Remy Martin is the oldest cognac actively produced today. Originating in 1724, it is the cognac with the longest-lasting tradition and is one of the big four, the other three being Courvoisier, Martell, and Hennessy.
The Remy Martin brand was named after its founder- Remy Martin. He was just a wine-grower with big dreams. He was very inventive and wanted to experiment with new vine varieties, and all that he needed to get was the king’s permission to grow a new vine variety.
Somewhere around 1724, king Louis XV of France granted him the permission he needed to grow the new vine variety, but under the condition to create his own brand. At that moment, over 300 years ago, a star was born, shining brightly to this day.
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In about 1738, the official Remy Martin cognac brand took its first steps. Today Remy Martin can brag about having a wide variety of cognacs loved and consumed not only in France but worldwide.
Remy Martin does not only have a rich selection of cognacs but is also very variable with the prices, meaning there is something for everyone. No matter how deep, or rather shallow, your pocket is, you can find your Remy Martin if you are a cognac fan.
The reason why Remi Martin is so famous and so loved around the world is that regardless if the bottle is $20 or $2000, you will definitely be having a high-quality drink. The respect for its loyal customers is what makes Remy Martin one of the big boys, and it is why this brand has been going strong for over three centuries now.
Since Remy Martin offers a lot of choices, varying in flavor and price, in the following article, I will talk about the making, prices, and main types of the Remy Martin cognac to help you make the best possible choice for your next cognac experience.
More: Martell Cognac Prices and Sizes
Making
The making of the Remy Martin cognac starts at the very beginning of the growing of the grapes. The grapes are an experimental variety initially grown by Remy Martin, the founder himself. The brand takes utmost care in the growing of the grapes, as it is the most vital and determining factor of the quality of the cognac.
If the grapes aren’t carefully grown, using meticulously planned and applied methods, the cognac will turn out less than perfect, and that is not how Remy Martin rolls. Therefore, they grow the grapes making sure they get the best possible yield.
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The way they grow the grapes is, of course, a well-kept secret available to the most privileged ones.
The second stage of the Remy Martin cognac production process is the harvest, which is a spectacular event in itself. The brand believes that the harvest of the grapes is a joyous event, and they make sure that there are a lot of smiling faces.
The growers and harvesters of the Remy Martin grapes are an alliance working jointly to meet the Remy Martin standards. This alliance of wine-growers and harvesters formed in 1966 and is still going strong years later.
Next comes the distillation process. This is a time-consuming and rigorous procedure that requires a lot of attention and discipline. The grapes are distilled with their residual yeast and go through the distillation process twice.
The distillation takes place in small copper stills as that is how Remy Martin gets cognac, which is the most intense and most flavorful. The distillation takes up about 24 hours since the process occurs twice.
However, this is the way it has been done since the 1700s, and it is a proven method that works and results in the closes thing to perfection. It is the only way to capture the grapes’ purest essence and the recognizable fruity and floral aroma.
Remy Martin sacrifices the first and last results of the distillation process. The century-long experience had taught them that the first and last yields of the distillation process are somewhat bland and dull. Therefore, the brand discards the first and last yield to capture the purest and most flavorful results of the distillation process.
What they get in the end is called “eau de vie,” which means water of life. Remy Martin uses 12 kilos of grapes for only one liter of the eau de vie. Even though the input-output ratio is 12 to 1, they still stay strongly committed to this lengthy and demanding way of production as that is the only way Remy Martin remains Remy Martin.
Selection and aging are the next production stages at Remy Martin. Not only do they use 12 kilos of grapes for one liter of eau de vie, not all eau de vie is selected for the maturation process.
After the distillation process, the produced eau de vie is taken to the Cellar Master for selection. The tasting committee gathers, and they taste the different eau de vie. The members of the tasting committee have such seasoned palates they can taste even the slightest omissions in the eau de vie.
What they are looking for is elegance and harmony, which are the signature features of the Remy Martin spirits. In one sampling session, they can go over as many as 30 Eaux de vie sampling over 2000-3000 samples. The tasting committee gathers about twice or three times a week for the sampling sessions.
It is a very responsible job as the approved eau de vie samples are going to the next production stage.
The selection process is beyond exclusive. They are looking for rich and fruity but not heavy and overbearing. They need elegance and refinement, infused with a lot of flavors and aromas. The samples that don’t match the Remy Martin standards are discarded, and the ones that do, go further to the next stage.
The selected Eaux de vie is to reach the next stage of the production process, which is the aging in the cellar to become what we know as Remy Martin cognac. Just like the production process starts with the growing of the grapes, the aging process starts with the preparation of the wood with which the casks are made.
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The used casks are made of oak, but not just any oak. The oak needs to stay outside for a few years before it is turned into casks as the elements remove the tannins they don’t need. The Cellar Master and their team carefully select the wood for the casks, so this process, too, is as exclusive as the previous ones.
