Martell releases Cognac for Chinese New Year

Cognac house Martell has unveiled a limited release for the Lunar New Year: L’Or de Jean Martell 1715 Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Dragon.

The Cognac retails for US$10,500, with fewer than 750 bottles available worldwide, and just 10 for sale in the US.

The Cognac’s decanter was designed by French crystal maker Baccarat and features a 19-carat gold neck sealed with a crystal stopper in the mould of a dragon’s head – inspired by year’s Zodiac animal, a dragon.

Meanwhile, the Cognac’s red scaled box design gives the impression of dragon’s skin, and features motifs of grapevines, oak and a Chinese dragon.

Martell’s cellar master, Christophe Valtaud, created the liquid, which is blended from 1,400 eaux-de-vie, including a selection from previous Years of the Dragon eaux-de-vie.

Its aromas are said to bring tamarind, lotus seeds and longan (an edible fruit also known as dragon’s eye), as well as Chinese cinnamon and Sichuan pepper, while the taste delivers candied and dried fruits followed by berries, with soft spices and noble wood.

Martell also recently revealed the first bottling in its new Réserve du Château collection: L’Or de Jean Martell – Réserve du Château de Chanteloup. It will be available this month (January).

The news was one of the top 10 spirits launches announced in December.

The series will see the Cognac brand partner with a different French château each year.

Other Cognac houses such as Courvoisier and Hennessy have also debuted their Lunar releases ahead of Chinese New Year.