Cognac

One-Of-A-Kind Remy Martin Louis XIII Decanter for Sale at $70,000

On March 12 in Singapore the renowned House of Rémy Martin will offer a unique decanter of its famed Louis XIII cognac (above) from the 1930s for sale at about $70,000. The precious elixir will be on offer at the Master of Spirits event organized by DFS, one of the world's leading travel retailers, in partnership with Changi Airport. The Baccarat crystal decanter contains Louis XIII Grande Champagne Très Vieille Age Inconnu cognac dating back to the mid-19th Century, a crown jewel of the House of Rémy Martin.

The decanter, certified by the Rémy Martin's cellar master Pierrette Trichet, was created from a series of carafes that were served as part of a royal banquet in 1938 at the château de Versailles in the presence of His Majesty King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It comes presented in a unique seamless full-grain leather and rare wood box set. In addition, Rémy Martin will offer for sale two of the last remaining carafes of Louis XIII Rare Cask and one magnum decanter of Louis XIII Black Pearl at the prestigious event.

Tags: Asia, Baccarat, brandy, cognac, decanter, France, Louis XIII, Louis XIII Black Pearl, Louis XIII cognac, Queen Elizabeth, rare spirits, Rémy Martin, Remy Martin Black Pearl, Remy Martin Louis XIII, royalty, Singapore, spirits, Versailles

Cohiba Cognac from Martell

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Few things go as well together as cigars and cognac. When lighting up your favorite stogie, you could open just any bottle of cognac, or you could uncork the latest from Martell.

Specially crafted for and in collaboration with the famed Cuban tobacco company, the Martell Cohiba cognac has been aged from 40 to 50 years before being bottled at 43% alcohol by volume. The special eaux-de-vie has a rich amber hue, and is made to compliment a fine Cohiba cigar.

Source

Tags: cognac, cohiba, cohiba cognac, martell

Holiday Shopping Guide: Collectible Cognacs

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Forget about wine (just for a second): this season's gift to have and to hold onto is cognac. With its stately maturity and supple, refined flavors, a well-chosen bottle of cognac doesn't just reward your giftee for 2010, its an investment in their imbibing future. If your bottle remains unopened next year it's not because they didn't approve, it's because they deem it an heirloom.

Pierre Ferrand Collection Privée 1914

World War I was in its first year when this Grande Champagne cognac began its long journey. Scoring a perfect 100 in France's Gilbert & Gaillard 2010 wine guide, the 1914 vintage ($1,500) is exceptionally developed with yeasty, dark fruit flavors and plenty of woody sweetness. For the rare book collector on your list.

Tags: cognac, collectibles, collection, france, holiday gift guide

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EXCLUSIVE: Rugged Fall Style Starring the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Spirits, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style, The Classicist

Click above for a high-res image gallery and full credit info

Some people look at the colder weather as an excuse to head south for the winter; we like to think of it as an opportunity to wear lots of new clothes and find fun ways of keeping warm. In the spirit of getting ready for the season in style we took the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, some classic country clothing and ruggedly handsome accouterments on a tour through the glorious autumnal landscape of northern New England, documenting our excursion with the cool new Olympus PEN E-PL1 digital camera. We let the foliage flaunt the bright colors, keeping the clothing to an elegant, understated palette of greens, grays and earthy tones with rich leather, suede and alligator skin details and subtle tortoiseshells and tartans for contrast. Warm textures of wool, cashmere, tweed, moleskin and waxed cotton combined with equestrian and hunting elements guard against the elements and the hazards of the terrain (and local fauna), handling any activity without sacrificing anything in the way of style.

That's also an apt description of the new Cayenne Turbo, hands-down the sportiest SUV around. For 2011 it gets a sleeker and more aggressive appearance, better performance and fuel economy, garnering it the 2011 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year title (they noted that "the Cayenne's driving experience eclipsed that of every other contender"). Powered by a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine generating 500 hp, it can do 0–60 mph in just 4.4 seconds if you're so inclined. Equipped with the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel-drive system it can do just about anything else. Fitted with Porsche's new eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel and a luxurious leather interior influenced by the Panamera, it features a state-of-the-art navigation system with real-time traffic updates, a surround sound system with iPod interface, Bluetooth hands-free phone operation, 18-way adaptive sport seats and more – in short, all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a $105,000 SUV with a Porsche pedigree.

