How to enjoy a cognac in a perfect style


Luxurylaunches is keen to share a connoisseur’s tips about enjoying Cognac to its fullest. Reckoned to be the preferred drink of wealthy and famous, Cognac is actually favored for its rich flavor. Vincent Cleme, the Brand Ambassador of LOUIS XIII India for Remy Martin, has been generous to share his knowledge and expertise with us about this glorious drink and how to savor it.’

The right excuse –
Drinking wine and spirits is never about the drink you choose but all about the experience you build around it. Old beliefs die hard; however, drinking a cognac nowadays does not mean only enjoying a snifter after dinner by the fireplace at home anymore.

Whether you plan to spend the night clubbing with colleagues or chilling out at home with old good friends, there is a cognac for you and always a perfect way to enjoy it! As the saying goes, the best thing is nothing but the one that fits you…

The right elixir at the right temperature –
Cognac is not a “meditating” drink anymore. Like wines, some younger “every day” cognacs can be consumed in a more easy/fashionable way. At a party, younger VS (aged minimum 2 years) or VSOP (minimum 4 years) would be the right to choose for a long drink, a cool cocktail, or on ice. Even more happening are the frozen VSOP shots, like Remy Chill de Remy Martin, to be enjoyed at -18 degrees with cranberry juice, apple juice, or even energizing drinks… The variations are limitless, depending on your mood!

Having said that, it is recommended to appreciate cognac neat, as one of the most complex and fine spirits in the world, with a more robust bouquet of aromas and a length on the palate 2 to 3 times higher than a whisky. A XO (aged for a minimum of 6 years) or Extra Old is the right choice here as the long aging process is making the cognac more complex.

The right glass –
For cocktails, logically opt for a long drink glass or a martini glass. Choose a shooter glass for chilled shots and a tumbler glass for on-ice consumption. However, should you want to enjoy a good cognac in its purest form – neat – you owe it to the nectar to select the best drinking vessel and ensure the best tasting experience.

Essentially, the idea is to give it the largest surface area possible while closing it at the rim to concentrate the aromas up to the nose and get the best introduction to the palate. While it is believed to intensify the aroma, the snifter also concentrates the alcohol vapors straight to the nose, annihilating the whole experience. That’s the main reason why cognac specialists recommend best serve it in a cellar-master glass or a tulip-shaped wine glass.

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louis-xiii-pillet-glass
The right pace –
Despite the new ways of drinking cognac, a good cognac remains the perfect companion of a true moment of peace and relaxation in a hectic day. The same way a chilled shot glass has to be gulped down, a good cognac must, on the contrary, be savored…

  • Observe

Start by pouring 20-25 ml in the glass and heat it in your palm for 8-10 minutes to intensify the aromas. Take this very same time to look at your cognac – eyes are the first step of a proper tasting. Notably, look at the color – it characterizes the age of cognac. For example, the light-straw color points to young cognacs while straw-yellow, amber, golden and auburn-red to older.

rmn-cognac

  • Sniff it right

It’s time to smell, but again, let’s take the appropriate time… positioning a 40-degree cognac close to your nose too quickly could spoil the experience. Start by positioning the glass close to your stomach. You will be surprised by the power of “montant” odors that arise from your belt up to your nose. Slowly raise the glass whilst inhaling to prepare your nose. Once the glass reaches your face, put the nose to the edge of the wineglass and inhale. It’s usually floral or fruit odors you first smell, such as violets, iris, rose, pear, cherry, apricot, plum, fig, quince, grapefruit, jasmine, orange zest, nut, or peach. Come off and shake up your cognac before bringing the glass to the nose again, slowly inhale, and now enjoy a full bouquet, fruits, wood, spices, etc. Repeat this three or four times. Each time, a change in the bouquet will be very noticeable.

  • Time to taste

Now, let’s taste the cognac, but first, wet your lips in the cognac and take a small sip to coat your mouth, and prepare your palate for the tasting. Only then should you take a mouthful and enjoy it. You will immediately sense if the Cognac is round, if it is short or long, and if you can taste the same elements as those you smelled. If all of if it falls into place, and you enjoy it, then you found the right Cognac for you

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Amidst choices to truly indulge your senses in pure ecstasy comes the ultra-luxe cognac, LOUIS XIII. Nicknamed The King of Cognacs, everything about it is exceptional and having a glass of LOUIS XIII becomes a truly unique experience. Imagine: When you swish Remy Martin’s deep amber-colored LOUIS XIII around in your mouth, you actually taste 1200 Eaux-de-Vie from the fertile hillsides of the Grande Champagne area, the best cognac terroir, aged up to 100 years and blended! One sip and the precious nectar’s mahogany color unveils a cognac with a polyphony of tasting notes evoking dried fruits, the smell of incense with hints of sandalwood. With the next sip comes a firework of countless aromas, including plum, ginger, cinnamon, and Cuban cigars, unveiling the softness and smoothness of the Eaux-de-vie.

The perfect pairing –
The perfect pairing heightened the pleasure of cognac drinking. The connoisseurs prefer to pair it with a cigar, chocolate, caviar, or cheese, depending on individual preference.

louis-xiii-cigars
One should not limit cognac’s legacy to food; cognac is the excellent partner of unforgettable times. A good cognac shared with family or friends in the evening, relaxing by Beethoven or Mozart’s symphonies, makes for the perfect moment. So next time you want to cherish memories with your loved ones, don’t forget that there is a cognac for every occasion.

About the author –
All the views expressed in this article are personal. Vincent Cleme is Brand Ambassador, LOUIS XIII India for Remy Martin.

Rémy Martin is one of the oldest cognac houses with 300 years of history and wine-growing experience. The House of Rémy Martin only produces Fine Champagne cognac, gathering Eaux-de-vie from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne, the two best areas in the Cognac region. Remy Martin is n°1 in the world in superior quality cognacs.

A Century in a bottle, LOUIS XIII de Remy Martin, is among the world’s oldest and finest Cognacs. It is the unique blend of 1200 Eaux-de-Vie, all from Grande Champagne, the best Cognac terroir, and aged up to 100 years in century-old casks.

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