This ‘cooling cellar’ keeps it exactly at 13°C, replicating the conditions in one of Rémy Martin’s maturation cellars
We cover a lot of high-end spirits that come in special packaging like handmade crystal decanters or custom-made boxes built out of 100-year-old oak that was air dried for three years. But the latest from luxury Cognac brand Louis XIII is certainly one of the most unique to date—the new Black Pearl release is housed inside a “bespoke cooling cellar,” essentially a high-tech mini fridge, that keeps the liquid at exactly 13°C. We got an early taste, and it’s not just the packaging that is impressive.
Louis XIII, which is produced by Cognac house Rémy Martin, is well-known for being a high-end, premium Cognac that comes in an eye-catching decanter. The blend includes some very old eaux-de-vie that were produced from grapes grown in Grande Champagne, the premier cru in the Cognac region. There is no age statement on the bottle, but it’s more about the selection and blending of the various spirits than it is about revealing exactly how old the liquid is.
The Black Pearl edition was first introduced in 2007, and was said to include eaux-de-vie from 40 to 100 years old. This new edition was created by cellar master Baptiste Loiseau to highlight the specific maturation conditions in the Cognac house’s Le Grollet cellar, where it was put into an individual tierçon to rest before bottling. According to the brand, the heart of the blend is one eaux-de-vie selected by Loiseau from a specific demijohn that was originally produced by the previous cellar master, Pierrette Trichet. At a tasting last month, Loiseau said that creating this new Black Pearl edition was a four-year process of finding exactly the right eaux-de-vie that could reproduce the flavours of classic Louis XIII at a specific temperature, while still bringing something new to the experience.
To that end, each decanter, which is being released in a run of just 398, comes inside of an “individual cooling cellar,” as the brand likes to call it. What that actually refers to is a backlit, stylish mini fridge that keeps the Cognac at exactly 13°C, which is said to be the temperature in Le Grollet. “Each tasting in Le Grollet is a deeply moving sensory experience,” said Loiseau in a statement. “Its aromatic palette is beautifully elevated by the cellar’s atmosphere, its ethereal humidity, cool temperature, and enveloping half-light in winter. It reveals hidden facets of Louis XIII, unveiling a richer, more profound essence, akin to uncovering ancient treasures.”
When you first sip the spirit, it’s much cooler than you might be used to, but it’s still extremely floral with notes of rose and lavender, along with tannin, spice, fruit, and earthy leather and cigar flavors. According to Loiseau, part of the experience is the way in which the liquid warms in your glass as you sip it, or what he calls a “journey through different temperatures” to experience how the palate changes as it slowly warms.
Black Pearl: Tribute to the Birthplace of Louis XIII will be available to enjoy by the glass at upscale establishments in cities like Paris, London, New York, Shanghai, and Kuala Lumpur. It will also be available to purchase through the Louis XIII network of private client directors, with each set priced at US$28,000. You can visit the brand’s website to find out more.
This story was first published on Robb Report USA. Featured photo by Louis XIII