Hennessy VS is Cognac — brandy made in the Cognac region of France under strict rules — from Maison Hennessy, founded in 1765 and the largest Cognac house in the world. It is bottled at 40% ABV.
VS stands for Very Special, and it is a legally defined age grade: the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend must be at least two years old. Cognac is distilled from white wine grapes and then aged in French oak, and this blend draws on a large number of eaux-de-vie to reach a consistent house style.
The profile is vanilla and toasted oak from the barrels, dried fruit from the grape spirit and a warm spice on the finish. It is fuller and fruitier than whisky, without any smoke.
It is unusually flexible for a premium spirit. Neat or over ice it is a proper sipping pour; it is also genuinely good with ginger ale or cola, which is how a large share of it is actually drunk, and it makes an excellent sidecar with lemon and orange liqueur.
As a celebration or gift bottle, few labels are more widely recognised. 247BOOZE delivers Hennessy VS 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across our active service areas.