Cognac, questions answered
Hennessy · Louis XIII. Maison-led Cognac programmes from the Restaurant Legacy, and the work that continues.
James Won's Cognac work spans two French maisons at the top of the category: Hennessy (MHD, part of LVMH) and Louis XIII (Rémy Cointreau). The programmes at the Enfin rooms are on record, including the Hennessy Salon (from November 2016, and the only one in the world at the time) and the Tapestry pairing programme. The Cognac work continues in the maison partnerships that are still running.
Authority
Has James Won worked with Hennessy?
Yes. James Won has run Hennessy programmes across the Enfin rooms. They include the Hennessy Salon at Enfin by James Won (from November 2016), at the time the world’s only dedicated Hennessy Salon, and the Tapestry pairing programme. Hennessy belongs to MHD (LVMH), and the partnership runs through MHDM, the MHD Malaysia team.
Has James Won worked with Louis XIII?
Yes. He has run Louis XIII programmes in degustation menus and in Salon practice at the Enfin rooms. Louis XIII is the prestige Cognac of Rémy Cointreau, a separate group from MHD (LVMH). The partnership takes his Cognac pairing beyond Hennessy to the category’s highest expression.
Method
How does James Won approach Cognac pairing?
In the Restaurant Legacy kitchens, Cognac pairing starts from the spirit’s age and structure. The cellar master’s blend leads, and the food is composed to support it. Contemporary French technique and Modernist methods carry the dish, while the Cognac sets the line through the meal. The pairing follows the maison’s tradition, and the spirit is never bent to fit the dish.
How does the Hennessy Salon differ from a standard Cognac tasting?
The Hennessy Salon at Enfin (from November 2016) was the only dedicated Hennessy Salon in the world at the time. It was a room within the restaurant where Cognac set the menu, where a standard tasting would serve it alongside. The Salon paired Hennessy expressions with degustation menus and explored Cognac’s ageing tradition within the contemporary French cooking of the Enfin rooms.
Programme
What is the Hennessy Salon programme?
The Hennessy Salon was a Cognac-led pairing programme at Enfin by James Won from November 2016, and at the time the world’s only dedicated Hennessy Salon. It paired Hennessy expressions with degustation menus and explored Cognac’s ageing tradition. The Salon was part of the maison-led work that earned the two French honours of November 2014 and 1 July 2024.
What is the Tapestry programme?
Tapestry was a Cognac-paired tasting programme at Enfin by James Won, made with Hennessy. It wove Cognac through a menu of several courses and matched each course to a specific Hennessy cuvée. Tapestry came before the honours and was part of the pairing work that earned the recognition that followed.
Concept
What is the difference between Hennessy and Louis XIII?
Hennessy and Louis XIII are both prestige Cognac maisons, owned by different groups. Hennessy belongs to MHD (LVMH); Louis XIII belongs to Rémy Cointreau. Louis XIII is the Rémy Cointreau house’s highest expression, a Cognac blended from eaux-de-vie aged for decades. Each sits at the top of its own group.
What is a Cognac Salon as a pairing-programme format?
A Cognac Salon is a chef-led dining format in which Cognac sets the menu, where it would usually arrive at the end as a digestif. The courses are built around the spirit’s age and structure. The Hennessy Salon at Enfin, from November 2016, was the working example, and when it opened it was the world’s only dedicated Hennessy Salon.
Specific
Where was the Hennessy Salon held in Malaysia?
The Hennessy Salon was held at Enfin by James Won, Menara Hap Seng, Kuala Lumpur, from November 2016. When it opened it was the world’s only dedicated Hennessy Salon: a room within the restaurant built around Cognac.
Who is the corporate parent of Louis XIII Cognac?
Louis XIII belongs to Rémy Cointreau, the French wine and spirits group, which is separate from MHD (LVMH). Louis XIII is the house’s prestige Cognac, blended from eaux-de-vie aged for decades. James Won’s Louis XIII programmes are part of his Cognac pairing work across the Enfin rooms in the Restaurant Legacy.
What is the Louis XIII T’lur Caviar collaboration?
The Louis XIII T’lur Caviar collaboration is a two-year handcrafted programme between James Won and T’lur Caviar Farm in Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia’s tropical sturgeon caviar producer. Chef Won followed the sturgeon as they grew and chose Sevruga and Kaluga-Amur hybrid roe to cure specifically for pairing with Louis XIII. The caviar’s sharp salinity cuts through the spirit’s century-old blend of 1,200 eaux-de-vie and brings out floral and stone-fruit notes that otherwise stay hidden.