Kim Jong-il was Hennessy’s ’best customer’: report

For two years in the mid-1990s, Kim Jong-il was the world's largest buyer of Hennessy Paradis cognac, importing up to $800,000 of the stuff a year, both to quaff himself and to give as gifts, and his death has caused a resurgence in discussion and commentary on his expensive cognac habits, the Foreign Policy (FP) reported Sunday.

Kim's taste for the drink, which the company describes as "pure indulgence," and which retails for around $650 dollars a bottle, is unusual, the report said.

Jennifer Yu, director of communications for Hennessy U.S., said, "A lot of A-list musicians and talents enjoy the drink, like Kanye West," according to FP.

Asked why Kim might prefer her company's drink, Yu responded, "I just know that cognac in general is extremely popular among the Asian community. It's a very large status symbol, and we're one of the premier luxury cognacs in the world, and it's not surprising that he would gravitate towards that," the magazine said.