A twist on the signature Hennessy X.O, this limited edition bottle will be sure to make any client’s jaw drop.
Written by Ross Dias
Before it can be distilled, aged, or bottled, a cognac gathers its first hint of character from the soil from which grapevines derive their nutrients. Marc Newson, the revered biomorphic designer (an approach that derives inspiration from living organisms), wanted to pay homage to these geometric furrows of land when he was approached to design the Limited Edition X.O. decanter for luxury French cognac brand, Hennessy.
Newson has regularly collaborated with some of the top luxury design houses over the years, and has had his work exhibited in a collection of prestigious venues: the MoMA in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The industrial designer, born in Australia and based in London, is also no stranger to the house of Hennessy, having worked with them previously on an ergonomic decanter of Extra Old that mimicked the edgeless look of his iconic Lockheed lounge chaise from the eighties.
With the Limited Edition X.O., transparency is the fulcrum of Newson’s collaboration. The bottle’s parallel ribs symbolize the brand’s rows of vineyards and showcase the shimmer of the spirit it houses. Inside, the decanter carries a blend of over 100 eaux-de-vie (as the French prefer to call the distillate) aged over six years but unchanged in its recipe since it was first put together by Maurice Hennessy in 1870.
“To me, the stripes really emphasize the strength of the decanter’s shape,” says Newson. “When they catch the light, they highlight both the bottle and the contents, making the whole feel warmer and more tactile. Taken together, all of these design elements are meant to convey the unique, immersive experience of X.O.”
To further accentuate the spirit, Newson’s vision extends to a transparent gift box that replicates the contours of the decanter’s unique silhouette in molded plastic — a first for Hennessy spirits, and surely a significant detail that will impress any recipient of this work of art. $300
