The last flight of the day was Vintage – Single Cru, in which the final Master of the competition was discovered: Cognac Frapin – Millésime 1990. Martell cognac is available in different types, mostly differing from each other with age, such as the VS, VSOP, and XO. The VS is made from the least aged eaux-de-vie while VSOP has four years of age in the least and the XO, at least ten years old. The flavors in each differ where the VS category offers more fresh and fruity flavors. You will find stewed fruits and jam aromas in VSOP category and flowery and spicy aromas in the XO category of Cognacs.

The VS – Single Cru flight delivered a Gold medallist in the form of Courvoisier Cognac VS. Chambers found notes of “caramel and treacle” on the nose, followed by “pepper, raisins and woody spice” on the palate.

Tasting Martell VSOP

Five Gold medals, including one for “elegant” Jean Fillioux – Napoléon, and two Silver medals concluded the flight. 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] a b "Spirits & Wines: Martell takes a bold new direction". The Moodie Davitt Report. 2003-10-31 . Retrieved 2022-03-24.

The judges were divided into two panels, the first of which was led by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business and chair of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions (GSMC). She was joined by: Ruchira Neotia, partner – Collectivino; and Ed Bates, founder of Distilled London. A Master medal was also given to Jean Fillioux – Très Vieux Extra. The judges enjoyed “lovely notes of raisins and candied orange” on the nose, and “a good pinch of baking spice” on the palate. The round also produced five Gold medals. 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. By this logic, VS bottles of cognac tend to be a lighter amber when poured. XO bottles of cognac are very dark and smooth. This applies to all cognac producers, not just Martell. Martell specifically uses fine-grain oak wood, which gives their cognac a delicate woody flavor.

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The Cognac has a rather unique, luminous appearance, tempting you to enjoy its deliciously spicy aromas that have been imparted from the red oak casks in which the Cognac was aged. The ‘Tronçais’ casks refer to the fact that the trees are planted closely together to slow their growth rate which results in fine grain. It is this proximity that allows the light tannins to infuse the eaux-de-vie with aroma. 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. In 2010, Martell renewed its sponsorship with the Palace of Versailles, which began in 2007, by supporting the restoration of the Queen's antechamber. [14] Products [ edit ] Map of the Cognac region Courvoisier XO also met the Master criteria, delighting the judges’ palates with “caramel and woody spices, a hint of chocolate-coated raisins, rancio and old furniture polish”, and a “hint of gingerbread” at the end. This elegant and harmonious cognac, exemplifying Maison Martell’s approach to ageing, is now being unveiled in a vibrant, new design that is consistent with the House’s heritage and legacy of audacity.

The vintage bottling impressed so much that following the retasting of the Master medallists, it was voted the ‘best in class’ of the day – The Cognac Taste Master 2023. 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. Greenhouse, Steven (1987-12-17). "Seagram Makes an Offer for Martell". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-03-24. The number of top medal winners unearthed in this year’s blind-tasting competition showed how many amazing expressions there are to investigate in the Cognac category. The 2023 tasting discovered some Master-worthy bottlingsMartell VSOP is the result of an uncompromising savoir-faire, which is defined by ageing eaux-de-vie exclusively in barrels of fine-grained oak. In 1795 a marriage between the Hennessy and Martell families [6] cemented a strategic alliance that created an effective duopoly in the cognac market. Another marriage followed in 1865. [6] While still in competition, the two companies also made joint decisions, for example introducing the star grading system at the same time. [7] This semi-formal relationship was dissolved in 1947 after the death of Maurice Firino-Martell. [8]