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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Martell holds a genuinely singular place in Cognac history — founded in 1715 by Jean Martell, a young merchant from Jersey who built his trading business on the banks of the River Charente, making it the oldest of the four major Cognac houses still in operation, predating Rémy Martin by nearly a decade and Hennessy by half a century. What sets Martell apart even today is a genuine point of technical distinction: it remains the only major Cognac house that distills exclusively from clear wine, removing all sediment and lees before distillation in traditional copper pot stills — a deliberate choice that produces eaux-de-vie known for exceptional purity and finesse rather than the richer, heavier character lees contact can bring.
Martell VSOP is a blend of eaux-de-vie drawn from four distinct crus — Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, and the Borderies, the smallest and rarest cru in the entire Cognac region, long considered Martell's own signature terroir for its distinctive floral character. The youngest component in the blend is aged a minimum of four years, exclusively in casks made from fine-grained oak sourced from the Tronçais forest in central France — wood grown slower and tighter-grained than typical French oak, contributing a genuinely lighter, more refined wood influence that preserves the eaux-de-vie's natural fruit character rather than overwhelming it. This exact bottling earned a Silver medal for design, value, and taste at the 2025 Bartenders' Brand Awards.
The Liquor Barn's extended tasting describes "ripe mirabelle plum and apricot" opening the nose, moving "into hazelnut and fine grain," with "quieter threads of lime zest and liquorice" adding complexity "without dominating," developing on the palate into a "mellow and fruit-forward" entry, "with crystallized fruit and greengage giving way to warm spice notes of cinnamon and cardamom at mid-palate," closing "long" and "marked by toffee and a faint cocoa dryness." Wooden Cork's tasting found "raisins, cream, toasted oats, mild spices, and caramelized prunes," reflecting "Martell's distinctive dry, elegant house style." Martell's own official notes describe "warm copper with subtle glints of gold" in the glass, with an "intense" aroma of "ripe yellow fruits of mirabelle plum, greengage, apricot and vine peach." This is a genuinely well-balanced, historically significant Cognac — one that Napoleon Bonaparte himself is said to have favored, and a house whose customers over the centuries have reportedly included figures from David Rockefeller to Winston Churchill.
Martell was founded in 1715 in the town of Cognac by Jean Martell, a young merchant from Jersey, making it the oldest of the four major Cognac houses still in operation today. The house has built its 300-plus-year reputation around a genuinely distinctive technical approach: Martell is the only major Cognac producer that distills exclusively from clear wine, with all lees removed before distillation in traditional copper pot stills, resulting in eaux-de-vie prized for their purity and refined fruit character.
Martell VSOP blends eaux-de-vie from four distinct crus — Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, and the Borderies, the estate's traditional signature cru, prized for its floral aromatics. The youngest component is aged a minimum of four years, exclusively in casks crafted from fine-grained oak sourced from the Tronçais forest in central France, chosen specifically for its lighter, more delicate wood influence. Bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof. This bottling earned a Silver medal for design, value, and taste at the 2025 Bartenders' Brand Awards.
Silver Medal (Design, Value & Taste) — Bartenders' Brand Awards, 2025
Cognac-Expert.com (extended tasting note):
"Martell VSOP is a clean and approachable example of its category. On the nose, it shows caramel, pear, light citrus notes and a noticeable touch of oak. The profile is straightforward, without excessive complexity, yet balanced and well composed."
Martell (official tasting notes):
"Colour: Warm copper with subtle glints of gold. Aroma: Intense, ripe yellow fruits of mirabelle plum, greengage, apricot and vine peach. Martell VSOP offers an elegant and perfectly balanced blend with luscious fruit notes, hints of wood and soft spices adding depth to this sophisticated spirit."
Nose
Warm copper with subtle gold glints. Ripe mirabelle plum and apricot lead, moving into hazelnut, fine grain, and caramel, with quieter threads of lime zest and liquorice underneath.
Palate
Mellow and fruit-forward, with crystallized fruit and greengage carrying the entry, developing into warm cinnamon and cardamom spice at mid-palate, alongside pear and light citrus.
Finish
Long, marked by toffee and a faint cocoa dryness, closing with raisins, toasted oats, and caramelized prune — genuinely dry and elegant, true to Martell's signature house style.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | VSOP Cognac |
| ABV / Proof | 40% ABV / 80 Proof |
| Age | Minimum 4 years (youngest eau-de-vie) |
| Crus | Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Borderies |
| Distillation | Exclusively clear wine, no lees, traditional copper pot stills |
| Aging | Fine-grained Tronçais oak |
| Producer | Martell — Cognac, France |
| Founded | 1715, by Jean Martell — the oldest major Cognac house |
| Historic Notability | Reportedly favored by Napoleon Bonaparte |
| Critics | Silver Medal, Bartenders' Brand Awards 2025 |
| Style / Identity | Elegant, dry, fruit-forward Cognac — lighter and more refined than richer, heavier competitors |
| Aromas & Flavors | Mirabelle plum, apricot, hazelnut, cinnamon, cardamom, toffee, greengage |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Enjoy neat, on ice, or in long drinks and cocktails — genuinely versatile across all three.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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