Hennessy is one of the oldest continuously operating names in quality cognacs. It was founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy, an Irish ex-military man with a nose for cognac. This particular cognac, made from grapes harvested in France, is blended from luxury eaux-de-vie (distilled wine) and double distilled in a copper pot still, aged in casks of Troncais and Limousin oak until the ABV (alcohol by volume) reaches 40%.
These cognacs are made so carefully and aged so long that the taste is extraordinary. To accompany it, Hennessy makes not only luxury bottles and trunks and tasting glasses but also sets unbelievable prices on their rarest bottles. We compiled this list of the 8 most expensive bottles of Hennessy cognac that you can buy today to give you a road map if you have a plan to taste the most expensive fruits of old Richard Hennessy’s centuries-old labor.
- Paradis Imperial Cognac
- Richard Hennessy
- Hennessy V.S. Limited Edition Deluxe Offer
- Hennessy Timeless
- Hennessy Ellipse Cognac
- Hennessy Edition Particulière
- Hennessy H8
- Hennessy Beauté du Siécle Cognac
Size: 750 mL
Age: 30-130 years
photo source: Liquor on Broadway
The Paradis Imperial Cognac is aged for an “Hors d’Age,” which in cognac terms could mean anything from 30-50 years at minimum. In the case of this bottle, it could be in the barrel for over a century before it becomes available for drinking.
This Paradis Imperial Cognac was made in 1818 for the Russian Imperial Court. A 750 mL bottle of Hennessy Paradis Imperial Cognac can cost as much as $6,000.
Did you know?
Hennessy goes back so far (all the way to 1765) that seemingly ancient history involves Hennessy cognac labels that you can still buy today. The Dowager Empress of Russia commissioned the Paradis Imperial Cognac in 1818 for her son, Tsar Alexander II. Out of every 10,000 bottles, only around 10 are considered high enough quality to earn the name Paradis Imperial.
Size: 750 mL
Age: 45-200 years
photo source: Mission Trails Wine and Spirits
Maison Hennessy oversaw the creation of the Richard Hennessy cognac, which is one of the most distinguished bottles available. All 250 years of Hennessy’s history comes to bear on this bottle, which is a powerful blend of eaux-de-vie, which is French for “water of life.” It’s not water, though – it’s distilled wine used to create cognac, usually a few at a time. The Richard Hennessy cognac combines over 100.
Its flavor involves many refined textures, including floral notes, vanilla, the flavor of spice and pepper, as well as woody tastes from the French oak barrels that distilled the cognac. A single bottle sells for $8,999.99.
Did you know?
This cognac is named for the founder of Hennessy, who left his home in Ireland at age nineteen to Flanders, in the town of Cognac. His family’s motto is “vi vivo et armis.” It means, “I live by force and arms.”
Size: 750 mL
Age: 2-8 years
photo source: Sip Whiskey
The Hennessy V.S. Limited Edition Deluxe Offer is a new bottle of Hennessy cognac that combines its vintage heritage with contemporary art, provided by the Portuguese artist known as Vhils. Born Alexandre Farto in Lisbon, he got into local street art before studying visual art at Saint Martins in London.
This limited-edition bottle was produced in 2018 as part of a larger series by Hennessy, where they bottled two-to-eight-year luxury cognac in 100 unique bottles, each designed by Vhils differently as a series on “Making the Invisible Visible.” A bottle of this cognac sells for $15,000.
Did you know?
Vhils is famous not only for street art and promotions but for a dynamic range of mediums, including mosaics, monument reliefs, sculptures, and even projections. His work has appeared in such diverse places as Lisbon (his home) and Shanghai.
Size: 70 cl
Age: 100 years
photo source: Vins Grands Crus
The Hennessy Timeless cognac is sold in a now-infamous Baccarat crystal decanter. This 70 cl bottle of cognac was limited to 2,000 bottles and aged for a century or more in oak barrels designed to reduce the tannin content in the liquid. The resulting cognac is a golden amber color that shines in the light.
This aromatic cognac goes down with a delicious flavor profile that has overtones of floral and fruit flavors. As it lingers, you’ll be overwhelmed by sensations of cinnamon and spice, with other appealing flavors hitting your palette like oak, pepper, fruit, and antique leather.
A bottle of the Hennessy Timeless cognac sells for 12,000 pounds or around $16,318.
