestyle-gastronomie/hennessy-lempire-du-cognac |work=[[France-Soir]] |date=31 December 2014 |access-date=22 April 2019}}</ref> He was also responsible for choosing Jean Fillioux as the house's Master Blender. A member of the Fillioux family has occupied the role ever since, a business relationship that has lasted eight generations and more than 250 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morganstern |first=Adam |title=Hennessy 8: A $40,000 Cognac Celebrates Two Families Working Together For Eight Generations |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammorganstern/2016/04/28/hennessy-8-a-40000-cognac-celebrates-two-families-working-together-for-eight-generations/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

Hennessy became the world's leading exporter of brandy in the 1840s, a status it has never lost.<ref name=":0" /> By 1860, it represented one out of every four bottles of cognac sold internationally.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hennessy, high-end cognac - Wines & Spirits |url=https://www.lvmh.com/houses/wines-spirits/hennessy/ |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=LVMH |date=June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Hennessy also instituted several of the conventions now used across the cognac industry. It was one of the first marques to sell bottles rather than casks of cognac, a process that helped it survive the [[Great French Wine Blight]] in the mid-nineteenth century.<ref name=":0" /> It was also the first cognac house to use star ratings, and the gradings [[Very Superior Old Pale|V.S.O.P]]. and [[XO cognac|X.O.]], which are today used by most other cognac producers.

The V.S.O.P. designation was first applied in 1817, when the Prince Regent (later [[King George IV]]) of Britain asked Hennessy to create a "very superior old pale" cognac, a description that had previously been applied to sherries.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Rothbaum |first=Noah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=holNEAAAQBAJ&dq=vsop+king+george+iv&pg=PT1922 |title=The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails |date=2021-10-14 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-067040-5 |language=en}}</ref> Maurice Hennessy, the grandson of Richard Hennessy, then introduced a star-based classification of cognac qualities in 1865 (a system simultaneously adopted by Hennessy's competitor [[Martell (cognac)|Martell]]), which remained the industry standard of cognac age designation until the 1960s.<ref name=":0" /> Maurice Hennessy also created the [[Cognac (drink)#Grades|X.O.]] ("extra old") designation in 1870, for cognacs which had undergone prolonged [[cask maturation]].<ref name=":0" />

A branch of the Hennessy family moved from France to England in the early 1900s. It established itself in the Army and in English politics, eventually earning the title of Baron Windlesham. Although family ties are alive, the English branch is no longer involved in the cognac business.

In 1944, [[Kilian Hennessy]], a fifth-generation direct descendant of Richard Hennessy, began assisting his cousin Maurice Hennessy in running the business.<ref name="irishtimes.com">{{Cite news |title=Cognac magnate responsible for transforming family business |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/cognac-magnate-responsible-for-transforming-family-business-1.661796 |access-date=2022-03-23 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> Kilian Hennessy had intended to be a banker, but instead went on to position Hennessy as an international brand, travelling to Ireland, the United States and Asia to promote the brand.<ref name="irishtimes.com"/> He first visited China in 1946, and the nation has since become the world's second-largest cognac market.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-01-17 |title=Cognac sales jump 31% as drinkers go upmarket |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/cognac-sales-jump-31-drinkers-go-upmarket-2022-01-17/ |access-date=2022-03-23}}</ref> In 1947, Hennessy's business relationship with [[Martell (cognac)|Martell]] also came to a close, after the death of Maurice Firino-Martell.<ref name="Faith">{{Cite book |last=Faith |first=Nicholas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Z0WB5dExx0C&q=hennessy+cocktails |title=Cognac |date=2004-04-15 |publisher=Octopus |isbn=978-1-84533-614-1 |language=en}}</ref>

Hennessy has also become a key part of major luxury [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerates]]. In 1971 Kilian Hennessy spearheaded the company's merger with [[Moët & Chandon]], to create [[Moët Hennessy]] which eventually went public and thrived financially.<ref name="afp">{{cite news |date=3 October 2010 |title=Cognac magnate Kilian Hennessy dies at 103 |work=[[Agence France Presse]] |url=http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/cognac-magnate-kilian-hennessy-dies-at-103-official_100604.html |access-date=10 October 2010 |archive-date=10 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310040618/http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/cognac-magnate-kilian-hennessy-dies-at-103-official_100604.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Moët Hennessy then announced a merger with [[Louis Vuitton]], which already owned champagne brands, in 1987,<ref>{{Cite news |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=1988-09-16 |title=COMPANY NEWS; Group Claims LVMH Edge |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/16/business/company-news-group-claims-lvmh-edge.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> creating the world's largest [[luxury brand]] [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]], [[LVMH]].

