World-leading cognac brand Hennessy has unveiled an immersive collaboration with acclaimed media artist and director Refik Anadol for the 2021 V.S.O.P Privilège Limited Edition bottle.

Hennessy welcomed Anadol to its historic seat in Cognac, France, to observe the Tasting Committee at work. It marked the first time in the Maison’s history that an artist was allowed to capture this time-honored ritual real-time via neuroscientific research methods – then use the collected data in collaboration with machine intelligence to create an unprecedented work of art.

PRNewsfoto/Hennessy

In keeping with Hennessy tradition, the Los Angeles-based artist received carte blanche to create a contemporary masterpiece celebrating the iconic V.S.O.P Privilège blend. Anadol was fascinated by the contrast between Hennessy’s tradition of transmitting savoir-faire, generation after generation, as compared to the new frontiers of artificial intelligence.

“In our craft, we are constantly classifying, describing, and trying to find exactly the right words to convey our impressions and experiences,” said Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, Hennessy’s eighth-generation Master Blender. “We were all very intrigued to see what elements technology might bring to light.”

The Hennessy Tasting Committee agreed to “open up their minds” to a completely unconventional experiment. Outfitted in high-tech equipment, Master Blender Renaud Fillioux de Gironde and his colleagues allowed Anadol to track their emotions in real-time, capturing their experience, sensations, and appreciations of Eaux-de-vie.

(PRNewsfoto/Hennessy)

“In our craft, we are constantly classifying, describing, and trying to find exactly the right words to convey our impressions and experiences,” said de Gironde. “We were all very intrigued to see what elements technology might bring to light.”