Maison Martell has recently released an exclusive edition cognac called L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Dragon. The exclusive edition pays a tribute for 2024’s Year of the Dragon and it is available in strictly limited quantities: fewer than 750 pieces, each individually numbered.
L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Dragon delivers fresh, vibrant floral aromas – lily, lilac, pansy – which merge deliciously into intense and generous notes of candied fruit, including tamarind, lotus seeds and longan, also known as dragon’s eye. These are complemented by aromas of dried fruit and nuts, then notes of red and black fruit, notably wild strawberry, blackberry and blackcurrant. As the cognac evolves, spices and noble woods – Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, cedar and sandalwood – heighten the sensation of warmth, while aromas of earth and rancio evoke the atmosphere of the legendary Jean Martell cellar, where Maison Martell’s most precious eaux-de-vie are kept. Finally, exceptional length on the palate suggests the immortal nature of the Chinese dragon, which particularly inspired Christophe Valtaud.
Maison Martell collaborated with Baccarat – one of France’s most revered manufacturers of fine crystal, founded in 1764 – to create the one-of-a-kind decanter for the L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition – Assemblage du Dragon. The decanter, whose neck is embellished with engraved 19-carat gold, is crowned by a sculptural representation of a dragon’s head, completely unique and perfect in every vibrant detail, which is signed Martell x Baccarat.
Inside a beautifully crafted box whose red metal doors are embossed with a pattern suggesting dragon’s skin, the decanter rests on a gold-tone pedestal finely engraved with tiny scales. This magnificent ensemble is displayed against a dramatic, gold-colour backdrop decorated with motifs of grapevines, oak barrels and Martell swifts around a flamboyant Chinese dragon – a poetic evocation, not only of the Year of the Dragon, but also of the enduring friendship between Maison Martell and China.