The number one bottle of Jay-Z’s cognac, D’Ussé, will be auctioned on March 13 at a starting bid of $15,000.
American rapper Shawn -Jay-z- Carter founded the d’Ussé brand in 2012. The exclusive brand will sell a bottle of 1969 Anniversaire Limited Edition Grande Champagne cognac for the first time at auction at Sotheby’s. Only 50 bottles of this cognac exist.
In 2019, the Otard house offered the rapper for his 50th anniversary on December 4 to bottle the precious nectar of his birth year.
The bottle is expected to sell for between $25,000 and $75,000. Proceeds will be donated to the rapper’s charity, the Shawn Carter Foundation. This foundation supports people in socio-economic hardship through education.
Notably, the bottle is the only one in the collection with a Jay-Z signature. It is also the first one available to the public as part of Sotheby’s first live auction in New York.
“We’ve noticed an upswing in demand for cognac the past few years. From the oldest and most valuable sold at auction to ultra-premium brands,” said Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s specialist.
A precious liquid from Château de Cognac
The 1969 Anniversaire bottle contains a liquid from one of France’s oldest cognac houses. Château de Cognac bottled the cognac from a rare single cask and matured for decades in a 200-year-old cellar. Its crystal decanter is shaped like a diamond and has 24-karat gold leaf.
Of the cognac, Carter said, “When our cellar master, Michael Casavecchia, discovered the liquid aged at Château de Cognac and explained how unique it is, it was important to me to honor him by making something that would celebrate its uniqueness. Once that barrel is emptied, it would not be possible to recreate it.
The whole process behind the 1969 Anniversaire collection reminded me why I joined the spirits industry. To create something that will stand the test of time.
It means so much that we can share d’Ussé 1969 Anniversaire Limited Edition with the rest of the world. We are proud to auction the first bottle of the collection with Sotheby’s to benefit the Shawn Carter Foundation.”
Jay-Z’s foray into the world of spirits
Jay-Z is not only known for his music. He is also known as a businessman in the world of spirits. On the one hand, with the cognac d’Ussé and on the other hand, with the champagne Armand de Brignac. In 2012, Jay-Z founded the d’Ussé brand together with the Otard house, which belongs to the Bacardi group, and owns Armand de Brignac in partnership with Cartier.
Recently, the prestigious luxury group LVMH announced a 50% stake in its champagne brand. A venture of which the rapper said he was “very proud” to ally his family and the Arnault family, majority shareholder of LVMH.
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.