Master Blender’s Selection No. 5 is a limited-edition blend that pays tribute to exclusive distillers featuring selected eaux-de-vie that capture a particular moment in time.
“For this fifth edition, I wanted to pay tribute to the group of distillers that are very exclusive to Hennessy and who have been doing an amazing job for years, decades, sometimes even generations. So I decided to make a cognac only with eaux-de-vie from their production,” says Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, himself an eighth-generation Master Blender, when CLOSER spoke with him at City of Dreams during his short visit.
“The style that I wanted to create was something very precise, with a touch of citrusy, orange peel character, and some bitterness of dark cacao and the spices that go with that.”
This latest limited edition celebrates the passion and expertise of 18 exceptional families of distillers, merging their characters and personalities to create a very special cognac. The eaux-de-vie selection was followed by a maturing process of at least seven years in French oak barrels, lending to its aromatic complexity and deep amber hues. On the nose are notes of spice and candied orange. The palate is smooth, with delightful pastry notes of cocoa and sweet spices with a comforting creaminess, followed ultimately by notes of light tobacco and candied orange.
This is the third Master Blender’s Selection created by Renaud. The first Master Blender’s Selection, created by his uncle Yann Fillioux, was released in 2016, and since then, only four of these innovative, small-batch blends have been produced, with No. 4 debuting in 2021. The Master Blender’s Selection collection is composed of truly unique blends that will never be replicated, and is Hennessy’s only cognac bottled at 43%.
“The heart of my job is to recreate day after day, month after month, year after year the core of the range of Hennessy, and to make sure that we keep the consistency at a very high level. On top of that, when I get the right inspiration at the right time, I want to create some very limited editions. The Master Blender’s Selection is a way for me to express my inspiration and share that with others, because at the end of the day, I don’t make cognac for myself, I make cognac for people to enjoy.”
During the Master Blender’s visit to Macau and Hong Kong, Hennessy also unveiled a captivating new design of Hennessy V.S.O.P Mid-Autumn Festival Limited Edition, inspired by the enchanting Year of the Wood Dragon.
“For the Hennessy maison, it’s a lot about culture, and the blending of cultures. So when we do a limited edition for different events and celebrations, we look for ways that we can blend together with other cultures. I think it’s also part of the reason why I like travel – to get inspiration from people from different markets,” notes Renaud.
Having visited the region many times, Renaud is particularly impressed with how well Hennessy pairs with the local cuisine.
“One aspect of culture is dining, and honestly, for me, being here is just amazing, because all the Chinese and Cantonese food that I’m having with the cognac is such a good pairing, and this is why that blending of cultures can be so impressive. I don’t know exactly why the pairing works so well – perhaps it’s the strong flavours of the various sauces – but I can tell you that it’s very natural and it works.”
China is of course a very major market for Hennessy, and Macau and Hong Kong have a significant role to play in their regional strategy.
“Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are very important places in terms of business and there’s also a lot of people here who are very passionate about the product and who really want to learn more, so I’m always happy to come here and share what we do and why we do it and what is happening behind cognac making.”
“As a master blender, what I see here are a lot of people who are really cognac lovers, the taste fits exactly what they like, so Greater China is key, because we talk the same language in terms of drinking.”
Hennessy also unveiled another highly anticipated masterpiece for the Hong Kong and Macau market – James Hennessy. This exceptional cognac bears the distinct imprint of James Hennessy, a true visionary who embodied the family’s pioneering spirit. Born the same year that his father Richard founded the renowned cognac house in 1765, James went on to lead the global expansion of Hennessy, cementing its reputation for unparalleled quality and refinement.
“James Hennessy is a blend of eaux-de-vie that are between 6 and 12 years old. The idea was to have a cognac that is quite rich and intense. With most of the eaux-de-vie, we use recent oak to create the oaky spicy characteristics. It’s a cognac that it has been very well received in many other countries, so we decided to bring it here too, and so far the reception has been very positive.”
James Hennessy has a silky yet well-defined composition that expands across the palate. The flavours are reminiscent of ripe blood peach and roasted almonds, culminating in an exceptional, lingering finish. It is presented in sophisticated decanter meticulously crafted by the esteemed artist Marc Newson.
“Being the eighth generation Master Blender is a tremendous honour, and I feel privileged to be able to continue the craft that was passed down to me by my uncle Yann Fillioux,” comments Renauld as we speak to him at City of Dreams before enjoying a Hennessy pairing menu at The Tasting Room.
“I spend at least an hour a day tasting, and one of the things I enjoy most is working in an environment where I can concentrate on the senses. I’m trying to create something that is emotional, and then share this emotion with people who love cognac. When someone here in Macau wants to enjoy a glass of Hennessy, it has to be perfect. Making the perfect product that people can enjoy is at the heart of what we do at Hennessy.”