Updated March 2026.
Hennessy is cognac — French brandy from the Cognac AOC — not whiskey. Core US bottles (V.S, V.S.O.P, X.O) are typically labeled 40% ABV / 80 proof. A 1.5-ounce pour is one NIAAA standard drink. The common “fifth” is 750 mL — about 17 standard drinks at 40%. Read the neck: some markets and some line extensions print a different strength. See how much alcohol is in Hennessy.
We will not reprint a 2021 price grid. V.S 750 mL US street tags in 2026 commonly sit in the mid-$30s to low-$40s at national chains (Total Wine public listings have shown $39.99). That is a snapshot, not an MSRP. V.S.O.P and X.O cost more; Privilege and Paradis are another shelf. Confirm the store.
What you are actually buying
| Expression | Typical US ABV | Age story | 750 mL std drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennessy V.S (Very Special) | 40% | V.S is a BNIC age band (youngest eau-de-vie ≥2 years). Not a 2-year “vintage” | ~17 |
| V.S.O.P | 40% typical US | Youngest ≥4 years | ~17 |
| X.O | 40% typical US | Youngest ≥10 years under current BNIC X.O rule | ~17 |
| Pure White / Henny White | Read the label | Different liquid and US legal historyPure White page | Do the math |
Cognac must come from the delimited Cognac region, from specified grapes, double-distilled in copper pot stills, and aged in oak under BNIC rules. US labels still need TTB percent alcohol by volume. A 375 mL is half the fifth; 1 L is about 22.5 1.5-ounce pours; 1.75 L about 39.5. Price per standard drink is why the handle looks cheap. For the 750 mL street-price range see how much is a fifth of Hennessy.
Unopened high-proof cognac does not spoil like beer. Opened bottles oxidize. TTB sets no consumer expiration date. See does Hennessy go bad. Four 1.5-ounce V.S pours are four standard drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Do not driveHennessy drink count.
Sources
- BNIC / cognac AOC age designations (V.S / V.S.O.P / X.O).
- US V.S / V.S.O.P / X.O typically 40% on trade labels; hennessy.com pages have not always printed ABV — read the bottle.
- NIAAA standard drink (December 2025).
- V.S 750 mL street: national-chain snapshot, not MSRP.
More from Liquor Laboratory
Old 2023 crawl: 103 internal links. 2026 pass — existing slugs only:
- how much alcohol is in Hennessy, fifth of Hennessy, Hennessy drink count, does Hennessy go bad, does Hennessy freeze, Pure White, is Hennessy brandy, what is Hennessy, what Hennessy is made from, what Hennessy tastes like, what to mix with Hennessy, Hennessy and lemonade, chaser, soft-drink mixers, Hennessy cognac line, Courvoisier vs Hennessy, D’Ussé vs Hennessy, Crown vs Hennessy, cognac vs brandy, brandy hub.