Ahead of World Cognac Day, which is recognised today, Hennessy VS, VSOP, and XO took centre stage at Ivy23 in Kingston, during an exclusive celebration on Tuesday, June 2. The world’s leading Cognac brand showcased the exceptional versatility of its three distinct expressions at an intimate pairing dinner, blending the historic spirit across a spectrum of flavours from spicy chilli oil to decadent dark chocolate.

These and other bold flavours drive Ivy23’s distinct culinary approach. “Ivy 23’s identity lives in pulling flavours and techniques from across the world — Italian, Asian, Indian and Caribbean — and bringing them together on one menu,” explained Vivek Chatani, co-owner of Ivy23. So when challenged to create the perfect Cognac pairing dinner, Chatani said, “Hennessy is one of the most layered spirits in the world, so rather than dial our food down to make room for it, we built dishes that meet each expression as an equal.”

The kitchen integrated the Cognac directly into the dishes in two of the courses, reworking some of its signatures to really shine a light on the Cognac.