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Hennessy Cognac aficionados were in for a treat with the visit of international Hennessy ambassador, Maurice Richard Hennessy, an eighth generation of the family that came from Ireland in the mid 18th century and founded the Maison in 1765.

Hennessy hosted a cocktail party for key customers and clients, at Balmoral, as well as a private Hennessy Imperial Paradis dinner.

Hennessy has the "cognac gene" as firmly in his DNA as his inherited passion for the terroir of Charente, the art of winegrowing and fine gastronomy. Trained as an agronomist at the Institut Technique et Pratique de L'Agriculture, he spent several years in West Africa working on international cooperation and development projects. He returned to Cognac in 1975 and joined the family business. After focusing on communications, Maurice-Richard moved to London in 1979 where he played an active role in the development of the British market.

Back in Cognac since 1984, he has been an extensive traveller, representing Hennessy around the world, and the Bahamian market was lucky to have him visit.

As familiar with the history of Hennessy as with that of cognac itself, Hennessy embodies the memory and the legacy of the company.

"When I tell people that X.O was invented by my great-grandfather for his friends, people understand that it's a real story, that we know the dining room table where we sat. We are so certain that when we tell people it's true that we embody it. If I take the example of Richard Hennessy, I can say that I have my entire family in that bottle," says Hennessy.

Shavaughn Moss, Guardian Lifestyles Editor

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