MARTELL | French cognac xo, vs, vsop, noblige, cordon bleu, creation grand extra, cohiba and l'or de Jean Martell

Martell very important friends

interview

See

Creations

News

Back

watch

Discover

Exclusive cocktails for Martell

cocktail

Miles Aldridge
Colour is music
British photographer Miles Aldridge, famous for his shots of models which appear on the covers of the major fashion magazines, photographed the latest Martell Cordon Bleu campaign. Inspiration is born from a flash of light nestled at the bottom of a glass of cognac... What does colour mean to you? "Colour is music. It carries emotions. When I think about a photo, colour comes before shape. Most often, I like to create an encounter between warm and cool colours. In the Martell Cordon Bleu campaign, I was inspired by the combination of the warm hues of cognac with the blue of the brand. The way the golden hints play with the sparkle of the glass and the light shines through the cognac's amber hues, like a flame standing out against the blue of the label..." Is the notion of time important to your work? "I like the idea that the awareness of time exists in a fixed image. The image itself contains the unfolding of a scenario. In the Martell campaign, the notion of passing time is palpable, extending through the night with a party that begins at the poolside and continues indoors, behind the blinds, where you can make out the shadows of the dancers." In French, the word plastic refers both to the material plastic, which is smooth and artificial, and the forms of a woman. Your photos seem to play on this double meaning. "Yes, this goes back to the idea of a perfect image where the smallest detail is under control. In fashion photos, everything--shapes, lights, colours-- is subjugated to plastic. But never without emotions. The women in my photos are lost in their thoughts, melancholic. The photographer is there to represent the world he lives in, with its excesses, its strange dependencies, its strange dependency, and its joys as well." Martell in the eyes of Miles Aldridge "Martell has a fantastic heritage and has embraced modernity as well, through partnerships like mine. I find that very courageous."
SEE Martell Cordon Bleu by Miles Aldridge
SEE Martell Cordon Bleu shot by Miles Aldridge
image

Paul Andreu
Cognac is the result of a creative process.
Paul Andreu, one of the most famous French architects, has created an exclusive gift box for the Martell XO bottle. It testifies here to his interest in cognac through the main principles that govern architectural creation…Like architecture, cognac is destined to stand out over time. Like architecture, cognac goes beyond the constraints inherent in its creation, to express a world rife with emotions. Creativity What is interesting is the thing, which creates disorder in what already exists. You have to recognise this and use that disorder… for a new order. Environment I like to think that you bring a building into its environment as a proposal and in a dialogue with it. For example, light can decide the colour while the wind may change something…. Architecture and cognac Cognac is the result of a creative process. I perceive it as such because creativity forms a fundamental part of my life, colouring the way I view this product. There’s a commonality, a familiarity even, between creating cognac and creating art. Tradition Cognac for me is a kind of tradition. I have always thought it couldn’t be called just an industry, but a kind of cultural activity. I like the idea that they blend. Like the Bordeaux wine, things from different origins, different grapes are blending. Colour One of the most precious thing in the Cognac is the colour itself. When you put it in a glass, you always look at the colour, which slowly came out of the barrel, out of many things and years of preparation. Martell XO Bottle A gift box cannot be a piece of architecture but it can speak of it. We thought about a kind of case, which could be as precious as the bottle itself and should highlight the beauty of the content. The idea was that this case would have a longer life than the content of the bottle, which normally will disappear rather rapidly. Custom People of my generation are used to drinking cognac after good meals with family or friends. It’s something they like to share. But there are many other ways to drink cognac. To be honest, sometimes I like to drink it with chocolate! It’s perfect ! Martell in the eyes of Paul Andreu : “Working for Martell was very interesting. It’s like you’re working in an old part of a town. It’s important to be full of respect, full of deference, but in the same time, you must forget about it and just be at the level of it to bring something new.”
See Martell XO Architect edition by Paul Andreu
image