In 1988, a management crisis led to the group's takeover by [[Bernard Arnault]], owner of the [[haute couture]] house [[Dior]], with the support of the [[Guinness]] brewery group.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Kirkpatrick |first=David D. |title=The Luxury Wars - Nymag |url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/shopping/fashion/features/865/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=New York Magazine |date=26 April 1999 |language=en-us}}</ref> The so-called "LVMH affair" was so controversial in France that French president [[François Mitterrand]] referenced it in a televised address.<ref name=":1" />

Kilian Hennessy remained on the company's [[advisory board]] until his death in 2010 at the age of 103.<ref name="afp" /> An eighth generation representative of the Hennessy dynasty, Maurice-Richard Hennessy, acts as one of the brand's global ambassadors. He had originally trained as a farmer before entering the family business.<ref>{{Cite web |title=5 Questions With Maurice Hennessy On The Hennessy Paradis Imperial |url=https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/people/5-questions-with-maurice-hennessy |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=MICHELIN Guide |language=en-US}}</ref>

From 2018 onward, Hennessy experienced production shortages caused in part by increased demand, bottle shortages, and frosts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-19 |title=LVMH opens new cognac bottling plant to cope with US demand |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2116047/us-and-chinese-demand-cognac-prompts-lvmh-open-us118 |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref>

==Marketing==
[[File:Cheers Off Licence, Southwark.jpg|thumb|Hennessy marketing on an [[off licence]] in [[Kingswood Estate]], [[London]], 2025]]
Hennessy holds the largest collection of cognac [[Eau de vie|''eaux-de-vie'']] in the world, with more than 470,000 casks in its cellars.<ref name="lvmh.com"/> Through a process of blending and maturation of varying lengths, it makes several distinct gradings of cognac. As well as its V.S and V.S.O.P. gradings, which make up the majority of its sales, Hennessy is known for expensive specialist cognacs, some of which are still blended by the Fillioux family.<ref name=":0" />

Limited editions of Hennessy can contain more than one hundred different ''[[Eau de vie|eaux-de-vie]],'' some of which can be centuries old; they are traditionally accompanied with luxurious trimmings such as custom-made boxes and hand-blown carafes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why apprentice tasters in Hennessy have to remain silent for at least five years |url=https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/experiences/olivier-paultes-hennessy-paradis-imperial-cognac-180366 |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=CNA Luxury |language=en}}</ref> A bottle of Richard Hennessy, for example, is priced at around USD$7,000, and comes in a [[Baccarat (company)|Baccarat crystal]] decanter with matching glasses, a fusil, and a tray, all designed by the architect [[Daniel Libeskind]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morganstern |first=Adam |title=Hennessy Unveils A $7,000 Bottle Designed By Legendary Architect Daniel Libeskind |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adammorganstern/2022/03/11/hennessy-unveils-a-7000-bottle-designed-by-legendary-architect-daniel-libeskind/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

Since 2009, Hennessy has released a number of collectible editions to mark anniversaries, special occasions, or collaborations with artists, designers and organisations, such as the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=HENNESSY VS editions |url=https://donhenny-hennessycollector.jimdofree.com/vs-limited-editions/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Website of donhenny-hennessycollector! |language=en-US}}</ref> It has collaborated with [[Zhang Enli]], [[Les Twins]], [[Refik Anadol]], [[Kaws]] and [[Marc Newson]] among others.

