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Hine 250 is a celebration of the company’s proud heritage |
Cognac Hine has released a special commemorative decanter to mark its 250th anniversary this year. Just 250 have been made available for sale worldwide, including in duty free, priced at €10,000. Other outlets to house the product, which is presented in a Baccarat crystal decanter, include quality wine & spirit merchants, luxury hotels and high-end restaurants.
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François and Robert Hine selected the barrel housing the Hine 250 eaux-de-vie in 1953 |
The decanter was shown for the first time at the company’s 250th anniversary celebrations in Jarnac in June), and thereafter presented in New York, London, Moscow and Hong Kong.
Hine Cellar Master Eric Forget said: “I had to choose a Cognac with exceptional qualities.” His choice led him to a barrel containing an eau-de-vie selected in 1953 by François and Robert Hine, who were then running the company. The particularly difficult weather conditions of this great year have given this Cognac qualities which enabled it to acquire an outstanding longevity, said the company.
Forget said: “This Grande Champagne Cognac needed 60 years to reach its peak and it is the most exquisite Cognac that I have ever tasted since I have been at Hine. The fine harmony of its aromas presents a great richness of fruity flavours which is quite extraordinary for its age. Underlined by opulent spicy notes, its finish is rich in flavour and very long lasting.”
The project to create the decanter goes back to 2005 when famed designer Andrée Putman accepted Bernard Hine’s proposal to work on the Hine 250 project.
Hine Managing Director François Le Grelle and Olivia Putman, Artistic Director for the Putman Studio, said in a statement: “This decanter perfectly illustrates the strict discipline and the rebellious spirit of the House of Hine.”
The presentation case
Olivia Putman said: “I designed the presentation case as a cocoon for this exquisite decanter. The shape follows invisible axes and there is playful dialogue between glass and mat, opulent and ascetic. It is a kind of a rough diamond, which, when cut, reveals the treasure it holds: the Hine 250 decanter. This is also a sustainable case as it is not just a case: it is also designed to be a luxury jewellery box and can enjoy a second life.”
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Olivia (left) and Andrée Putman: capturing the spirit of Hine | |
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Le Grelle added: “We demand fundamental values, devote our skill to ensuring that each Cognac is unique, insist upon perfection [and] only retain the exceptional. We chose a Cognac anthology to accompany this decanter with an amazing shape. We reserved the very first edition of this decanter for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who since 1962, has granted the Royal Warrant as official Cognac supplier.
“To this day, Hine is the only Cognac House to have the Royal Warrant, of which we are particularly proud. Thomas Hine was a British citizen and the English market has always been very important historically for Hine.”
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Eric Forget (left) and Olivia Putman: close collaboration | |
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The decanter was sculpted in style by Baccarat |
