Our verdict up front, from our full Cognac Malaysia collection: if you want a cognac that most Malaysian dinner tables already recognise and that leans slightly sweeter and rounder, buy Hennessy. If you want a drier, more structured cognac with a sharper reputation among collectors, buy Martell. Both are excellent, authentic, and stocked in full range at Mr. Chow, so the right call comes down to what you’re drinking it for, not which brand is “better.”

This comparison sits inside our broader cognac vs brandy guide, and if you’re deciding between cognac and another spirit entirely, our cognac vs whisky comparison covers that decision first.

Hennessy vs Martell: Comparison Table

Axis	Hennessy	Martell
Founded	1765	1715 (oldest of the major cognac houses)
House style	Rounder, sweeter, dried-fruit forward	Drier, more structured, fruit-and-oak balance
Entry price (VS/700ML)	From RM190 (Hennessy V.S.)	From RM185 (Martell N.C.F.)
VSOP price (700-1000ML)	RM320 (1000ML)	RM215 to 245 (Red Barrel)
XO price (700ML)	RM665 (Hennessy X.O)	RM695 (Cordon Bleu X.O)
Best for	Banquets, shared pours, cocktails	Gifting, collectors, slow sipping

Prices pulled live from our own catalogue at time of writing and may shift slightly. Check the linked product page for the current price before ordering.

What to Buy From the Hennessy Range

Hennessy is the world’s best-selling cognac house, and in Malaysia it’s the name most people already have in mind when they say “cognac.” The house style runs rounder and slightly sweeter than Martell, with dried fruit, orange peel, and toffee running through the range.

Hennessy V.S. [700ML] is RM190. The mixing bottle, light and fruity, built for a highball or a Hennessy-and-ginger.

Hennessy V.S.O.P [1000ML] is RM320. The banquet bottle, sized for sharing, our top Hennessy recommendation for most buyers.

Hennessy X.O [700ML] is RM665. Dense, dark, and oak-driven, for slow sipping in a snifter.

Every size and current stock level for the house lives inside our full Cognac Malaysia range.

What to Buy From the Martell Range

Martell is the oldest of the four major cognac houses, founded in 1715, and its house style is drier and more restrained than Hennessy’s. Expect less overt sweetness and a more oak-and-fruit-balanced profile.

Martell V.S.O.P Red Barrel [700ML] is RM215. Martell’s everyday VSOP, matured partly in toasted red-oak barrels for extra roundness.

Martell Cordon Bleu X.O [700ML] is RM695. The flagship, layered dried fruit and dark chocolate, our top pick for gifting.

Martell Cordon Bleu Extra [1000ML] is RM1,092. A step above Cordon Bleu X.O for the collector who wants the deepest expression in the range.

Browse the wider Cognac range on Mr. Chow for every size and current stock.

Expanded Axes: Nose, Palate, and Price-to-Value

Nose and Palate

We tasted the VSOP and XO tier from both houses side by side, neat in tulip glasses, the same method we use for every ranked review on this site. Hennessy’s VSOP leans toward dried apricot, toffee, and a warm baking-spice note. Martell’s Red Barrel VSOP is fruitier up front but drier on the finish, with the red-oak maturation giving it a gentler sweetness than Hennessy without matching Hennessy’s richness. At XO grade the gap narrows: Hennessy X.O brings rancio (that aged, nutty depth) and dark caramel, while Martell Cordon Bleu X.O is more floral and layered with dark chocolate. Neither is objectively better; they’re built for different moods.

Price-to-Value

At VSOP, Martell Red Barrel is the sharper value at RM215 for 700ML versus Hennessy’s RM320 for 1000ML, though the Hennessy is a bigger bottle so the per-ml gap narrows. At XO, the two flagships land almost identically, RM665 for Hennessy X.O versus RM695 for Martell Cordon Bleu, so the decision at this tier comes down to house style, not price.

Heritage

Martell has the longer history, founded in 1715 by Jean Martell on the island of Jersey before he relocated to the town of Cognac, making it the oldest of the four major cognac houses. Hennessy came 50 years later in 1765, founded by an Irish soldier, Richard Hennessy, who settled in the region after serving in the French army. Both are now part of major spirits groups (Martell under Pernod Ricard, Hennessy under LVMH’s Moët Hennessy), which is part of why both maintain such consistent quality across every grade, from entry VS to the top of the range.

Use-Case Picks for Every Occasion

For Gifting

Martell Cordon Bleu X.O (RM695) is our pick. It carries more prestige recognition among Malaysian gift recipients who know cognac, and the presentation box suits a boss, in-law, or milestone-birthday gift.

For Cocktails

Hennessy V.S. (RM190) is the more forgiving mixer. Its lighter, fruitier profile holds up in a Sidecar, a French Connection, or simply cognac and soda without the cost of an aged bottle.

For Collectors

Martell Cordon Bleu Extra (RM1,092) rewards a slower sipper who wants to taste the difference between Martell’s tiers. If you already own the Cordon Bleu X.O, this is the natural next step up.

For a Banquet Table

Hennessy V.S.O.P [1000ML] (RM320) is sized and priced for sharing at a Chinese wedding or CNY reunion dinner, where the bottle needs to stretch across a full table.

So, Which Cognac Should You Buy?

If you’re new to cognac and only buying one bottle, we’d point most Malaysian buyers toward Hennessy V.S.O.P. It’s the more forgiving house style, the name your guests will already recognise, and the 1000ML size means it lasts through more than one occasion. If you already know you prefer a drier, more structured pour, or you’re buying to gift someone who collects cognac, Martell Cordon Bleu X.O is the better call. Either way, both houses are genuine, sourced directly from authorised distributors, and stocked across the full range at Mr. Chow, so the only real risk in choosing wrong is picking a house style you personally like less, not a quality gap. If a third major house interests you, our Remy Martin buying guide covers what that maison is known for. For our full side-by-side tasting across seven bottles, see best cognac in Malaysia, we tasted.

Last updated August 2026.