REMY MARTIN x ANISH KAPOOR
LIMITED EDITION XO COGNAC
COGNAC, FRANCE
This limited edition XO is a rare prize even for Rémy fans and obsessives: their Fine Champagne XO Cognac married to an opulent blend of eaux-de-vie (each of which has been aged at least 10 years), inside a dazzling bottle reimagined by the world-renowned sculptor Anish Kapoor — in other words: an extraordinary expression, inside and out.
We’ve long considered ourselves Rémy loyalists, and not because the actor Jeremy Renner has been a brand ambassador; or because the director David LaChapelle created a bottle label; or because not one but two Who-men, Pete Townshend and Roger Entwistle, gave the brand shout-outs on their solo albums; or because, over the past few decades, it’s become THE household name in Cognac, the standard against which all others are measured.
No, we’re fans because, for one, Rémy’s production methods predate the American Revolution by half a century.
For another, the current Cellar Master, the great Baptiste Loiseau, is a master at turning Grande and Petite Champagne grapes into brandies of exquisite complexity and smoothness. This one's a multi-valent marvel. Start with the alluring color, a fiery mahogany laced with gorgeous opal tones. On the nose, it’s as aromatically complex and intense as you could wish for, exploding with floral and fruit aromas. The palate, though — this is a story all its own, a slow, unfolding journey, exotic and sophisticated, that takes you from ripe plum and candied orange to spices and hazelnuts and that concludes, and gloriously, with evocative hints of roasted cocoa beans and honeyed gingerbread.
Full-bodied, smooth, and with a finish that refuses to say goodbye: this, friends is Cognac as art form.
And speaking of art: the vessel is every bit the equal of the juice.
Kapoor, universally regarded as one of our greatest living sculptors (check out the stirring Cloud Gate, in Chicago) has captured Rémy's essence by doing what he’s known for — transforming simple materials into works of transcendent beauty. His reimagined bottle, sleek and black and with stunning gold detailing, seems both timeless and utterly contemporary, and makes for a stunning presence on any cocktail cart.
A conversation piece that elevates the ritual of serving and sipping, and a Cognac that packs nearly three centuries of know-how and care.
And one of those rare instances where craft transcends commerce.
Do yourself a favor, and gift yourself or someone you love a taste of timelessness. But hurry; our allocation is limited.