Hennessy is also used as an ingredient in [[Brandy cocktail|cocktails]] and mixed drinks, and is commonly served in nightclubs and bars.<ref name="Faith"/> The company has launched a number of new products aimed at this on-premises market, including Pure White, Hennessy Black<ref>[https://cocktailenthusiast.com/2010/06/02/introducing-hennessy-black "Introducing Hennessy Black"], cocktailenthusiast.com, 2 June 2010; retrieved 16 March 2011.</ref> and Fine de Cognac, and promoted them accordingly.<ref>Hein, Kenneth. [http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/branding-brand-development/4681295-1.html "Cognac is in the house"], allbusiness.com, 22 September 2003; accessed 8 November 2014.</ref> The rapper [[Nas]] has acted as a brand ambassador for the brand.<ref>{{Cite press release |last=Hennessy |title=Hennessy And Multi-Platinum Recording Artist Nas Unveil Year Two Of The "Wild Rabbit" |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hennessy-and-multi-platinum-recording-artist-nas-unveil-year-two-of-the-wild-rabbit-186766651.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}</ref>

Hennessy has a substantial consumer base among [[African Americans]], who drink the majority of the cognac consumed in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Cognac Makers Want More U.S. Business |url=https://fortune.com/2015/11/23/us-cognac-push/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref> Accordingly, the brand has also marketed itself with initiatives around black entrepreneurship and [[Black History Month]].<ref name=":2" />

==Products==
[[File:Hennessy Paradis.jpg|thumb|Hennessy Paradis]]
* Hennessy V.S
* Privilége V.S.O.P
* Hennessy X.O
* Hennessy X.X.O
* Hennessy Master Blender's selection
* Hennessy Paradis
* Richard Hennessy
* James Hennessy
* Hennessy Paradis Imperial 
* Hennessy 8
* Hennessy Timeless
* Hennessy Ellipse
* Hennessy Black
* Hennessy Pure White (called ''Henny White'' in the US for legal reasons<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stevens |first=N. C. |date=2025-05-10 |title=Chasing Hennessy's "Pure White" Whale |url=https://slate.com/life/2025/05/drinks-best-cocktails-cognac-hennessy-pure-white.html |access-date=2025-05-12 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref>)
* Hennessy Classivm
* Hennessy Fine de Cognac

==Collectors' bottles==
{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Collector bottle !! Year released !! Description !! Notes
|-
| Hennessy VS "44" || 2009 || Honor of 44th president [[Barack Obama]] ||
|-
| Hennessy VS "NUL" || 2010 || National Urban League ||
|-
| Hennessy VS "BOA" || 2010 || Blending of Art (five different bottles with two designers per) ||
|-
| Hennessy VS "KAWS" || 2011 || New York graffiti artist KAWS design ||
|-
| Hennessy VS x Luminous || 2013 || Club Edition of bottle with luminous front label ||
|-
| Hennessy VS x STEPHANE ASHPOOL || 2013 || Exclusively available in France, is entirely covered with a "chameleon" paint presenting a mixture of blue, yellow and green. ||
|-
| Hennessy VS x [[Os Gemeos]] || 2013 || Brazilian artists Otavio and Gustavo Pandolf ||
|-
| Hennessy VS x [[Shepard Fairey]] || 2014 || ||
|-
| Hennessy VS x [[Shepard Fairey]] Deluxe Edition || 2014 || Gift set of two bottles with a booklet providing a behind-the-scenes look at the Hennessy and Shepard Fairey partnership, and three exclusive collectible stickers designed by the artist||
|-
|Hennessy VS x [[Scott Campbell (tattoo artist)|Scott Campbell]] || 2016 || ||
|-
| Hennessy VS x [[Scott Campbell (tattoo artist)|Scott Campbell]] Deluxe Edition || 2016 || Gift set of two bottles with a booklet providing a behind-the-scenes look at the Hennessy and Scott Campbell partnership, in a wooden box
|-
|Hennessy VS [[JonOne]]
|2017
|
|
|-

|Hennessy VS x [[Vhils]]
|2018
|
|
|-

|Hennessy VS x [[Felipe Pantone]]
|2019
|
|
|-

|Hennessy VS x [[Julien Colombier]]
|2021
|
|
|-

|Hennessy VS x [[Les Twins]]
|2021 
| Two editions were released
|
|-

|Hennessy VS x [[Nas]] 
|2023 
| 50th anniversary of hip hop
|
|-
| VSOP || || ||
|-

