Martell VSOP Red Barrel Cognac, 70 cl with Gift Box

Product Information

By 2015 Martell was producing around 14 million bottles of its cognacs a year, [3] making it the world's second-largest cognac producer behind Hennessy. In comparison to other cognac producers, Martell is the only one to distill from exclusively clear wines (impurities have been removed) to produce what’s known as eux-de-vie, which is then used to make cognac. VSOP stands for “Very Superior Old Pale”: VSOP cognacs are created from eaux-de-vie aged for at least four years. The VSOP category includes designations such as “Old” or “Reserve”.

Jean Martell, a young merchant, was born on the island of Jersey in 1694. [4] It was then a location known for smuggling, which may have led to his involvement in the liquor trade. [4] In 1715 he began his own trading business at Gatebourse in Cognac, [5] on the banks of the Charente, and thus founded one of the first cognac houses. Variations of the logo he chose, a swift in combination with the Martell family coat of arms, have been in use ever since. [4]The oldest of the great cognac houses, founded by Jean Martell in 1715, Maison Martell is renowned throughout the world for the finesse and elegance of its cognacs, the result of a legacy of savoir-faire handed down through nine generations. Together with a passion for its craft and a profound attachment to the terroir, Maison Martell is defined by the audacity with which it has pioneered new expressions – from the icon Martell Cordon Bleu in 1912 to the trailblazing Martell Blue Swift today. Since 1715, Maison Martell has perpetuated an uncompromising savoir-faire defined by the decision to age its eaux-de-vie exclusively in barrels of fine-grained oak. A factor that determines the sweetness and floral notes of Martell’s cognac is the terroir or the actual land that the grapes are grown on. The region of Cognac is divided into six different vineyard areas. The climate of the region gives Martell’s cognac very rich aromas and smoothness. What determines a cognac’s color? In 2006, Martell joined the Comité Colbert, an association that promotes French luxury houses on an international scale.

A bottle of Martell Cordon Bleu can be seen in the opening scene of Apocalypse Now (1979), on the bedside table of Captain Willard (played by Martin Sheen). [18] See also [ edit ] Fill a tall glass with ice and add all the ingredients. Garnish with a thin peel of pink grapefruit. Enjoy this quality VSOP in many ways; perhaps in the traditional manner, as a digestif gently warmed in the hand. It works superbly over ice, or even straight from the freezer! Whatever way you choose to drink it, this Martell Cognac will certainly be well received at all kinds of occasions. Presentation of the bottle Group two was chaired by Matt Chambers, spirits writer and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog. He was accompanied by: Evan Prousaefs, bar manager at Sexy Fish; and Dr Winnie Bowman, Cape wine master, wine and spirits judge and writer. In 1912 the marque launched Martell Cordon Bleu at the Hôtel de Paris, its first post- phylloxera cognac. While sold without designation (Martell XO is a distinct product), it is regarded as the oldest XO equivalent cognac still in production, and is widely credited as the first mass-market premium cognac. [9] Martell Cordon Bleu was served at the coronation of George V, on the maiden voyage of the RMS Queen Mary, and on board the Concorde. [10]Just like with other cask or barrel aged alcohol, cognac pulls the flavor and color from the casks that it’s stored in. The older it is, the longer the cognac has been able to pull these qualities from the cask’s wood. The darker the cognac, the older and richer it is.