Gallery: Rugged Fall Style - Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Grousa sweater jacket by Fjallraven; tumbled leather boots by Ralph Lauren

Moto jacket by LINCS by David Chu; shirt, tie and pants by Ralph Lauren; boots by Hunter

Cashmere sweater by Brooks Brothers; shirt and pants by Ralph Lauren; cap by Locke & Co., London

Gentry Russell boots by Wolverine 1000 Mile; scarf by Hermes

Tags: alligator, Barbour, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, camera, cashmere, cognac, David Chu, equestrian, Fjallraven, Hunter, Hunter boots, hunting, LINCS, mens style, New England, Olympus, Panamera, Panerai, Persol, Pierre Ferrand, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Ralph Lauren, Rolex, Steve McQueen, SUV, tweed, UK, watches, Wolverine, Wolverine 1000 Mile

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Rugged Fall Style Starring the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo”

Giorgio G Ltd. Edition Cognacs from Giorgio Gucci

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Giorgio Gucci, grandson of the man who founded the famed Italian fashion house Gucci in 1905, has launched an exclusive new line of limited edition cognacs for those who appreciate the finer things in life. Giorgio worked in the family business for over five decades building the Gucci brand into a global powerhouse before selling his interest in the company and launching his own fashion label, Giorgio G, now expanded with the line of cognacs. The rare old ultra-premium spirits, sourced from scores of eaux-de-vie from France's famed Grande Champagne region selected for their characters and softness and aged in oak casks, come in three different expressions: Giorgio G XO, Giorgio G Grand Cru (above), and Giorgio G Grande Champagne Premier Cru, set to be distributed by Emperor's Brand.

The XO is over 35 years old, fruity and spicy with a deep mahogany color accented by brilliant glints of red flames. Rich, concentrated and powerful, it has notes of buttery vanilla and chocolate with wood and leather undertones. The Grand Cru is 50 years old, glowing and coppery in color. Its fragrances include notes of grapes, prunes, apricots, smoky oak and vanilla in addition to jasmine and honeysuckle. The taste is powerful and well balanced with a slightly spicy bouquet and peppery overtones. And the Grande Champagne Premier Cru is over 50 years old, shiny gold in hue. Notes of prunes and elderflower complement light vanilla, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas. The taste is soft and full-bodied with a mixture of nutmeg, vanilla and licorice notes.

Tags: cognac, France, Giorgio Gucci, Gucci, Italy, spirits

Diageo Eyeing 100% of LVMH Drinks Business?

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Spirits

Diageo may want LVMH drinks.

Bain & Company, a U.S. retail consultant company, published a study recently that claims a surge in luxury sales of apparel, shoes, accessories, leather goods, and perfumes, despite the sluggish economy because, as Claudia D'Arpisio, a company spokesperson said, "The recovery has been faster than expected."

The company expects a 3 to 5 percent increase in luxury goods sales in 2011, and points out that the market for luxury goods is likely strongest with young males in China.

Headed by France's richest man, Bernard Arnault, LVMH deals in all sorts of luxury goods and the company recently took a 14% stake in Hermes. Analysts think that's only the start of a takeover bid.

Gallery: Diageo Eyeing LVMH Drinks Business?

Tags: 10 Cane, Belvedere, captain morgan, cognac, Diageo, Dom Perignon, glenmorangie, hennessey, Hermes, Krug, moet and chandon

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Remy Martin Unveils VSOP Hot Holiday Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The famed French cognac house of Rémy Martin, founded back in 1724, has been part of countless holiday celebrations over the centuries. This season the venerable fine champagne cognac's VSOP expression, the best-selling VSOP cognac in the United States, is getting a glowing makeover for the holidays. The new limited edition Rémy Martin VSOP Hot Holiday bottle (above) is appropriately dressed in red for the festivities. The colorful cladding also recalls the fact that Rémy Martin VSOP has been a symbol of style and sophistication since its introduction in the exuberant Paris cabaret scene in 1927. The cognac itself is amber in color with rich flavor and a refined aroma. Smooth and easy-to-drink with appealing notes of vanilla, violet, apricot, peach and licorice, it's silky and warm on the palate with a well-balanced taste and long finish. Perfect on its own or over ice, we also enjoy it with soda and lemon or in a Sidecar.

Tags: brandy, cocktails, cognac, France, holiday 2010, holidays, Remy Martin, spirits

Courvoisier Packs a Punch with Heathrow Bar

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Most consumers of cognac probably enjoy theirs neat and straight, but Courvoisier would like you to think about using it for mixed drinks. To that end, the French company is launching the Courvoisier Spirit of Punch initiative.

The centerpiece of the push will be a dedicated bar at Terminal 3 of London's Heathrow Airport, where parent company Beam Global Spirits & Wine expects as many as 5,000 passengers will stop by to sample its Spiced Orchard Punch – made with Courvoisier Exclusif fine champagne cognac – before it closes shop after just a couple of weeks.

Other initiatives in the Spirit of Punch will include displaying a giant punch-bowl good for 6,000 people and seminars on the history of punch.

Source

Tags: cognac, courvoisier, courvoisier exclusif, heathrow, london heathrow, punch, spirit of punch, travel retail

Pierre Ferrand Launches 100-Year-Old Cognac

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Pierre Ferrand, one of only a handful of Cognac houses in France specializing in old Cognacs from the coveted Grande Champagne region that are not blended with lesser varieties, has come out with a new 100-year-old bottling.

