Louis XIII Miniature Cognac 5cl

This is Louis XIII in miniature — a 5cl measure of the most storied cognac in the world, for a fraction of the four-figure decanter but the identical liquid inside. A single serve of a spirit built from generations of patience.

Louis XIII is made by Rémy Martin exclusively from Grande Champagne, the top cru of Cognac. The blend draws on up to 1,200 individual eaux-de-vie aged between roughly 40 and 100 years, matured in centuries-old tierçon oak casks that are no longer even made. Every cellar master who lays down spirit for it is quite literally working for their successors.

The nose is a slow unfolding — honey, dried rose, fig and candied plum, then leather, tobacco and old oak. The palate carries myrrh, dried fruit and sandalwood over a savoury thread of rancio, and the finish goes on for minutes. Even at 5cl the complexity is remarkable.

At around £700 for a taste, this is the sensible way to meet an icon — a genuine experience of Louis XIII without committing to the full decanter, or a serious gift in its own right.

How to Serve

Neat, at room temperature, in a tulip glass or the traditional Louis XIII tasting glass if you have one. Take your time — this is a spirit to nose and sip over an hour, never to rush or dilute.

Where to Drink It

The Connaught Bar for the occasion. Dukes Bar in St James's for hushed, old-school reverence. The American Bar at The Savoy to mark something worth marking.

Food Pairings

Best entirely alone, but if anything, a single square of very dark chocolate or a lightly toasted walnut.