Cocktail lovers would be the first to tell you that when it comes to cognac there is no other brand that is finer than Hennessy. The premium alcohol was founded in 1765 by Richard Hennessy in the Irish town of Cognac. His son, James, expanded the company to what is now called Jas Hennessy & Company. The family owned company has been run by eight generations, and its influence has been far reaching.Since it was founded, Hennessy has become known for more than just its cognac. In 1971 it merged with Moet et Chandon to create a whole line of premium alcohol (including wine and champagne) in addition to its cognac. In 1987 it collaborated with Louis Vuitton to form a company called LVMH, which offers various alcohol, perfumes, cosmetics and jewelry, among other things.Over the years Hennessy's cognac has developed a reputation among the celebrity urban population and its praises have been sung by such talent as 2Pac, P. Diddy, Kanye West, and Snoop Dogg. The rapper, Lil Jon, has even created his own cocktail out of Hennessy, mixing it with Red Bull and calling it Crunk Juice.In 2006 Hennessy reached out to the music community and created the Hennessy Artistry tour, the goal being to put on a series of musical performances and combine them with a variety of Hennessy inspired cocktails. Previous artists featured in the United States have been Kanye West, The Strokes, and Goldfrapp. Last October, Pharrell Williams and Fall Out Boy were featured performers on the tour, which took place at Hollywood's Paramount Studios. Hennessy has also reached out overseas to China, featuring such artists as Sky Nellor, David Tao and Grand Avenue on its tour. In addition, Hennessy Artistry recently hosted seven DJ battles in South Africa on a hunt to find South Africa's best DJ. Hennessy Artistry will soon expand its tour to Ireland and Nigeria. It is only a matter of time before the Hennessy Artistry experience conquers the world.†For merchandise, cocktail recipes or to join up with a group of cognac lovers (dubbed the Hennessy Entourage) go to www.hennessy-cognac.com.For more information about Hennessy Artistry, go to www.hennessyartistry.com.

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