The limited edition L'Hommage de Pierre Ferrand was born of Cognac distilled prior to World War I stored in the shade of Ferrand's Logis d'Angeac cellar for more than a century.

Bottled in an exquisitely crafted, numbered crystal carafe, only 10 bottles will be available for sale in the U.S. by special order for the suggested retail price of about $3,000 apiece.

The aged spirit has taken on a beautiful dark shimmering bronze color after its long repose in its wooden cask. Exceptionally smooth, it has aromas of prune and candied fruits. Each bottle comes in a wooden case with a certificate of authenticity.

"We wanted to offer something supremely special from our cellars," notes Alexandre Gabriel, president/owner of Cognac Ferrand. "We chose a beautiful bottle to contain this rare Cognac [but] the taste is even more beautiful than the bottle."

Tags: brandy, Cognac, Cognac Ferrand, crystal, France, Pierre Ferrand, spirits, World War I

Last Drop Cognac Launches: $2,700 Per Bottle.

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The people who brought us The Last Drop whisky in 2008 are releasing The Last Drop Cognac , a rare brandy from two French oak casks that the purveyors say were found in an abandoned distillery hidden in the woods of France Coganc region.

"This cognac is magical," says Tom Jago, partner, The Last Drop Distillers Ltd. "It was a long, time consuming journey to locate the casks, but we feel privileged to be able to share these precious bottles with those who appreciate fine cognac."

"The opportunity to own a bottle of The Last Drop Cognac is extremely limited, since there are only 478 bottles available worldwide and it's among the best cognac offerings available. It fills a niche in the market for our customers," says Bill Anderson, President Infinium Spirits, importer for The Last Drop Distillers, Ltd.

The brandy was distilled in a wood-fired, copper still and aged in casks for 60 years. When Jago made his discovery, most of the liquid had evaporated, but what remained, he says, was exceptionally aromatic and complex. "I was amazed when I assessed this cognac," says Jago. "What I tasted was at once old yet fresh. By that, I mean a perfect offer – the cognac had indeed aged, but the fresh spirit of the cognac is still very apparent. I could not be more exhilarated with the thought of sharing this with my friends and partners," adds Jago.

Just like any spirit that has been maturing for 60 years, this delicate cognac is handled with care; it is hand-bottled and sealed with wax then placed in a velvet-lined leather box which includes a Certificate of Bottling stating the date it was bottled and the bottle number. A 50 ml miniature is included in the package, so consumers who purchase the bottle as a gift can still sample the cognac, or the bottle can be added to a collection, while the collector can still take pleasure a tasting.

The Last Drop Cognac is available through Infinium Spirits in the U.S. The suggested retail price is $2,700

Tags: Cognac, Infinium Spirits, Last Drop Cognac, Last Drop Distillers, Last Drop Whisky

Delamain Cognac's New Holiday Gift Sets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The House of Delamain, one of France's oldest and last family-owned cognac producers, is coming out with something special for the holidays. The luxurious offerings from the House of Delamain, which has been in existence since 1759, are exclusively grande champagne. The new Delamain Extra de Grande Champagne Gift Set (above), for $199, features a decanter of Extra, a blend of intense and complex 35-40 year old Grande Champagne Cognacs, along with two deluxe tulip shaped Cognac glasses. Delamain is also offering a new Trio Pack of three 200 ml bottles of Grande Champagne cognacs including the Extra, priced at $99, for those wishing to sample a wider range of the House's eaux-de-vie. The additional Trio Pack offerings are their Pale & Dry XO and Vesper; Pale & Dry is a blend of 20-25 year old spirits with a bright amber color, while Vesper runs from 30-35 years and is fuller, rich and mature.

Tags: cognac, decanter, Delamain, Delamain Cognac, France, gifts, Holiday 2010, House of Delemain, spirits

Courvoisier Introduces Connoisseur Collection, $3K L'Essence

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Courvoisier has one request for the release, next month, of their age-stamped Connoisseur Collection: please, no cocktails.

Sitting down with Pierre Szersnovicz, the cognac house's director of spirit quality control and global brand ambassador, conversation wandered into a discussion of how, and why, someone would create a spirit simply for blending (nay, disappearing) into a mixed drink. While suitable for others, understandably so given the cocktail's continued reign, Szersnovicz emphasized that the newly created Connoisseur Collection was an appeal to the cognac aficionado and not the mixologist. To wit, Courvoisier will release two age declaring bottles in October, a 12-year and a 21-year (like whiskey, both numbers represent the youngest age in the blends). The 12-year old is a blend of stock from the crus of Borderies, Fins Bois and Grande Champagne, while the 21-year old is comprised entirely of the top-tier Grande Champagne. Double distilled, both bottlings are then put through a two-step aging process, first in young French oak barrels and then in reused casks to extract their tannis. The young barrels, which the house selects from a number of areas including Limousin, are given a medium char for subtle wood and vanilla notes, which avoids an aggressive, over-oaked profile. The results are evident in the 12-year, which shows light wood notes, spice and fruit with a finish of cloves and anise. As for the 21-year, the floral notes recede to highlight dried fruit, cooked honey and sandalwood.

