CNA Luxury had the opportunity to taste the Reserve du Chateau de Chanteloup when it was unveiled to the media at a gala dinner at Chateau de Chanteloup last December. The cognac offered an inviting bouquet of honeysuckle, cherries, and liquorice. Right off the bat, the rich, velvety texture of the cognac was apparent on the palate; the flavours of caramel, dried herbs, cedar, and vanilla were very well-integrated and seamless. Valtaud and his team seem to have pulled off something spectacular here. This is a precious cognac you’d want to open on special occasions.
The bottle design is also a conversation starter. A collaboration between luxury crystal maker Baccarat and Martell — their sixth partnership since 1949 — the crystal decanter has a sleek profile with a neck wrapped in 19-carat gold and topped by an elegant stopper. It is presented in an ornate wooden box.
“When I joined Martell seven years ago, I was hoping for a chance to make a new L’Or de Jean Martell edition so I started preparing the reserves [for the Reserve du Chateau de Chanteloup],” said Valtaud. “I learned from my predecessor that’s important to take your time [to make cognac], and to not work for ourselves but for those that come after us — that’s why we created so many reserve blends so we can share them with future cellar masters.”
L’Or de Jean Martell – Reserve du Chateau de Chanteloup, S$9,888 (US$7,338). For more information, visit Martell’s website
CNA Luxury was at Maison Martell in Cognac at the invitation of Pernod Ricard.