LUX Xmas 2018

LUXLIFE MAGAZINE | 17 Xmas 2018 aging of the cognac. Once the drink is stored inside the barrels, a large portion, up to 50%, of the product evaporates. This equates to approximately 27 million bottles of Cognac each year. This is a massive amount of liquid that is lost during the aging process, but it is a necessary sacrifice in order to produce world- class cognac, and as such is known as the Angel’s Share. The trip itself was more than just the auction however. It was a learning experience; one where we could discover what cognac really is, and sample some of the best the region has to offer straight from the source. Wherever we went, be it at a worldwide cognac house such as Courvoisier, an independent one such as Cognac Paul Giraud, or even a presentation at BNIC headquarters, one thing was a consistent theme with all of them: they all mentioned that they wished to market cognac to a younger demographic. For me, this was the key takeaway of the trip. Stereotypically, cognac is seen as a digestif; a late night drink consumed by the older generation. The price can also be off putting for younger market. Cognac is more expensive to make than traditional spirits, therefore it generally retails at a higher price. There is a shared belief among many in the cognac community that marketing to a younger generation is key to the development of the product. Since the turn of the millennium, cognac has been more prevalent amongst younger markets but this is still a percentage that they are trying to increase. In 2002, Busta Rhymes released a song entitled Pass the Courvoisier, which caused sales of the product to go up by 30%. Since then, other artists such as Nas, Jay-Z and Drake have also mentioned cognac in their music, which contributes greatly to the exposure the product has received. Additionally, it was announced, coincidentally on the same day as La Part Des Anges, that Hennessy would partner with internationally acclaimed director Ridley Scott, who will direct their Hennessy XO campaign in 2019. This will expose Hennessy to a different audience than it has been previously. There has been a greater emphasis from within the BNIC to try and market to the younger generation through the use of cocktails and shorter drinks. The most renowned of these drinks is called the Cognac Summit, so called because it was created during a summit that was held by the BNIC several years ago. The Summit is cognac and lemonade, with a garnish of fresh ginger, lime and cucumber. We tried this during lunch on our first day and it was the perfect refreshing drink that was required on a hot day whilst sat by the banks of the Charente River. There are other classic cocktails which you can use cognac in, such as the Sidecar and the Sazerac, but even these aren’t popular amongst today’s youth. There is a definite attempt on the behalf of the BNIC to try and come up with more drinks which will appeal to their targeted demographic. Another key market that the BNIC are trying to target is one that may surprise you; the French market. On our first morning in Cognac David Boileau, an ambassador with the BNIC, told us that cognac is a drink ‘made for foreigners by foreigners’, referring to the history of cognac which was originally discovered by the Dutch as they transported wine from the region back to their homeland. As such, only 2.2% of all cognac sales in 2017 were domestic sales, the rest primarily to the USA, China and Singapore. In fact, the French market doesn’t have the taste for many spirits. The general French public much prefer wine. The first way to move into the domestic market is to start locally and branch out. Martell, one of the biggest cognac brands in the world, have made a bold move to try and ensure cognac is more accessible to the locals. Earlier this year they opened a rooftop bar, which is open every week to members of the general public. We were lucky enough to be invited up to the bar prior to the auction to meet some of the staff. It is the highest building in Cognac that you can climb and the views were outstanding, particularly in the setting sun. As well as having the normal bar set up, complete with beers, wines and spirits, there is of course a clear emphasis on cognac. They have even created a cognac cocktail menu, headlined by the Cognac Summit. Many of the cognac houses are experimenting with new ways to bring innovation to the product, whilst maintaining the proud heritage that the BNIC are so eager to maintain. Two of the houses we visited, Bache Gabrielsen and Martell, have each produced a cognac that is inspired by classic American bourbon. The methods of producing the cognac remain the same, until the aging process is reached. Here, instead of placing the cognac into barrels made from French oak, they are placed inside American oak barrels much like those in which American bourbon is aged. This changes the smell and the flavour; the smell is more similar to that of bourbon, just with fruiter notes whilst the taste has the smokey hints of bourbon, with a long fruity finish. These drinks are manufactured with cocktails in mind; they can replace the rum in a Dark and Stormy, or the bourbon in an Old Fashioned. As a bourbon drinker myself, it is of no surprise that these were two of my favourite cognacs that were sampled. This trip to Cognac truly was a memorable one, and we learned so much about cognac; it’s history, the unique ways in which different companies create different blend and varieties of cognac. Despite visiting some outstanding locations and meeting some fascinating people, the highlight of the trip was of course La Part Des Anges. The setting was beautiful, the food was exquisite and witnessing my first ever live auction was a really fun experience. It was great to see a lot of money raised for charity and to see lots of people from different cultures having conversations over a glass, or two, of cognac. Many thanks go to the BNIC for organising La Part Des Anges, Phipps for inviting LUXlife along, and to Paul Jean Giraud, Bache Gabrielsen, Merlet, Taransaud, Martell and Courvoiser for welcoming us into their businesses and teaching us about cognac, the drink and region. One thing is for sure; my first visit to the gorgeous region of Cognac will not be my last. To find out more please visit: http://www.cognac.fr