And for those whom the market has come back to (or never went away from), Courvoisier introduces L'Essence. Housed in a Baccarat-designed decanter, which requires 30 craftsmen to produce and features a crystal stopper emblazoned with Napoleon's signet, L'Essence de Courvoisier contains a blend of 100 eaux-de-vies stretching back 60 to 70 years. A reliquary-like display box presents the bottle (which can be engraved) upright and illuminated by several LED lights. Wonderfully mature and complex, only 125 bottles will be available in the US, priced at $3,000. As for mixing this one, well, that's your call.

Tags: baccarat, cocktails, cognac, connoisseur collection, courvoisier, decanter, france, LEssence, spirits

Remy Martin Unveils $1,000 "Diamant" Cognac

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Rémy Martin has unveiled a new super-premium cognac it will begin selling through travel retail this October.

"Diamant" Fine Champagne Cognac is crafted from some of the most sought after grapes in the Champagne region. According to Cellar Master Pierrette Trichet, Diamant contains very rare grapes and boasts traditional distillation methods and long maturation in Limousin oak casks. "To create Rémy Martin Diamant, I have selected the rarest eaux-de-vie from the heart of Cognac – from among the top 10% that are the most prized - and polished them like a precious stone," says Trichet.

Fine Champagne Cognac blends between 300 and 400 eaux-de-vie made exclusively with grapes from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne regions. Rémy Martin selects each year eaux-de-vie from Petite and Grande Champagne, from among the local distillers' best production.

On the nose, Rémy Martin Diamant has delicate floral notes of honeysuckle and iris, followed by an aromatic heart of summer fruits such as plum and fig. After that come notes of hazelnuts, candied orange and hints of saffron and jasmine.

Inspired by a faceted diamond nestling in a jewelry box, Diamant will be launched in October at DFS stores in celebration of the leading travel retailer's 50th anniversary. Price: US$1,000. The DFS launch will be followed in December by the Cognac's introduction at other key travel retail outlets.

Tags: champagne, cognac, diamant, grapes, remy martin

Rémy Martin Releases First Clear Spirit, V

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The cognac house of Rémy Martin ventures into new territory this September with V, the brand's first clear spirit.

V (pronounced "vee," a play on the French "vie," meaning "life") is a departure, not only in its composition but also its intent. The spirit is meant to be mixed as a base in cocktails, and Rémy Martin has paired with a NYC mixologist to offer several ways of how to do that. To achieve its clarity, V is produced using fall-harvested grapes from the house's crus in Cognac, which are then distilled in copper pot stills and blended. But instead of going into barrels for aging, this distillate is cold filtered (down to 14F) throughout the winter months and then left to mellow throughout the spring. It is only during the following summer that V goes into bottle and is ready for consumption. The result is a crystal-clear spirit with hints of pear and mint.

We'll avoid any "clearly" puns here and just say that at the moment we're looking forward to seeing how this release will be viewed.

(750ml; $40)

Tags: clear, cocktails, cognac, france, remy martin, spirits

Louis XIII Holds Court at New York Strip Club

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events

A white hummer pulled up in front of the club, and armed guards were on hand to meet it and escort the passengers. A welcoming committee, of sorts, waited on the red carpet, flanked by me and people like me. The passengers, of course, were a pair of Louis XIII Rare Cask de Remy Martin cognac bottles, and their destination club was the Rick's Cabaret gentleman's club in Manhattan.

Rick's may seem like a strange venue for such a rare spirit. According to Louis XIII senior brand ambassador Remi Brabant, only 786 bottles of the Louis XIII Rare Cask were made, and most will go to private buyers. This is also the case with the 30 bottles allocated to the U.S. market: most will not be featured in clubs. Yet despite these constraints, three bottles were made available to Rick's Cabaret – with the third going to the company's Tootsie's club in Miami.

Frankly, I was a bit surprised that a gentlemen's club would get such a high allocation. Make no mistake: Rick's Cabaret is an upscale establishment, and it provides a luxury service that can get as pricey as you'd like. But, it's just not what you'd expect ... it's not what I'd expect, and I tend to be rather open-minded on these matters. I used to cover Rick's Cabaret and had the pleasure of interviewing the company's CEO, Eric Langan, on several occasions.

Gallery: Louis XIII Rare Cask Remy Martin Arrives in Manhattan