Hennessy unites Dublin and Paris through landmark bar exchange
Supported by Hennessy, the Dublin – Paris bar takeover brought together two respected cocktail teams in what was designed as a genuine cultural exchange rather than a one-off guest shift. The programme featured two events: a takeover by Harry’s American Bar at The Sackville
Lounge on January 20, followed by a return visit from The Sackville team to Paris on February 15.
Across both nights, the menus were built around Hennessy cocktails, positioning the cognac house as the common thread connecting Dublin and Paris.
The initiative was also intended to strengthen The Sackville Lounge’s position as a key account for Hennessy in Ireland while reinforcing the brand’s long-term partnership with the venue.
A full house in both cities
The response from both consumers and the bartender community was strong with both nights selling out. Each event attracted over 150 guests, including a strong turnout from bartenders and industry figures. The Dublin event, held midweek in January, drew visitors from
across the country, reflecting the growing interest in international bar collaborations among both professionals and cocktail enthusiasts.
Celebrating bartender culture
For Dave Mulligan, owner of The Sackville Lounge and Dublin’s Bar 1661, the collaboration had been years in the making. “We had been trying to work with Harry’s Bar Paris since we opened The Sackville Lounge,” he explains. “We wanted to bring some of that old world European cocktail glamour off the main drag and into the heart of the city. Harry’s is the oldest cocktail bar in Europe and they’ve created so many iconic drinks, so we were delighted to have them over.”
While Mulligan typically prioritises Irish brands for partnerships, he says Hennessy made perfect sense for the project. “Generally we love to work with Irish brands if possible, but Hennessy was the perfect fit because it has Irish authenticity and credentials – it was founded by an Irishman. It was just a great partnership.”
From industry nights to consumer demand
Guest shifts and bar takeovers have long been part of bartender culture, but Mulligan says the audience has broadened significantly in recent years. “We’ve been doing guest shifts and takeovers for at least ten years. In the early days they were very much industry nights, bartenders coming to try new menus, meet people from other cities and exchange ideas,” he says. “But now we’re seeing them transcend the industry. People travel to these bars in other cities and when those bars appear in Dublin they want to come down and relive that magic moment a cocktail bar can bring.”
The demand was evident on the night Harry’s took over The Sackville Lounge. “We had a full house and had to say no to a lot of people. There was a queue outside the door for most of the night and, for a Tuesday night in January, it was such a positive night for the industry.
A meeting of two cocktail traditions
During the Dublin takeover, the Harry’s American Bar team led the menu, featuring their iconic Sidecar alongside bespoke Hennessy cocktails, while The Sackville team supported service. The exchange then came full circle in Paris when the Dublin team travelled to Harry’s.
“For us it was a bucket-list, pinch me moment,” says Mulligan. “I’ve been going to Harry’s for 15 years and hold it in such high esteem. It’s an icon and I don’t say that lightly. There are so many modern cocktail bars now, but Harry’s is frozen in time.”
For the Paris takeover, the Irish team brought a menu rooted in their signature serves.
“We always travel with our Belfast Coffee and Irish Coffee,” Mulligan explains. “But we also created a French Coffee for the night. We butter-washed it with Normandy butter, used a Parisian porter brewed by two Irish guys in Paris, and made a baguette syrup. We used French cream on the French Coffee and Irish cream on the Irish Coffee.”
Brand partnerships supporting bar culture
For Hennessy, the activation represents a broader strategy of embedding the brand within bartender culture through meaningful collaborations rather than traditional brand promotions. By connecting two historic cities through their bars and bartenders, the exchange demonstrated how premium brand partnerships can help create memorable experiences for both the trade and consumers while strengthening relationships within the global cocktail community.
As international collaborations become an increasingly important part of bar culture, initiatives like this Dublin–Paris exchange show how
brands, venues and bartenders can work together to elevate the industry on both sides of the bar
