Hennessy Unveils The 'King Of The Road' In The Philippines!

The #1 cognac brand in the world, Hennessy, has long travelled the globe placing its mark in every country while embracing its local culture. In the Philippines, it continues to bring its philosophy of embracing local by glorifying a very special, iconic and historical symbol, the ubiquitous jeepney.

Vibrant, distinct and audacious, the presence of the jeepney on the road reminds Filipinos of the country they were born into, and its ways and practices of living. The jeepney is an iconic urban symbol of Filipino resourcefulness, flair, and sense of community. It is literally and figuratively hailed as the King of the Road.

Leading the way in experiencing local culture with refinement and sophistication, the Hennessy King of the Road is a celebration of Manila’s urban lifestyle.

Recently, Hennessy hosted an event in collaboration with some of Manila’s top creatives in the food and art industry, and upcoming artists in the field of music. These were of course greatly appreciated by a dynamic crowd enjoying the best quality cognac.

As the guest of honor made his debut, entering the venue with its roaring engine, the Hennessy King of the Road whose sleek matte black exteriors and refined gold detail, wowed the crowd. The Hennessy jeepney was reflective of the emblematic heritage brand that Hennessy has built over the past 250 years, ultimately making its step in embracing local Philippine culture. 

Live art by street artist Egg Fiasco, dubbed as Manila’s Nasty Egg, was also featured during the night. He is mostly known for his neo-graffiti types of murals that converge urban art with pop culture, folk arts, comic graphics, toys and tattoo culture. Fiasco unveiled his finished mural for the King of the Road, seeking to recreate Manila’s urban lifestyle, but of course with his own interpretation, harping on retro futuristic images and ambiguous characters.

Hosted by Radio DJ, Joyce Pring, the evening later took off with performances by Curtis Smith, CRWN, BP Valenzuela, Kidthrones and The Diegos. 

Guests enjoyed a curated menu by top chefs JP Anglo of Kafé Batwan, and Jordy Navarra of the soon to open Toyo Eatery, for their urban interpretation of the Filipinos’ favorite local cuisine.

Drinks are curated by Lee Watson, starting off with this hot and fiery cocktail called Patok, which got its name from the loud, fast and colorful jeepneys. Here he infused Hennessy VS with siling labuyo, complemented with honey, calamansi, and a dash of white vinegar.

To bring out the spirit of the King of the Road, Watson also created a special drink called the Side Trip, a play on a classic cognac cocktail the Side Car. He used Hennessy VS and paired it with white chocolate, hibiscus syrup, calamansi, and foamed egg white, served up with sprayed-on Angostura and Peychauds graffiti.

The last drink I tried (and where I already experienced yet another asian flush incident) is the Habal-Habal, named after the “one-person jeepney”, was a drink that used black pepper infused Hennessy VS, coupled with bay leaf, honey, calamansi, and ginger beer, served in a highball glass.

Anglo and Navarra prepared their renditions of bar chow, or pulutan, which I enjoyed with Hennessy Very Special. Lee Watson, of ABV, crafted special Hennessy cocktails to pair with each of the chef’s masterpieces. These three cocktails also took inspiration from unique Filipino food ingredients which are in line with the Hennessy King of the Road campaign of embracing local culture.

Leading the way in experiencing urban Manila, the Hennessy King of the Road, which is the Jeepney (see photos on their official Instagram account!) will take over urban hotspots throughout the metro. 

Follow the trail of the King of the Road by checking out Hennessy Philippines’ social media pages. Facebook page at Facebook.com/HennessyPhilippines and follow them on twitter and Instagram @HennessyPH

Check out the hashtag #HennessyKingofTheRoad to see more highlights about this momentous event!

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*This post was made from the official press release from Hennessy + the author's own views based on her experience during the said event.

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