Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy

Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy

What is the most expensive drink you ever have? I still remember I wrote an article about the most expensive coffee I had for Gaya Travel Magazine a few years ago. You can read about it at The Most Expensive Coffee in the World

Last week, I had a lifetime experience to taste my most expensive drink in my life. It was at the Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows Dinner in Penang. Coincidently, it was my first time being invited to a Hennessy X.O. Appreciation Grows Dinner.

Hennessy X.O. Appreciation Grows Dinner in  Penang group picture.

Being there was an honour and there was a surprise on the evening. It was the Hennessy X.O Mathusalem. Check the grand entrance of Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy during the dinner in Penang.

Sorry about the quality of the video, it was very dark and I had to zoom very far for this, that’s why it was shaky.

The Hennessy X.O Mathusalem had the best entrance ever and everyone was impressed. The Hennessy X.O Mathusalem is rumored to be limited to 100 pieces in the world and only a few are available for sale in the market.

Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy

The Hennessy X.O Mathusalem was designed by Israeli artist, Arik Levy and handmade to perfection. The workmanship and details of the Rock of Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem itself was a masterpiece.

All the guests during the dinner had the chance to tasting this magnificent drink. We had to extract a glass of X.O using the pipette.

I was extracting the Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy using a pipette. Thanks Bok for this picture.

 
I had Hennessy X.O for the evening and I loved it but the Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem was a whole new level. It was full bodied bodied and peppery notes in the first taste; the warm, spicy clove and hint of old leather; the mellow notes of vanilla, cinnamon and candied fruit that blossom as the cognac’s power softens on the palate.

In layman terms, it was the difference between a Wagyu beef and a Kobe Beef. Both are equally famous for its quality but the latter is perfection. I would love to have it all night long and a glass of it was good enough to impress me.

If you are wondering, how much is this masterpiece, Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem? Many websites suggested this 6 liter beauty cost from US$ 25,000 to US$ 35,000 per bottle (if available). However based on my research and according to the Hong Kong Tatler, Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem is available now in Hong Kong at Hennessy Pop Up at Lane Crawford. The price for a Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem is at a staggering amount of HKD 350,000! That is roughly around US$ 45,000 for a price of a Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem. That is RM 138,000 and for that money, you can purchase a brand new Volkswagen Beetle 1.4 in Malaysia!

I wasn’t sure how much that will translate for a glass of Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem but it was sure pricey. Hence, you can’t really buy your glass of Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem as it is only limited to a hundred bottles in the world.

Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem was my most experience drink ever I have in my life. It will be a long time to break this record. Thank you Hennessy Malaysia for the exclusive invitation and I hope to taste more of Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem in the future.

If you want to know more about the Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem by Arik Levy, you can read the press release below.

Hennessy X.O. Mathusalem Story

THE MYTH BEHIND THE MASTERPIECE

Israeli artist Arik Levy enthralled Maison Hennessy because his knack for probing the connections between nature and what surrounds it, between form and matter, and between symbols and meanings, mirrors its own visionary
spirit.

Founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy, the celebrated Maison has a passion for art and has invariably forsaken common sense and common wisdom to imagine beautiful prospects. And that was indeed how Maurice Hennessy, the founder’s great grandson, conceived his emblematic Hennessy X.O cognac in 1870. He honed a vision and followed it to create a cognac that radiated more
character and power than any before it with its distinctive elegance and harmony.

That is why Arik Levy’s world, steeped in structured masculinity and subtle silhouettes, made
sense to envelop the Hennessy X.O Mathusalem carafe.

Arik Levy’s introspective path led him to the heart of Hennessy X.O, and he encapsulated its character in a metaphor.

Arik Levy captured the content in the structure’s rough, geometric, facetted lines that seem honed by the elements, a mineral fortress sheltering a treasure, the Mathusalem X.O carafe, in its hollow.

For the artist, the invitation is but a visible, tangible glimpse of a dream that has deep roots in his imaginary world. It blends into the Rocks he has been exploring for years now. He structures his reflections around the same original shape, which evolves to embrace new facets of new projects.

As Arik Levy sees it, a Rock beckons you to look at the universe from a different angle, through the prism of its natural, mineral, sharp lines, inspired by geological formations honed by fire, earth and water. His material, however, is very different: Arik Levy’s Rock is sculpted by a man’s hand from manmade materials such as polished mirrored steel, bronze, copper and also fabric.

As with each Arik Levy’s Rock, the Hennessy X.O Mathusalem surprises the viewer at first sight.

It is hard to tell if it fell from the sky, emerged from the earth or was created by man. And then it opens up. It reveals its secrets, its stunning silhouette, its fine finish. It unveils its ultimate mystery.

Hennessy X.O, a precious cognac, celebrating nature as much as the savoir-faire that generations of cellar masters have pooled over more than a century.

A cognac that a connoisseur will draw from the heart of the carafe with a fusil.

The fusil comes from an immutable ritual: Hennessy’s cellar master plunges the fusil into the centre of the barrels, to taste the rare eaux-de-vie. And from this time-honoured tradition was born a cognac to taste, neat or on ice, to unveil its concealed facets one at a time, with time.

A ROCK SCULPTED BY A MAN’S HAND

Arik Levy’s Rock for Hennessy X.O Mathusalem may borrow its pure lines from nature yet it is nonetheless fine workmanship at its best.

The metallic contours intertwine with the leather’s soft warmth sheathing it like a second skin. Its kohl colour contrasts with the Barenia® calfskin’s unbelievably fine feel, embossed with a pattern of fantasy lines.

Arik Levy has crafted his own mythological world into an imaginary skin, the skin of a dragon that came to rest on the Rock, brimming with strength.

As a work of art, Arik Levy’s Hennessy X.O Mathusalem springs from unrivalled expertise and took long months to create and perfect. Every piece is brimming with technical savvy, patience and dexterity. Every facet of the shaft, for instance, is carefully calculated to blend into a seamless construction that seems to rise into the air and never loses its balance. The complex closure system is an engineering marvel: it is also practically invisible.

Then there is the magic of the leather work, aligning the leather pattern from one side to the other to create a seamless pattern. Each edge is also covered with fine leather strips, which placed end to end would measure twenty metres.

TO COLLECT A MASTERPIECE

Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy opens the exclusive doors to an inner sanctum of art connoisseurs that Hennessy and Arik Levy treat to preferential service. Each object is numbered and includes a certificate of authenticity. On request, it may be customised with a monogram on the metal plaque.

At the time of ordering the Mathusalem, an art book featuring a selection of Arik Levy’s work is sent to the buyer.

The work itself is then delivered by a reputable art transporter. Should the buyer desire, Hennessy will send an Ambassador to initiate the ritual of the fusil service and the tasting of Hennessy X.O.

For Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy to be perfectly integrated in its new owner’s interior, the piece is accompanied by the artist’s suggestions on furniture best showcasing it in different environments.

Finally, the Château de Bagnolet, Hennessy’s private estate in Cognac, France, will offer a special welcome to members of the Hennessy X.O Mathusalem by Arik Levy circle, wishing to explore Hennessy’s distinctive art de vivre à la française.