Cover Renaud Fillioux, the eight-generation master blender at Hennessy
Renaud Fillioux, the eight-generation master blender at Hennessy
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For Renaud Fillioux, the eight-generation master blender at Hennessy, having a long-term vision is key to making his job a success
We had the pleasure of meeting Renaud Fillioux at the Hennessy headquarters in Cognac, France where he shared about the intricacies of being a master blender for Hennessy. Seated in front of portraits of his great-grandfather and great-great grandfather, Fillioux, who is the eighth-generation family member to serve the maison, enlightened us about the importance of his role.
“My job is now and always will be about preparing for the future. If you think just about today, you’re losing out; it’s about thinking long-term and preparing eaux-de-vie for future cognac blends. If you think short-term in this industry, it’s difficult. We have to think about what will happen in the next five, ten or 20 years,” says Fillioux.
Also read: Master blender Renaud Fillioux on upholding Hennessy's legacy while embracing a sustainable future
Above Renaud Fillioux took over the role from his uncle Yann Fillioux
Renaud Fillioux took over the role from his uncle Yann Fillioux
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In 2017, Fillioux took over the role from his uncle, Yann Fillioux, who was the seventh-generation master blender and served the cognac house for an astounding 50 years. The younger Fillioux first apprenticed with his uncle for 16 years, before taking on the responsibility of ensuring that Hennessy maintains its quality and flavour throughout the centuries.
Most recently, Fillioux crafted The Master Blender’s Selection No 5—a limited edition that celebrates the dedication and skill of 18 families of distillers, with its eaux-de-vie chosen by Fillioux for its exceptional flavour profile. This release comes three years after the introduction of No 4 in 2021.
To mark the passing of the baton between uncle and nephew, both collaborated to create the prestigious Hennessy 8. The luxurious cognac features a selection of eaux-de-vie from previous master blenders, capped off by Fillioux’s own selection. Only 250 bottles were produced, now priced at 100,000 euros (which translates to roughly half a million ringgit.)
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Above The Master Blender's Selection No. 5 is one of Renaud Fillioux's concoctions
The Master Blender's Selection No. 5 is one of Renaud Fillioux's concoctions
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If you’re wondering what a master blender’s day-to-day routine roughly entails, Fillioux shares, “There’s no normal week; there’s just a tasting time that’s key. At the heart of the day, at 11am, the tasting committee comes together to sample the eaux-de-vie [to decide which barrels have matured and can be extracted to create a bottling]. Apart from that, my days can vary quite a bit. There are meetings about production, discussions on how to make the blends, and even paperwork to be done as well. Sometimes, I can spend a week travelling around the world too. I was just in Malaysia last month, and it was really nice to meet consumers who love the products.”
In response to the misconception that cognac is an exclusive drink, Fillioux’s advises, “The first thing I would say is to try it. Very often, people are afraid to approach cognac because they might think it’s too strong or whatnot, but you really have to give it a chance. Try it in a cocktail, and you’ll be surprised by the level of quality and sophistication you get from cognac.”
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If tall, dark and handsome is what you're looking for, Aaron Pereira ticks two out of three. This fine chocolate man (that is, a connoisseur of fine chocolate), enjoys the theatre, futsal, real-life conversations and of course, the English language. He believes that language should first be used to express, but the business of a sub-editor is to impress.
Check out his Instagram @aaronlpereira.
