Hennessy VS: Bottle review

Hennessy VS is one of the most famous Cognac brands in the world. The VS stands for Very Special. Now, is that true? Does this “Henny” taste very special?

One should not forget that this Cognac is a very young one, somewhere between 2 1/2 and 5 years. Of course one also pays for the reputation of the brand Hennessy.

To be honest, this is more of a mix drink Cognac, in a way. Quite sharp actually. But for mixing it with your favourite ingredients (Coke, Tonic water, juice etc.) – it’s a bit expensive. There are other VS or three star Cognacs which one should use for cocktails. Hennessy claims the VS is a blend of 40 different eaux-de-vie, that are carefuly selected from the Cognac region.

Here are some tasting notes of Hennessy VS

Color: is golden
On the nose: strong alcohol scents, very potent, a subtle spiciness with hints of vanilla and oak
The taste: basically sharp, some wood
The finish: is strong and long
The cru: the eaux-de-vie for this Cognac comes from all zones (Grande Champagne, Borderies, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Bon Bois, Bois ordinaire)
Age: between 2,5 and 5 years aged in Limousin oak barrels
Price: round about € 27 which is $36

Hennessy VS label

By the way, 44th President of the United States: The special edition of Hennessy VS Barack Obama edition is exactly this Cognac, only the bottling and design is different.

This Cognac comes from the most powerful Cognac house, the Hennessy giant. They dominate about 40% of the market and are successfully marketing Cognac in the US. The “yak” also plays a certain pop culture role, in other words it became very “urban”: It has been made popular recently by HipHop and Rap music.

By the way did you ask yourself which Cognac Kayne West drank while the MTV music award scandal? It’s a Hennessy VS! The rough stuff (compared to other much smoother products)! I would really have thought that Kayne West would be the person who mixes that Cognac with Coke. But he had it neat – and apparently he had quite some.