Moreover, not only that the cask wood needs to stay outside exposed to the elements for a few years, but it also needs to be at least a hundred years old. The older the wood, the more flavorful the casks, and the richer the cognac.
The cellars fit about 140.000 casks where the eau de vie ages for years. While it ages, the eau de vie slowly adapts to the environment, inside the cask but also in the cellar. The cellar air penetrates the casks, but in a very slow and controlled manner, through specially designed spaces in the casks.
The cellar environment is regularly tuned to accommodate the progress of the aging process. Sometimes the Eaux de vie are transferred to older casks if the circumstances so require. During the aging process, a significant portion of eau de vie evaporates and summed up, about 8000 bottles evaporate daily.
What is left after the evaporation of the excess eau de vie is the pure essence of the Remy Martin cognac. The aging also molds the taste and texture of the final product. It gains viscosity and absorbs a rich vanilla flavor from the barrels.
What is left now is the bottling. The remaining eau de vie is bottled after it ages enough and is then marked to reach the consumers.
In conclusion, the Remy Martin cognac production process is a long, rigorous, and demanding journey, starting with the growing of the grapes and ending with the bottling. Each stage along the way requires time, patience, knowledge, skill, and, most importantly, love for the craft.
Each Remy Martin Cellar Master is trained by the one before them, which is how the brand managed to keep the long-lasting tradition of production of the cognac.
More: Hennessy Bottle Sizes And Prices Guide
Types
Remy Martin has a whopping 60 types of cognacs. They vary in price and taste but never in quality. The respect and appreciation Remy Martin gives to its customers is its best-selling point and the best label they bear.
Since there are 60 types of Remy Martin cognacs, I won’t be discussing all of them, but I will pay attention to the main ones, i.e., the ones that are sold the most: Remy Martin V, Remy Martin VSOP, Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal, Remy Martin XO, Remy Martin, XO Remy Martin XO Excellence, Remy Martin Tercet, Remy Martin Louis XIII, and Remy Martin VS.
They vary in prices and bottle sizes, and generally, there is definitely something for everyone. In fact, the variety is one of the many things Remy Martin is famous for. Not only that it carries 60 types of spirits, but it offers a lot of variety in terms of prices and bottle sizes.
Moreover, Remy Martin is also very variable in terms of use. Even though you can have whichever you want the way you want, some cognacs work better in cocktails, while others are better off neat.
The table below shows the prices and bottle sizes of the Remy Martins I listed above. However, the prices may vary depending on the country you buy the spirit from and whether you buy it from a store or online.
Remy Martin Type | Bottle Size | Price |
Remy Martin V | 750ml | $40– $46 |
Remy Martin VSOP | 375ml | $20– $22 |
750ml | $37– $41 | |
1L | $50 – $56 | |
1.75L | $90– $100 | |
Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal | 750ml | $50– $53 |
Remy Martin XO | 750ml | $140– $160 |
Remy Martin XO Excellence | 750ml | $186– $191 |
Remy Martin Tercet | 750ml | $110– $114 |
Remy Martin Louis XIII | 750ml | $2.400– $3.280 |
Remy Martin VS | 750ml | $30– $39 |
As you can see, the prices of Remy Martin cognacs vary from $20 to over $3.000. It doesn’t mean that the cheaper bottles are of a lesser quality. The reason behind this huge price difference is that some bottles are meant for vast consumption, and some are for collectors’ purposes.
Remy Martin is a brand that uses a highly exclusive and selective production process, but it’s neither selective nor exclusive to whom it sells. Its mission is to spread the standard of excellence as widely as possible, reaching all cognac fans and showing them the world of the finer things.
It also carries varieties intended for the more seasoned cognac enthusiasts with deeper pockets, but it also offers quality and refinement to the less experienced but equally enthusiastic consumers.
The prices are also higher in Europe compared to the USA, which is odd since Remy Martin is a French brand. However, due to taxes and other costs, the prices are higher in Europe than in North America.
Remy Martin has made a name as a generous brand. Even though the “angel share” is quite large, taking up about eight thousand bottles daily, Remy Martin spares no cost in the production of its spirits. Moreover, they indeed have varieties that are available and affordable to the regular Joe.
Therefore the brand takes much pride in its way of working and being truly the people’s brand, with elegance and selectiveness suitable even for those with the most discriminating tastes.
Taste
As I previously said, Remy Martin offers a wide variety of bottles, each of them having its own signature taste. However, there is a Remy Martin signature taste imprinted on every single bottle.
Due to the meticulous way of making, the careful selection of the wood of which the aging casks are made, as well as the very discriminating decision-making regarding which Eaux-de vie stay and which go, all Remy Martin bottles taste impeccably delicious.
