Louis XIII Cognac

First exhibited at the Exposition Universelle (Paris, 1900) Louis XIII has embodied sophistication for over a century. Each bottle is a unique work of art, from the decanter – each of which requires eleven craftsmen to blow the crystal, apply the ornamentation and wrap the 20-K gold collar around its slender neck – to the cognac itself. Composed of up to 1200 eaux-de-vie from the first cru of the Cognac region, Grande Champagne, Louis XIII balances notes of myrrh, honey, dried roses, plum, honeysuckle, cigar boxes, leather, figs and passion fruit in an unmatched, ambrosial blend.

This book is an ode to the cognac, sung by some of its earliest and most vibrant devotees.