LOUIS XIII

Situated on the banks of the Charente River, the Cognac region of France is divided into six different crus (cru is the French term for growth zones): Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bon Bois and Bois Ordinaire. The Grande Champagne cru, which comprises approximately 34,000 hectares, is known for its quiet hills and rich, chalky soil, and is considered to produce the finest cognac in the region.LOUIS XIII Cognac is unique in a multitude of ways to start, Rmy Martin (the producers of LOUIS XIII) harvests grapes from the Grande Champagne cru, then distills on lees, referring to the solids left over from pressing the grapes. This lends a more concentrated character to the final product, and Rmy Martin is the only producer to do this.Then, the resulting eau de vie (French for water of life) is aged in French Limousin oak casks that have been cut, aged for two years, charred and formed to the exact specifications necessary for crafting LOUIS XIII. As the liquid ages, it is transferred to older and older barrels, moving constantly from one cellar to the next in order to create just the right climate for aging.Finally, to create the traditional LOUIS XIII Cognac, over 1,200 different types of Grand Champagne eaux de vie are blended together, with the youngest eau de vie being 40 years old and the oldest being over 100 years old. Given this astounding aging process, each bottle of LOUIS XIII has been stewarded by at least three generations of cellar masters from Rmy Martin.Named after King Louis XIII of France, who was perceived as the cognac protector, LOUIS XIII Cognac has a striking floral nose with notes of candied fruits and light spices. The nose leads to bolder touches of rose, jasmine, passion fruit and nutmeg on the palate, transitioning into a finish accented by figs, prunes, sandalwood and honey.Modeled after a flask that was lost on a French battlefield more than four centuries ago, each crystal decanter of LOUIS XIII is hand-blown, numbered and decorated with fleurs-de-lis, requiring the work of eleven exceptional craftsmen. Pick up a truly extraordinary cognac today!