When heritage meets nightlife, something remarkable happens. At the unveiling of the Hennessy X.O La Carafe, Lagos witnessed a night where craftsmanship became culture, and every detail, from the glow of amber light to the swirl of cognac, told a story of modern luxury, made in collaboration with the city that never sleeps.

Lagos’ nightlife has seen its share of luxury events, but even in a city famed for extravagance, this was something else. On October 3, 2025, Vaniti Club in Victoria Island became the epicenter of exclusivity as Hennessy unveiled the X.O La Carafe to Nigeria’s cultural elite.

The French cognac house, founded in 1765 and now one of the world’s best-known spirit brands, turned its 260-year heritage into a high-style, modern spectacle. In the words of its designers, “Hennessy X.O blends more than 250 years of craftsmanship with the spirit of the times,” and that promise was on full display as this heritage meets nightlife.

“Hennessy has always been more than a drink; it’s a ritual, an experience,” said Rene Madumere, Brand Manager for Moët Hennessy Nigeria. “La Carafe represents that evolution, where craftsmanship becomes culture and where luxury doesn’t just arrive; it belongs.”

Heritage Reimagined

On its heritage and craftsmanship, Hennessy’s legacy is real. Its X.O blend traces back to 1870 (when Maurice Hennessy introduced “X.O” or “Extra Old” cognac and embodies over 250 years of savoir-faire. The new La Carafe carries that lineage proudly, a reminder that Hennessy’s expertise is its core strength.

The La Carafe has an innovative design which is described as “impossible to ignore”. Its bold, figure-8 silhouette breaks from traditional decanters, essentially turning the bottle itself into a piece of art.

Collaboration, Not Importation

On cultural connectivity, Hennessy doesn’t bring a Parisian cocktail party to Lagos; it collaborates with Lagos. The guest list — including BBNaija stars like Neo and Liquorose, nightlife curator Yhemolee, and CIG Motors executive director Jubril “of Lagos” Arogundade — was a signal that the brand “understands Nigeria’s digital-first culture”. By placing its product in the hands of local trendsetters, Hennessy wove itself into the fabric of the city’s entertainment scene.

“Lagos defines what luxury means for a new generation,” Madumere added. “It’s bold, it’s authentic, and it demands connection, not just consumption. That’s why Hennessy feels so at home here.”

Its curated exclusivity reflected an understanding that luxury today is about experience. Each carafe was personalised, engraved with the guest’s name, transforming what could have been a simple gift into a timeless keepsake. “In every detail, we wanted our guests to feel seen,” Madumere said. “Luxury isn’t distant; it’s deeply personal.”

A Bottle That Stole The Spotlight

Beyond the glamour, the bottle itself became the true star of the evening.

At the heart of the room, beneath a soft amber spotlight, the Hennessy X.O La Carafe glowed like “craftsmanship distilled into glass.” Its curves and layers caught light from every angle (hence the “inside-out” descriptor Hennessy uses), making the cognac within appear alive. Guests agreed that its sculptural design was a modern salute to the classic X.O silhouette. In fact, after a few rounds of the bottle being passed about, Pulse declared it had become “the event’s heartbeat”. The La Carafe wasn’t just a container; it was a conversation piece and a status symbol rolled into one.

A theatre of taste and texture

The launch night itself played out like a luxury theater piece. Vaniti’s interior was transformed in Hennessy’s signature hues, “vibrant ruby tones cascaded into deep amber”, immersing guests in the brand’s 250-year legacy. VIP tables fanned out around a central stage, the dress code was strictly high fashion, and the mood balanced sophistication with Lagos’s famous spontaneity.

As Culture Custodian reported, conversations flowed as freely as the cognac, and there was a “palpable sense…that they were participating in something significant, the introduction of a new icon to Nigeria’s luxury landscape”.

Afrobeats queen Tiwa Savage, commanding and dynamic, brought the night to a crescendo. When she sang, phones in the air and voices raised, the point was driven home: this was more than product marketing; it was a genuine celebration of Lagos culture.

Luxury without stiffness

Hennessy’s careful curation, from the décor to the playlist to the people, struck the right balance of local flair and global class. As one report noted, this launch “represented more than a new bottle hitting the Nigerian market. It was a statement about the evolution of luxury in Lagos”. Rather than treating influencers like props, Hennessy lifted them up as the ambassadors they are the “architects of modern Nigerian culture” in their own right.

For Hennessy, all these elements reflect the brand’s core strengths. Its unmatched pedigree and craftsmanship underlie every decision, even as it experiments and reinvents. As the company itself puts it, X.O has always been made “for the top party hot spots and tastemakers around the world” and Lagos firmly made that list.

With more than 100 million bottles sold worldwide each year, Hennessy could have played it safe. Instead, by fusing its 250-year legacy with Nigerian energy, it showed that a heritage brand can feel completely at home on a Lagos dance floor.