Jacques Lameloise
Every year, Martell holds an exclusive dinner for its Chinese clientele, prepared by a great French chef. In 2009, Jacques Lameloise, who has three Michelin stars in Burgundy, was given carte blanche. The handing down of family expertise is central to the history of the great brands. While people come and go, they leave their mark behind. What impressions have you brought back from your trip to China with Martell? "I was particularly impressed by the quality of the reception in Shenzhen. The place was entirely redecorated by Martell. But the tasting was the best surprise for me. I was concerned that the cognac, which was served throughout the meal, would overpower the food. But it couldn't have been further from the truth. Martell cognac is fine and full of flavours; it can be drunk like a wine and, like wine, weaves a tapestry of correspondences with the most sophisticated dishes." How does one embody tradition and embrace modernity at the same time? "I am the third generation of a family of chefs. When I returned to Chagny following my apprenticeship, my parents had already had one star for nineteen years. Our work together as a team allowed us to earn the second star in 1974 and the third in 1979. Modernity came progressively. With the new techniques, the sauces and confits became outmoded. Today, it is logical to prepare scallops with green apple juice rather than with cream." You have passed the torch to your nephew, Frédéric Lamy, who is now director of the restaurant, and to Eric Pras, who has been in charge of the cuisine since 2008. With the restaurant carry on the Lameloise spirit? "That is indeed the challenge of passing the baton. The restaurant will keep its name and the great classics that have earned it its reputation, but Eric Pras is also bringing in some more personal dishes, which he has invited me to test. I will be able to devote myself to my passion for old cars. I have eight convertibles and I participate in rallies with my amateur and gourmet friends..." Martell in the eyes of Jacques Lameloise : “Martell cognac goes very well with all sorts of dishes. Its quince, apricot, and vanilla flavours and velvety texture produce a sweetness that blends with seafood as well as with meats.”
image

Andrée Putman
My house is made of a thousand treasures that all have a story to tell.
In 2006, the famous French designer Andrée Putnam designed a magnificent cognac glass for Martell house. She recently submitted to a Chinese Portrait-style question-answer game. In the places she designs, Ms Putnam likes to play with colours, bringing out infinite variations on the shades of a single colour. The way cognac changes colour over time and depending on the time of day. If I were… A colour: Klein Blue A shape: a shape inside a square A material: a glazed stoneware tile finally meeting a fine-gold tessera.* I have always worked to reconcile poor and rich materials. An object: a surprise bag. My house is made of a thousand treasures that all have a story to tell. An aesthetic quality: A perspective An architectural building: The Abbaye de Fontenay in Burgundy or La Samaritaine A time period: Mine. I am very curious by nature, and very attuned to different flows of information. I travel a lot, I meet a lot of people, and as Paul Valery used to say: "Whatever I do, I'm interested in everything." An imperfection: Being curious and into everything A sense : the comfort of the eye A concerto : Sibelius for his melancholic charm A childhood memory : trout fishing A terroir : the south of France A cognac : fruity A glass : The balloon glass, of course. For Martell, my aim was to reinterpret the traditional balloon glass by slightly modifying its shape and substance. The base is wide and sturdy, like a vine rooted in the ground. The body is full and slightly narrowed to preserve flavours. I wanted to expose the essence of the Martell Cordon Bleu cognac. So I imagined a rope unfurling on the surface of the glass like an infinite spiral of energy and grace. Martell in the eyes of Andrée Putman : An age-old spirit in a modern-day bottle...I like this meeting of the eras; they communicate in a way that nourishes both body and soul.
See the Martell Balloon glass by Andrée Putman
image

Colin Field
“I would have been a cognac”
Without losing his inimitable British sense of humour, Colin Field, head barman at the Ritz in Paris, slips into the “skin” of a Martell cognac. A dialogue with substance… The pleasure of tasting comes with deep knowledge of the subject. If you were a Martell cognac I would be a Martell XO. It is the perfect balance between “Grande Champagne” and “Borderies”, two precious vintages that produce very fine eaux-de-vie whose weight and elegance complement each other perfectly. … you would taste of violets, grapes, the Tronçais oak, apricots, almonds, peaches, apples, butter and wood… A Martell cognac has all these flavours, and many, many more! … your colour would be Amber, gold, honey tones. If the Tronçais oak barrels could shine like the sun, they would be the same colour as an XO. Fire, fruit, wood, sun and earth: these are all present and can be seen in the glass that holds me. … how would you be tasted? As simply as possible: in a wine glass – that’s what I prefer. You begin by noticing my amber robe with copper highlights. Then, you breathe in my first notes, sharp as a knife. With the first mouthful you taste the richness and complexity of figs and grapes, punctuated with the smooth bitter notes of chutney. You taste me again and I open up even more to release subtle hints of hazelnuts, almonds and precious sandalwood. I finish by draping your palate in silk, leaving an impression of elegance and fullness that calls for another rendezvous. And if you hadn’t become a bartender… I would have been a cognac! Cognac according to Colin Field “Cognac is a living product. It evolves through its contact with wood and people, over a slow aging process that brings out its character. To achieve the perfect blend, you must go to the Charente region; you have to see the fruit, the distillation process, the cooper, the barrels, the cellar master, smell the young cognac and follow it as it matures.”
Discover Colin Field Exclusive Cocktails for Martell:
- 1715
- Golden Swallow
image

Direct Access

Join us on Facebook

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

This is replaced by the Flash content.

Place your alternate content here and users without the Flash plugin or with Javascript turned off will see this. Content here allows you to leave out noscript tags. Include a link to bypass the detection if you wish.