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A wounded Irish soldier crawls from a blood-soaked battlefield in the French countryside. He survives, but his fighting days are over. So he settles in the Cognac region, and in 1765, starts a modest brandy business. Richard Hennessy could never dream that 260 years later, his name would ring outânot just in the world of fine spirits, but in the universe of hip-hop. No liquor brand in existence has more musical name-drops than Hennessy (mentioned in over 2,500 songs!). But the brandâs accomplishments go far beyond rhyming with âTennesseeâ: Hennessy is the top-selling cognac in the world. The brand played a major role in supporting civil rights, as the first-ever corporate sponsor of the NAACP. And when Black soldiers fought bravely to liberate Europe in WWII, grateful French farmers handed them bottles of Hennessy as thanks. Find out how a Prohibition loophole helped Hennessy get a foothold in the US; how an Olympic medalist unlocked Hennessyâs sophisticated appeal; and why Hennessy cognac is the best idea yet.
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Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
By Wondery4.6
509509 ratings
A wounded Irish soldier crawls from a blood-soaked battlefield in the French countryside. He survives, but his fighting days are over. So he settles in the Cognac region, and in 1765, starts a modest brandy business. Richard Hennessy could never dream that 260 years later, his name would ring outânot just in the world of fine spirits, but in the universe of hip-hop. No liquor brand in existence has more musical name-drops than Hennessy (mentioned in over 2,500 songs!). But the brandâs accomplishments go far beyond rhyming with âTennesseeâ: Hennessy is the top-selling cognac in the world. The brand played a major role in supporting civil rights, as the first-ever corporate sponsor of the NAACP. And when Black soldiers fought bravely to liberate Europe in WWII, grateful French farmers handed them bottles of Hennessy as thanks. Find out how a Prohibition loophole helped Hennessy get a foothold in the US; how an Olympic medalist unlocked Hennessyâs sophisticated appeal; and why Hennessy cognac is the best idea yet.
Be the first to know about Wonderyâs newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter
Follow The Best Idea Yet on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/ now.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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