Hennessy kicks off the first ever Cognac Classics Week in alliance with Bastille Day this Thursday July 14th featuring Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilege. This week long event is a commencement for the first marketing campaign for V.S.O.P Privilege in over 10 year years.
As a way to launch Cognac Classic Week, Hennessy produced a pub crawl with three bars in the Lower East Side that will be partaking in this weeks festivities by including specialty drinks that feature Hennessy Privilege.
Not too many people recognize that cognac derives from fermented grapes, along with Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilege being the worlds first Very Superior Old Pale Cognac (V.S.O.P) which established this class in 1817. The Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilege committee had to master the numerous of complex variables in order to devise the harmony & balance of the drinks tasted, hence why the name of the campaign is “Harmony. Mastered From Chaos”.
The first stop on the tour was The LATE LATE Bar, a 1960’s inspired Irish Pub located on east Houston street. The Hennessy V.S.O.P drink highlighted there is the Champs-Elysees, ingredients include VSOP, chartreuse, lemon and sugar.
With the initial taste, the sourness of the lemon smacks your taste buds however the smoothness of the cognac counteracts with the lemon creating the perfect harmony of flavors.
The second stop on the tour was another swanky spot in the Lower East Side, Suffolk Arms. If you’re not captivated by the new class charm of the place then the hand pencil drawn photos on the wall with prominent New Yorkers will.
The Golden Sazerac is the featured drink with the main ingredient being Hennessy V.S.O.P of course and it’s a strong one! The other elements that make this drink what it is include Peychaud’s Bitters, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and Absinthe. All of these fixings combined together is what gives the drink its hue along with its thick texture.
The last stop on this tour was Sanatorium, located on the corner of Avenue C. Okay yes, I know what you’re thinking, why would I want to go to a sanatorium to have a good time. Yet this is not a typical sanatorium, you’ll actually get to leave this one with many of Instagram worthy pictures and stories.
The Saffron Sazerac is the promoted drink of the evening and its fascinating to watch the bartenders prepare this drink using measuring cups and syringes only seen in a hospital setting.
This drink includes Absinthe, Peychaud’s Bitters, brown sugar and yes the drink of the hour, Hennessy V.S.O.P. The drink is very light and smooth making it easy to pair with small bites.
If you’re not a cognac enthusiast you will be after partaking in Cognac Classics Week for there are drinks offered to appease every tolerance level and palate.
To see a full list of participating bars/pubs click here. Have fun and lets us know which drink is your favorite!