Did you know?
These 2,000 bottles started rolling out in the 1990s after being aged for 100 years. The 11 eaux-de-vies that go into the Hennessy Timeless cognac represent some of the brand’s most venerated work.
Size: 700 mL
Age: 100+ years
photo source: The Whiskey Exchange
The Hennessy Timeless cognac, which we mentioned earlier, had that crystal decanter made by Baccarat designer, Thomas Bastide. This nudged Hennessy towards a future of increasingly fancy crystal decanters, including the bottle encasing this sequel to the Timeless, the Hennessy Ellipse Cognac.
This particular cognac flashes gold in color, with a flavor of sugared fruit, rose, and the nutty flavor of aged cognac known as “rancio.” A bottle of Ellipse Cognac costs 12,500 Euros online, the equivalent of $16,996.69.
Did you know?
This cognac was first introduced to the market in 2006. It was limited to only 2,000 bottles, making the Hennessy Ellipse Cognac one of the world’s most coveted. Some bottles of this cognac are said to contain distilled wine from the 1700s, which means that this vibrant drink is also a story of the brand’s entire history, encompassing all seven of its legendary Cellar Masters.
Size: 750 mL
Age: 100+ years
photo source: Find Rare Whisky
This rare French Cognac called the Hennessy Edition Particulière was sold among several extremely rare bottles at a charity auction called La Part de Anges, appropriately held in Cognac, France. It fetched over 20,000 pounds. To buy this limited bottle now will cost you upwards of $36,899.99
This 750-mL bottle contains cognac aged for over a century in barrels made from tiercon French oak. They were blended by Alfred Fillioux, whose great grandson is now the current Master Blander at Hennessy.
Did you know?
The Hennessy Edition Particulière was released in a limited edition of 29 bottles starting in 2014. It is well-known as one of the world’s most coveted (and delicious) cognacs.
Size: 70 cl
Age: 30-50+ years
photo source: Cognac Expert
This bottle of H8 Hennessy has been aged to the status of Hors d’Age, which means 30-50 years at minimum, potentially up to a century. It can be currently bought for CHF 88,900.00 or the equivalent of nearly $97,000, making it one of the world’s most expensive Hennessy cognacs. It has an ABV of 40%. The bottle is designated as Grand Champagne, 70 cl.
That bottle has a completely unique design, crafted by Baccarat from 8 rings of sparkling crystal and engraved with floral patterns, designed by the artist, Arik Levy. It was designed to celebrate 250 years of torch-passing at the house of Hennessy, as the families Fillioux and Hennessy traded places as cellar master since 1800. The trunk that houses your crystal decanter is built from 25 layers of precious wood, complete with four tasting glasses designed by Yann Fillioux and Georg Riedel.
Did you know?
This cognac has a refined taste, displaying a complex, velvety texture that contains notes of spice, berries, vanilla, toasted oak, and toffee. The vibrant, oaky finish is dark and lasts for what seems like forever.
Size: 1000 ml
Age: 80-150 years
photo source: Cognac Expert
The most expensive Hennessy is the Hennessy Beauté du Siécle Cognac. This cognac comes in a 1000 mL bottle and is aged for 80-150 years before being sold. It has an ABV of 40% and is widely known as one of the most coveted Hennessys in the world, with only 100 bottles in circulation.
This bottle of the Hennessy Beauté du Siécle Cognac is a limited edition creation initiated by Kilian Hennessy, who managed the Hennessy brand from the 1940s to the 1970s. The custom chest was designed by Jean-Michel Othoniel, the contemporary French artist. When a bottle comes into stock, it costs around $243,750.
Did you know?
Othoniel’s work has been famous since the 1980s for its eclectic, sculptural perspective. He has worked in wax, sulfur, sculpture, paper, photography, and of course, glass. His work can be seen not only in these designer bottles but in gardens and other landmarks around the world.
The Takeaway
Since 1765, Hennessy has been mixing and distilling luxury cognacs that are now among the world’s most valuable. These 8 coveted bottles, some valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, represent the best the brand has to offer. Among liquor collectors, they are holy grails that anyone would be lucky to taste. Heck, we’d feel lucky just to smell one of these mind-altering French creations, from the centuries-old techniques of distillery masters on the other side of the world.