Remy Martin cognac has a rich vanilla flavor, with noticeable floral and fruity notes. It has a noticeable sweetness since the grapes it is made of are expressively sweet.
The oak dimension also rubs off of the Remy Martin spirits, filling the drink with richness, honey-like smoothness, and full floral and fruity flavors and aromas.
The Remy Martin cognac is also known as very aromatic, although perfectly subtle, easy to drink, and not overwhelming at all. Finding a drink that combines so many opposing features is very hard, but Remy Martin seems to have managed to pull it off.
Subtle and understated, yet playful, colorful, and expressive, the flavors and aromas included in the Remy Martin cognac create the perfect harmony inside the spirit.
Generally, the Remy Martin starts with an expressive floral aroma. Then, it continues to unravel, bringing out the vanilla notes, which are easily noticeable yet delightfully understated. Next comes the star of the show, which is the wonderfully well-balanced fruitiness and sweetness.
The palate is where you can see all the hard work of the grape growers and harvesters. It embodies the very core of what the Remy Martin brand is. This is where the vanilla flavor and fruity sweetness dance in perfect sync, creating an amazing story that keeps surprising you with its colorfulness.
The finish, although not as explosive as the palate, is indeed what you need after that flavorful experience. It lands you down softly and gradually, with a velvet-smoothness and a burn so gentle that the worst that it does is warm you up.
Due to its viscosity, it lingers on, releasing its magic even after you have swallowed your sip. Each new sip tastes somewhat different because you are left with a smooth layer of deliciousness, altering the flavor and bringing out new notes.
Of course, the tastes I describe above are not all there is to Remy Martin, as with each bottle, a new world opens up before your eyes. Some varieties are stronger but still not aggressive. I would describe them as assertive instead.
Some varieties, on the other hand, are even softer than those described above, intended for another audience.
However, all varieties have the recognizable Remy Martin mark. Full-bodied, intensely aromatic, soft, refined, elegant, sweet, and fruity. All are carefully made with tones of love, wisdom, and skill.
How Much Does Remy Martin Cost?
Remy Martin definitely has excellent offers for many types of consumers with different tastes and pockets. You can find a bottle for $20 as well as of $3.000.
On average, if you want a bottle of 750 ml. of Remy Martin cognac, you should be ready to pay anywhere from $50 to $200 for a bottle intended for non-collector purposes.
There are, of course, more expensive bottles, but they are intended for those of you who know how to enjoy them. The wider consumption bottles will set you back up to $200, depending on the bottle size.
How Much Does a Liter of Remy Martin Cost?
The price of a liter bottle of Remy Martin would cost about $500. However, this would again depend on the type of the bottle, what it has been intended for and where it sells.
Usually, Remy Martins are more expensive in Europe than in the USA, so you may have to pay something over $500 for a bottle of one liter of Remy Martin cognac.
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Is Remy Martin More Expensive Than Hennessey?
Although not cheap, Remy Martin is still not unaffordable. Hennessey is more expensive than Remy Martin, but not by very far. While Remy Martin is not a family business, Hennessey has belonged to the same family since its conception.
The Hennessey brand has a different view of the business since it is much closer to them, and therefore they sell their products for a slightly higher price than Remy Martin.
Both Hennessey and Remy Martin produce excellent-quality drinks worth every penny. The quality, however, has nothing to do with the price difference between these two high-end spirit brands. This difference is more of a sentimental nature, as well as a business-related notion.
Is Remy Martin Brandy?
Remy Martin is cognac, which is a type of brandy. Cognac is basically a brandy made of grape juice coming from grapes grown in the Cognac region.
Brandy is, in essence, distilled wine. It first appeared as a way to make the wine last longer for transportation purposes. The original idea was to revert the brandy to wine, but since it tasted delicious, it has managed to become a drink on its own.
Remy Martin grapes are carefully grown, harvested, and selected, undergoing a rigorous production process, resulting in a genuine piece of art.
Is Remy Martin a Good Cognac?
Remy Martin plays in the big leagues, being one of the biggest four cognac producers. It is definitely one of the best cognac brands.
Remy Martin is known for its sweetness and fruitiness. It has a noticeable floral dimension and a rich vanilla taste. It undergoes a very complex production process, involving lots of time, effort, and expertise.
The Remy Martin brand is about here centuries old, and it is the oldest cognac still produced. This century-long tradition has allowed the brand to develop, improve, and ultimately perfect the cognac recipe and production procedure.
It is a long-lasting brand with countless of bottles sold worldwide, still going strong with no intention to slow down, let alone stop any time soon.
Resources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9my_Martin#History
- https://www.liquor.com/remy-martin-vsop-cognac-review-5224733#:~:text=Palate%3A%20More%20well%2Ddefined%20than,the%20longest%20in%20the%20aftertaste.
- https://www.remymartin.com/en-us/how-cognac-is-made/