Luxury Lands in Canada
Looking for something particularly rare to add to your cellar collection? Do you happen to have some money you’ve just been itching to spend? Well, for $3200 you can be the proud owner of a bottle of the new “luxury” cognac just released by Courvoisier called, L’Essence de Courvoisier. Only 50 bottles will be sold in select liquor stores and on-premise accounts Canada-wide.
The L’Essence de Courvoisier blend consists of over 100 eaux-de-vie from the most exclusive crus in the cognac region, Grande Champagne and Borderies. The cognac is a combination of rare blends housed in cellars dating back to the early 20th century with eaux-de-vie from the 1970s and 1980s.
Courvoisier has partnered with the French crystal house, Baccarat, to create the crystal decanter for this cognac. Each decanter is handmade and is individually numbered. On its website, Courvoisier claims that, “In 1811 Napoleon visited their warehouses in Bercy, just [outside of Paris] and was hosted by Louis Gallois, the Mayor, and Emmanuel Courvoisier. Legend has it that Napoleon I later took several barrels of cognac with him to St Helena, a treat much appreciated by the English officers on the ship who named it ‘The Cognac of Napoleon’.” In honour of that association, the crystal stopper on the decanter is inspired by the legend of Napoleon’s ten signet rings, which were bestowed upon favoured military commanders who had committed noble acts.
Creator and Master-Blender of L’Essence de Courvoisier, Jean-Marc Olivier, who has now retired, suggests that, “L’Essence de Courvoisier is a timeless blend of the finest ‘eaux de vie’ from the last two centuries. Hand-selected as the most innovative of their generation, blended together to produce … a definitive cognac for any era.”
Tasting Notes
Aromas of sandalwood, cigar leaves, toffee, marzipan and fresh honey.
Flavours of liquorice, dried plum and apricot.