Hennessy Celebrates its Heritage with Historic Limited Edition Hennessy VS

NEW YORK, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- With a deep-rooted heritage, Hennessy pays homage to its famous V.S cognac with the release of Historic Limited Edition Hennessy V.S.  The unique design combines the iconic shape of the V.S bottle with the graphical elements of the original 1865 label of Trois Etoiles (Three Stars) Cognac -- the name under which V.S was first known.  As the cognac visionary, Hennessy was the first in the industry to sell its wares in bottles, in addition to casks. Each of the 300,000 Limited Edition Hennessy V.S bottles are uniquely numbered and celebrate a proud history with the community, including its long-standing relationship with the National Urban League (NUL), a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Urban League, Hennessy will donate a percentage of the proceeds to NUL for every bottle of Historic Limited Edition Hennessy V.S sold.  The NUL and Hennessy have a long-standing history of being interconnected and share a legacy of giving back to the community.  Their relationship dates back to the early 20th century when Hennessy's president, William Jay Schiefflen, became a founding member of the National Urban League.  Since then, Hennessy has supported numerous National Urban League events such as the NYUL Annual Gala, Champions of Diversity Breakfast and other various Young Professionals receptions.  

"Over the past century, giving back to the community through partnering with different charitable organizations has always remained a priority for Hennessy," said Andy Glaser, SVP of Marketing, Hennessy.  "Through the launch of the Historic Limited Edition Hennessy V.S bottle and our partnership with the National Urban League, we proudly continue our dedication to support local urban communities focused on economic, educational and civil empowerment."

In another example of Hennessy's commitment to the community, last year the brand introduced a limited edition bottle honoring the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States.  A percentage of proceeds from the Hennessy 44 Limited Edition bottle were donated to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, an organization dedicated to providing scholarships, resources, opportunities, and advocacy to help the next generation of leaders.  This year, Hennessy looks to similarly support the National Urban League, helping to enrich and expand the League's resources for underserved communities.

"We are excited to be partnering with Hennessy for the launch of their Historic label," said Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League.  "During this commemorative season, we celebrate our heritage and the strides we've made in times past, as well as the progress we continue to make everyday."

The Hennessy V.S Historic Limited Edition bottles will be individually numbered.  Only 300,000 (750ml) collector's item bottles have been produced and will be available for sale throughout the U.S. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 18, 2010 – through the end of Black History Month –  February 28, 2010.  For more information on Historic Limited Edition Hennessy V.S bottles, please visit www.hennessy.com or www.nul.org.

About Hennessy

Hennessy is imported and distributed in the U.S. by Moet Hennessy USA and is a subsidiary of LVMH (Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton). Hennessy distills, ages and blends a full range of marques, including Hennessy V.S, Privilege V.S.O.P, Hennessy Black, X.O, Paradis and Richard Hennessy.

About the National Urban League

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.

SOURCE LVMH