MARTELL IS CHARRING COGNAC CASKS TO MAKE A MORE INTENSE CORDON BLEU

Martell Cordon Bleu Toasted Casks

Pernod Ricard-owned Cognac house Martell is ringing in the Chinese Year of the Rooster with the launch of Cordon Bleu Intense Heat Cask Finish, which utilises a first-of-its-kind finishing process for the brand.

Available in Asia Pacific travel retail, Martell Cordon Bleu Intense Heat Cask Finish is created using a cask toasting and finishing process new to the Cognac house.

Extra heat is applied to the casks using as if charring an American whisky oak barrel.

Then, the cognac is aged 6 months.

The resulting Cognac is said to offer “heightened fruit and spice tasting notes” including a “fruity citrus sweetness, a toasted nuttiness and robust spice”.

The pack also features invisible thermochromic inks that react with a consumer’s body temperature to glow fiery red when rubbed, designed to replicate glowing embers.

Martell Cordon Bleu Intense Heat Cask Finish is available in Asia Pacific travel retail now.

Source: The Spirits Business

SALES FROM REMY COINTREAU SHOW GROWTH

Remy Cointreau

After a strong third quarter, Rémy Cointreau’s sales were up by nearly 5% (and 6% on an organic basis) over the first nine months of its fiscal year. The company’s organic sales rose by 9% in the third quarter (ending December 31, 2016), as high-single digit growth in the U.S. market combined with a double-digit advance in China to produce significant progress.

Rémy’s third-quarter sales bump more than doubled analysts’ projections. Flagship brand Rémy Martin was the company’s growth engine over the first three quarters of its fiscal year. 

The Cognac brand’s sales grew by 11.2% on an organic basis. Meanwhile, in China, the brand’s depletions were up by high-single digits, in part because of the earlier Chinese New Year. Beyond Rémy Martin, Rémy Cointreau’s liqueurs & spirits unit (led by Cointreau) grew by 4.1% over the first three quarters, while its partner brands business fell by 15%, mostly due to the end of distribution contracts for Piper Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck in several key markets.

Source: Shanken Daily News

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BNIC IS HIRING TEUWEN PR AGENCY TO PROMOTE COGNAC

Teuwen and BNIC

Food and beverage PR specialist Teuwen has been named 2017 agency of record for Bureau National Interprofessional du Cognac (BNIC), which acts on behalf of all the Cognac growers and firms of the region of production, as well as Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance in California and Long Island Wine Council in New York.

These are the first spirit Geographic Indication and American wine associations to join the agency’s client roster since being founded in 1995 by Stephanie and Geert Teuwen.

Current clients include: Amy’s Kitchen, Bordeaux Wines, Champagne Laurent-Perrier, Côtes de Bordeaux, Elena Walch, Esporão Wines, Falesco, Le Botaniste, Le Pain Quotidien, Rhône Valley Wines, Saint-Émilion-Pomerol-Fronsac and Wines of Alsace.

Started in New York City, Teuwen branched out this past year with the opening of an office in the San Francisco Bay area.

Please Teuwen help!

OLIVIER VERNON GIFTED $300,000 OF COGNAC TO HIS GIANTS FRIENDS

Custom engraved bottles of Louis XIII cognac (Retail: $3,000 each) have been given to every member of the Giants by Olivier Vernon.

Remy Martin Cognac Louis the XIII

Vernon, who started his career with the Dolphins, is in the first year of a five-year, $85 million contract he signed with the Giants over the offseason.
Why not?
If one can afford it!

Source: Complex, Photo REMY MARTIN

INNOVATIVE HAND MADE BRANDY IN ISRAEL

The Pelter family has long been in the tradition of distilling with an uncle traveling in a Ford T going from East to West of the USA to offer distilling service with a home made pot still in 1920 with the start of prohibition.

They distill using a used old cognac pot still they had sourced in France. It is small and therefore can only produce small batch.

They did not follow any one and Pelter is producing spirits from Majhoul dates which was the genesis of this distilling, then single grape brandy of merlot, gin, apple brandy, and soon whisky.

Pelter Distillery makes Single Grape Brandy of Merlot in Israel

They use the resources and grapes from their estate which is very reputable in Israel.

Source: Pelter Winery and Distillery

DIAGEO IS TARGETING EXPERIENTIAL CONSUMPTION WITH TECHNOLOGY

Diageo Consumer Research

Diageo's report released this week presents research gathered by a team of professional cultural ethnographers into three key trends that will shape the way we socialise in 2017 and beyond.

These trends can be seen in a wide range of activity around the world from the growing popularity of immersive entertainment to the advent of technology than can transform the home.

1. the growing desire for “exceptional” experiences among younger consumers,
2. the ongoing trend toward more at-home drinks consumption, and
3. and consumers’ desire to “optimize” their drinks repertoire with products tailored to a specific lifestyle or diet.

One example of how Diageo is targeting the “experiential” piece is through its foray into virtual reality programming with The Singleton brand, in which consumers are virtually transported to the Scottish Highlands region where the whisky is produced.

Meanwhile, it’s catering to the at-home entertainment trend by partnering with delivery services like Drizly in the U.S. and Deliveroo in the U.K., and with the recent launch of a new Johnnie Walker “digital mentorship” program leveraging digital platforms to encourage consumers to further their whisky knowledge from within their own homes. On the specialty product front, Diageo touts the potential of recent offerings like dairy- and gluten-free Baileys Almande and low-carb and zero-sugar Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Seltzer.

In conclusion:

Exceptional becomes the rule.
Solutions right at your Home.
Taking control of our choices.

Sources: ShankenDailyNews.com, DIAGEO

50 YO THE DALMORE FINISHED IN CHAMPAGNE CASKS

Whyte & Mackay (part of the Group Emperador, largest brandy producer) brand The Dalmore is marking master distiller, Richard Paterson's, 50 years in the whisky industry by releasing a 50 year old single malt, finished in Domaine Henri Giraud champagne casks.

cognacdailynews-thedalmore-50-champagne

This is not the first 50 years old scotch whisky for The Dalmore. Perhaps, the 3rd I would say.

The Dalmore 50 year old has been crafted in partnership with four other luxury houses:

1) Domaine Henri Giraud: cask finished from craft champagne producer.
2) Baccarat: glass bottle maker.
3) Linley: packaging maker.
4) Hamilton & Inches: silvering.

The artisans at French crystal house Baccarat have created crystal decanters, each of which will be held within a presentation case designed and crafted by the accomplished furniture makers at Linley.

With up to 50 decanters released, hand-filled on order, The Dalmore 50 has been matured in American white oak, Matusalem oloroso sherry casks from the world renowned Gonzalez Byass Bodega and port Colheita pipes from the Douro region of Portugal, before undertaking a final finesse for 50 days in champagne casks from Domaine Henri Giraud.

Each decanter will be adorned with a solid silver stag, created by silversmiths Hamilton & Inches, holder of The Royal Warrant.
Richard Paterson, master distiller at The Dalmore says: “This is a special year for me so I chose to finesse this whisky in a champagne cask, as this magnificent drink is synonymous with celebratory occasions.

The 5 steps of The Dalmore 50 Year Old:

1) 1966: The Dalmore new make spirit began its journey in American white oak ex bourbon casks

2) 2003: The maturing whisky is transferred to Matusalem oloroso sherry casks

3) 2012: The whisky is transferred to port Colheita pipes

4) 2016: In January of this year, the spirit was transferred to bourbon barrels as it reached its desired taste profile, prior to finessing.

5) November 2016: The whisky was finessed in Domaine Henri Giraud Champagne casks for 50 days before bottling.

Source: The Drinks Report