150 Years Later, The Odyssey Has Just Begun

A riverfront event by Cai Guo-Qiang in Cognac on the banks of the Charente River, an ephemeral Daytime fireworks live event.

A masterpiece of a decanter cast from bronze, with crumpled gold and cut glass, designed by architectural titan Frank Gehry.

What do they have in common? Both are artistic icons at the top of their fields. Frank Gehry and Cai Guo-Qiang have produced two entirely different artistic expressions of Hennessy X.O’s 150-year odyssey of the senses. And yet, they are united by their unrelenting creativity, both drawing inspiration from the sensorial, rich blend of Hennessy X.O.

Frank Gehry is the prestigious Pritzker Prize-winning architect and designer behind some of the most uplifting buildings in the world, including the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. His furniture designs are equally sought after, fabricated in uncommon materials like pressed corrugated cardboard, and whimsy merged with a well-thought-out design. Function meets beauty, every single time. A perfect fit to imagine a masterpiece of a decanter spectacular enough for Hennessy X.O on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.

For Mr. Gehry, inspiration was everywhere: Hennessy’s rich history, the legacy of X.O itself, including the curves of Its existing iconic carafe, his own collaborations with LVMH, too, where limits and rules were never set. He explains, “There’s a serious emotional commitment from the people that make this product. I felt like I was starting with their heritage.” Ultimately, his inspiration came from Cognac itself, from the dance between water and light, as the Charente River flows along its banks.

If you missed it, you can relive its incredible splendour here. (hyperlink) And while this major artistic event coincides with Hennessy X.O’s anniversary year, it also opens a new chapter in the iconic blend’s history.

Hennessy is honoured to celebrate this exceptional milestone in the company of such extraordinary artists. From the original drawings by Gérald de Geoffre of our first modern decanter to Frank Gehry’s masterpiece and Cai Guo-Qiang’s ephemeral masterpiece captured for all eternity, we can assure you - 150 years later, the odyssey has just begun.