After collaborating for two years in a row with Israeli artist Arik Levy, Hennessy X.O. has tapped, for the first time, British industrial designer Tom Dixon to reinterpret its iconic bottle.
Hennessy X.O. unveiled the limited-edition bottle in December in France. Known for his quirky and trademark geometric lines, Dixon drew inspiration from diamond facets to produce a futuristic-looking bottle that manages to retain certain elements found in the original.
Maurice Hennessy, maison ambassador and a member of the Cognac-based family’s eighth generation, graced the limited-edition bottle’s recent Philippine launch at the Edsa Shangri-La.
“It’s always a collaboration between the artist and people at Hennessy,” said Olga Azarcon, Philippine country manager of Möet-Hennessy. “The bottle has to merge the artist’s trademark style with classic elements found in Hennessy X.O.’s bottle, like the grapes.”
Until supplies last
In lieu of grapes, Dixon carved out smaller diamond facets, which he combined with bigger ones. The collector’s item is available in 1.5- and 2.5-liter bottles. It will be available until supplies last.
Since Hennessy X.O. allotted only 200 cases or 2,000 bottles for the Philippines, Azarcon couldn’t guarantee if there would be enough bottles left to satisfy demand. The special-edition bottle is said to be 40 percent more expensive than the ordinary bottle.
And since it is copper colored, as opposed to the transparent original, people have no way of knowing if it’s empty.
“It’s really an ideal collector’s item,” said Azarcon. “But it doesn’t contain a special vintage. It caters to both people who collect and those who want to drink Hennessy X.O. from a different, more special bottle.”
Although the bottle is a “work of art,” said Hennessy, its contents are supposed to be drunk. Asked about the possibility of Hennessy X.O. collaborating next year with an Asian artist or designer, particularly a Filipino, he said he was open to the idea.
“Why not? I don’t see any reason why we would not collaborate with a Filipino artist, especially if he’s a good one,” Hennessy said.
Whoever that artist is, he’s poised to earn a place in Hennessy X.O.’s long and celebrated history, as the house marks its 250th year in 2015.