It’s hard to find commonality between brands. It makes sense to have a rapper paired with a bottle of Hennessy (Drake’s “Demons”, Nas’ “The Genesis”) or have an artist give their spin on the decanter (Jean-Michel Othoniel, Julien Colombier)… but how do you justify the collab a Hennessy project with an athlete? What’s the spin when it comes to Hennessy with NBA legend, LeBron James?
For one, you highlight their shared dedication to excellence and pushing cultural boundaries. James has a list of achievements as long as his arm (given his 2.06m height, that’s a pretty long list)—the winner of four NBA championships; garnered four NBA MVPs; surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s leading scorer and others. Among its accolades, Hennessy is the world’s best-selling cognac, with nearly 40 per cent reach of the global market; has one of the largest reserves of aged eaux-de-vie; is the “MH” in the LVMH luxury conglomerate. In the field of excellence, the two brands (yes, King James is a brand) have a lot in common.
As a long-time fan of the cognac, James has visited the Hennessy House to witness the production and bottling processes. “[…] I was blown away by the level of care and craftsmanship behind each bottle.” James says. “This collection reflects our shared dedication and is something we’re excited to bring to fans everywhere.”
To celebrate his recent Olympic stint, James added his personal touch to the Hennessy Margarita called the “Henny-Rita” to showcase the complementary nature of the cognac.
On the packaging, there are James’ vibrant purple and orange hues with an illustrative portrait of the NBA GOAT and James’ trademark crown symbol is incorporated with Hennessy’s bras armé token. The packaging motifs are repeated on the bottles’ stylised labels and cap seals.
In 2021, Hennessy became the NBA’s first global spirits partner; in 2024, the Maison partnered with a basketballer, let alone, an athlete. King James can add that recognition to his decorated list.
The Hennessy Limited Editions (VS and VSOP) by LeBron James are out now.
