If you’re in London this weekend and you aren’t heading to Carnival, what are you doing? As ever, anticipation is rife for the bank holiday celebration of community and culture. The world’s leading Cognac brand, Hennessy, are the official sponsor of Rampage Sound this year, and have raised the bar with news of their latest collaboration.

Corner shops lie at the crux of Carnival’s heartbeat, and to commemorate such, the brand have partnered with three local artists, Aaron Kudi, Vibes and Cee, to design three independent stores just in time for the weekend. The stores will be dropping an exclusive line of Hennessy merch in collaboration with the artists, with the limited edition VS bottle, inspired by the Caribbean Sea, a further amalgamation on the desire to celebrate and incentivise the event and its cultural significance. The bottle will be available at selected stores across the UK, and served at the Rampage stage bars over the weekend.

One of the artists involved, Kudi, echoed the sentiment, and explained his thought process. “My painting for Notting Hill Carnival eloquently encapsulates the profound significance of soundsystem culture, delving into its origins and the pivotal role of mas bands in embodying the dance and liberation inherent in the Carnival spirit,” he offers. “This artwork venerates the Windrush generation and the Mangrove community centre and restaurant, seminal institutions within the Black Caribbean community, which have been instrumental in the establishment of the Notting Hill Carnival, creating a crucible for cultural expression, resilience, and unity.”

For more information and to check out Hennessy’s three Carnival inspired cocktail recipe, you can head here.