Wednesdays on the BottleBlog will feature an education session on wine, beer or spirits. Today, Shannon Spare discusses Louis XIII Cognac.
This week, a few lucky Joe Canal's employees (not today's blog author, unfortunately) were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend an industry tasting at Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City. The store was abuzz with the featured special event of the occasion: a Louis XII Cognac seminar and tasting. Of course, still learning, this meant nothing to me, until store manager Zack Goldberg took me to the locked case in the front of the store.Louis XIII is the most coveted cognac in all the world. Its legacy reaches far and wide. The cognac is manufactured using grapes from the Grande Champage territory of Cognac, France. It is blended from 1200 eaux-de-vie, some more than a century in age, then it is aged in oak barrels that are several hundred years old.
Tasting notes of this acclaimed cognac include a color of golden-yellow with mahogany highlights and red notes. The nose is said to include hints from the oak barrels it's aged in (also called tiercons), as well as floral and spicy undertones. The taste is said to be, according to Remy Martin, the producer, "a dense celebration of floral notes and candied fruits with hints of spices..." "notes of jasmine twirled with nuances of passion fruit, ginger and nutmeg," as well as "touches of roses and iris," dancing with "elements of fig, prunes, sandalwood and honey."
One of the really special things about Louis XIII cognac is its crystal decanter. Each decanter is unique, combining the work of 11 trained craftsmen who first blow the crystal, place by hand the characteristic ornaments, and decorate the neck with 24-carat gold.
It's rumored that once a bottle of Louis XIII is empty, you can take it to the distillery in France and have it refilled for free. I can't find any substantiation of that clam, however. Has anyone heard of this?
Is your palate wishing for a taste of Louis XIII? Ask a manager to unlock the cabinet for you to pick up a bottle... it'll only run you $1,699.00!
Have you tried Louis XIII? What were your thoughts? Leave me a comment below!
I savored a snifter of Louis XIIIin 1985 at The Savoy Hotel in London, thanks to a well-to-do friend. While excellent, I don't think my palate is refined enough to distinguish it from cognacs in the $80 to $200 range, so it was a one-shot treat.
ReplyDeleteBTW, a clerk at the Devon Wine and Spirits store in PA said he has a customer who buys it by the case. I'd love to trash pick an empty decanter one of these days.
On my mother's birthday, my brother would take her to a very nice restaurant and after the meal she would be treated to a glass of Louis XIII cognac, gently warmed over a candle. She was always delighted; just one of the ways we tried to demonstrate our appreciation for the wonderful lady she was. Twice he bought her the empty bottle (once we emptied it ourselves). I still have an empty one, would love to take it to France and test your rumor out!
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