Tea and cognac — once derided as the drink of choice in karaoke bars, this combo may just make an unlikely comeback with a Hennessy and Jackson Wang collaboration this Mid-Autumn Festival season.
Marking the continuation of a partnership between the leading cognac brand Hennessy with global icon Jackson Wang is the Hennessy 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival Limited Edition collection, where the Hong Kong-based multi-hyphenate star has yet again put his own special flourish on bottles of Hennessy to celebrate the season.
Each limited edition bottle — both V.S.O.P and X.O. — in the specially-designed collection is splashed with eye-catching orange and red hues (much like those released for Chinese New Year), the vibrant swirls supposedly denoting the character of the aged eau de vie within. The box that encases the bottle too comes in layered tones of rich amber and striking silver, and even comes with an embossed frozen effect that alludes to the ice with which to enjoy your cognac with.
Yes, you’re invited to try Wang’s go-to X.O serve: on ice, with a splash of sparkling water. Perhaps the more shocking is his recommendation for Hennessy V.S.O.P: 40ml of the amber spirit, mixed with a splash of oolong tea and some ice. Wang’s ‘Henny Tea’ is not quite the much-lampooned green tea and cognac combo that’s de rigueur in nightclub culture… but it’s painfully close.
But hey, these two signature serves are at least easy to prepare, light on the palate, and very weather- and season-appropriate.
For years, cognac has been rehabilitating its image, moving from stuffy after-dinner ritual into the social, sunny territory of highballs and spritzes. Hennessy’s oolong nudge isn’t quite the same thing — and they’re probably not overthinking it like I am — but here’s where it may be interesting. Serious Chinese teas are their own rabbit hole — expensive, collectable, with endless varietals and variations. Oolong alone can swing from floral and buttery to roasted and smoky, depending on where it’s grown and how it’s processed — with oxidation levels ranging anywhere from light and green-leaning to dark and chocolatey. Think Tieguanyin with its orchid and buttery notes, or a heavier roasted style closer to Da Hong Pao with nutty, cocoa edges. In other words, there’s flavour potential well beyond the usual “green tea plus mixer” cliché — which feels almost too obvious to say out loud on a site that usually sweats the serious stuff.
Just like that, the branded signature serve doubles as a reminder: you could, if you felt like it, experiment. Try Tieguanyin with V.S.O.P. for a floral, buttery note, or Da Hong Pao for a deeper roasted edge — both can work, though it also opens another rabbit hole: experimenting with how strong you brew them shifts the profile, giving you different expressions to mix with. The recipe is forgiving, the variations endless — ah, the hours must just fly by.
So yes, the Hennessy 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival Limited Edition collection is as straightforward as they come. But if it leaves you curious enough to drop a splash of oolong in your glass, maybe that’s the real takeaway: a familiar icon, a familiar festival, and a familiar ceremony — just tilted sideways into something that may be unexpectedly refreshing.
And that may just be a game changer for cognac, thanks to Jackson Wang.
The Hennessy 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival Limited Edition V.S.O.P is available at leading supermarkets such as FairPrice and Cold Storage at a recommended retail price of S$150. The X.O. is not available in Singapore.
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