Martell VSOP Cognac Medaillon

About Martell VSOP Cognac Medaillon

Martell V.S.O.P. (‘Very Superior Old Pale’) Médallion commemorates the year House Martell was founded, 1715. The bottle has a gold medallion emblem with the engraving of a portrait of Louis XIV. Martell's V.S.O.P. cognac blends eaux-de-vie of at least 4 years of age, using grapes from four cognac crus; Grande and Petite Champagne, Fins Bois and the Borderies. This blend differs from the others in the Martell line, which use grapes predominantly from the Borderies.

On the Nose there are aromas of a bittersweet lime and liquorice, quince, raisin and plum. Followed by fresh Spring notes of fine grain and hazelnut. In the mouth it is complex with soft crystallized-fruit notes. The finish is long and round.

The Martell cognac house is the most longstanding of all the major cognac houses. For over three hundred years, this House has been passed down through generations. They pride themselves on their rich heritage and craftsmanship. Martell was founded in 1715 by Jean Martell, along the river Charente, at the very pinnacle of the French L’Art de Vivre. This French concept of “the art of living,” embodies the notion that one should elegantly embrace the richness of life. House Martell strives to capture this essence in their craft.

Martell, a member of a prominent merchant family from the Jersey Channel, started what would become a rich legacy in the cognac industry. The young Briton began this journey as a broker, purchasing casks of Borderies cognac and wine and selling them in the Channel islands, Normandy, Picardy and Holland. Successive failures due to the economic climate at the time saw a great rise and fall of wine and cognac prices. But with Jean’s entrepreneurial spirit, and through profitable marriages into families of prominent cognac merchants, (particularily to Jeanne-Rachel Lallemand, “a direct descendant of Jacques Roux, a pioneering 17th century cognac merchant”), House Martell saw great success.

In 1721, it is reported that they exported over 200,000 liters of signature blend to Great Britain alone. After Jean Martell’s death in 1753, the operation was taken over by his widow, his two sons, Jean and Frédéric, and his brother-in-law Louis Gabriel (brother of Jeanne-Rachel Lallemand), who further developed the house, transcendently expanding its influence. By the 19th century, Martell had established itself as the most prominent international exporter of cognac in the world, reaching as far as China and Japan.

House Martell has full range of cognacs; a collection of 10 expressions. The Martell distillery uses grapes from the major cognac crus. The majority of their offerings use Ugni Blanc (or Trebbiano) grapes from the Borderies vineyards, and their cognac is aged in distinctive Tronçais oak casks. They use a double distillation method, with traditional "Charentais alembics" (pot stills).

Try this delicious cognac blend today!