The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste: Obama Cognac

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With Barack Obama’s face popping up on everything from the usual memorabilia -- posters, T-shirts and commemorative plates -- to more uncommon goods such as cupcakes, sneakers and even toilet paper, the thriving trade in Obama-bilia just got boozier: Hennessy, the liqueur of choice for any self-respecting rapper, has issued a commemorative Obama cognac. The man should get royalties.

What’s so special about it? Aside from a black label and a black seal that reads ‘44’ and ‘In Honor of the 44th President,’ not much. Instead of going elite and offering a limited number -- say, 1,000 bottles -- of its X.O. (Extra Old) cognac for exorbitant prices, parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton will offer 180,000 bottles at $30 each of its lower grade V.S. (Very Special) cognac. (Don’t know the difference between a Vieille Reserve and an Hors d’Age? Here’s a handy guide to deciphering cognac labels for dummies.) Maybe the company is betting that Americans will want to kill three birds with the same stone by emulating their favorite hip-hop stars, honoring Barack Obama and getting soused on Inauguration Day.

And in case you think this is a crass attempt to tie the presidential inauguration to personal inebriation, Hennessy will donate an unspecified amount to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Take that, social critics who deride the disproportionate number of alcohol ads targeted to minority communities!

-- Elina Shatkin