Cognac to blow your head, and wallet, away (Hennessy Ellipse @ AU$10,000. / bottle)

Reuters ^ | June 14, 2007 | Pauline Askin

[Stoat]

Cognac to blow your head, and wallet, away

Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:47AM EDT

 

 

By Pauline Askin

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - It could well end up being the most expensive hangover of your life.

A Sydney hotel is offering patrons a rare cognac for A$480 a glass ($403) -- the cost of one-week's rent for a two-bedroom flat in the city -- to cash in on what it believes is the growing desire for a "Ferrari lifestyle" among Sydneysiders.

"It's a taste that promises to seduce not only your nose and tongue but your entire body," said Laurent Branover, the Sofitel Wentworth's food and beverage manager, of the Hennessy Ellipse bottle that sells for A$10,000.

"If you aren't rich enough to own a Ferrari you can at least taste the Ferrari lifestyle with a glass of Hennessy Ellipse, for as long as your glass or your wallet allows."

The hotel says its bottle, which is bought three weeks ago, is the only one in Australasia and one of 2,000 in the world.

So far, they have sold four glasses -- to well-heeled male guests or wealthy Sydneysiders -- and bookings for four more glasses have been made.

No one, however, has come back for seconds yet. One glass of Ellipse contains 43.5 per cent alcohol.

"When you try this cognac it's very strong, you have the flavor for 24 hours. When something is unique, you have to pay for it," Branover told Reuters.

"Of course it's expensive, but when you live in Sydney, what is A$500 for some guests? You have a lot of banks in the area and if you sign a contract for 25 million, you can afford this."

Ellipse is created by blending the most exceptional "eaux de vie" created by seven generations of master blenders. Its bouquet has hints of candied fruits, wild roses and an earthy aroma.

Presented in an elliptical Baccarat crystal decanter, the Sofitel's bottle is numbered 12 in the world.

Although Australians contribute a tiny percentage to the world's $1.05 trillion luxury goods market, a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald said their lust for the new and expensive items is on the rise.

A mining boom has helped feather the nest of new Australian investors, helping to spur a national art frenzy where several paintings have set record prices.

In Australia, women are among the top consumers of luxury goods, with designer handbags and spa treatments take away a chunk of their income.

Fendi's "Spy", "B" and "Crossword" bags continue to be one of the hottest items in Australia, with both styles selling out within three days of being restocked.

[Stoat]

Re the price, the $10.000 figure comes from 2 Australian articles featuring this product..... Reuters and the Brisbane Times.  However, the Hennessy website and a few other pages I looked at quote the US price at $4000, which is miles away from a currency exchange rate.

Live rates at 2007.06.17 02:44:16 UTC
4,000.00 USD	=	4,762.00 AUD
United States Dollars		Australia Dollars
1 USD = 1.19050 AUD		1 AUD = 0.839983 USD

I'm not sure why such a huge discrepancy exists....perhaps some of our Aussie Freeper Friends might know?

Anyway, here's a nice pic of the bottle and a description of the cognac which is taken from the Hennessy website.

Hennessy Ellipse is slightly higher in alcohol than most other cognacs

(43.5% by volume compared to the usual 40%), which makes for a certain

liveliness that reveals its subtle nuances.

COLOR: golden, luminous, delightfully bright.

AROMAS: a delicate, well-balanced bouquet with notes of crystallized fruits,

wild roses and the renowned rancio of very old cognac.

ON THE PALATE: the perfect combination of age and elegance

with a fine blend of subtle qualities. The aromas intermingle and nothing

is over-dominant. Excellent long finish.

The Hennessy Ellipse decanter is like a case for the finest of jewels.

Thomas Bastide, designer at the prestigious Baccarat crystalware company,

specially designed it for Hennessy. Each hand-made decanter has been

carefully fashioned by master craftsmen and individually numbered by

Hennessy. Each decanter is decorated with seven pontils, indicating the

presence of the seven eaux-de-vie.

CAPACITY: 750 ml

******************************************************************

From the Brisbane Times:

"The Ellipse is a classic blend that includes fruit from some of the most outstanding vintages in cognac: 1830, 1848, 1875, 1932, 1947, 1972 and 1995".

******************************************************************

Lovers of the Good Life may also enjoy this FR thread from last year:

Try the 92 per cent weapons-grade whisky that will take your breath away. Literally

[Mr. Mojo]

"If you aren't rich enough to own a Ferrari you can at least taste the Ferrari lifestyle with a glass of Hennessy Ellipse"

Sounds like a really bad commerical.

[Stoat]

Sounds like a really bad commerical.

Agreed...that was pretty lame   :-)

 

[Viking2002]

Overpriced snail whiz.

[Stoat]

LMAO

[quantim]

Cognac ping! (Some really expensive grape juice here from *Australasia*).

Be +/- on this low volume wine ping list.

Oenology news ping.

= = = =

Be +/- on this low volume culinary ping list.

Culinary news ping.

[Stoat]

Thank you very much for pinging your lists  :-)

[353FMG]

“Hennessy Ellipse is slightly higher in alcohol than most other cognacs..”

Now I know why I always walk around with a buzz after only a few sips.

[Thrownatbirth]

at least taste the Ferrari lifestyle with a glass of Hennessy Ellipse...

...and smash your car into Jersey walls just like a Formula One.

[Clemenza]

I like Hennessy, but everyone knows that “true gentlemen” drink Domecq Sherry or Warre’s Tawny, the latter of which must be at least 30 years old. ;-)

[Stoat]

Now I know why I always walk around with a buzz after only a few sips.

The last time I had Cognac was last year (I think) at a FReeper gathering, and I was truly honored to be seated next to our Puget Sound Chapter President and Best Hostess Ever, Libertina.

I remember a nice warm glow after the event...Cognac is definitely a special thing, as is good company when it's consumed   :-)

[quantim]

Lol, what got my attention was the potential tip for the server/sommelier/bartender/manager who sold it, making it a 'big night' for that person.

Great for the industry, regardless where it is.

[Stoat]

Lol, what got my attention was the potential tip for the server/sommelier/bartender/manager who sold it, making it a 'big night' for that person.

Great for the industry, regardless where it is.
 

Agreed, although when I visited Australia I was told by local friends that tipping was not customary, although I usually did it anyway out of habit, particularly if it was a female server who smiled at me and was courteous.  (Yes I'm sexist, shoot me)

I'm guessing that for service involving an item like this, any non-tipping customs would be overlooked by locals as well.

Lol, what got my attention was the potential tip for the server/sommelier/bartender/manager who sold it, making it a 'big night' for that person.

Great for the industry, regardless where it is.
 

Agreed, although when I visited Australia I was told by local friends that tipping was not customary, although I usually did it anyway out of habit, particularly if it was a female server who smiled at me and was courteous.  (Yes I'm sexist, shoot me)

I'm guessing that for service involving an item like this, any non-tipping customs would be overlooked by locals as well.

[Stoat]

BTW, by any chance have you heard anything that might explain the HUGE price differene on this item when comparing the USA versus Australian price? Has Australia enacted a huge tax on imported spirits that I haven’t heard about?

[uglybiker]

...an earthy aroma.

A nice way of saying it smells like dirt!

[Temple Owl]

I’ll expect a couple jugs of this for Father’s Day. lol

[Daffynition]

WOW! Any (white)-port in a storm!

[Stoat]

I’ll expect a couple jugs of this for Father’s Day. lol

The benefits of having a devoted and respectful family are indeed endless   :-)