the oldest of the great cognac houses
century
Since 1715
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  • King Louis XIV died. Having overseen a magnificent flowering of artistry and craftsmanship during his reign, the Sun King left France an enduring passion for beauty and excellence. This same year, Jean Martell, a young merchant from Jersey, started a business in Cognac on the banks of the Charente River, founding the very first of the major cognac houses.
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  • Following Jean Martell’s sudden death, his widow Rachel took over the running of the cognac trading house. Encouraged by the growth of the business and prompted by the requirements of eau-de-vie production, the family bought a typical Charentais estate, ‘Gatebourse’, with vineyards and cellars.
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  • Rachel Martell handed over the running of the company to her two sons, Jean and Frédéric-Gabriel Martell, leaving them to continue their father’s work. Business overseas flourished, with the first shipment of cognac in barrel to the United States soon following.
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  • Martell became purveyor by appointment to Napoleon Bonaparte, who lost no time in recommending its cognacs to his consul Cambacérès and physician Baron Corvisart. Both in turn served Martell to their guests.
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  • In England, cognac was all the rage, and George IV was known to appreciate a ‘Very Old Brandy’. London became the principal centre of trade in Martell cognacs, with the firm’s first advertisements appearing in the Carnaby Street area.
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  • Martell created its first ‘VSOP’ (Very Superior Old Pale) cognac and the first shipments were dispatched in barrel to London.
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  • Using new equipment imported from England in 1848, Martell marketed its first bottles with the blue and silver label.
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  • Martell was delivered to the Tuileries Palace in Paris, then the official residence of Emperor Napoleon III.
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  • Martell’s renown spread internationally, with the start of exports to China, Japan and other Asian markets.
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  • Following a decision to market a cognac ‘dedicated to luxury establishments only’, Edouard Martell created Martell Cordon Bleu, an outstanding cognac of unique flavour which he launched in Monaco’s legendary Hotel de Paris.
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  • During the First World War, Martell cognacs accompanied soldiers to the front, including British regiments stationed in Flanders. At the signing of the Armistice, on 11 November 1918, Martell Cordon Bleu was chosen to toast the long-awaited end to hostilities.
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  • The luxury liner Queen Mary set sail from Southampton on its maiden voyage to New York. The many VIPs and celebrities on board could choose from an exceptional wine list featuring a host of grand crus as well as timeless cognacs from the House of Martell.
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  • Martell cognacs hit the headlines when famous explorer Paul-Emile Victor, a great connoisseur of cognac, took eight cases with him on a polar expedition.
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  • Martell cognacs were served at the gala dinner given for the wedding of Prince Rainier of Monaco and Miss Grace Kelly.
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  • The 250th anniversary celebrations underlined the success of the House of Martell with a gold cup for ‘Bon goût français’ (French good taste) and an award for its export achievements. Counting prominent figures such as D.W. Rockefeller and Winston Churchill among its clients added to the brand’s aura of prestige.
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  • In an act as symbolic of Martell’s strong Asian links as it was indicative of the French desire to cement Franco-Japanese relations, a case of Martell Cordon Bleu was presented to the Japanese Emperor Hirohito during his state visit to France.
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  • Martell Cordon Bleu was served to Concorde passengers on flights from Paris to New York, highlighting the cognac’s ties with the art of travelling in style.
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  • In Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Martell Cordon Bleu cognac was enjoyed by Martin Sheen’s character as a symbol of serenity and civilization against a backdrop of barbarism and the cruelty of war.
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  • Martell Cordon Bleu featured on the menu of a special Orient Express service from Venice to Copenhagen.
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  • With its high profile in China, Martell decided to mark the return of Hong Kong to China with its ‘L’Art de Martell’ cognac, produced in a limited edition of 1,997 bottles.
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  • Forging ever-closer links with the creative arts, Martell launched its annual ‘Martell Artists of the Year’ exhibition in China, honouring four artists who display the ‘spirit of inspiration and independence’ characterised by Jean Martell.
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  • Martell launched its new ‘Martell XO’ cognac.
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  • Martell joined the Comité Colbert, the prestigious association of French luxury-goods makers.
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  • Martell launched ‘Martell Création Grand Extra’ with its decanter created by renowned glass-designer and artist Serge Mansau.
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  • Martell entered into a cultural partnership with the Palace of Versailles, sponsoring the magnificent exhibition ‘Quand Versailles était meublé d’argent’ (‘When Versailles was Furnished with Silver’), which brought together for a limited time the silver furniture created for European royal residences in the seventeenth century.
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  • Martell launched its ultimate cognac <i>L’Or de Jean Martell</i>, the embodiment of Martell’s time-honoured expertise and its remarkable 300-year quest for perfection.

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