Louis XIII (cognac)

The concept for the decanter of Louis XIII originated in 1850, when Paul-Emile Rémy Martin came across a metal flask originally recovered from the site of the Battle of Jarnac (1569). He purchased the metal flask and registered the rights for its reproduction. In 1874, in honour of the House’s 150th anniversary, he designed a glass replica of the flask to use as the vessel for his best cognac.[3] Today, each crystal decanter is handmade by French crystal manufacturers: Baccarat, Saint-Louis, and Cristallerie de Sèvres.[1][6]

Louis XIII is bottled in several sizes: Classic (700 mL or 750 mL [USA]), Magnum (1.5 L or 1.75 L [USA]), Miniature (50 mL), Jeroboam (3 L), and Mathusalem (6 L) formats.[7]

Rare Cask 42.6 is distinguished by its alcohol content at 42.6% ABV rather than the expected 40%.[8]

Rare Cask 43.8 was produced from a single cask with a higher alcohol content (43.8% ABV) than the other Louis XIII cognacs.[9]

Black Pearl was created as an homage to the origins of Louis XIII. The colour of the crystal was inspired by the original metal flask found at the site of the battle of Jarnac.[10]

Black Pearl Anniversary Edition was created to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the brand.[11]

L’Odyssée d’un Roi was released as a collaboration with three French luxury houses, Hermès, Puiforcat, and Saint-Louis. Hermès created a bespoke leather trunk, Puiforcat forged a white gold serving pipette, and Saint-Louis hand-blew and engraved a unique version of the decanter with a map of Louis XIII’s journey around the world. Only three were made, and were auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York, Hong Kong, and London, with the proceeds benefitting The Film Foundation’s preservation efforts.[12][13]

The Origin is named in tribute to the original decanter created in 1874.[14]

The Legacy is a direct collaboration between four generations of cellar masters. Offered in Magnum format, each is individually signed by the four cellar masters.[15]

In November 2015, Louis XIII partnered with actor John Malkovich and director Robert Rodriguez to create a film entitled 100 Years – The Movie You Will Never See, which will not be released until the year 2115, mirroring the 100 years it takes to create the final blend of Louis XIII cognac.[16][17] The film highlights the uncertainty of the future and the variables that contribute to a single decanter of Louis XIII.[16] The film is housed in a safe designed by Fichet-Bauche, kept at the Cellars of Louis XIII in Cognac, France, set to automatically open on 18 November 2115.[16]

In November 2017, Louis XIII partnered with Pharrell Williams to create "100 Years – The Song We'll Only Hear If We Care" to be released in 2117.[18] The song is a collaborative effort intended to draw attention to environmental issues and the unpredictability of the future.[19] Pharrell’s track was recorded on a disc made out of clay from the chalky soil of Cognac, France, and played once for an audience of 100 in Shanghai, China.[20] The disc was then locked in a specially designed Fichet-Bauche safe that protects it against everything except water from potential rising tides, which would dissolve the clay disc.[18]