In the age of Instagram, looks are proving just as important as taste – especially when it comes to the world of food. Understanding the rising influence of aesthetics has led the likes of spirits powerhouse Hennessy to collaborate with some of the world’s leading designers, including Tom Dixon and Arik Levy. But the latest partnership has seen illustrious Australian creative Marc Newson join forces with the liquor brand for a sleek new take on a cognac bottle.

The partnership has seen the launch of the 2017 decanter Hennessy X. O limited edition by Marc Newson. Dropping in Australia in 2017, the curvaceous decanter represents the dramatic style for which Marc is famed. And making a statement was exactly what Marc was hoping to achieve with his creation. “The emotion I hope to inspire is really one of interest,” he explains. “When people see this product, I hope it will be eye-catching, perhaps even in a subliminal way. But hopefully, it will interest them in a way they had not expected.”

The design was not without its challenges – paying respect to the history of the 252-year-old Hennessy house was paramount to Marc during the creative process. “When I first looked at the Hennessy X.O bottle, I think my first thought was one of slight trepidation, because it’s obviously an icon,” says Marc. “It’s potentially one of the strongest and most significant parts of Hennessy’s history, not least because of who designed the original bottle and the circumstances under which it was designed. Also, it’s important to understand all the design cues that have evolved over many decades to make Hennessy X.O what it is now. So I had to take all of that on board and think very carefully about where it’s coming from, where it’s been going and hopefully where it needs to go.”

While the drink may now have a modern face, its contents have remained unchanged since 1870. It’s this traditional recipe that has awarded Hennessy whiskey with a growing legion of fans, Marc among them. As to how he likes to drink his cognac, his preference is for a drink as clean as his designs. “I prefer to drink Hennessy X.O on the rocks,” he says. “It’s quite straightforward, quite simple. The quality of the ice counts, so that it doesn’t have a detrimental effect. That’s definitely my favorite way of drinking Hennessy X.O.”