Hennessy To Offer Two Limited Edition Bottles As NFTs

It would be easy to dismiss NFT collecting as paying thousands of dollars for an entry in a fancy, public database that records ownership of a weird gif. But heritage cognac brand Hennessy sees an opportunity to leverage Web3 for a unique offering that takes advantage of the immutability of the blockchain.

Hennessy*8 is a limited offering of 250 bottles initially offered in 2016 to mark the handover of the keys to the cellar from Yann Fillioux to Renaud Fillioux de Gironde and serves as a tribute to eight generations of master blenders. The Arik Levy-designed decanter gets made using Baccarat crystal, with eight rings around the center. Fine copper-colored silk is wrapped around the neck using a technique known as baudruchage, which also serves to seal the decanter, a detail more commonly found on luxury fragrance bottles.

The chest gets made from oak, aluminum, and copper, and it also comes with a tasting set containing glasses, a fusil, carnet, decanter support, and a plate of authenticity signed by Yann Fillioux. A groove flows along the front of the box inspired by the Charente river, and a copper key unlocks the chest (also designed by Levy).

Bottles number 1 and 250 of Hennessy*8 are being offered through this NFT, the first and last of the collection, and they describe them as building “the last bridge between fantasy and reality, like a dream come true,” on the BlockBar listing. Blockbar also stores and ensures the physical bottles. When NFT owners wish to take possession of their IRL bottles, the corresponding token is “burned,” and the bottles get shipped by Blockbar. Burning, of course, is a way of removing an NFT from circulation by sending it to an inaccessible address, making it untradeable.

The auction lobby opens Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 2:30 PM UTC. The bidding for this pair of Hennessy*8 bottles starts at 69.46 ETH, which at the time of writing is about USD $224,318.00