LOUIS XIII travels back in time with The Origin – 1874

LOUIS XIII has launched its ‘The Origin – 1874’, the inaugural edition of its new and limited Time Collection, in Singapore.

In the house of Rémy Martin its LOUIS XIII Grand Champagne cognac reigns supreme, with only the top 10% of eau de vie produced by the maison from grapes grown in the Grand Champagne area of the Cognac region and then aged in old oak barrels – some of which can be matured in oak for up to 100 years – ever used to blend the expression.

Time, of course, is critical in the aging of eau de vie, and the longer it’s kept in oak the more complex its flavours tend to be. LOUIS XIII’s newly announced Time Collection is a tribute to the passage of time, not only in reference to the aging of its precious stocks, but also the maison’s own history. 1874, of course, is the year when Rémy Martin first concocted LOUIS XIII, and ‘The Origin – 1874’ celebrates that inception.

But the truth is that ‘The Origin – 1874’ reaches further in time for inspiration. In 1569 a fierce battle was being fought in the name of religion during the Huguenot Wars in the Charentes region near the town of Jarnac, and in the ensuing chaos an unnamed solider dropped his precious metal flask – possibly holding water, but most likely some form of alcohol to help ease the horrors of combat – that would be covered by the sands of time until it was found by a grape grower centuries later. That flask, with its signature spiked sides, would lend its design to LOUIS XIII’s iconic decanter design flourished with the fleur-de-lys.

The meticulously-handcrafted decanter for ‘The Origin – 1874’ also borrows that selfsame design but instead is formed from pure St Louis crystal and incorporating 13 spikes instead of the usual 10. Its stopper is also unique, bearing the design of a stopper that Paul-Émile Rémy Martin once used himself; a miniature upturned decanter that’s spiked with dentelles.

‘The Origin – 1874’ is the first of a special series of limited LOUIS XIII editions, each of which will recount various milestones achieved by LOUIS XIII as well as iconic events in human history. In the pipeline are expressions that will celebrate LOUIS XIII’s presence on board the legendary Orient Express in 1929 and at the honorary banquet held at Versailles Palace in 1938 for British King George VI and his wife, Queen Elisabeth.

“We wanted people to travel back in time with LOUIS XIII Time Collection and relive celebrated adventures of the cognac and human history. Each chapter in our journey is so rich, it deserves an edition of its own to tell its story. 1874 marked the creation of LOUIS XIII, the king of cognacs, by Paul-Émile Rémy Martin and it is only right that we launch this iconic series with ‘The Origin – 1874’,” said LOUIS XIII Asia Director Vincent J. Géré.

The LOUIS XIII Time Collection is available for direct purchase through LOUIS XIII Private Client Director, Chris Kwek at Chris.Kwek@louisxiii-cognac.com. Price is upon asking.