James Hennessy provided the initial impetus for the Maison’s expansion around the world by searching for new opportunities at the start of the 18th century. He led numerous expeditions to faraway destinations such as the United States (1794), Russia (1819) and India (1819) to establish thriving markets there.

Year after year, James Hennessy developed the family business, which was started by his father, the Maison’s founder. He set out to establish an outstanding reputation for the company and his signature has been featured on the labels of Hennessy cognac ever since.

James Hennessy always believed that “truth is to be found in adventure”. As a consequence, neither the high seas nor economic downturns nor political issues prevented him from delivering the Maison’s cognac to new places where he could open additional markets.