Whoever said ‘Do not judge a book by its cover,’ evidently never got a good look at the Louis XIII Black Pearl limited-edition Cognac. It’s a unique blend coming directly from an exceptional eau-de-vie preserved in a glass demijohn in the historic Le Grollet cellar, one that is balancing beauty and history perfectly. Speaking of perfection, to make the experience as memorable as possible, the $28,000 Black Pearl arrives with its own refrigerated “cellar,” beginning the tasting at 13°C before the spirit changes character as it warms.
At the heart beats an extraordinary eau-de-vie, selected by Cellar Master Baptiste Loiseau and infused into a single tierçon to create this singular blend, reported FoodandWine. With this unique tasting ritual, the blend is experienced tasting directly from a tierçon inside Le Grollet during winter. The saying, all good things take time, takes physical shape in this case upon reaching ambient temperature. The Louis XIII Black Pearl awakens, gaining its signature brilliance and light. The inimitable experience then unveils deeper facets, warm spices, richer rancio, nutmeg, and whispers of chocolate.
The Black Pearl project was developed over four years when cellar master Baptiste Loiseau decided to replicate Louis XIII to replicate the experience of Louis XIII as it is tasted . To realize this one a kind idea he returned to the oldest eau-de-vie, removed it from the cask and placed it in a glass demijohn to halt the aging process. Loiseau infused the eau-de-vie from the demijohn into the rare and precious eaux-de-vie resting in a single hand-selected tierçon creating a one-time-only blend.
“Each tasting in Le Grollet is a deeply moving sensory experience. Its aromatic palette is beautifully elevated by the cellar’s atmosphere, its ethereal humidity, cool temperature, and enveloping half-light in Winter,” said Baptiste Loiseau, LOUIS XIII Cellar Master. “It reveals hidden facets of LOUIS XIII, unveiling a richer, more profound essence, akin to uncovering ancient treasures.”
A total of 398 decanters are up for sale and each comes with a bespoke cooling cellar that chills the Cognac. Interestingly, the decanter mimics the same transformation as the Cognac inside, almost electric blue on the edges and a stark black at the centre. It gives a midnight-blue avatar to the LOUIS XIII’s distinctive flattened, almost circular flask shape. As for the Cooling Cellar it uses a circular illuminated frame inside which the bottle sits. It accommodates the decanter and two bespoke tasting glasses, delivering an experience that is everything from theatrical, magical and ethereal, in one go. The 398 sets are sold through LOUIS XIII’s private-client directors. The Cognac will also be available by the glass at selected venues in New York, Paris, London, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur.
