To mark the 75th anniversary of the NBA, the world’s largest and most ubiquitous cognac Maison, Hennessy has pulled out all stops, partnering with renowned jewellery designer Lorenz Baumer to create a one-of-a-kind decanter. Never one to play it safe (did you see the Libeskind collaboration?!?) the cognac producer sought out the only independent jeweller on Place Vendome to put together something truly jaw-dropping and the result is, for lack of a better word, baller. Feast your eyes on the official Paradis decanter, an NBA-worthy crystal basketball filled to the brim with the label’s most revered elixir.
Lorenz Baumer | Image: Hennessy
According to Moet-Hennessy, Baumer’s aim was to draw a connection between the grapes glistening on the vines and the casing they would one day be housed in. Settling on a basketball-shaped 1.75L mouth-blown Baccarat crystal decanter, he fitted the unique vessel with hand-gilded golden treads and a stunning golden key. Each subtly unique decanter is displayed in a cubic case coated in the instantly recognisable orange leather of a basketball. Meanwhile, a gold-finished individually numbered plaque, Baccarat balloon glasses and arced fusil add a jewellery-box-like quality to the whole package, ensuring this one will stay on the shelf long after the liquid is gone.
And inside? None other than Hennessy Paradis. A blend of over 100 Eau de vies and named after the cellars in which Hennessy’s finest and rarest cognacs are kept, Paradis is an infinitely nuanced cognac and the magnum opus of master blender Maurice Fillioux. Naturally, the set is limited to just 75 pieces worldwide and falls under Hennessy’s Edition Rare banner, reserved for only the label’s most exclusive bottles, but that’s not to say you can’t get your hands on one.
Unless you’re DJ Khaled and had Hennessy literally hand you the keys to the first bottle (and their yacht) for the launch, you’ll have to be willing to part with a cool €150k to nab one of the decanters. Mere mortals like us will have to settle for snatching a taste of paradise with the original Hennessy Paradis at the (slightly) more accessible price of $1,500, at most good bottle shops.
Image: Hennessy
Image: Hennessy
Image: Hennessy
Image: Hennessy
Image: Hennessy
Image: Hennessy
