MHD Moët Hennessy Diageo K.K. will be releasing a limited edition special collaboration bottle designed by architectural master Frank Gehry as a tribute to the 150th anniversary of Hennessy X.O, a brand handled by the brand.


Founded in 1765, Hennessy has a history spanning more than 250 years and continues to demonstrate its presence as one of the world's most beloved cognacs. Among its many varieties, Hennessy X.O, known for its rich, powerful, and exceptionally smooth flavor, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. This collaboration with architectural master Frank Gehry was born as a tribute to this long history.

Frank Gehry has transformed the Hennessy X.O bottle, a legacy of Hennessy, into a masterpiece, designed as a decanter that envelops it in gold and glass. It is precisely through Frank Gehry's unconventional sense of beauty that the bold taste sensation of Hennessy X.O is expressed as a world of its own.

In addition to the special Hennessy X.O decanter, Frank Gehry has also designed a limited edition bottle with a special design commemorating the 150th anniversary. The gold hue that matches the decanter adds even more color to the elegant world view of Hennessy X.O.

Regarding this collaboration, which marks a milestone for Hennessy X.O, Frank Gehry said, "The Hennessy bottle is a piece of art in itself. You savor the scent, taste, and atmosphere. Elevating such a delicate world to an even more creative level was no easy task, but I managed to express it in this work as something that resonates with the history of Hennessy X.O and its sensory story."

Hennessy X.O 150th Anniversary Masterpiece by Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry's sculpture is a particularly eye-catching design that appears to come to life at any moment. With distorted floors, undulating walls, and intertwining curves, its worldview transcends technology and appeals to the senses as well as the eyes. It is a product of extraordinary genius that expands the possibilities of architecture and inspires viewers with excitement.


Like Frank Gehry's previous architecture, the Hennessy X.O 150th Anniversary Masterpiece by Frank Gehry was shaped by his philosophy, passion, and curiosity. It expresses not only the rich and powerful taste of Hennessy X.O, but also the inspiration drawn from all of the environments at the Hennessy Maison, including the history and savoir-faire cultivated by the Maison.

The water symbolism was inspired by all elements associated with Hennessy, including the Charente River that flows through the Maison's grounds, the abundant grapes, and the Cognac soil.

The bottle is covered in crinkled 24-karat gold-plated bronze. It is placed on a crack-shaped glass glorifier (a display base for the bottle), representing the Maison's inspirations of water and light.

This masterpiece, described as a second skin for Hennessy X.O, required considerable skill, delicate work, and high craftsmanship to bring Frank Gehry's philosophy and ideas to life, a feat that is deeply rooted in the high savoir-faire of Hennessy's master blenders.

A masterpiece brimming with light
To bring this piece to life, I visited Cognac, the birthplace of Hennessy, for inspiration. To express the unique power of Hennessy, crafted from cognac, I incorporated a crumpled, gathered design to create a dynamic, lively piece. The materials I selected for this design capture light just enough to stand as a dignified object on their own. The resulting bottle has a presence that is hard to believe it's a Hennessy X.O bottle.
<Frank Gehry>







Hennessy X.O
In 1870, Hennessy X.O was the world's first legendary cognac to be given the designation "eXtra Old."
Its origins date back to a special blend created by third-generation head of the Hennessy family, Maurice Hennessy, from aged eaux-de-vie (raw spirits) that the Hennessy family had secretly reserved for close family and friends.
In 1947, Gérald de Jauhouffre, a direct descendant of the Hennessy family, designed the current bottle, featuring a cluster of grapes.
Made from a blend of approximately 100 eaux-de-vie harvested exclusively from grapes in the top four vineyards of the Cognac region, Hennessy X.O is characterized by its rich, powerful, and exceptionally smooth style.

Product name: Hennessy X.O Frank Gehry Limited Edition
Release date: Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Price: 24,600 yen (excluding tax)
Volume: 700mL
Alcohol content: 40%

Seven flavors of Hennessy X.O
SWEET NOTES (Enveloping sweetness)
You will be enveloped in the sweetness of candied fruit, reminiscent of the subtle sweetness of orange and the delicate acidity of apricot.
RISING HEAT
The complex flavors of eaux-de-vie, carefully aged in oak barrels, slowly unfold in the mouth with a powerful, alluring heat.
SPICY EDGE
The spiciness is pronounced. A zesty sensation, intertwined with a subtle hint of chocolate, spreads from the lips to the inside of the mouth.
FLOWING FLAME
Warm waves surge in, then subside, revealing a mellow sensation in the mouth. A sense of richness and sensuality.
CHOCOLATE LULL
You gradually discover a familiar flavor. The fullness of rich, dark chocolate. Subtly sweet and silky smooth.
WOOD CRUNCHES
Oak notes with a hint of vanilla suddenly appear. Its bold and complex flavors make a strong presence, then fade away.

INFINITE ECHO
The fading oak notes linger on for a long time. Like the intricate blending and aging process of the eaux-de-vie, the various flavors and sensations resonate with each other in a seemingly endless way.


Frank Owen Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry


Born in Toronto, Canada in 1929. After graduating from high school, he moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1947. There, he attended night classes at Los Angeles City College, studying art and architecture. He also attended the University of Southern California, where he studied art history and ceramics and earned a bachelor's degree in architecture. After marrying, he was drafted into the military, but after his discharge, he studied urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. From 1969 to 1973, he created the "Easy Edges" line of home furniture. He returned to Los Angeles in the 1960s and began working there. His architecture became known for its postmodern shapes and bold, distinctive execution. Since the 1980s, he has designed a wide range of buildings, from residential to commercial, office, and mixed-use buildings.
In 1989, he won the Pritzker Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of architecture. He has since received countless awards and is known as one of the world's most highly acclaimed architects.

Frank Gehry remains actively involved in several architectural projects, including the Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (USA), and the Luma Foundation (Arles, France). He is also a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture and has taught at Harvard University, Yale University, and UCLA.

Famous Architecture
・Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, USA)
・National Nederlanden Building (Prague, Czech Republic)
・Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Bilbao, Spain)
・Fondation Louis Vuitton (Paris, France)


Fondation Louis Vuitton
Artist (C) Gehry Partners, LLP and Frank O. Gehry
Photo (C) Iwan Baan 2014

Major Awards
・Pritzker Architecture Prize, 1989
・1992 Praemium Imperiale Award
・1999 AIA Gold Medal
・2000 RIBA Gold Medal・ 2014 Prince of Asturias Award in the Arts




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