| Hennessy VSOP Helios || 2011 || Gold Bottle (named after Greek god of sun) ||
|-
| Hennessy VSOP "NyX" || 2011 || Platinum bottle (label glows under black light) ||
|-
| Hennessy VSOP Kyrios || 2012 || Black bottle (3D label) ||
|-
| Hennessy VSOP Depuis || 2013 || Red bottle ||
|-
|Hennessy VSOP x [[John Maeda]] || 2017 || With glasses ||
|-

| XO || || ||
|-

|Hennessy X.O x [[Marc Newson]]
|2017
|
|
|-

| Hennessy XO Odyssey || 2007–11 || Released every year since 2007 (2011 bottle sits on rock formation) ||
|-

| Other Editions || || ||
|-
| Hennessy Kenzo || 1997–99 || [[Kenzō Takada|Fashion designer Kenzo]] (subsidiary of LVMH) || <ref group="n">Produced for the Australian, Hong Kong, Indonesian, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and United States market. Around 18000 bottles were then produced, with the blue version launched in 1997 and the yellow one in 1999.</ref>
|-
| Hennessy Red Book || 2011 || Levandovka filling || 
|-
| Hennessy X Futura || 2012 || New York graffiti artist [[Futura (graffiti artist)|Futura]] || 
|-
| Hennessy Fine De Cognac and Tea || 2011 || Tea House Maison de Thé Théodor ||
|-
|}

==In popular culture==
Hennessy has a long-standing relationship with [[African-American culture|African American culture]], especially [[Hip-hop culture|hip-hop]].<ref name="Mitenbuler">{{Cite web |last=Mitenbuler |first=Reid |date=2013-12-04 |title=African-Americans Have Been Drinking Cognac for a Lot Longer Than You Think |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/12/cognac-in-african-american-culture-the-long-history-of-black-consumption-of-the-french-spirit.html |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Slate Magazine |language=en}}</ref> It has been described as "synonymous with rap music and African Americans, who are the brand's major consumers and advocates".<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Holman |first=words: Bianca |date=2016-09-13 |title=Hennessy's Popularity Is Not Due To Hip Hop. The Story Is Much Deeper Than That. |url=https://vinepair.com/articles/hennessys-popularity-is-not-due-to-hip-hop-the-story-is-much-deeper-than-that/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=VinePair |language=en-US}}</ref> While music, especially the 2004 [[Tupac Shakur]] song "[[Loyal to the Game|Hennessy]]" has been credited with popularising the drink, some historians have pointed to a much older relationship, which began when African American servicemen encountered cognac in France during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]].<ref name="Mitenbuler"/>

Hennessy has actively pursued this consumer group for decades. It targeted minority audiences as early as the 1950s, when it placed advertisements in African American magazines like [[Ebony (magazine)|''Ebony'']] and [[Jet (magazine)|''Jet'']], used African American models, and hired African American employees.<ref name=":3"/> By some estimates more than two thirds of Hennessy sold in the United States is consumed by African Americans.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-11-22 |title=Cognac makers ramp up U.S. efforts as China sips less |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cognac-idUSKCN0TB08T20151122 |access-date=2023-08-11|first1=Martinne|last1=Geller}}</ref> It is sometimes referred to as "Henny".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fields |first=words: Jessica |date=2022-02-21 |title=10 Things You Should Know About Hennessy Cognac |url=https://vinepair.com/articles/best-hennessy-cognac/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=VinePair |language=en-US}}</ref>

Hennessy appears frequently in the lyrics of popular music, and by one estimate the words "Hennessy" or "cognac" are referenced in more than 1,000 songs.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lyrics.com/serp.php?st=hennessy|title=Lyrics containing the term: hennessy|website=www.lyrics.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref>

