Maurice Hennessy Talks Heritage, Limited-Edition Cognac

If you like Cognac then you may want to skip the crazy Black Friday crowds at Best Buy and Target and head straight to the liquor store. Hennessy is releasing a special, limited-edition collector's bottle, Privilège NyX, this Friday in Chicago and it won't last long.

Last month, Maurice Hennessy swung through Chicago and Eater chatted with the seventh generation wine maker at his suite in the Sofitel Chicago about the platinum-bottled release that will retail for about $45 (a far cry from the upper-end Richard Hennessy that sells for around $3,200). The name, NyX, means "night" in Greek and mythologically Nyx was the primordial goddess of the night. So basically, when you drink this, you'll be celebrating the night—so don't hold back (it helps to have a black light handy as the metallic purple luminescent ink etched onto the bottle glows under it).

Many local mixologists and bartenders have been using Hennessy in cocktails, and you can get the Privilege, which is a blend of more than 60 "eaux-de-vie" aged in old wood barrels for up to 15 years, in places like Sable Kitchen & Bar, the Signature Room and the bar at the Ritz Carlton. And if you think you're too young to drink Cognac, think again. "The image of the person with a labrador and a cigar was a long time ago," Hennessy said. "It's not just for octogenarians anymore."

Hennessy said that rum and Cognac were originally used in cocktails in the early 19th century, but then the art of mixology disappeared with Prohibition and the world wars. But the desire to drink it has come back strong. "Now, people want to drink less, but drink better," he said.

You can find the limited-edition Hennessy bottle at various places throughout Chicagoland including DiCarlos Armanetti, Cardinal Liquors, United Liquors and SavWay.