By Lory Diaz
Maison Hennessy had a launch party on September 22, 2017 for the release of their limited edition JonOne collaboration, held at the beautiful Globe and Mail event space on King Street East in Toronto. Torontonicity was invited to attend an inspiring live action painting session with the artist himself, and sample some of the signature cocktails created for the night.
The Hennessy brand is the world’s most popular cognac, and was established in the 1700s. The JonOne label is a continuation of partnerships they have sought out with contemporary artists, demonstrating that their historic roots do not make them a name of the past. They have previously worked with artists such as KAWS and Futura, always maintaining a pulse on the art scene.
Guests were also invited to tap into their own creative side by decorating a paper train form at the drawing station!
JonOne is a New York graffiti artist now based in France, so the partnership with the historic cognac company makes sense. JonOne is known for his colourful abstractions, and it is this exact style that he brings to the Hennessy VS bottle. He created a piece live for guests on what appeared to be a large sheet of plexiglass, allowing for an unobstructed view of his painting process.
Guests were treated to three drinks named after the primary colours: blue, red, and yellow. I enjoyed the classic Blue, made of Hennessy VS and tonic water as it was quite refreshing for the heat wave Toronto has been experiencing lately.
My favourite was Red though, as the warmer notes of the Hennessy VS were quite pronounced when paired with the cinnamon syrup and ginger beer. A classic cognac drinker would shy away from this, but I would highly recommend the flavour combination as it is incredibly delicious! Or simply use it as an inspiration for your next cocktail party menu. Enjoy!
