Rémy Martin's 1738 Accord Royal cognac is an elegant and relatively affordable blend of young and old eaux-de-vie that works as a sip or in cocktails.
QUICK FACTS
Classification: Cognac VSOP
Company: Remy Cointreau
Distillery: Rémy Martin (Touzac, Cognac, France)
Keg type: toasted french oak
Fixed type: copper pot (Charentais still)
Published: 1997; ongoing
Evidence: 80 (40% ABV)
Aged: 4-20 years
MSRP: €77
Advantages
- Although this is technically a VSOP cognac (meaning the youngest brandies in the blend are four years old), much of it is aged considerably longer , up to 20 years, which gives it more of the characteristics of an XO (the youngest eaux-de-vie of an XO -de-vie must be at least 10 years old).
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It shares much of the flavor profile of an XO, but is priced like a VSOP, making it a bargain.
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The inconvenients
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Because it has characteristics both VSOP and XO in its flavor profile, it may not appeal to cognac lovers who want one or the other but not both in the same glass.
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Tasting Notes
Color : Deep reddish amber, which could reflect both the age of the blend (up to 20 years) and/or the fact that a caramel coloring was used, which is a fairly common practice in the world of cognac.
Nose: Fairly dry with a slight herbaceous, underlined by a concentration of black fruits and wood.
Stuffy : fruity, with pronounced notes of dried fig and apricot, as well as hints of vanilla and brown sugar, somewhat reminiscent of a fruit cake, but which you would really have want to eat.
Final: The dry and slightly woody finish makes a nice counterpart to the sweetness of the attack, and it lingers for several minutes after the last sip.
Our opinion
Rémy Martin is named after the winemaker who started selling dre du cognac under his own name in 1724. It was illegal to plant new vines in France at the time, but King Louis XV was said to have liked Remy Martin cognac so much that he granted permission… an agreement royal — to do so. The rest, of course, is history, as Remy Martin has gone on to become one of the largest and most popular cognac producers in the world. The expression Royal Accord of 1738 was coined in honor of this royal decree.
A blend of grapes from the Grande-Champagne and Petite Champagne regions of Cognac, 1738 Accord Royal is a liquid testimony to one of the turning points in the history of Rémy Martin. It is also intended to occupy a place between the VSOP and XO categories. The age range for the blending of eaux-de-vie is between four and 20 years old , making it an interesting combo. This is a fruity cognac, but while a typical VSOP is often bright and vibrant, the 1738 exhibits a darker, more understated fruitiness and more concentrated. On the other hand, the woodiness that can so often spoil an XO cognac with harsh and somewhat astringent spices is lighter here, with the wood giving a slight tingle rather than a kick.
This is a very sippable cognac that requires nothing more than a glass for maximum enjoyment. But it is both tasty and affordable enough to use in cocktails such as a Sazerac , a Sidecar or a Old fashioned .
INTERESTING FACTS
Rémy Martin has chosen not to give an age designation to Accord Royal because of the range of ages of the waters- of life.
- Rémy Martin was the first major cognac house to appoint a female master blender when Pierrette Trichet took the reins in 2003.
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Classification: Cognac VSOP
Company: Remy Cointreau
Distillery: Rémy Martin (Touzac, Cognac, France)
Keg type: toasted french oak
Fixed type: copper pot (Charentais still)
Published: 1997; ongoing
Evidence: 80 (40% ABV)
Aged: 4-20 years
MSRP: €77
Advantages
- Although this is technically a VSOP cognac (meaning the youngest brandies in the blend are four years old), much of it is aged considerably longer , up to 20 years, which gives it more of the characteristics of an XO (the youngest eaux-de-vie of an XO -de-vie must be at least 10 years old).
It shares much of the flavor profile of an XO, but is priced like a VSOP, making it a bargain.
The inconvenients
-
Because it has characteristics both VSOP and XO in its flavor profile, it may not appeal to cognac lovers who want one or the other but not both in the same glass.
Tasting Notes
Color : Deep reddish amber, which could reflect both the age of the blend (up to 20 years) and/or the fact that a caramel coloring was used, which is a fairly common practice in the world of cognac.
Nose: Fairly dry with a slight herbaceous, underlined by a concentration of black fruits and wood.
Stuffy : fruity, with pronounced notes of dried fig and apricot, as well as hints of vanilla and brown sugar, somewhat reminiscent of a fruit cake, but which you would really have want to eat.
Final: The dry and slightly woody finish makes a nice counterpart to the sweetness of the attack, and it lingers for several minutes after the last sip.
Our opinion
Rémy Martin is named after the winemaker who started selling dre du cognac under his own name in 1724. It was illegal to plant new vines in France at the time, but King Louis XV was said to have liked Remy Martin cognac so much that he granted permission… an agreement royal — to do so. The rest, of course, is history, as Remy Martin has gone on to become one of the largest and most popular cognac producers in the world. The expression Royal Accord of 1738 was coined in honor of this royal decree.
A blend of grapes from the Grande-Champagne and Petite Champagne regions of Cognac, 1738 Accord Royal is a liquid testimony to one of the turning points in the history of Rémy Martin. It is also intended to occupy a place between the VSOP and XO categories. The age range for the blending of eaux-de-vie is between four and 20 years old , making it an interesting combo. This is a fruity cognac, but while a typical VSOP is often bright and vibrant, the 1738 exhibits a darker, more understated fruitiness and more concentrated. On the other hand, the woodiness that can so often spoil an XO cognac with harsh and somewhat astringent spices is lighter here, with the wood giving a slight tingle rather than a kick.
This is a very sippable cognac that requires nothing more than a glass for maximum enjoyment. But it is both tasty and affordable enough to use in cocktails such as a Sazerac , a Sidecar or a Old fashioned .
INTERESTING FACTS
Rémy Martin has chosen not to give an age designation to Accord Royal because of the range of ages of the waters- of life.- Rémy Martin was the first major cognac house to appoint a female master blender when Pierrette Trichet took the reins in 2003.
