cognac review

Tasting the $15,000 Louis XIII Rare Cask Cognac

Filed under: Spirits

Every once in awhile a cognac comes along that turns the industry upside down. Whether by chance or science, or simply by fate, the one thing these cognacs have in common is they were all produced with a great amount of love at each step of the process. The Louis XIII Rare Cask from the House of Remy Martin is no exception.

I was invited to sample this rare cognac, presented by Pierrette Trichet, the first woman to serve as a Louis XIII Cellar Master. Trichet first identified this exquisite cask in 2004, and noticed it was different for two reasons. One, it had an alcoholic strength of 43.8, above the standard 40 degrees, and two, it had an intense aromatic bouquet, much stronger than most. There's no telling what produced the exact conditions to make this exact cognac. But whether from slight cask movements at blending times or historic conditions in the aging process, there's no human way to replicate the process. Building on this chance of nature, Trichet isolated the cask for four years, cultivating it into the perfect balance between aromatic nose and cognac strength.

Gallery: Louis XIII Rare Cask Tasting