One-of-a-kind D’ussé Cognac bottled in honour of Jay-Z’s birthday set for auction at Sotheby’s

A one-of-a-kind bottle of D’ussé Cognac will be presented for sale at Sotheby’s on the 13th of March by the Shawn Carter Foundation, with proceeds to benefit the charity launched by acclaimed Hip Hop artist and entrepreneur Jay-Z.

Estimated at a value of US$25,000-75,000, the bottle of D’USSÉ 1969 Anniversaire Limited Edition Grande Champagne Cognac is bottled in a striking diamond-shaped cut crystal vessel, which is adorned with 24 karat gold leaf wrapping on the neck and decorated with the symbol of Le Croix de Lorraine: the historic French emblem of courage, honour and perseverance.

D’ussé surprised Mr. Carter, a Cognac connoisseur, with the first ever bottle in celebration of his 50th birthday, back in 2019. Only 50 bottles were issued to mark the milestone, with the majority being given to friends and family of the rapper.

Sotheby’s ‘Bottle No. 1’ is the only bottle in the collection of 50 to feature Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter’s engraved signature. It’s also the first to be made available for public sale.

Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter said:

“When our Cellar Master, Michel Casavecchia, discovered the aged liquid at the Château de Cognac and explained how truly one of a kind it is, it was important to me to honor it by doing something that would celebrate its singularity. Once that barrel is emptied, there’s no way the liquid can be recreated.

The whole process behind the 1969 Anniversaire collection reminded me why I got involved in the spirits industry in the first place – to create something that will stand the test of time. It means a lot that we’re finally able to share the D’USSÉ 1969 Anniversaire Limited Edition with the rest of the world, and we’re proud to auction the first bottle in the collection with Sotheby’s to benefit The Shawn Carter Foundation.”