Have you heard of Hennessy Ellipse? You surely know of Hennessy Cognac, probably the world’s best-known Cognac producer. Alongside Armagnac, Cognac occupies the high-end of the brandy market. While you can get your hands on cheap brandy from France, Spain and elsewhere, Cognac doesn’t usually come cheap. OK, there’s not cheap and Not Cheap. This is taken to the extreme in the case of Hennessy Ellipse, a very limited edition Cognac that will cost you a whopping €25,000!
Why is Hennessy Ellipse so expensive?
Yep, you read that correctly. Hennessy Ellipse costs €25,000. That’s more expensive than many cars, family holidays, college courses and even ultra-expensive Bordeaux wines – you could nearly get six bottles of legendary Pomerol wine Château Le Pin 2006 for just one bottle of Hennessy Ellipse! This is not an everyday bottle of booze, and is only for those with seriously deep pockets. If that’s you, be our guest and go ahead and pick up a bottle below. We’ll wait!
For those of you that may not yet be quite sold in parting with that sort of cash for a bottle of Cognac, let’s consider why this particular bottle costs quite so much!
The 2 things that make Hennessy Ellipse so special (and yes, so expensive!)
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The bottle itself is a work of art – literally. Designed by Thomas Bastide, the bottle is made from Baccarat crystal. The Hennessy Ellipse design is an update of an earlier design, Hennessy Timeless. This is a collector’s item, even when empty! It’s super-rare, having been released in tiny quantities.
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There is some serious stuff in the bottle. Hennessy is known for its mastery of the art of blending. All Cognac is made by blending eaux-de-vie, and the blend for Hennessy Ellipse is the result of seven generations’ worth of know-how and expertise – what the French call “savoir-faire”. Hennessy Ellipse is a blend of seven ultra-special eaux-de-vie, each having been handpicked by one of the seven master blenders that have overseen production at Hennessy since 1800. This one is made from eaux-de-vie derived from a seriously impressive list of back vintages – 1830, 1848, 1875, 1932, 1947, 1972 and 1995!
That’s two very good reasons to buy, but this is still several thousand euros outside of most people’s Cognac budget. What should Cognac lovers try instead, then?
What to buy instead of Hennessy Ellipse
If Hennessy Ellipse is a little out of your price range, worry not. We’ve got just the thing for you to try to get a whole lot of that Hennessy quality at a tiny fraction of the price.
Hennessy V.S. Cognac may be entry-level by Hennessy standards, but it’s no slouch. This is a quality Cognac, though it comes from considerably younger wine than the Hennessy Ellipse. You won’t find any eaux-de-vie from the 1800s here, though – the youngest eaux-de-vie in the Hennessy VS blend will be between two-and-a-half and five years of age. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful Cognac, and is enjoyed throughout the world. It has a strong golden colour, aromas of spice and oak with some fruit, and a woody spicy flavour profile. Serve this neat or as part of a cocktail, particularly with ginger ale or soda!
Would you pay €25,000 for a bottle of Cognac like Hennessy Ellipse? What is the most expensive bottle of booze you’ve ever bought? Let us know in the comments below!