Some notable examples include "[[KC Tea]]" (2010) by [[Tech N9ne]],<ref>{{Citation|title=Tech N9ne – KC Tea|url=https://genius.com/Tech-n9ne-kc-tea-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref> "Hennessey" (2004) by Tupac Shakur,<ref>{{Citation|title=2Pac (Ft. Obie Trice) – Hennessey|url=https://genius.com/2pac-hennessey-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref> "[[Hennesey n Buddah]]" (2000) by [[Snoop Dogg]],<ref>{{Citation|title=Snoop Dogg (Ft. Kokane) – Hennesey N Buddah|url=https://genius.com/Snoop-dogg-hennesey-n-buddah-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2018-01-27}}</ref> "Hennessy" (2021) by Kodoku,<ref>{{Citation |title=Kodoku – Hennessy |url=https://genius.com/Kodoku-hennessy-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[Love Scars]]" (2017) by [[Trippie Redd]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Trippie Redd – Love Scars |url=https://genius.com/Trippie-redd-love-scars-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[We Be Burnin']]" (2005) by [[Sean Paul]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Sean Paul – We Be Burnin' (Recognize It) |url=https://genius.com/Sean-paul-we-be-burnin-recognize-it-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[Boombayah]]" by [[K-pop]] group [[Blackpink]],<ref>{{Citation |title=BLACKPINK – 붐바야 (BOOMBAYAH) |url=https://genius.com/Blackpink-boombayah-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "Hennessy and Sailor Moon" (2016) by [[Yung Lean]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Yung Lean (Ft. Bladee) – Hennessy & Sailor Moon |url=https://genius.com/Yung-lean-hennessy-and-sailor-moon-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[The Humpty Dance]]" (1990) by [[Digital Underground]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance |url=https://genius.com/Digital-underground-the-humpty-dance-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "Pass Me Da Green" by [[Master P]] (1997),<ref>{{Citation|title=Master P – Pass Me Da Green|url=https://genius.com/Master-p-pass-me-da-green-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref> "Moodz" by [[Blackbear (musician)|Blackbear]], "Red Bull & Hennessy" by [[Jenny Lewis]],<ref>{{Citation|title=Jenny Lewis – Red Bull & Hennessy|url=https://genius.com/Jenny-lewis-red-bull-and-hennessy-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> "[[6 Inch]]" by [[Beyoncé]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Beyoncé (Ft. The Weeknd) – 6 Inch |url=https://genius.com/Beyonce-6-inch-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[Blame It]]" by [[Jamie Foxx]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Jamie Foxx (Ft. T-Pain) – Blame It |url=https://genius.com/Jamie-foxx-blame-it-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref>  "Henny & Gingerale" by [[Mayer Hawthorne]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Mayer Hawthorne – Henny & Gingerale |url=https://genius.com/Mayer-hawthorne-henny-and-gingerale-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[N.Y. State of Mind]]" by [[Nas]], "Heaven & Hennessey" by Nana, "Whistle" by [[D-Block Europe]],<ref>{{Citation |title=D-Block Europe – Whistle |url=https://genius.com/D-block-europe-whistle-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> "[[Better Now]]", "[[Above the Rim|Pain]]" by Tupac Shakur, "[[Rockstar (Post Malone song)|Rockstar]] (featuring [[21 Savage]])" by [[Post Malone]],<ref>{{Citation |title=Post Malone – Better Now |url=https://genius.com/Post-malone-better-now-lyrics |access-date=2023-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Elva |title=Pass The Courvoisier: Cognac Notches Best Year Yet In 2018 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/elvaramirez/2019/01/31/pass-the-courvoisier-cognac-notches-best-year-yet-in-2018/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> "Put Your Body On Me" by [[Illslick]], and "[[Big Energy]]" (2021) by [[Latto]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Latto – Big Energy|url=https://genius.com/Latto-big-energy-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2025-08-31}}</ref> The cognac is referenced in the chorus of the [[Drake (rapper)|Drake]] single "[[One Dance]]" (2016),<ref>{{Citation|title=Drake (Ft. Kyla & Wizkid) – One Dance|url=https://genius.com/Drake-one-dance-lyrics|language=en|access-date=2017-12-25}}</ref> which reached #1 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2017/04/25/drakes-one-dance-was-officially-the-biggest-song-on-the-planet-in-2016/2/#6c2818c26374|title=Drake's 'One Dance' Was Officially The Biggest Song On The Planet In 2016|last=McIntyre|first=Hugh|work=Forbes|access-date=2017-12-25|language=en}}</ref> The Rap duo [[Mobb Deep]] also wear Hennessy jerseys in the music video for their 1995 hit single "[[Shook Ones (Part II)]]".<ref>{{Citation |title=Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Pt. II (Official HD Video) | date=20 October 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoYZf-lBF_U |language=en |access-date=2022-03-23}}</ref>

