Isn’t it a pretty sight?
Arrival of limited quantities of Martell’s luxury Cognac, L’Or Réserve du Château de Chanteloup, in the United States. However, there is no word of something even more costly and exclusive: Les Remarquables de Martell, a single bottle of Cognac that is anticipated to fetch a price tag of one million euros, or almost $1.1 million, making it one of the priciest Cognacs ever made (the Henri IV Dudognon Heritage bottle was nearly $2 million back in 2008).
What, therefore, makes a single bottle of Cognac so precious? Well, there’s a lot of subjectivity and marketing involved, but Les Remarquables de Martell is a unique release. The beverage is a combination of two Eau-de-vies chosen by cellar master Christophe Valtaud from the Grande Champagne cru that was distilled over 70 years ago. The Cognac was kept in the Réserve du Fondateur of the Cognac house after first aging in the cellar of Port du Lys, which was constructed in the 1700s by the sons of founder Jean Martell. With cedar notes and “power, tension, and length on the palate”, the first eau-de-vie is a little bit older than the second.
A pricey spirit like this one must, of course, have a fancy presentation, which this one does. The cognac is presented in an artistic reproduction of a dame-Jeanne, which is another name for the glass demijohn that is used to store cognac. Known for her macrame creations, Laurentine Perilhou used gold thread to symbolize the vine’s journey from roots to grapes in this piece that pays homage to terroir and nature. “From the Earth to the Sun, from the roots in the soil to the vine leaves turned upwards to the light,” she stated in a statement, “I aimed to make the invisible visible.”
In addition, the bottle features a diamond set in 22-carat gold and three artificial sapphires. The dame-Jeanne is presented in a wooden cabinet along with six Baccarat glasses, a pair of white gloves to prevent fingerprints from being left on the priceless decanter, and a macrame neck decoration for the bottle.
This single dame-jeanne of Cognac comes with some benefits if you’re fortunate enough to buy it, such as a private tasting with Valtaud where you can choose to add another eau-de-vie to the blend. Additionally, Valtaud and Maison Martell will be hosting several private events that you and three friends can attend. To learn more and to make an offer on this work of liquid art, go to the Martell website.
