Martell Noblige Cognac

Born in 1694 and hailing from the Island of Jersey, Jean Martell began his journey into the world of distilled wines in 1715 by setting up one for the first cognac houses on the banks of the Charente. After a few years of experimentation, he settled on a recipe of using grapes from the Borderies sub-region and casks made from Tronçais oak. He realised that this combination of grape and wood produced an incredibly smooth cognac. After Jean died in 1753, his business passed to his widow, two sons and grandson. They enjoyed great success in countries such as England where the brand was a favourite in the early 1800s. In 1912 the company debuted its most famous product, the legendary Cordon Bleu and six years later the brand bore witness to history as Martell was served at the signing of the armistice in Compiegne, bringing the first world war to an end. Later in the 20th century, Cordon Bleu would be the standard cognac served on Concord, the Orient Express and the Queen Mary. In 1987, Canadian drinks giant Seagram took control of the company. When they were dissolved in 2001, the spoils of its sizeable portfolio were mostly shared between Diageo the French group Pernod-Ricard, with the latter acquiring Martell. These days, Martell selects crus from the cognac regions Les Borderies, Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Fins Bois. After over 300 years, the brands stands proudly as one of the most important names in the history of cognac.