In a 2019 interview with the ''[[South China Morning Post]]'', Maurice-Richard Hennessy said that “the word ‘Hennessy’ goes well in a song", and disclosed that he had met several rap artists, who he thought were "nice people". He told the paper that "they often come from poor backgrounds and ask me about recommendations, how to drink it, how it's made.”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-27 |title=Hennessy cognac heir on why rappers are good people |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3011601/maurice-richard-hennessy-cognac-dynasty-why |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref>

Hennessy is the drink of choice for Blues musician Del Paxton in the movie ''[[That Thing You Do!]]!''<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Hennessey for Del Paxton. |url=https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/87a16ace-a942-4090-85f6-84110152f2a6 |access-date=2020-10-09 |website=Yarn}}</ref> In the [[James Bond]] film ''[[On Her Majesty's Secret Service (film)|On Her Majesty's Secret Service]]'', Bond, rescued by a [[St. Bernard (dog)|St. Bernard]] in [[Switzerland]], curtly dismisses the dog and tells him to bring five star Hennessy.<ref>{{Citation |title=On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) - IMDb |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064757/characters/nm0493872 |access-date=2022-03-23}}</ref>

At the [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards#Taylor Swift and Kanye West incident|2009 VMAs interruption]], [[Kanye West]] was reportedly intoxicated after drinking Hennessy and other various alcoholic drinks before his infamous interruption of [[Taylor Swift]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grady |first=Constance |date=2019-08-26 |title=How the Taylor Swift-Kanye West VMAs scandal became a perfect American morality tale |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/8/26/20828559/taylor-swift-kanye-west-2009-mtv-vmas-explained |access-date=2021-12-07 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref>

==Hennessy Literary Awards==
Hennessy sponsors the New Irish Writing competition in the ''[[Irish Independent]]'', and the associated annual Hennessy Literary Award, that has launched such Irish writers as [[Joseph O'Connor]], [[Dermot Bolger]], [[Colm Ó Clúbhán]], [[Patrick McCabe (novelist)|Patrick McCabe]], [[Colum McCann]], [[Frank McGuinness]], [[Anne Enright]], [[Hugo Hamilton (writer)|Hugo Hamilton]], [[Dermot Healy]] and [[Neil Jordan]].<ref>Vanessa O'Loughlin, [http://www.writing.ie/resources/new-irish-writing "New Irish Writing"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201223052920/https://www.writing.ie/resources/new-irish-writing/ |date=2020-12-23 }}, Writing.ie; accessed 8 November 2014.</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/your-chance-to-join-the-ranks-of-our-best-writers-26835952.html "Your chance to join the ranks of our best writers"], independent.ie, 24 March 2012.</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080837/http://writing4all.com/news/new-home-new-irish-writing-and-hennessy-award "New home for New Irish Writing and the Hennessy Award"]}}, Writing4all.ie; accessed 8 November 2014.</ref>

==Notable consumers==
Hennessy was the favourite drink of [[Kim Jong Il]], former [[supreme leader of North Korea]]. Hennessy once reported that Kim spent over $700,000 a year on Paradis cognac.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power |publisher=Flatiron Books |author=Paul Fischer |year=2015 |page=169 }}</ref>

==Notes==
<references group="n"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{LVMH}}
{{Diageo plc}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1765 establishments in France]]
[[Category:Distilleries in France]]
[[Category:LVMH brands]]
[[Category:French brands]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1765]]
[[Category:Diageo brands]]
[[Category:French companies established in 1765]]
[[Category:Hennessy family]]
[[Category:Spirit drinks manufacturers]]
[[Category:Cognac brands]]